Stellenbosch Tatler - October 2025

TATLER

NEWS & VIEWS

FOOD & WINE

PEOPLE & PLACES

CULTURE & STYLE

Woordfees Langtafel

Wear Your Shades

The South African Guide-Dogs Association invites the public to celebrate the third annual Wear Your Shades Day, taking place nationwide on Friday, 17 October 2025.

This initiative celebrates World Sight Month by raising awareness about the importance of eye health and generating vital support for individuals with visual impairments. By purchasing a R20 sticker and wearing your favourite sunglasses, you help create a more inclusive society where everyone, regardless of ability, can experience freedom and independence.

“Every year, our mission is to transform the lives of approximately 800 individuals through the provision of Assistance Dogs and long-cane training,” says Pieter van Niekerk, spokesperson for the SA GuideDogs Association. Van Niekerk is visually impaired and a proud guide dog owner himself.

How to Get Involved

Purchase your R20 sticker at any of the following stores or platforms:

Online: Buy your digital sticker via the SA Guide-Dogs website at www. guidedog.org.za.

By Phone: Contact the Johannesburg or Cape Town offices to order stickers. Collect them in person or have them delivered.

At Stores: Stickers are available at participating retailers, including Pick n Pay (selected stores), Spar (selected stores), Falco Milano, Big Blue, Pet World, and BUCO Hardware.

Wear Your Shades: On 17 October, put on your coolest sunglasses and your sticker to show your support and raise awareness about visual impairment and eye health.

Globally, at least 2.2 billion people experience vision impairment. In at least 1 billion cases, this could have been prevented through measures such as regular eye care and wearing sunglasses to protect against harmful UV rays.

Funds raised from Wear Your Shades Day directly support the Association’s programmes — including the breeding, raising, and training of Assistance Dogs for the visually impaired, people with physical disabilities, and children on the autism spectrum, as well as providing essential orientation and mobility services.

The Association extends heartfelt thanks to DSV for sponsoring this year’s distribution of campaign materials. A huge thanks to all the retailers for joining us on this meaningful campaign!

On Wear Your Shades Day, participants are encouraged to tag @sa_guide_dogs on social media while wearing their shades and sticker and use the hashtag #shadesday for a chance to win exciting prizes.

www.guidedog.org.za or email info@guidedog.org.za

Text: Editorial Desk | Images: Supplied

The Galileo

OPEN AIR CINEMA RETURNS!

The Galileo’s movie magic returns to the city and Cape Winelands’ starry skies from 15 October 2025 to 16 May 2026. This summer brings exciting new concepts, including live sport screenings, dog-friendly shows, themed nights, exclusive Royale experiences, and spectacular new venues alongside all of the fan favourites that make Galileo great.

What to expect this season

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The Galileo will whisk you away to stunning locations across the Cape. Weekdays will see screenings hosted at the picturesque Kirstenbosch Garden, while selected Fridays will light up Central Park in Century City and Battery Park at the V&A Waterfront. Saturdays are all about exploring the Cape Winelands, including Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek, Wellington, Somerset West and more. Visit spectacular wine and farm estates such as Lourensford, Blaauwklippen, Nederburg, Leopard’s Leap and Allée Bleue, to name a few.

Guests can expect classic and contemporary movies that bring back cherished memories from childhood or create new ones. From heart-warming family classics to tear-jerking romcoms, toe-tapping musicals, Bollywood, iconic cult classics, suspenseful thrillers and golden oldies, The Galileo Open Air Cinema offers the ultimate setting for an enchanting evening with friends, romantic date nights, birthday celebrations, family gatherings, or even “end-of-year” corporate parties.

Themed nights like Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter bring extra magic as décor, activities, entertainment, and fun games and competitions collide. A great day out for the whole family, the Special Shows are not to be missed.

A brand-new concept for The Galileo is the LIVE experience, where you can back the Bokke and watch-along as the Springboks clash in upcoming test match. Enjoy lawn games, sizzling braai favourites, giveaways, and the ultimate outdoor rugby vibe. Catch SA v Ireland on 22 Nov 2025. Come early, bring the family – it’s game-day magic!

Elevate your evening with the intimate and exclusive Galileo Royale experience— no picnic packing required. Your ticket grants you a welcome drink, a sumptuous canapé, and a gourmet main course, thoughtfully curated for the ultimate cinematic indulgence.

An inclusive experience

As a family-friendly event, The Galileo prides itself on giving you bang for your buck. From birthday specials to pensioner and student discounts, plus VIP ticket options that include a cheeky bag of Chuckles® malted puffs in milk chocolate and other upgrades, The Galileo is designed to delight every kind of moviegoer. Pack your own picnic or enjoy delicious eats from trusted vendors offering everything from burgers and pizza to wraps, nachos and sweet treats — with vegetarian, vegan and Halaal options available.

“Unforgettable memories are made when we stay in the present and put distractions aside. At The Galileo, the only time you’ll reach for your phone is to capture the magic under the stars,” says Matthew Schulz, Managing Director.

Tickets can be purchased online at Webtickets.co.za, starting at just R155 per person. Weekdays commence at 18h00, and Saturdays at 17h00, with the movie starting after sunset.

To explore the full movie schedule and secure your seat under the starlit sky, visit www.thegalileo.co.za/movies.

Text: Editorial Desk | Image: Supplied

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The Galileo at Blaauwklippen

Spoke en Poltergeists van Stellenbosch

As jy die onheilspellende geklink van perdehoewe hoor aankom uit die rigting van Oude Werf en dit gaan Kerkstraat af, het jy paaie gekruis met Landdrost Daniel van Rijneveld, wie al in die nederwêreld vasgevang is vir ongeveer 250 jaar. En hy’t dit oor homself gebring. Hy’s die man wat daardie erf, voorheen die plek van die eerste kerk en begraafplaas op Stellenbosch, onderverdeel het vir ontwikkeling. Die strooidak-kerkie is verwoes in die vernietigende brand van 1710, waarin ‘n groot deel van die jong dorpie afgebrand het. Wat uit die puin gered kon word, is aangewend in die bou van ‘n nuwe kerk waar die Moederkerk tans staan. Die ou perseel het daarna vir ‘n driekwart eeu onverstoord en rustig leeg gestaan, tot die gulsige Landdrost dit op hom geneem het om die stuk grond te ontheillig. En daarvoor het hy vir ewig die reg verbeur tot die rus van sy siel. So as jy die skim sien van ‘n ou man op ‘n moeë perd op hulle eindelose rondtes, laat dit vir jou ‘n les wees: moenie die dooies ontstig nie.

Boeke het skynbaar ook onrustige nagte op Stellenbosch. En weereens is die ontevrede gestorwenes aan die werk. Daar was lank gelede ‘n lykshuis in Dorpstraat waar Verbatim Boekwinkel vandag is, en boeke wandel skynbaar na ander plekke gedurende die nag, of eindig op die vloer op. Verskrikte toeriste wat een aand deur die venster geloer het, sweer hulle het boeke sien rondsweef. Maar volgens die legende stap die geeste met hulle aangeleerde smaak vir die gedrukte woord dié tyd van die jaar, soos die Dag van die Dode naderkom, sommer die hele dorp vol. Hulle besoek biblioteke, ander boekwinkels, koshuise

en professors se studeerkamers, en ook woonhuise. So klou aan julle boeke hierdie maand, mense.

Die Eikestad het ook sy ‘stinkrykes’ gehad. Nie enigeen is toegelaat om onder die nuwe kerk se vloer begrawe te word nie. Slegs diegene wat in hulle leeftyd genoeg geld gehad het om die armsaliges te seën - en natuurlik die kerk ook - het daardie eer te beurt geval. Maar ongelukkig gaan die lewelose liggame van die rykes dieselfde pad as alle vlees, en het ‘n onwelriekende klank in die gebou laat hang vir maande. So as jy ‘n vrotterige geur optel in daardie omgewing, is dit maar net die ‘stinkrykes’ wat die armes laat weet om nie op hulle duur rusplekke te trap nie. Een van hulle, so word daar vertel, was ene Mnr Johan Cloete, wat ook bekend was vir sy stink sedes en daarom verban is om op die walle van die Eersterivier begrawe te word. Die dorpenaars het almal daaraan herriner dat ‘hier lê ‘n skobbejak’ deur ‘n skedel en bene op sy grafsteen te graveer. Maar die man se spook het só ysingswekkend tekere gegaan snags dat dominee hom noodgedwonde en ferm na die ander kant moes oorhelp, waarna hy stil geraak het. Dis egter nie onmoontlik dat in ‘n maand van twee verduisterings hy weer

sal opstaan om in die skadus rond te hang en al die disrespek te protesteer nie. Wees maar versigtig.

En wat is ‘n dorp nou sonder die spookagtige teenwoordigheid van ‘n veragte vrou, steeds besig om haar angs en frustrasies in vandag se eter te projekteer. ‘n Baie ongelukkige eggenote hang skynbaar nog steeds rond in Berghhuis in Drostdystraat. Die huis is in die 1750s gebou deur die onder-balju, Olof Bergh, en sy familie het lank en gelukkig daar gewoon tot 1777. Maar die volgende inwoners was bitter stormagtig getroud, tot die vrou eendag aan die bodem van

die trappe opgeëindig het. Haar lyk is toe daar uitgedra, maar sy’s nooit weg nie en sy kondig haar teenwoordigheid gereeld aan met koue rillings. Genadiglik is sy tot nou toe minstens ‘n stom spook. Maar wie weet, né….?

Teks: Redaksie | Foto: Wikiwand

Read the English report on our website

‘n Verdagte doodsval op die trappe van Berghhuis laat nou nog koue rillings.

Thoughts From My Kitchen

TRAVELS ON A PLATE

There’s something magical about eating far from home. The food itself might be simple – just chicken, vegetables, a scattering of herbs – but it’s transformed by the dust of the road, the view out the window, the stories you’ve collected that day.

I’ve just returned from travelling the west coast of Namibia, a trip that felt both vast and intimate. Vast because Namibia is a country of open skies and endless horizons. Intimate because, out there, you are so aware of every small detail: the crunch of sand underfoot, the distant cry of a jackal, the scent of the ocean carried inland by the wind.

It’s not an easy place to eat if you measure food by convenience – the lodges are often in the middle of nowhere, reached by long stretches of gravel road. And yet, in one such lodge, I sat down to a meal that felt as sophisticated as anything you’d find in a city restaurant. Lanterns glowed softly, casting warm pools of light, and chilled glasses of rosé

caught the last rays of the sun. Around our table, there was the low murmur of relaxed banter between friends – the kind of conversation that drifts easily after a long day of exploring. On my plate: the most perfectly cooked chicken.

Perhaps it was the combination of exhaustion from the day’s drive, the orange-pink sunset that turned the desert into a living painting, or the quiet pride with which the food was served –but it was unforgettable. Tender meat, golden skin, and flavours that felt rooted in the landscape. This wasn’t just dinner; it was a reminder that food is part of the journey.

What struck me most was how that meal turned a remote lodge into a gathering place. Out there, miles from anywhere, a table becomes more than just somewhere to eat – it becomes a point of connection. The laughter, the shared passing of dishes, the clink of glasses – it all stitched the day together and made the wildness of the desert feel, just for a moment, like home.

When I got home, I wanted to hold on to that feeling. That’s what cooking can do: it lets you bottle up an experience and pour it back out into everyday life. So, I recreated that dish in my own kitchen – a chicken recipe inspired by Namibia.

Here’s how I did it: I started with bonein chicken pieces, seared until the skin turned crisp and brown. Into the pan went onions, garlic, and a handful of spices that reminded me of the desert: cumin, coriander, paprika. A splash of white wine (or chicken stock if you prefer), and everything simmered gently until the meat was falling-off-the-bone tender. I finished it with a little lemon yoghurt and a scattering of fresh herbs – not traditionally Namibian, but it brightened the dish.

Chantal Lascaris is the author of the highly successful ‘All Sorts of’ series of cook books. She’s also written another best seller called ‘The Ultimate Salad Book’. She maintains that she’s not a chef but rather a home cook with an interest in health and nutrition. She lives in Franschhoek with her husband and cat Loxie. For recipes, lifestyle and healthy living ideas, follow her on @ChantalAllSorts on Facebook, @chantal_lascaris on Instagram and ChantalLascaris on Twitter/X as well as her website chantallascaris.co.za

When I sat down to eat, I closed my eyes for a moment. I could almost hear the distant roar of the Atlantic, feel the warm air on my skin, and taste that chilled rosé once more. That’s the power of food: it transports us.

Travelling and eating are inseparable for me. The flavours you discover on the road stay with you long after you’ve unpacked your bags. They become part of your story, part of your kitchen. And if you’re lucky, they remind you that every meal – no matter where you are – can be a small adventure.

NEW PARTNERS FOR

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Meerlust: Beyond the Rubicon Cape Wine Auction

Meerlust Wine Estate outside Stellenbosch is an icon of the South African wine industry. And if icons can have icons, then their Rubicon red blend is it. A recently released new book – authored by wine guru Emile Joubert –elegantly tells the story of this historic estate and its paragon wine.

Meerlust (meaning ‘pleasure of the sea’) was first granted to the German immigrant Henning Huising in 1693. However, for over three centuries and seven generations, the land has been tended to by the Myburgh family, who transformed it into one of the country’s most revered wine estates.

For the first six generations of the Myburgh tenure, the vineyards were grown for making bulk batches of wine for selling on to the big traders dealing in the relatively unsophisticated world of South African wine at the time. In 1975 the estate produced its first vintage – a Cabernet Sauvignon – under its own label.

The Rubicon red Bordeaux blend, first made in 1980 by Nico Myburgh and his Italian-born winemaker Giorgio Dalla Cia, set Meerlust on a new trajectory. It announced not only a new path for Meerlust and the Myburgh family, but also a revolution in wine style. Today, this legacy lives on under owner Hannes Myburgh and cellar master Wim Truter.

‘Meerlust: Beyond the Rubicon’ delves deeper than the acclaim of a single blend. It is a celebration of the timeless bond between land, time, and artistry.

The book is available to purchase from good book stores in South Africa, as well as the Meerlust online shop at R495 incl. VAT.

Text: Editorial Desk

Image: Jonathan Ball Publishers

The Cape Wine Auction Trust announced a new partnership with Nederburg Wine Estate – a part of Heineken Beverages South Africa. This collaboration reinforces the Cape Wine Auction’s mission to uplift education in the Cape Winelands through philanthropy and celebration.

The 2026 Cape Wine Auction will be hosted at Nederburg on Saturday, 7 February 2026; offering guests a day of elegance, generosity and unforgettable experiences. The format remains unchanged with the morning devoted to the Barrel Auction, showcasing wines from South Africa’s top producers, followed at midday by the Experience Auction & Luncheon, where guests can bid on exclusive lots while enjoying a gourmet spread.

New to the 2026 event is The Celebration – a vibrant, fun-filled gathering celebrating the spirit of the day. This event will feature: Gourmet food stations, Curated wine stands, Live entertainment, Interactive experiences and more. Tickets will be available via Webtickets.

The collaboration with Nederburg and Heineken Beverages SA is designed to ensure the sustainability and growth of the Trust’s educational initiatives. The partnership also aligns with Heineken Beverages’ vision to reinvigorate the wine category, reclaim leadership in the industry, and reinforce South Africa’s

global reputation as a premier wineproducing nation.

Says Andrea Quaye, Marketing Director Heineken Beverages SA: “We are thrilled that supporting the Cape Wine Auction allows us to contribute meaningfully to philanthropy while celebrating the excellence of South African wine.”

Adds Paul Clüver, Chairman of the Cape Wine Auction Trust: “We are deeply grateful to Heineken Beverages for their support. This partnership empowers us to build, grow, and ultimately give more back to the children who need it most.” www.thecapewineauction.com

Text: Editorial Desk Image: Supplied

Celebrating the success of the CWA.

Days of Wine and Roses

Spring is the season of light, laughter, and lingering afternoons — a time to gather with friends, throw open the windows and pour something fresh into your glass. Celebrate the moments that make this time of year special: picnics on green lawns, easy lunches that drift into sundown and the joy of sharing wines that taste like bottled sunshine.

ALTO

CABERNET

SAUVIGNON 2019

Cabernet Sauvignon is our most celebrated variety and forms the cornerstone of our renowned red blends.

The 2019 vintage showcases the distinctive character of our unique Helderberg terroir, offering aromas of rich, dark fruit and hints of fynbos. The palate is defined by firm, structured tannins with a luxurious depth of fruit and graphite undertones.

Cellar Price per Bottle: R290

BLAAUWKLIPPEN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2022

Cabernet Sauvignon 85%, Merlot 10% and Petit Verdot 5%. Dark blueberry, mulberry and cassis notes merge with dark chocolate, fruitcake and cedarwood nuances on the multifaceted nose. Textured tannins and a creamy mid palate lead to a plush finish with great elegance and fruit purity. Rack of lamb or beef bourguignon or venison dishes.

Cellar Price per Bottle: R290

BLAAUWKLIPPEN

DE BLAAUWE KLIP 2020 (DBK)

Cape Bordeaux Style Blend consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon 30%, Cabernet Franc 26%, Malbec 26%, Petit Verdot 13% and Merlot 5%. Dark graphite, plush cassis and blueberry notes combine with nuances of dark chocolate and floral spices. A creamy entrance and plush fruit tannins lead to a velvet mid palate and a pure, vibrant and aromatic finish. A stunning wine for serious venison dishes.

Cellar Price per Bottle: R350

DORNIER EQUANIMITY

CABERNET

SAUVIGNON 2021

A classic example of this noble variety characterised by concentrated fruit, great structure and the ability to age well. Intense black cherry colour with a full bouquet of cassis, black berries, cigar box, pencil shavings and subtle oak and a hint of mint to ensure freshness. The palate has density and concentrated flavours of dark fruit with elegant tannins to create a well-balanced wine with a long finish.

Cellar Price per Bottle: R228

ERNIE ELS

BIG EASY CABERNET SAUVIGNON ROSÉ 2025

The wine is part of the Big Easy Range, inspired by legendary South African golfer Ernie Els and made for relaxed enjoyment. Blush-pink in colour, it’s the perfect reminder of spring, with aromas of red berries and pomegranate. Subtle oaking adds texture, balancing a crisp, dry palate and lively finish. As a Cabernet Sauvignon-based rosé from vineyards on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain, it offers a lighter, playful expression of Stellenbosch’s most celebrated varietal. Perfect for spring gatherings, whether paired with seafood, seasonal salads, or simply enjoyed at a braai with friends.

Cellar Price per Bottle: R125

Obituary: Jan Boland Coetzee

Your soul is already in heaven, and soon your body is to be embraced by this earth, and this is good because it is the soil you always loved, and I believe that just like we did, earth and soil love you. In life and in death, you are a true son of the soil.

You spoke often of the land and the earth. The cool red sand of the Sandveld out on the West Coast where potatoes and herenbone grow. Those salt-pans at Lambert’s Bay, where as a barefoot boy you began playing rugby, the crusty surface’s harsh, blinding white light as you ran with the ball; the sharp pain as the pan’s brittle dry cover grazed your knees in the tackle, and the sting of the salt as it soaked into your bloodied flesh.

Later, from 1968, the soils were on the hills of Kanonkop where you prepared the decomposed granite for planting Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage vines, digging and scraping through the surface, and manually working 50 tons of limestone into each hectare of earth.

Soil. Wet soil. The ankle-deep mud of a wet Newlands rugby pitch where you played for Province and for country; the gritty chalk pebbles of the Clos des Mouches vineyard in Burgundy glistening after a bout of spring rain, and that cool, damp clay koppie on your beloved Vriesenhof farm on Stellenboschberg.

“All the great wines of the world are dependent on the clay content of their vineyards’ soils,” you liked to say.

You were a farmer first. “Thing about Jan, is he’s crazy about soil,” said your friend Kevin Arnold to me a few years’ back. “After harvest, the whole of Stellenbosch is heading out to Hermanus or measuring samples in the cellar – but

not Jan. He’s waist deep in some hole in a Vriesenhof vineyard checking the condition of his soils ahead of autumn.”

Having spent much time in France, particularly in your beloved Burgundy, you knew great winemakers have first to be good farmers.

“There they don’t even have a name for a winemaker,” you said, “it is a vigneron. Carer of the vineyard and the land. That’s our only true role.”

It was in France, you told me, that you truly found amazement at nature’s effect on plants. This was not in a vineyard in Burgundy or Bordeaux. But in Normandy, in Giverny where Claude Monet’s garden of light and colour and of inspiration lies.

Inspiration you found there, too, upon visiting Monet’s garden during a rugby tour in the 1960s.

“I was amazed at the shrubs and flowers and trees, and the pond with its lilies, as I have always loved gardens and this one looked like it had been laid-out and nurtured by an angel,” you told me.

“But what was truly fascinating, was that the flowers, the same flowers, showed different colours depending on where they were planted in the garden. And I remember thinking, that if nature can so dramatically influence the colours of these same flowers, what incredible effect must nature not have on the vineyard, the grapes and the wines we wish to make.”

That moment in Giverny was a moment forever stuck in your mind – which held millions of moments, as your memory was so very fine and clear – and also convinced you that wine farmers must strive for beauty in wine. And that it is

Where Craftsmanship Meets Warmth

nature which liest at the heart of beauty, in wine and very many other things in life, too. Especially the things that matter.

“There are no great wines,” you liked to say, “only great bottles.”

Wisdom is not sought or acquired, it befalls those blessed enough to deserve it. And we were honoured, privileged to have experienced your wisdom. You led, without commanding. Quietly inspiring others to seek the earth’s mysterious ways with vine and wine, and to – above all – remain in awe and wonder on this path the people of wine have chosen. Cherish it.

Last week during the Cape Wine event, on the very day you had passed, Gary Jordan told a gathering that every South African wine person in that huge, cavernous hall in Cape Town had been in some way influenced by Jan Boland Coetzee. This is true.

You led the real vinous revolution in South Africa when in the 1970s estate wines began being made, our country’s wines at last bearing a fingerprint of their geography, their expression of place. Those first Kanonkops you made –Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage from the 1973 vintage – bore the hallmarks of greatness, paving the way for the legend you were to become.

In 1980 you headed south of Stellenbosch, to Vriesenhof to make wine from Cabernet Sauvignon, a grape you always said was the region’s heart-beat. But then you spent a year in Burgundy in service of Maison Joseph Drouhin. Talking of those days, you laughed, saying the first thing you learnt there was how regularly your fellow French vignerons had to take a break to eat. You worked 600 tons of Burgundy grapes during the 1981 harvest, toured the vineyards of Chambertin, Musigny, Montrachet and Corton. Felt the soils there, and smelt them.

Like you always did of South African earth, you understood the earth of Burgundy and could feel its heartbeat in its wines you so loved. You spoke about them with awe.

Back in the Cape, you planted Chardonnay and then Pinot Noir, and the wines were clear and fine, and spoke the language of Stellenboschberg with a Burgundian lisp.

When you yourself spoke, people listened. For respecting you and your wisdom came naturally to us. We would hear about the great Cape vintages of years past. The reasons for the wines of Musigny today being lighter in structure than they were 40 years back. Why the sun’s differing radiation made Cabernet Sauvignon from Simonsberg lie quicker and drier on the tongue than the ones

made on the south-facing slopes of Stellenboschberg.

Your voice was like the way honey goes when the sugar in it crystalises giving the sweetness a textured gritty edge. Everyone loved to listen to what you had to say, and everyone who did, remembers your words as much as they do the man behind them.

Your favourite wine-writer was a German: Terry Theise. You liked eggs over easy and laid that morning by the Vriesenhof hens. Before meals you would pray at the table, taking your guests’ hands, and I remember the firm pressing you’d give my hand as the saying of grace ended.

You loved the sea as much as the soil, and one day you alone caught over 300 snoek from a boat using a land-line. I watched you dive for crayfish in the icy waters off Lambert’s Bay wearing only a heavy cotton rugby-jersey for protection against the cold.

The mysteries of life and of wine fascinated you. Your last project, before your mind closed in and the light dimmed, was to find out whether the origins of Pinot Gris in New Zealand stemmed from Napoleon Bonaparte’s incarceration on St Helena.

You told me there were records of Napoleon having Pinot Noir vine-cuttings shipped to St Helena from Burgundy. As Pinot Gris was grown in Burgundy at that time, these ended up in Napoleon’s stash, and after some British ship heading for New Zealand had picked-up the vines, they were planted in the Land of the Long White Cloud.

You would have died wondering about this, and about the very many other facets of wine and the world; about people and life and history that always fascinated you, kept your thoughts alive on those dark starry spring nights when the cool southerly breeze kicked up, blowing briskly over Stellenboschberg. You loved that world, as well as many other parts of this earth, and now you have been returned to it where, and of this I am sure, you are just as welcome and beloved as you were in the days of walking upon it. Probably not knowing that now, in your absence, those footsteps and the prints they left, are eternal.

Text: Emile Joubert – The Wine Goggler

Jan Boland Coetzee at his 50th Harvest

Spier Artistically Refreshes its Canned Wine Range

Wine doesn’t always need ceremony. Sometimes it just needs to show up –at braais, festivals, barefoot in the garden or wherever life takes you.

Spier Wine Farm’s canned wine collection has always understood this, and now it looks the part too.

These wines are ready when you are. Quick to chill, light to carry and easy to pack. Plus, these aluminium cans have a smaller footprint and every purchase supports Spier’s Growing for Good initiatives.

No corks, no spills, no judgment – just quality wine that makes “can-do wine” a reality, wherever you go.

The farms trio of canned wines now have a striking new look, featuring artwork from celebrated South African artists in the Spier Arts Trust. Housing one of the country’s largest contemporary art collections, the Trust showcases over 3,500 works both on our farm and beyond. Same expertly crafted Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé and Merlot by acclaimed cellarmaster Johan Jordaan, now in packaging that’s as bold and uncompromising as the generation that drinks it.

MEET THE LINE-UP

Spier Canned Sauvignon Blanc 2025

The Spier Canned Sauvignon Blanc 2025 features Norman O’Flynn’s “Be Still Life” – bold pop art for a wine that’s bright, fresh and full of personality. Pale straw with passion fruit, green fig and a touch of blackcurrant leaf, it’s lively for sundowners and smooth with seafood.

Spier Canned Rosé 2025

The Spier Canned Rosé 2025 showcases Emma C. Aspeling’s “Our Skin Contains a Universe”, a vibrant piece for a wine that’s crisp and zesty. Salmon-pink with cherry,

strawberry and pomegranate notes, it’s juicy, refreshing and hard to resist.

Spier Canned Merlot 2024

The Spier Canned Merlot 2024 displays Audrey Anderson’s “Zig Zag”, inspired by the Little Karoo. Ruby red with blackberries, pomegranate, cherry and a hint of mint, it’s medium-bodied and pairs with everything from pizza to your best braai moves.

These wines are ready when you are. The 250ml single-serve cans are quick to chill, light to carry and easy to pack. Plus, these infinitely recyclable aluminium cans have a smaller carbon footprint than glass bottles, and every purchase supports Spier’s Growing for Good initiatives. No corks, no spills, no judgment – just quality wine that makes “can-do wine” a reality, wherever you go.

Text: Editorial Desk | Images: Supplied

SA Brandy Route Relaunches

JUST IN TIME FOR SUMMER

South Africa’s oldest spirit has a fresh new way to be discovered, as the South African Brandy Foundation (SABF) has relaunched the SA Brandy Route. With a brand-new suite of digital planning tools, locals, tourists and brandy-lovers can look forward to a journey through distilleries, tasting rooms and vibrant city hubs offering revamped visitor experiences, inventive food pairings and world-class mixology.

Brandy has been crafted in South Africa for more than 330 years. Over the centuries, it has evolved into a refined, award-winning spirit recognised and enjoyed worldwide. “The SA Brandy Route is truly a journey into South African heritage,” says Christelle Reade-Jahn, director of the SABF. “Every Brandy Home and Brandy Hub tells a story, from historic cellars in the winelands to contemporary cocktail bars in the city. By elevating the visitor experience, supporting our members with training and tools, and embracing innovative ways to showcase brandy’s versatility, we’re ensuring this tradition remains relevant and celebrated.”

The revamped SA Brandy Route has been designed around Brandy Homes and Brandy Hubs. Brandy Homes are SABF-accredited producers offering guided tastings, cellar tours, and food or cocktail pairings that showcase each region’s flavour identity. Brandy Hubs are urban gateways to regional brandy

culture, offering curated tastings, expertly crafted cocktails, and retail opportunities, along with information for onward journeys to Brandy Homes and neighbouring wine routes.

What’s new to discover

In Calitzdorp – a Klein Karoo town better known for fortified wine than ‘burnt wine’ – Boplaas has been distilling brandy since 1880, and today, the family-owned distillery showcases the diversity of South African spirits in a revamped tasting room alongside the distillery. “We’ve kept the same traditional style, but enlarged the space to include a lounge area perfect for our potstill tastings, which introduce guests to our eight-, 12-, 17-, and 20-yearold brandies,” says sixth-generation distiller Daniel Nel.

The route also celebrates brandy’s versatility through inventive culinary pairings. At Boschendal Estate outside Franschhoek the aged XO brandy can now be paired with a trio of South African dessert classics: Malva pudding, peppermint crisp tart, and milk tart.

“We really want to lean into our cultural heritage, while also breaking down perceptions around brandy,” says Zaid Adams, Director Food & Beverages at Boschendal, which will also unveil a brand-new tasting venue in the historic Manor House in Spring 2025.

On the Helshoogte Pass, Tokara Wine Estate now pairs award-winning XO Brandy – matured in Limousin French oak barrels for up to 16 years – with handmade chocolates. “For Tokara, inclusion in the relaunched Brandy Homes network represents a confluence of heritage, innovation, and terroir… a testament to our commitment to the alchemy of authentic Cape brandy,” says Tokara General Manager Karl Lambour.

At Van Ryn’s Distillery, set among the vineyards near Stellenbosch, visitors can look forward to expert-led distillery tours and tutored tastings that include decadent chocolate pairings.

“For us as mixologists, it’s all about flavour”

In addition to the Brandy Homes, a network of Brandy Hubs ensures easy access to authentic South African brandy

experiences. At Lanzerac Wine Estate outside Stellenbosch, the elegant Craven Lounge offers an extensive spirits menu that includes a comprehensive collection of premium brandies, with a choice of pairing experiences and tasting flights on offer, led by expert brandy ambassadors.

“In South Africa, people usually know brandy only as a mixer, and many of our international guests simply don’t realise the exceptional quality of brandies that we make here in South Africa. The relaunch of the Brandy Route is a fantastic development for the brandy industry,” adds Johan van Zyl, Food & Beverage Manager for Lanzerac.

In Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront Cause|Effect Cocktail Kitchen has long been a pioneer in showcasing local brandy, today offering more than 80 South African pot still brandies. “Since we opened in 2017, we have always been a champion of South African brandies,” says founder Kurt Schlechter.

“Brandy tourism is truly an untapped treasure in our national tourism offering, and it naturally complements South Africa’s already world-renowned wine routes,” adds Reade-Jahn. “With the relaunch of the SA Brandy Route we hope to deepen that connection to place, culture, and craftsmanship, creating new opportunities to explore our beautiful winelands, and inspiring them to take the spirit of South Africa home with them.”

www.sabrandy.co.za

#SABrandyFoundation

#SABrandyRoute

#SAWINE

Text: Editorial Desk Images: SA Brandy Route

Tokara on Helshoogte Pass is a SA Brandy Route member

Christelle Reade-Jahn

SCAN TO VIEW THE BRANDY ROUTE MAP

Visual Arts at Woordfees 2025

FEAST YOUR EYES

The Visual Arts programme at the 2025 Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees is an extraordinary celebration of this imaginative artform. As the festival marks its 25th anniversary with the theme “Share”, festival-goers are invited to immerse themselves in a carefully curated programme that embodies the spirit of creative collaboration and artistic dialogue.

From 11 to 19 October 2025, Stellenbosch transforms into a vibrant canvas where established masters meet emerging talents, where auction houses showcase rare treasures, and where contemporary expressions find their voice alongside historical narratives.

This year’s programme presents an unparalleled opportunity to engage with South African art in all its richness, from intimate daily exhibitions to prestigious auctions, from educational masterclasses to thought-provoking installations that challenge and inspire.

DAILY EXHIBITIONS:

Festival Artists’ Exhibitions

The Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees is immensely privileged to welcome Xhanti Zwelendaba and Benjamin Stanwix as the festival’s official artists for 2025. The due met while completing their degrees at the University of Cape Town’s Michaelis School of Fine Art in 2017 and have gone on to establish a collaborative artistic practice that explores their shared interest in land, landscape and history in South Africa.

Their exhibition at the SU Museum forms the cornerstone of the Woordfees’ exhibitions, which include carefully curated displays that offer visitors an intimate encounter with contemporary South African artistry that reflect the dynamic nature of our artistic landscape.

Visit the many exhibitions at the SU Museum, the Rupert Museum, the Oude Leeskamer, the Stadsaal, the Blaauwklippen Wine Estate, the Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden and the many galleries and centres found throughout town. Take a tour of artists’ studios and see where works are created.

Strauss & Co Partnership: A Celebration of South African Art Heritage

The Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees’ prestigious partnership with Strauss & Co brings together multiple facets of art appreciation, education, and collection. Together, Strauss & Co and the Woordfees present two auctions and exhibitions that provide a unique opportunity to both seasoned collectors and curious newcomers to engage with valuable pieces, to understand their cultural and investment significance, and to participate in the South African art market.

The Art Auction and Exhibition, curated by RESERVOIR’s award-winning Heinrich Groenewald and Shona van der Merwe will include works by both established and emerging artists. The auction will take place online and bidding will be open from 6 to 21 October. The exhibition will be open at the Stellenbosch Town Hall from 11 to 19 October from 10h00 to 18h00.

The Art and Jewellery Auction encompasses not only fine art but also exquisite jewellery, creating a comprehensive showcase of South African craftsmanship and artistry. This preview of Strauss & Co’s upcoming flagship art and jewellery auctions includes Gerard Sekoto’s “Self-portrait” –returned to South Africa after serving as the face of Paris Noir, the groundbreaking Centre Pompidou exhibition held in Paris in early 2025.

Masterclasses and Discussions

There are several special programmes that focus on deepening knowledge and experience of art. The “Masterclass on Irma Stern”, led by Dr Alastair Meredith, presents an invaluable opportunity to delve into the work and legacy of one of South Africa’s most celebrated artists. This session offers participants insights into Stern’s artistic journey, techniques, and lasting impact on South African art, guided by expert scholarship and enthusiasm.

“Wol by die Woordfees” brings a unique textile perspective to our programme, exploring the rich tradition of woolwork in South African artistic expression. This session celebrates the often-underappreciated craft traditions that form part of our cultural heritage, examining how contemporary artists continue to innovate within these established mediums.

“The Art of Collecting” addresses the fascinating world of art acquisition and curation. This programme offers practical insights into building meaningful collections, understanding market dynamics, and developing the discerning eye necessary for successful collecting. Whether you’re a beginner collector or looking to refine your approach, this session provides valuable guidance from industry experts.

Contemporary Voices and Historical Narratives

“Travelling Sekoto Returns Home” presents a poignant exploration of Gerard Sekoto’s artistic journey and legacy. This programme examines the work of the pioneering artist who became South Africa’s first black artist to gain international recognition, tracing his path from local townships to Parisian studios and back into the consciousness of contemporary South Africa. Led by Lizelle Kilbourn, renowned for the remarkable art collection that she and her husband Frank have assembled over the decades, the session offers both historical perspective and contemporary relevance, demonstrating how Sekoto’s work continues to inspire and inform current artistic discourse.

The Veldhospitaal/Field Hospital Experience

Among the most intriguing offerings at this year’s festival is “Die Veldhospitaal”, a unique artistic installation that promises to challenge conventional exhibition formats. It suggests an immersive experience that blurs the boundaries between visual art, performance, and social commentary, offering festivalgoers an opportunity to engage with art in unconventional and thoughtprovoking ways.

Full programme at www.woordfees.co.za.

Tickets at quicket.co.za.

Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees – Share in the experience from 11 to 19 October 2025.

RESERVOIR

Strauss & Co Visual Arts Opening

Xhanti Zwelendaba

Frank Kilbourn

Veldhospitaal

Classical Music

AT THE TOYOTA STELLENBOSCH WOORDFEES

Classical music has been the soundtrack to being human for centuries. And it is everywhere today – in movies, video games, ring tones and apps. The Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees Classical Music programme continues to bring stellar performances and world-renowned artists that connect people across all walks of life with music. This year is no different.

Opera lovers, whether newcomers or seasoned enthusiasts, will find irresistible reasons to experience The Barber of Seville and The Magic Flute at this year’s festival. The Barber of Seville, directed by Sylvaine Strike with William Berger (Figaro) and Megan Kahts (Rosina), creates genuine laughter through clever wordplay and comedic mishaps. The Magic Flute / Die Towerfluit has been reimagined with young learners in mind and uses Mozart’s enchanting melodies to drive an energetic production that will captivate both the young and the young at heart. It is performed in multiple languages. Operagunstellinge II – a selection of wellknown opera arias brings desire, drama, excitement and technical mastery to the works of Mozart, Handel, Donizetti and many more. Lynelle Kenned, Minette du Toit-Pearce, William Berger and Corneil Muller are known for their passionate performances and never fail to entrance audiences.

Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with the incomparable Peter Martens, Suzanne Martens and Elna van der Merwe offers a rare treat: three soloists – piano, violin, and cello – in a dynamic musical conversation, accompanied by piano and kettle drums. This vibrant interplay creates thrilling moments of competition and collaboration, showcasing both the individual virtuosity of the performers as well as the magic that exceptional ensemble work brings.

In Bach to Bolling, Peter Martens joins the ever-popular Charl du Plessis Trio in Bolling’s Suite for Cello and Jazz that brilliantly fuses classical cello and jazz rhythms in a crossover masterpiece that is both sophisticated and, well, groovy. This will be preceded by Bach’s Suite No. 2 for solo cello which has been reworked to include a jazz swing that adds syncopated rhythms to Bach’s mathematical beauty while preserving the suite’s structural elegance. A masterclass in fusion and timelessness that creates fresh conversations between the classical and contemporary worlds.

The piano has an enduring versatility and place in the hearts of classical music lovers. As a musical instrument it does it all – from soft lullabies to dramatic climaxes, it is equally at home in solo recitals or in concert with other instruments. In Klavier-extravaganza II Nina Schuman, Megan-Geoffrey Prins, Pieter Grobler, Francois du Toit, Esthea Kruger and Sue Paterson-Jones will lead Stellenbosch University (SU) music students on 10 pianos as they create pure musical magic. The Endler will ring with the thunderous power, intricate harmonies and playful synchronisations in this electrifying celebration of piano mastery.

From Cape Town to Leipzig takes audiences on a musical journey that starts with joyful, melodious works by South African composer Allan Stephenson and ends in Leipzig with Mendelssohn’s Piano Sextet which is renowned for its bright beauty and unusual instrumentation.

Da Capo! presented by the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra opened the Franschhoek Chamber Music Festival this year to great acclaim. Featuring works by Halvorsen, Reicha and Mozart, this programme is a jewel of chamber music performance.

The Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees has been a longstanding and fervent supporter of choral music. This year is no different. The SU Choir under the baton of André van der Merwe, straight from their recent win at the Interkultur World Choir Games in Denmark will present four performances. Voces Cordis, also led by award-winning Van der Merwe, present a fresh new programme featuring the works of Jēkabsone, Makaroff and Makor.

The internationally acclaimed Tygerberg Children’s Choir returns to the festival with Souvenirs, a journey through the music and stories of this extraordinary children’s choir. Often likened to the voices of angels, the choir has been performing since 1972 and have played

to packed performances in China, Italy, Spain, Britain and the USA. These young voices in harmony are a gift that should not be missed.

The Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees takes place from 11 to 19 October this year. Tickets are available at Quicket.

Klavier-extravaganza

The Barber of Seville

Tygerberg Children’s Choir

William Berger

The Magic Flute Bach to Bolling

Just Saying

WAKING UP TO WOKE

If you’re like me, this whole “woke” phenomenon is a bit of mystery. To anyone, say over thirty, it has the reputation of being an irritating vehicle for the terminally offended. Yet its disciples embrace it with the same wide-eyed fervour we followed our own youthful causes – peace, punk and, of course, pot.

However, like all the above, there’s more than meets the eye. So here goes: We all know what’s wrong now – woke culture really is a reminder that the world is unfair. This, apparently, is a revelation for millennials, but not for those who grew up pre-TED talks. Still, injustice – in whatever form – is exposed more and can be tackled by those who choose to do so. That’s a plus, even if the fight involves hashtags and TikTok instead of marches and megaphones, and with probably the same level of success, but that’s a lesson for another day!

The little guy (or gender equivalent), once voiceless now has a voice. Unfortunately, they often don’t stop using it. But isn’t extracting some value from constant noise better than silence? More irritating, but in the bigger scheme of progress, a plus – just!

“You can’t say anything anymore”, we all complain. This, oddly, may not be a bad thing. If you engage mind before mouth, perhaps fewer fact-free rants make it into circulation. Yes, conversations can feel like crossing a minefield, but if it leads to sharper, more thoughtful arguments, that’s a move forward. But beware; the converse is also true – extreme censorship of language can have devastating consequences: stifling innovation, hindering our growth and worse. Twentieth century history warns us against taking that path.

We all once got away with lazy prejudice (South Africa is no exception). Now, people pause, step back, and think twice – well I do – because we are more aware of societal impact. Then we choose to progress or not. The unfortunatelynamed “cancel culture” has proven open to abuse as the most serious sanction. One misplaced joke and you’re out, job gone with reputation torched as in a medieval witch trial. Little logic, mob mentality and over-simplistic dissent for its own sake. The pushback (thankfully?), of course, has begun – comedians like Ricky Gervais poke fun at the absurdities, while politicians like Nigel Farage weaponise it for entirely different reasons. Love them or loathe them, the anti-wokers are providing a healthy counterbalance – free speech? But against this, accountability – when it’s fair – is hard to dismiss as negative. We are sometimes confused by the conundrum of judging and then cancelling the perpetrators of actions in 1980 because of today’s morality, and the followers of woke simply get it wrong. But at least the days of impunity are recognised as such.

The extreme end of woke is where things get silly. Hypocritical corporations (they/them perhaps!) slap rainbows on their logos while continuing to exploit child labour in factories and we support them. Virtue-signalling, where optics take precedence over genuine understanding, is just too easy in an era where we so readily believe brief, curated glimpses

of information without challenge or engagement. Yet, if (and it’s a big if) we can isolate and ignore the signallers, then caring a little bit more is still better than not caring at all.

Zero nuance, maximum outrage is where woke culture properly collapses under its own weight. Everything is either perfectly pure or utterly evil. You can’t just say, “Hmm, complicated issue, let’s think some more.” Instant gratification and better still outrage, is the mantra of the class of the 2020s. Nuance holds no appeal to social media and its click mentality. Thankfully experience in the grey zone (called life), has shown us there is always a time and a place for balance between “what should be“ and “what is” and like all generations before, we will or have experienced what Einstein allegedly wrote: “Theory is when you know everything, but nothing works. Practice is when everything works but nobody knows why.”

To Kill the Last Free Man…or Not

Charlie Kirk was shot in the larynx, exploding his voice box, while he was on stage with a microphone in his hand. The political activist was, by far, the most popular youth in the world debating conservative values. The assassin and his cheering fans bellowed over Kirk’s conversation: ‘Alternative voices won’t be tolerated!’

Ten years ago, one of the few alternative media outlets in Europe, ‘Charlie Hebdo’, had its Paris newsroom invaded and 23 staff gunned down, 12 of them died. For weeks after, people across the world wore the banner: Je suis Charlie. I am Charlie. In time, the tragedy drifted off into the pages of history. Then, this September, another outspoken Charlie had his name written on a bullet.

The white T-shirt 31-year-old Kirk wore when he was killed, joyfully addressing students at the Utah University campus,

carried one simple word: FREEDOM. How poetic that the name Charles/Charlie means ‘free man’. And he lived and spoke it to his final breath.

At this anxious dawn of Post-Liberalism, and the socialist component perishing in a last and desperate squeeze for other people’s money, there seems to be a clamour – often violently so – to prevent the ever expanding vacuum from being filled by a sensible alternative, rather than a militant one. For many others, the possibility that we did not, after all, reach

‘The End of History’, that Fukuyama’s thesis that the Hegelian dialect had reached its final resolution didn’t hold, or that liberalism had flirted with and stared into a woke and self-destructive abyss from which it can no longer extract itself, is too existentially threatening to confront.

As Matthew Rose concedes in his book A World after Liberalism: “It is to ponder what is supposed to be unthinkable, and to anticipate what is supposed to be impossible. It is to assume, if only for a disorienting moment, that the direction of history is fundamentally different than what we have long believed. It is to contemplate the shattering possibility that we have been wrong about what human beings are and what they will become.”

Rose also points out, probably correctly, that the New Conservative movement still doesn’t have any single overarching commonality but for the conviction that new and more pragmatic forms of political life are possible. For now, the aspiration for a different and wholesome mode of political expression is communicated from various platforms and by different voices, each in their own manner.

One of the very last messages Charlie Kirk posted on X reads: “Jesus defeated death so you can live.” For him, it was the foundation of the values he stood for: faith, family, freedom of thought and expression, the power of reasonable

And so? At its core, woke culture should be about awareness, fairness and kindness. Hardly terrible concepts. But in practice, it often gets hijacked by loud, self-righteous voices more interested in bigoted Twitter point-scoring than actual change. Still, isn’t that the story of much of history? Can woke culture be a part of the future of justice, or just a very irritating and indeed dangerous movement? In true fence-sitting fashion, it’s probably all the above. As humans one of our greatest strengths is to move on for the better, taking the lessons along with us and no doubt we will emerge unscathed – perhaps even a bit kinder, certainly wiser and more self-aware, which, when you think about it, isn’t such a bad place to be, is it ?

But that’s for you to decide!

Text: Mark Wainwright Image: Markus Winkler – Unsplash

public discourse, and - ultimately - the triumph of common sense.

Some resent those with a vengeance, even unto murder. Lest they might help prove long and dearly held ideologies to be outdated and failing, and successfully replace those with an alternative and more honest political and social construct, the rights of the Charlies to voice what they believe in and discuss their vision cannot be allowed a podium in this world. They must be extinguished or, at least, intimidated and excommunicated into silence and inaction. Even on what is supposed to be the hallowed grounds of intellectual free flow: the university campus.

But such tactics are more likely to become a source of inspiration than dread, for this is - at its core - a fight for civilization, in a battle that is both cultural and spiritual. To quote from the epic poem Horatius by Thomas Babington Macaulay, eulogizing the battle for the freedom and preservation of ancient Rome in 509 BC:

Then out spake brave Horatius

The Captain of the gate:

‘To every man upon this earth

Death cometh soon or late.

And how can man die better

Than facing fearful odds, For the ashes of his fathers And the temples of his gods…’

“What happened to Charlie Kirk, should happen to Rob Hersov”, a local law enforcement official posted after the assassination that shook America. Many people, including his wife, fear for Hersov’s safety. “It’s too late to cop out now”, he wryly told an event hosted by the Stellenbosch Business Forum. Curiously, Hersov appeared on the Charlie Kirk Show some 4 months ago, in what he says was “one of the most insightful interviews I’ve ever had.” He’s become somewhat of an unofficial first diplomat for South Africa, continuously frequenting the most popular American podcasts.

“I do see light at the end of the tunnel,” he announced to a packed venue at Root 44, and proceeded to explain how Kirk’s murder has turned the tide, strengthened President Trump’s resolve and also given him a leading cause to obliterate the woke-Marxist element victimizing the Judeo-Christian civilization.

When it comes to South Africa, Hersov explained, much is happening in the USA. Texas Congressman Ronny Jackson is launching a bill to directly sanction corrupt individuals and those politicians deliberately damaging the country. Similar legislation will be introduced by Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana in the Senate. These will result in asset freezes, travel bans, transaction obstructions and so forth. Although Hersov thinks most of what the ANC got wrong is due to incompetence and inept education, there is also a level of malevolence springing from a Marxist gangsterist element that will fall into the sanction net.

Hersov is also upbeat on political developments in South Africa, particularly the resent announcement that Helen Zille is to be the DA mayoral candidate for Johannesburg. The challenge is to get her over the 50% mark. He believes MK and the EFF will win in certain municipal areas, but also that most voters are beginning to realize they need ‘the good guys’.

But it’s the 2029 national elections that will cast the die for South Africa. The ANC is now disconnected from its base, so a DA/FF+/PA/IFP coalition may not be unachievable, Hersov says.

“If we can just get a government that will generate investors’ confidence, we

can achieve a 3-4% growth rate pretty quickly. And if the vastly successful South Africans abroad come home or seriously invest and get involved here, it can change everything.”

But 2029 is some miles away. South Africa is very far from out of the woods and much could go wrong if the ship isn’t steadied and steered in the right direction, away from the rocks.

“The political needle is moving”, Herzov concluded “but not the economic one and that worries me. But I am encouraged by more and more people standing up and being heard, at home and abroad.”

A 2029 Do or Die Deadline for South Africa News from Around the World...

The North Rhine-Westphalia election results - attributed to the impact of deindustrialization - jolted Europe. Germany’s most populous state and industrial heartland saw the 40-year regional governing Social Democratic Party (SPD) crash to 22%. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s

Democrats did garner 33.3%.

But for the conservative right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to treble its support to 15% and topple a socialist bastion, is huge news. The AfD swooped Eastern Germany last year to become the second biggest national party, but its Rhinelands performance was unexpected. AfD was launched in 2013 by a group of economists in reaction to the European debt crisis and the cost of immigration. German manufacturing has since contracted significantly under green policies and the loss of cheap Russian gas. Negative growth is expected for the third year in a row in 2026. Nationally, polls now put the AfD at 26% and Merz’s coalition government at 24%. While calls rise to ban the AfD for being ‘a threat to democracy’, many analysts echo Bill Clinton’s old slogan: it’s the economy, stupid.

President Donald Trump finally got his wish for the US Federal Reserve to cut interest rates in order to help boost a stalling job market, but not as much as the 1% he’d wanted. The first cut this year, a quarter percent, put lending rates at 4.3%, the lowest level since 2022. Industrial production is also down, so Trump’s push for lower interest rates is fair. Further cuts are expected, but the Fed seems cautious not to trigger a rise in inflation. But overall, economists feel that the US economy is stable and should grow next year.

The Russian Central Bank opted for a full 1% rate cut, hinting at further cuts to a 12% lending rate. It’s still high, but the bank is aiming for a steady drive to reach 4% inflation in 2026. Russia’s also been hard at work to increase its industrial output and economic independence, contrary to what’s happening in Europe. With the investment in factories and industrial plants now done, Russia’s economy is set to grow and any economic pressure to stop the Ukraine war is thus out of the way. It seems politics, as well as war, is downstream from the economy.

Efforts to address France’s economic woes and runaway national debt through cuts in public and social spending, were rejected by the French Parliament and cost President Emmanuel Macron his fourth Prime Minister in two years. Even with his popularity now at 12%, Macron refuses to resign and appointed his fifth PM, Sébastian Lecornu, who seems to have less appetite for austerity. The possibility is now increasingly mooted that France will need an IMF bailout to stay afloat, or go hat in hand to the Germans… who, unfortunately, have their own problems.

Across the channel, Prime Minister Keir Starmer shuffled his cabinet in what’s seen as a cover for creating a second finance ministry inside No 10 to address an economy in crisis. The average wage is now lower than in 2008 and the debtto-GDP ratio over 100%, while personal debt is soaring. His arch rival, Reform leader Nigel Farage, claims he will save the taxpayer up to 250 billion pounds by revoking benefits to migrants. While the massive anti-immigration rally in London did reflect identity politics, the effect on the economy and British households helped to push the issue to critical mass. Being at the forefront of the economic war against Russia, the UK now also has the highest energy cost in the G7. The impact on politics is undeniable: Labour and the Tories now poll at 18% and 17% respectively, while Reform stands at 33% and Starmer’s popularity plummeted to 11%.

Nigel Farage

Federal Reserve

Russian Central Bank

Christian

Sébastian Lecornu

Planting Trees to Fight Climate Change? Think Again

Planting trees is often hailed as a simple solution to climate change. But when done indiscriminately, tree planting in Africa can cause more harm than good – displacing biodiverse grasslands, reducing water availability and undermining livelihoods.

The Southern African Trees for Climate Adaptation and Resilience (SAT-CARe) project, anchored at Stellenbosch University with partners across the region, aims to change that. It is developing an open-access digital toolkit that draws on climate, soil and species data to guide smarter use of indigenous trees in Southern Africa, with plans to expand continent-wide.

This toolkit will help policymakers, farmers and urban planners choose the best endemic species for reforestation, urban greening, ecological restoration and livelihoods – moving away from poorly informed planting of non-native trees.

Afforestation challenges

“Tree planting is often presented as a cure-all for climate change,” says Prof Guy Midgley, Director of SU’s School for Climate Studies. “But the wrong trees in the wrong places can reduce biodiversity, threaten water security and damage livelihoods. This is not a northern hemisphere problem – it is our challenge, and we need our own models.”

He warns of Africa’s “afforestation problem”: woody plants spreading into grasslands due to rising CO₂, and external actors imposing unsuitable planting schemes.

African trees for African landscapes SAT-CARe calls for African solutions. “Why plant alien species in vital catchments where they consume too much water, alter soil and fuel wildfires? We must use indigenous resources,” Midgley told stakeholders at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study.

The project’s ambition is to match indigenous species to landscapes today and under future climates – from baobab and marula to mopane, sausage tree, miombo and yellowwood. Linking environmental data to species traits, the toolkit will, for example, help farmers select trees for drought tolerance, food or fodder, and guide urban planners toward shade-providing species that don’t deplete scarce water.

Researchers and data from South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Kenya feed into models piloted across ecosystems from

savannas to montane forests, aiming to create guidance scalable across Africa. Data challenge

For the project to succeed, climate, soil, CO₂ and wildfire data must be integrated with tree traits and socio-economic indicators.

“This is not just a data exercise,” says Prof Kanshu Rajaratnam, Director of SU’s School for Data Science and Computational Thinking. “We are building models usable by policymakers and communities.”

Dr Jan Greyling of SU’s Faculty of AgriSciences explains: “Users will type in a species name, select a climate scenario, and generate a map showing where that species is likely to thrive.”

African resilience

“Africa gets less than 3% of international funding for climate change science, and half of that goes to non-African scientists. This leaves us extremely vulnerable,” says Midgley.

SAT-CARe is part of the Africa–Europe Cluster of Research Excellence on Naturebased Solutions for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, convened by the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) and The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities. The cluster promotes nature-based solutions that reduce climate risks, protect biodiversity and sustain livelihoods.

“SAT-CARe is not just about trees in Southern Africa. It’s about African researchers generating knowledge that is locally grounded but globally relevant,” says Midgley.

Disclaimer: This project is supported by Lacuna Fund and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Fund, its Steering Committee, funders, or the Meridian Institute.

Text: Editorial Desk

Image: Heath Beckett

Spring is Allergy Season

As spring unfolds across South Africa, it also ushers in a season of sneezes, congestion, and itchy eyes for many. Understanding what triggers seasonal allergies, how to identify them, and ways to reduce their impact can help you embrace the season more comfortably.

“Spring allergies are incredibly common in South Africa, especially in regions where pollen counts are high,” says Tania Joffe, founder of Unu Health. “The good news is that with the right approach, you can reduce exposure, manage symptoms, and still enjoy the beauty of spring.”

According to an ISAAC study, allergic rhinitis symptoms among adolescents in Cape Town climbed from 30.4% in 1995 to 38.5% in 2003. A 2013 study by SciELO, showed that whilst 48% of people reported chronic nasal symptoms, only 14.9% tested positive for true allergic rhinitis via skin-prick tests—highlighting the importance of accurate diagnosis. This data along with further studies of broader data from Southern Africa shows a rising rate of rhino conjunctivitis and allergic rhinitis over time.

These figures make it clear: spring allergy season isn’t just a nuisance—it’s a widespread, growing health concern that deserves serious attention.

So, what are spring allergies? Allergic rhinitis happens when your immune system overreacts to airborne allergens like grass, tree, or weed pollen. These common irritants trigger a histamine response—leading to sneezing, itching, congestion, and watery eyes. “Your body mistakes pollen for a threat, and the resulting histamine release causes the classic symptoms we all dread in spring,” explains Joffe.

Here is some advice on how to spot the difference between an allergy and a cold, how to accurately diagnose if you do have spring allergies and how to reduce exposure and treat them.

Spotting the Difference: Allergy vs. Cold

Fevers are absent with allergies

Colds resolve themselves in 7–10 days, while allergies persist. Itching is much more common with allergies.

“If your symptoms recur each spring and persist, it’s likely an allergy,” says Joffe.

Diagnosing Spring Allergies

Symptom tracking—note when symptoms spike and how long they linger.

Consult a healthcare provider— especially if symptoms are severe or recurring.

Allergy testing—skin-prick or blood tests are able to identify exact triggers. “Diagnosing your specific allergen is the first step in effective management,” Joffe advises.

Reduce Exposure: Seasonal Strategy

Track local pollen counts—UCT’s Pollen Network provides region-specific alerts. Visit medicalacademic.co.za

Keep windows closed and consider airconditioning to block pollen indoors.

Shower and change clothes after outdoor activities to remove lingering allergens.

Use saline nasal rinses to flush out pollen.

Wash bedding frequently and in hot water to eliminate allergens.

Wear sunglasses outdoors to shield eyes from pollen.

“Allergies don’t have to define your springtime,” Joffe says. “By knowing what triggers your symptoms, reducing exposure, and seeking proper treatment, you can still enjoy this vibrant season. Best to speak to a doctor about what treatment option would be best for you from antihistamines, nasal corticosteroids (INCS) to help with congestion and inflammation or even immunotherapy to provide long-term relief for especially persistent cases.”

www.unuhealth.org

Text: Editorial Desk

Image: PublicDomainPictures & Heung Song from Pixabay

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A Camel Thorn tree on the Botswana side of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Waarom die AMG E53

‘n Paar Knoppies

Kort van Briljant is

OLIFANTE IN DIE VERTREK VAN ’N ABSOLUUT ONGELOOFLIKE MOTORKAR

Aan die kraglewerings kant, beïndruk die ANG E53 vanuit die staanspoor. Die Mercedes-AMG E 53 lewer 450 Race Start kilowatt, en 750 Nm maksimum stelselwringkrag deur sy 330 kW 3-liter turbo reglyn-ses-enjin te kombineer met ’n 120 kW 480 Nm permanent-opgewekte interne rotor E-sinchrone elektriese motor. ’n Hergeprogrammeerde 1.5 bar tweespoel-uitlaatgasturbo sorg vir meer spontane versnelling, versneller pedaal respons.

Die elektriese motor-generator is geïntegreer in die AMG Speedshift TCT 9G-transmissie, en word aangedryf deur ’n 400 volt 28.6 kWh traksiebattery onder die kattebakvloer. Die E 53 kan tot 120 kW herwin terwyl jy ry, beskikbaar via verskeie eenpedaalmodusse, en het ook ’n 11 kW AC-laaier aan boord. ’n 60 kW DC vinnige tuislaaier laai die battery van 10% tot 80% in net 20 minute. Dis indrukwekkend. Die bulletjie se elektriese reikafstand is ongeveer 100 kilometer.

AMG beloof dat die E 53 van stilstand tot 100 km/h in 3.8 sekondes versnel. In toetse het dit selfs 3.6 sekondes behaal – selfs vinniger as die 2018 BMW M760 Li V12 turbo. Selfs daardie ou met die Turbo S in die Wynlande weet nou daarvan –van naby!

E53 het duidelike superkar-status Al is dit nie die topmodel in die E-klas nie, het die E 53 beslis superkarkredietwaardigheid. Die topspoed is elektronies beperk tot 280 km/h, en dit kan tot 140 km/h op elektriese krag alleen ry.

Dit gaan egter vir Mercedes nie net oor reguit lynige spoed nie. Met volledig veranderlike AMG Performance 4MATIC+ vierwielaandrywing, gebruik die E 53 weer staalveervering. Die elektronies beheerde agterste sperdifferensiaal werk saam met agterwielstuur wat die hoek van die agterwiele aanpas tussen 0.7° parallel en 2.5° teenoor, - afhangend van die draai.

Die stywer bakwerk en verstewigde elastokinemetika verbeter die stabiliteit en hantering merkbaar. Hergeprogrammeerde ESP verhoog die bestuurders vertroue agter die stuur, en die AMG Ride Control-vering bring ’n goeie balans tussen gemak en uiters sportiewe gedrag.

Balans tussen elektriese gladheid en rou AMG aggressie

Die sportiewe tweeklep-vering balanseer stil elektriese rygenot en AMG karakter in drie modusse: gemak, sport en sport-plus. Die AMG Dynamic Selectprogramme sluit ook hibried-spesifieke elektriese en batteryhoumodusse in.

Visueel is die E 53 ’n absolute plesier: die verligte AMG-rooster, A-vlerk voorpaneel, aggressiewe luginlate, 22 mm breër voorvenders, wielboogkoelers, AMGdrukvin, en dubbelronde uitlaatpype maak dit absoluut uniek en sportief.

Die AMG-sypanele en metaalaquamarien kleur word pragtig gekontrasteer deur swart 21-duim gesmede allooiwiele, met rooi remkalipers. Die Dynamic-pakket spog met elektromeganiese vier-suier vaste kalipers, wat 390 x 36 mm voor- en 360 x 26 mm agterrotors stewig vasgryp. E53 se “olifante in die vertrek” Binne-in kon die kajuit harmonieus gewees het. Die rooi stiksel Articomikrosny leer AMG sportstoele pas uitstekend by die grys oopporie-as houtafwerking, en AMG-logos. Die AMG Dynamic Plus-pakket sluit selfs ’n Nappaleer stuurwiel in. Suave!

Maar hier kom twee olifante in die vertrek:

PADTOETS: Mercedes-AMG E 53

Hybrid 4Matic

Enjin: 330 kW 560 Nm 3-liter petrol I6

Motor: 120 kW 480 Nm permanent opgewek

Stelseluitset: 450 kW 750 Nm

Aandrywing: 9-spoed outomatiese AWD

Michele Lupini, gebaseer in Franschhoek, is ‘n internasionaal erkende motorskrywer, kunstenaar, uitgewer en skrywer met ‘n breë agtergrond in motors, motorsport en lugvaart. Volg al Michele (en sy seun Giordano) se motoravonture op https:// theauto.page

Die MBUX Superscreen: Moenie daardie opsie kies nie. Dis duur, onnodig, en dit lyk sleg. Die passasier se skerm is oorbodig, en die instrumentasie is swak geïntegreer. Die hele paneel sit te laag, en belemmer beenruimte. Spandeer eerder daardie geld op ’n renperd … of ’n veldfiets.

Die gebrek aan knoppies – Mercedes se neiging (obsessive selfs) om alle fisiese kontroles te verwyder maak eenvoudige take frustrerend. Jy moet meerdere kere op die skerm tik net om die regte menu te kry. En as die verkeerde skerm (soos die kamera) op is, is jy vas.

Die stuurwiel-sensors werk ook nie goed nie. Mercedes dink die tipiese E 53-eienaar is ’n vername laat-Boomer –my generasie. Ek het dit aan ’n paar van my vriende gewys – bykans almal was onvleiend oor die knoppielose kajuit. Dis waarskynlik hoekom ander vervaardigers soos VW en Hyundai reeds daarvan wegbeweeg het.

Ter afsluiting: ’n Paar knoppies kort van briljant!

So ja – moenie die Superscreen kies nie, en bring asseblief die knoppies terug. Maar verder is die Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid 4Matic ’n absoluut ongelooflike motorkar. So goed, dat mens wonder hoekom die E 63 nog bestaan.

FABRIEKDATA:

Topspoed: 280 kph

Brandstofverbruik: 1.0 l/100 km (hibried), 9.2 l/100 km (petrol)

CO₂-uitstoot: 23 g/km (hibried), 183 g/km (petrol)

Waarborg/Diensplan: 5 jaar / 100 000 km

Read

11 – 19 OCTOBER 2025

October in Stellenbosch means two things; Spring is finally in bloom and Woordfees!

Woordfees invites you to come and taste, walk and celebrate with us. Together with Stellenbosch Wine Routes we have put together several signature experiences such as a walking tour in the Banhoek Conservancy, a vibey Street Soiree to kick of the Soiree season and Woordfees-Wynskool where you get to learn the basics of Chenin, Pinotage and Bubbly.

5 Unmissable Things Woordfees

13 October | Stapstories walking tour in the Banghoek Conservancy with Sophia van Taak.

18 October | The launch of the Street Soiree season with a special Woordfees Straatsoiree.

13, 14 & 15 October | The alwaysentertaining Wynskool masterclasses: Bubbly 101, Chenin Blanc 101, and Pinotage 101.

The full Woordfees program can be found at woordfees.co.za. Tickets available at Quicket.

Garden Town

31 OCTOBER – 09 NOVEMBER

From Friday, 31 October to Sunday, 9 November, Stellenbosch blooms into the country’s most enchanting garden celebration. Garden Town isn’t your typical flower show – it’s a decentralised floral festival with workshops, talks, tours and events across various locations.

The real treasure? Exclusive access to stunning private gardens on both weekends, where you can discover how Stellenbosch locals have transformed their personal spaces into horticultural havens.

Don’t miss the vibrant Garden Show and Market at Stellenbosch Town Hall, where you can browse botanical-inspired crafts, quirky garden goods, and plants, enjoy a beautiful tea garden, and be inspired by breathtaking display gardens. This year’s theme, Rewilding, brings four exciting installations – food, forests, fynbos & renosterveld, and your own backyard – each with a lasting legacy

TO DO DURING WOORDFEES

With a jam-packed Woordfees program, and a couple of hours in-between plays, shows and readings, the bustling town center of Stellenbosch has so much for offer to pass time waiting for your next item on the Woordfees program.

1. Why not taste some amazing Stellenbosch wines without venturing out to all the different wineries? At Simon Wine Emporium and The Wine Glass Stellenbosch, you will have an array of Stellenbosch wines to taste, explore and buy.

2. For a little afternoon pick-me-up or the perfect start to a busy day with a full Woordfees program, Republique Café is where you want to be for the prefect coffee fix. From the perfect Matcha moment to the most exquisite speciality coffees made by their super talented baristas, this is the place to be for coffee in Stellenbosch.

3. Mesmerized by all the beautiful, old buildings and statutes, but have never heard the stories? Then a historical tour with Stellenbosch on foot is the answer. With 3 timeslots daily, a

90minute walking tour and a guide who knows more on the historical streets of Stellenbosch than most, your Stellenbosch experience will be that much more memorable.

as the plants will be donated to local community projects after the show.

Another Garden Town highlight is the Flower Parade. Join us for the vibrant Flower Parade at Die Braak on Tuesday, 4 November from 18:15 to 19:00! Wear your best flower crown, decorate your ride, and celebrate the beauty of nature with us. This FREE event is open to everyone, so bring your family, friends, and all things floral for an unforgettable evening.

The Garden Town website and full programme is officially LIVE! Start planning your blooming itinerary today! www.gardentown.visitstellenbosch.org

4. Feel like doing a little shopping? Well, we’ve got you covered! Travel back in time at Oom Samie se Winkel where you can buy anything from vintage old school treasure, handmade goods and fresh produce, to a selection of South African spices and teas. For high-end premium leather products, Burgundy Collective is a must see and shop. Started right here in the heart of Stellenbosch, Burgundy Collective is where elegance meets utility, and every creation reflects their commitment to timeless craftsmanship and genuine, uncompromising quality.

A recent new kid on the block is the perfectly curated menswear clothing shop Fields. A space designed with intention, FIELDS opened its doors in the heart of the winelands, bringing its philosophy of considered design to Stellenbosch. Crafted with the same care they bring to their garments, the new store features materials that feel at home in this setting; think wood and cork, chosen for their natural warmth and relevance to the region. The store carries their current collection alongside pieces selected specifically for the Stellenbosch customer. This is shopping in Stellenbosch at its best.

5. Wandering the streets of Stellenbosch is an activity all by itself. The streets are filled with outdoor art, sculptures, buzzing curb-side culture and amazing shops. In 2024 The Stellenbosch Art Mile was introduced and has been an amazing addition to our beautiful town. The Stellenbosch Art Mile is an outdoor gallery that features interactive art installations & sensory experiences along the banks of the Eerste River. It is an ever-evolving, accessible, & inspiring public space where nature, art, & communities converge. Free of charge, in nature, and a celebration of art, this 1.6km route will take your breath away.

The Western Cape is experiencing a surge in tourism, with visitors increasingly choosing to turn their holiday stays into long-term investments, according to Greeff Christie’s International Real Estate.

Tourism numbers across the province have grown steadily in 2025, fuelled by international arrivals and a renewed appetite for lifestyle travel. From wine estates to coastal getaways, the Western Cape’s appeal is translating directly into heightened demand for homes, guesthouses, and holiday properties.

Local offices of Greeff Christie’s International Real Estate report rising enquiries from both foreign investors and South Africans who want to secure a slice of the region’s lifestyle.

“Tourism and property are closely linked,” says Aimee Campbell, Principal for Stellenbosch & Franschhoek Greeff Christie’s International Real Estate. “Visitors fall in love with the wine farms, the scenery, the history, and many end up wanting to own a piece of it. We see it time and again — a weekend trip turns into a conversation about buying a home.”

The trend is not limited to the Winelands. Rudo Kirsten, Principal for Helderberg, notes that international visitors drawn to beachfront living often explore property opportunities while in the area: “The Helderberg offers worldclass beaches and wine estates within an hour of Cape Town. Buyers see the value in blending leisure with lifestyle, whether it’s a holiday villa or a family home.”

How Tourism Growth in the Western Cape Impacts

Your Property Investment

Coastal tourism is also fuelling growth further afield. Jaco van der Merwe, Principal for Whale Coast, explains: “The Whale Coast is fast becoming a soughtafter destination for nature-based tourism. Our office sees visitors who come for whale watching or hiking and then begin exploring investment options. The demand for coastal homes has never been stronger.” The area also borders the renowned Hemel & Aarde Valley, celebrated worldwide for its cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which adds to the region’s lifestyle appeal and further enhances its draw for long-term investors.

Urban and rural tourism are equally driving interest in smaller towns. Joe van Rooyen, Principal for Durbanville & Brackenfell, highlights that many families choose northern suburbs for access to schools and Cape Town while enjoying nearby wine routes. Meanwhile, Monique Hess, Principal for Greyton, says: “Greyton’s charm lies in its village feel. Guests who come for a weekend often ask us what’s available for sale. The town’s character sells itself.”

Unchanged Interest Rate a Missed Opportunity, Says Seeff

The decision by the Reserve Bank in September to retain the repo rate unchanged at 7.00% (prime rate at 10.50%) is a huge missed opportunity for the economy and property market, says Samuel Seeff, chairman of the Seeff Property Group.

This is particularly disappointing given that the US Fed announced a rate cut of 25-bps yesterday. Seeff says just based on the currently favourable economic fundamentals there was ample room for the Bank to provide another rate cut. Inflation has moderated to 3.3%, comfortably near the Bank’s lower target range, and the Rand has remained stable

With tourism growth showing no signs of slowing down, property demand across the Western Cape is expected to follow suit.

For more details on Western Cape properties, visit www.greeff.co.za

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at around the R17.50/USD range despite the unresolved US trade challenges. There was adequate reason to provide at least a 25-basis point cut, and we believe further rate cuts are needed to take the rate back to the pre-pandemic level. Seeff says while recent rate cuts have brought relief, the effect on the broader economy has been negligible, evident in the low economic growth rate of just 0.8%. He notes that despite inflation being lower than it was before the pandemic, the interest rate remains higher. This must be addressed to stimulate growth and create much-needed jobs.

Commenting on the property market, he says market activity has improved with

many Seeff branches reporting improved sales, and depleting stock levels. Buyers are clearly taking advantage of the interest rate savings, but Seeff says overall

transaction volumes are still somewhat below the pre-pandemic levels in many areas.

Market conditions in most areas remain favourable for buyers with the interest rate lower compared to mid-2024. Depleting stock levels now also provide impetus for more sellers to come into the market, especially since prices are up.

FNB for example reported that national house price growth continues the path to recovery as it had strengthened to 4.5% by August. This is more than double the 1.2% growth at the start of the year, and now outpaces inflation.

Seeff says, however, that economic growth and job creation must be a priority right now. The property sector therefore continues to call on the Reserve Bank to take more bold action, especially when the opportunity presents for a rate cut. Text & Image: Editorial Desk

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Samuel Seeff, Chairman of the Seeff Property Group

Introducing Newinbosch Stellenbosch’s Award-Winning Estate

A VISIONARY NEIGHBOURHOOD REDEFINING COMMUNITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

Just three kilometres from Stellenbosch’s centre, Newinbosch is rewriting the rulebook of what a neighbourhood can be.

More than just another gated estate, it holds the title of Africa’s first 6-Star Green Star Sustainable Precinct, awarded by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA). Recognised internationally with multiple International Property Awards – including a 5-Star Sustainable Development award – Newinbosch has become a benchmark for thoughtful design, sustainability, and the future of neighbourhoods in South Africa.

With over 1,300 homes planned, the estate offers something for every stage of life: from lock-up-and-go apartments and townhouses to family-sized homesteads. Phase 3 has just launched, while the much-anticipated Terra Apartments are set to debut in Q4 2025. Phase 3 brings a full range of homes to market: townhouses from R2,995,000; courtyard homes, some with incomegenerating flatlets, from R3,750,000; and homesteads from R4,385,000.

What sets Newinbosch apart isn’t only the scale, but the detail. Streets are named in Afrikaans, isiXhosa, and English, a deliberate act of inclusion that reflects the estate’s philosophy of belonging. Pocket forests, biodiversity corridors, and a resident-run urban farm root the development in place, while pedestrian paths, sports facilities, and social spaces bring daily life into focus. The Pret op die Plaas preschool is already thriving with a waiting list, while new amenities under way include an amphitheatre, gym,

25m pool, pickleball courts, and even a skatepark.

On a practical level, Newinbosch also delivers what investors demand. Newinbosch Energy, a solar-battery microgrid, shields residents from loadshedding with wallet-friendly tariffs. Water security is supported by stormwater swales and a greywater system that channels water from apartments to the on-site farm dam for irrigating public spaces. Strict landscaping rules ensure local, waterwise planting throughout the estate. Alongside this, Newinbosch has achieved EDGE Advanced certification, proving its homes are designed to save energy and water long into the future.

Lifestyle is at the heart of the masterplan. Schools, retail, cultural, and recreational amenities make up a true “five-minute neighbourhood.”

At the entrance, Newinbosch Square, developed by Dorpstraat Properties (the team behind Stellenbosch Square and many others nationwide), will bring convenience retail to both residents and the wider community. At the gatehouse, a Balance Roastery express coffee pod is launching soon, while within The Bosk, artisan retail and the Third Space wine and pizza bar are set to become new favourites.

Phases 1 and 2 have sold out completely, including all apartments, making this very much a “now or never” opportunity. Backed by Similan, the visionary

developer, and Raubex Building, the powerhouse builder, Newinbosch is the result of a symphony of specialists creating a neighbourhood unlike any other.

Buyers can purchase directly from the developer, with in-house agency Staylonger on hand to guide you to the best home or investment option. Staylonger also manages rentals on-site, making it seamless to buy, rent, or invest. Phase 3 is now selling, with Terra Apartments coming soon.

Visit newinbosch.co.za or contact Staylonger: info@staylonger.co.za | +27 65 829 8343. newinbosch.co.za | +27 65 829 8343

Phase 3 Now Selling at Newinbosch

Townhouses from R2,995,000

Courtyard homes (with flatlet options) from R3,750,000

from R4,385,000

A Town on the Rise

LIFE OUTDOORS IN STELLENBOSCH

LIFE OUTDOORS IN STELLENBOSCH

LIFE OUTDOORS IN STELLENBOSCH

A Town on the Rise

A Town on the Rise

Few places capture the appeal of small-town living quite like Stellenbosch. It offers the slower rhythm of a close-knit community, framed by vineyards and mountains, while still providing the access, amenities, and opportunities of a larger urban centre.

Few places capture the appeal of small-town living quite like Stellenbosch. It offers the slower rhythm of a close-knit community, framed by vineyards and mountains, while still providing the access, amenities, and opportunities of a larger urban centre.

Few places capture the appeal of small-town living quite like Stellenbosch. It offers the slower rhythm of a close-knit community, framed by vineyards and mountains, while still providing the access, amenities, and opportunities of a larger urban centre.

It is this balance that has driven a 35% increase in population since 2011, with many new residents semigrating from within the Western Cape in search of safety, lifestyle, and opportunity.

Stellenbosch is blessed with a landscape that invites you outside. Whether it’s an early morning run through vineyards, a weekend hike in the Jonkershoek mountains, or a cycle along one of the many wine farm trails, the town makes it easy to weave nature into daily life. This access to the outdoors has become one of the strongest drawcards for new residents, blending wellness with lifestyle. Reflecting this trend, precincts like Devonbosch are designing spaces where leisure is central — The GOAT is a 6,5 km MTB technical training track, while the Devonbosch Trail provides 4,5 km of multi-terrain running route. At Devonbosch, balance isn’t about escaping, it’s a part of everyday life.

Stellenbosch is blessed with a landscape that invites you outside. Whether it’s an early morning run through vineyards, a weekend hike in the Jonkershoek mountains, or a cycle along one of the many wine farm trails, the town makes it easy to weave nature into daily life. This access to the outdoors has become one of the strongest drawcards for new residents, blending wellness with lifestyle. Reflecting this trend, precincts like Devonbosch are designing spaces where leisure is central — The GOAT is a 6,5 km MTB technical training track, while the Devonbosch Trail provides 4,5 km of multi-terrain running route. At Devonbosch, balance isn’t about escaping, it’s a part of everyday life.

Stellenbosch is blessed with a landscape that invites you outside. Whether it’s an early morning run through vineyards, a weekend hike in the Jonkershoek mountains, or a cycle along one of the many wine farm trails, the town makes it easy to weave nature into daily life. This access to the outdoors has become one of the strongest drawcards for new residents, blending wellness with lifestyle. Reflecting this trend, precincts like Devonbosch are designing spaces where leisure is central — The GOAT is a 6,5 km MTB technical training track, while the Devonbosch Trail provides 4,5 km of multi-terrain running route. At Devonbosch, balance isn’t about escaping, it’s a part of everyday life.

LET THERE BE ROCK

It is this balance that has driven a 35% increase in population since 2011, with many new residents semigrating from within the Western Cape in search of safety, lifestyle, and opportunity.

It is this balance that has driven a 35% increase in population since 2011, with many new residents semigrating from within the Western Cape in search of safety, lifestyle, and opportunity.

This steady influx has fuelled property demand and strengthened the local economy, with average household incomes rising by more than 30% in just two years. The town has also grown its reputation as a hub of innovation, education, and sustainability, attracting high-networth individuals, entrepreneurs, and several JSE-listed companies.

This steady influx has fuelled property demand and strengthened the local economy, with average household incomes rising by more than 30% in just two years. The town has also grown its reputation as a hub of innovation, education, and sustainability, attracting high-networth individuals, entrepreneurs, and several JSE-listed companies.

This steady influx has fuelled property demand and strengthened the local economy, with average household incomes rising by more than 30% in just two years. The town has also grown its reputation as a hub of innovation, education, and sustainability, attracting high-networth individuals, entrepreneurs, and several JSE-listed companies.

As the market matures, demand

As the market matures, demand

As the market matures, demand

info@devonbosch.co.za

devonbosch@huntproperties.co.za

+ 27 21 271 0216 / + 27 82 892 0526

+ 27 21 271 0216 / + 27 82 892 0526

is shifting towards secure, walkable precincts that combine housing, business, and leisure. Buyers range from retirees seeking healthcare and estate living, to families prioritising schools and outdoor space, to young professionals drawn by Stellenbosch’s growing innovation economy.

is shifting towards secure, walkable precincts that combine housing, business, and leisure. Buyers range from retirees seeking healthcare and estate living, to families prioritising schools and outdoor space, to young professionals drawn by Stellenbosch’s growing innovation economy.

is shifting towards secure, walkable precincts that combine housing, business, and leisure. Buyers range from retirees seeking healthcare and estate living, to families prioritising schools and outdoor space, to young professionals drawn by Stellenbosch’s growing innovation economy.

It is within this context that new precincts are emerging, designed not just to meet demand but to set a standard for sustainable living in the Winelands. Developments such as Devonbosch reflect this next chapter — projects that honour the charm of small-town living while delivering the scale, design, and community that Stellenbosch’s future demands.

It is within this context that new precincts are emerging, designed not just to meet demand but to set a standard for sustainable living in the Winelands. Developments such as Devonbosch reflect this next chapter — projects that honour the charm of small-town living while delivering the scale, design, and community that Stellenbosch’s future demands.

It is within this context that new precincts are emerging, designed not just to meet demand but to set a standard for sustainable living in the Winelands. Developments such as Devonbosch reflect this next chapter — projects that honour the charm of small-town living while delivering the scale, design, and community that Stellenbosch’s future demands.

DID YOU KNOW?

DID YOU KNOW?

DID YOU KNOW?

An aparthotel is a hybrid between a hotel and apartment living.

An aparthotel is a hybrid between a hotel and apartment living. Individual investors purchase units, which are then managed and let out like hotel rooms. Owners enjoy a share of rental income plus personal use for several weeks each year — combining lifestyle with smart investment.

School of Rock brings its groundbreaking music education to Stellenbosch. Students of all ages can learn guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, or vocals while building confidence, performing at local venues, and experiencing the thrill of rocking out with friends. Opening this summer at Devonbosch.

School of Rock brings its groundbreaking music education to Stellenbosch. Students of all ages can learn guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, or vocals while building confidence, performing at local venues, and experiencing the thrill of rocking out with friends. Opening this summer at Devonbosch.

School of Rock brings its groundbreaking music education to Stellenbosch. Students of all ages can learn guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, or vocals while building confidence, performing at local venues, and experiencing the thrill of rocking out with friends. Opening this summer at Devonbosch.

SMART INVESTING STARTS AT HOME

SMART INVESTING STARTS AT HOME

SMART INVESTING STARTS AT HOME

For investors seeking both security and opportunity, Devonbosch is a compelling proposition. More than a development, it is a town in the making — a mixed-use neighbourhood where residential, commercial, and lifestyle spaces are designed to grow together over time, ensuring long-term value.

Individual investors purchase units, which are then managed and let out like hotel rooms. Owners enjoy a share of rental income plus personal use for several weeks each year — combining lifestyle with smart investment.

An aparthotel is a hybrid between a hotel and apartment living. Individual investors purchase units, which are then managed and let out like hotel rooms. Owners enjoy a share of rental income plus personal use for several weeks each year — combining lifestyle with smart investment.

For investors seeking both security and opportunity, Devonbosch is a compelling proposition. More than a development, it is a town in the making — a mixed-use neighbourhood where residential, commercial, and lifestyle spaces are designed to grow together over time, ensuring long-term value.

For investors seeking both security and opportunity, Devonbosch is a compelling proposition. More than a development, it is a town in the making — a mixed-use neighbourhood where residential, commercial, and lifestyle spaces are designed to grow together over time, ensuring long-term value.

The demand is proven: Phase One sold out, highlighting the appetite for premium living in a connected, sustainable environment. Current opportunities include premium office space, high-

quality apartments with generous layouts, attracting professionals, families, and students drawn to Stellenbosch’s lifestyle and worldclass education. The planned KLEI aparthotel introduces a new model of ownership, where investors purchase suites managed as part of a hotel, earning income while enjoying personal use.

quality apartments with generous layouts, attracting professionals, families, and students drawn to Stellenbosch’s lifestyle and worldclass education. The planned KLEI aparthotel introduces a new model of ownership, where investors purchase suites managed as part of a hotel, earning income while enjoying personal use.

quality apartments with generous layouts, attracting professionals, families, and students drawn to Stellenbosch’s lifestyle and worldclass education. The planned KLEI aparthotel introduces a new model of ownership, where investors purchase suites managed as part of a hotel, earning income while enjoying personal use.

The demand is proven: Phase One sold out, highlighting the appetite for premium living in a connected, sustainable environment. Current opportunities include premium office space, high-

The demand is proven: Phase One sold out, highlighting the appetite for premium living in a connected, sustainable environment. Current opportunities include premium office space, high-

With invisible security, Europeanstyle walkability, and a strategic Winelands location, Devonbosch offers growth today and legacy for tomorrow.

With invisible security, Europeanstyle walkability, and a strategic Winelands location, Devonbosch offers growth today and legacy for tomorrow.

With invisible security, Europeanstyle walkability, and a strategic Winelands location, Devonbosch offers growth today and legacy for tomorrow.

KLEI Aparthotel at Devonbosch

KLEI Aparthotel at Devonbosch

KLEI Aparthotel at Devonbosch

Farm 9 Beds | 6 Baths | 4 Garages

Exclusive Mandate

Farm

33ha Fruit Farm

Cape Winelands: Where Lifestyle Meets Legacy

Stellenbosch and the greater Cape Winelands, long admired for their vineyards, heritage, and fine wines, are now commanding unprecedented international attention. With demand at record highs and currency conditions in buyers’ favour, the region’s most exclusive farms and wine estates are drawing investors from across the globe.

In 2025, interest from Europe, North America, and the Middle East has surged, with favourable exchange rates making Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl’s estates exceptional value compared to similar properties abroad. For many, these farms are more than investments—they are legacies, secure footholds in one of the world’s most captivating regions.

Global Expertise, Local Roots

At Greeff Christie’s International Real Estate, we specialise in connecting discerning buyers and sellers within this niche market. Our Stellenbosch-based team combines deep local expertise with genuine international reach.

Carryn Todd, previously profiled in Tatler, brings a background in luxury hospitality and international business. Her intuitive understanding of refined living, together with her global network, makes her a trusted partner for clients navigating the complexities of cross-border transactions.

Working alongside her is Stephen Daniels, a seasoned luxury advisor with over 25 years of high-end real estate experience in Switzerland, Germany, the UK, and Spain. Fluent in German and Spanish, Stephen offers rare global insight and access to a wide network of international investors, ensuring our clients’ properties achieve maximum exposure.

Where Lifestyle Meets Legacy

Together, Carryn and Stephen position Greeff Christie’s as the premier agency for luxury agricultural and wine farm sales in the

Winelands. Whether you are looking to acquire or sell a gentleman’s estate, working farm, guest farm, or boutique vineyard, our team offers the expertise, discretion, and global connections to deliver extraordinary results.

A Market in Balance

“The current market conditions in the Cape Winelands are well-balanced. Limited supply, strong international demand, and favourable currency dynamics mean sellers are achieving premium results, while buyers are securing properties of enduring value. It is a rare moment where both sides of the market can benefit.”

— Aimee Campbell, Principal, Greeff Christie’s International Real Estate – Winelands Offices

Val de Vie Estate, Paarl 12 Beds | 12.5 Baths | 9 Garages

Crowning Jewel of the Val de Vie Gentlemen’s Estate

Presenting a rare confl uence of refi ned living and verdant charm, this magnifi cent estate—encompassing an unsurpassed expanse of 25,635 square metres—lies gracefully within the noble confi nes of the Val de Vie Gentlemen’s Estate, a sanctuary of prestige and quiet dignity.

Franschhoek

Exclusive Mandate

R35 000 000 (Marketing Price) SOLD

Elgin

R75 000 000 (Marketing Price)

SOLE MANDATE