Hadeda News- 16 June 2023

THE SouthAfricanTransport andAllied Workers Union (Satawu) has criticised Minerals Council efforts to improve the performance ofTransnet, the government-owned rail and ports company

The union, which represents about 46% ofTransnet’s port workers, said the Minerals Council was effectively staging a coup d’etat, while acknowledging it was concerned aboutTransnet’s operational under-performance.

Satawu recognised the importance of private sector involvement inTransnet, but it expressed dismay at the Minerals Council which it said rejected a proposal to establish an “infrastructural management agency” aimed at operating the export rail network on a concession basis.Asked about the infrastructural management office last week, outgoing Minerals Council CEO Roger Baxter welcomed its establishment. Said Satawu: “Not content with their unprecedented call for regime change among the leadership of

Transnet earlier this year, the mining bosses are now attempting a business coup d’état in defining the very shape and form of the company’s rail reform programme”.

Transnet and the Minerals Council agreed last year to establish a collaborative structure aimed at remedying chronic underperformance at Transnet’sTransnet Freight Rail, its largest business unit responsible for railing minerals for exportation. It had first called for the resignation ofTransnet CEO, Portia Derby

Four sector committees representing the collaboration betweenTransnet and the Minerals Council have been sitting since January dealing with the specific challenges of exporting manganese, chrome, coal and iron ore. Baxter said last week the committees were “not making as quick progress as we would like”.

Responding to Satawu’s comments today, the Minerals Council said: “The Minerals Council is working together with

theTransnet board, executive and management in a spirit of constructive cooperation and collaboration to urgently stabilise deteriorating rail performance to the benefit of all stakeholders”.

It declined to comment on Satawu’s specific criticisms. This is not the first time Satawu has voiced its opposition to increase private sector participation inTransnet’s business. It said in February that “the so-called plan and strategy to privatiseTransnet has corruption written all over it”.

Satawu’s comments today signal the task at hand if the

private sector is to bring about improvements atTransnet.The union said that the company was not created to be profitable but to serve the development needs of SouthAfrica. However, it emerged last year that Transnet’s lenders were concerned after the company missed lending covenant tests.

Transnet’s performance has deteriorated further this year Baxter said that the run rate of coal exports was below 40 million tons. If sustained, this tempo will result in a one-fifth decline in coal deliveries to Richards Bay in 2022 – the lowest volume of coal delivered for export in 30 years.

Die uiteensetting van plot(1)

Wenke van Welbekende Gepubliseerde Skrywer - Annerle Barnard

Ontknoping/resolusie:Alle los drade word finaal uitmekaargetrek en dan geknoop.

die uitdagende handelinge van die antagonis of in ooreenstemming met ‘n moontlike oplossing vir die probleem.

Die uitseensetting van plot in fases, oftewel plotpunte?

Terwyl ek in die vorige plasing 7 belangrike verhaalelemente aangeraak het, het ek dit goed gedink om hier aan een spesifieke aandag te gee: plot e plotpunte.

Plotpunte is belangrike, opwindende gebeure wat ‘n definitiewe impak op die storie in geheel maak. Plotpunte stuur dikwels die narratief in ‘n nuwe rigting en dien as ‘n stimulus vir karakterontwikkeling.

Die uiteensetting van plot Neem asb. kennis dat ek tydens my studie van die uiteensetting van plot verskeie bronne geraadpleeg het en dat daar meer as een teorie bestaan. Elke skrywer moet self besluit wat die beste vir hom/haar gaan werk.

Naas die Griekse weergawe is Gustav Freitag se uiteensetting van plot (in 5 fases) waarskynlik die bekendste. Dan is daar ook die gewilde 7-punt plotstruktuur wat deur die skrywer Dan Wells bekend gemaak is.

Die doel van plotpunte/-fases tydens jou beplanning van ‘n verhaal?

Terwyl die plot na ‘n reeks gebeure (binne ‘n storie) verwys, dui plotpunte op die individuele kerngebeure in die storie. Dis belangrik om te besef dat elke enkele gebeurtenis binne ‘n storie nie as ‘n plotpunt beskou word nie. In ‘n storie is daar moontlik ander gebeure, of selfs ‘n subplot of meer, wat bloot net

dien om die karakter se geskiedenis te belig — of inligting verskaf rakende die rigting wat die storie ingeslaan het. Mindere gebeure is nie plotpunte nie omdat dit nie kerngebeure is wat die storie in ‘n ander rigting laat beweeg — of enige invloed op die protagonis se ontwikkeling het nie.

Die uiteensetting van plot

Wanneer jy skryf, oorweeg gerus Gustav Freitag se uiteensetting van plot in 5 fases of Dan Wells se 7-punt plotstruktuur om jou met die proses te help.

Gustav Freitag se uiteensetting van plot in 5 fases

Eksposisie: Die leser leer die karakters sowel as die kernverhaallyn ken.

Toenemende konflik/aksie: Hierdie het met die ontwikkeling van die verhaal te doen en behels daarom die grootste deel van die verhaal. Daar is eskalerende gebeure wat op die klimaks afstuur

Klimaks: Die speurder ontdek wie die moordenaar is (krimi’s), romantiese karakters vind mekaar, epiese gevegte vind plaas (byvoorbeeld in die uiters gewilde Marvel films), ens. Hierdie is die hoogtepunt van die verhaal en alle gebeure werk mee ten einde die klimaks te bewerkstellig. Die klimaks vind gevolglik min of meer aan die einde van die verhaal plaas.

Afloop: Die afloop vind na die klimaks plaas. Die effek wat die klimaks op die karakters het, word weergegee.

Dan Wells se 7-punt plotstruktuur Die tweede (finale) knyppunt word nader aan die einde van die storie gevind en die protagonis ervaar verdere druk as gevolg van die oorkoepelende konflik. Dit kan verteenwoordig word deur ‘n geveg met die antagonis — of verdere verhoogde risiko!

Plotpunte dui die rigting vir jou basiese plotstruktuur aan. ‘n Groot aantal verhale maak van die volgende basiese plotpunte gebruik.

‘n Hoek: Hiermee haak jy letterlik jou leser (jip, dink aan hengel!). Via die hoek stel jy die leser aan die fassinerende wêreld of karakters in die verhaal bekend. Die hoek dui op ‘n belangrike gebeurtenis, gewoonlik in die eerste hoofstuk, wat die leser haak en inkatrol. Die hoek is die katalisator vir gebeure. Dit veroorsaak ‘n omwenteling in jou protagonis se lewe en noop hom/haar om besluite te neem en daarvolgens te reageer

Die eerste plotpunt: ‘n Mens vind die eerste plotpunt min of meer na die eerste derde van die storie. Konflik is onvermydelik (en konflik stuur stories). Hierdie is dan die begin van die avontuur wat die protagonis betree. Na afloop van die eerste plotpunt is daar vir die protagonis geen omdraaikans meer nie.

Die eerste kryppunt vind na afloop van die eerste plotpunt plaas — en as gevolg van die druk wat die protagonis weens die omwenteling in sy/haar lewe ervaar. Die antagonis (of hoofkonflik) word bekendgestel wat weer tot verhoogde risiko lei. Hierdie eerste knyppunt dwing die karakter om ‘n besluit te neem, maar hierdie besluit het gevolge waarmee die protagonis dwarsdeur die verhaal sal moet saamleef.

Die middelpunt is die moment waartydens die protagonis besluit om te handel in ooreenstemming met die besluit wat hy/sy geneem het. Hy/sy beweeg van reaksie na aksie, van verdediging na aanval. Soos wat die naam van hierdie plotpunt aandui, vind dit min of meer in die middel van ‘n storie plaas. ‘n Protagonis sal tydens die middelpunt dikwels op ‘n nuwe doelwit besluit as gevolg van

Hierdie is die protagonis se donkerste uur. Hy/sy is tussen die vloer en die politoer en dit lyk asof daar geen hoop is nie. Tydens plotpunt 2 beweeg die storie van die middelpunt na die ontknoping. Die karakter besef dat hy/sy moontlik oor genoeg inligting beskik om sy/haar doelwit te bereik.

Die ontknoping/resolusie van ‘n verhaal is die deel van die intrige waartydens die grootste probleem opgelos word. Die protagonis neem ‘n besluit wat ‘n belangrike aspek van sy/haar karakter onthul en wat die narratief suksesvol afsluit, m.a.w. die karakter slaag (of faal) in sy/haar doelwit.

Bostaande is soortgelyk aan die struktuur van die drie bedrywe wat ‘n mens in ‘n toneelstuk of film vind. So ‘n storie bestaan basies uit drie dele (‘n begin, middel en einde) en die plotpunte word daarvolgens beplan.

In die volgende blogplasing sal ek my 2021 goue Sanlampryswenner, Spel, aan die hand van Dan Wells se 7-punt plotstruktuur analiseer. ‘n Praktiese analise mag jou moontlik tydens jou eie skryfproses help.

Die uiteensetting van plot

Dit maak nie saak op watter teorie/model jy besluit nie. Indien jy jou plot deeglik beplan en uiteensit, kan dit jou help om ‘n blote storie-idee in ‘n opwindende verhaal te omskep.Al wat jy benodig is ‘n protagonis en ‘n interessante milieu.

Lekker skryf!

Dan Wells se 7-punt plotstruktuur

Manie’s Bistro

Beesvleis Bredie

1 kg heel skywe beeskook van jou keuse (dikrib, brisket, chuck ens.)

2 groot uie, opgekap

2 groot aartappels –geskil en in kwart gesny

3 wortels, geskraap en opgekap in hap grootte

2 koppies gevriesde groenboontjies

2 eetlepels botter

½ teelepel tiemie swartpeper na smaak

sout na smaak 1 eetlpele bruinasyn

3 teelepels bisto poeier aangemaak met bietjie koue water

kookwater

Sit jou vleisstukke in ‘n medium kastrol, gooi net genoeg koue water oor om vleis mooi te bedek. Voeg eetlepel asyn by en bring tot kookpunt, kook stadig met deksel op tot al die water verdamp het en vleis begin potbraai, braai dan albei kante lekker bruin Plaas uie bo op , sprinkel met tiemie, gooi klein bietjie kookwater bo oor , plaas deksel op en laat weer afkook tot begin potbraai, voeg

botter by en braai alles lekker saam tot bruin en geurig

Gooi genoeg kookwater op om alles weer te bedek, prut stadig vir halfuur, plaas aartappels, wortels en groenboontjies bo op en gooi net genoeg kookwater op om als te bedek, geur met sout en peper na smaak. Wanneer aartappels sag is, voeg aangemaakte bisto by, roer liggies deur, prut stadig vir 10 minute. Bedien met rys of stampmielies selfs lekker krummelpap.

1. Op Pad na Grysberg is 'n epiese fantasie. In watter genre skryf jy gewoonlik?

Liefdesverhale/romanses en inspirerende romans

2. Noem asb. 'n paar ander titels van boeke/draaiboeke wat jy geskryf het.

Arendsvlerke vir Siebert, Die Vroue van Kosmoslaan, In sterre geskryf, 'n Hart wat pas, Kersfeeswonderwerk, By jou is dit anders.

3. Hoe het jy by die projek betrokke geraak?

Stefaans Coetzee het my genader en gevra of ek deel wil wees van die projek. Natuurlik, was my antwoord

4. Watter hoofstuk het jy geskryf en tot watter genre behoort jou hoofstuk?

Hoostuk 1. 'n Roman

5. Het jy die hoofstukke voor joune vooraf gelees?

Ek het hoofstuk 1 geskryf so daar was net die riglyne soos ons dit van Stefaans ontvang het.

6. Het jy vooraf geweet hoe die laaste hoofstukke in die roman lyk of was dit vir jou 'n verrassing?

Ek het net Didi Potgieter se hoofstuk wat op myne volg, gesien. Die einde is 'n heerlike verrassing.

7. Hoe het dit vir jou gevoel om deel van 'n projek te wees, eerder as om iets op jou eie aan te pak?

Ek het gelukkig nie aanvanklik geweet watter groot geeste skryf saam aan die storie nie! Dit was 'n heerlike uitdaging.

8. Sal jy dit oorweeg om in die toekoms iets soortgelyks saam met ander skrywers aanpak?

Ek dink die sinergie wat

ontstaan wanneer jy saam met 'n ander skrywer werk, is spesiaal en ek sal dit graag weer doen.

9. Hoe het jy dit gevind om saam met skrywers van ander genres te werk?

Baie stimulerend. Jy grawe dieper, dink langer voor jy iets neerpen – 'n heel ander kreatiewe proses.

Madelein Rust, Dibi Breytenbach, Annerle Barnard, Sidney Gilroy, Elsa Winckler, Hannes Barnard, Stefan Enslin, DuaneAslett, Jan Vermeulen, Henk Breytenbach, Didi Potgieter, Brian Fredericks, Ferdie Swanepoel, Erla Diedericks, René van Zyl, Christelle Van Rooyen Wessels, Irna van Zyl en Kerneels Breytenbach is van die skrywers wat saamgeskryf het.

22 van die land se voorste skrywers in verskillende genres, het hul tyd en talente ingespan om saam aan ’n enkele roman te skryf.

Elsa Winckler

Actually, the Logistics Crisis Is Already As Bad As Load Shedding

There is no denying that load shedding has been the bane of every SouthAfrican's existence. It has been described, widely, as the single largest threat to the economy, as deepening power cuts take an increasingly large toll on homes and businesses.

Often considered to be a secondary threat, the logistics crisis has seen worsening rail performance and troubles at the ports hamstringing export sales and foreign exchange earnings.

Unlike the electricity supply crisis, the logistics dilemma is not felt directly or immediately by the average citizen – but that does not mean its progression hasn't been swift and devastating.

While most of us were counting the cost of power cuts in a year of unprecedented load shedding, the logistics crisis may have actually had a greater negative impact on economic growth potential in 2022.

As modelled by Jan Havenga, a professor in logistics management at Stellenbosch University, the logistics calamity is thought to have whacked as much as 6.68% off of GDPin 2022.The bulk of this is attributable to rail challenges, while a small portion relates to ports.

Havenga explains that the rail calculation considers both the direct loss of goods that couldn't reach the sea, as well as the financial impact of having to move goods at a greater cost via road.

This direct impact is estimated to have shaved 3% off of GDP, while the multiplier effect – which considers how this would have impacted jobs, businesses and other economic activity – accounts for almost another 4% of GDP.

By comparison, load shedding is thought to have knocked as much as five percentage points of potential growth off of real GDPin 2022 – that's according to an

estimate from big four accounting firm PwC, which, in its calculation, also considered the expanded impact on jobs, businesses and other economic activity It's a number that PwC senior manager and economist Christie Viljoen acknowledges to be "one of the highest out there", but it too considers the broader impact.

To be fair, on the rail front the lost potential growth in 2022 was especially high because, as Havenga points out, last year was pretty unprecedented for bulk commodities like coal, which hit record-high prices amid a global energy crisis stoked by Russia's war in Ukraine.

The market appetite for coal was there, but there was an estimated 10 to 20 million tonnes of potential coal sales, which producers and traders in SouthAfrica simply could not get to a port.

Meanwhile, the increasing freight volumes on road as opposed to rail has been a steady trend over the years.

"The difference between Eskom and rail is that, if Eskom fails, we all see it. This [rail crisis] is like a slow subversion of the economy," says Havenga.

As a rule of thumb, Havenga says logistics troubles cost the economy R1 billion a day That's much the same as other estimates of the impact of load shedding.

While there has been an adverse impact on the North Corridor, which mainly moves coal from Mpumalanga down to the Richards Bay Coal Terminal – and last year moved the lowest coal volumes since 1993 – the rest of the network is also beset by challenges.

General freight volumes last year were equal to levels seen during World War 2. Transnet has recently sounded the alarm about the general freight corridor between Johannesburg and Durban, which is running at a low capacity – often 30% –

and causing billions in losses for industry andTransnet too.

The iron ore line, which Transnet Freight Rail boasts as its best performing, has recently, too, experienced derailments caused by a sudden spate of cable theft –something it had previously been spared, possibly because of the high voltage which runs through that heavy haul line's cable and the high risk that poses to criminals.

And while power outages have some impact on logistics, it is not the biggest threat.The most visible issues facing rail appear to be cable theft and – on the export coal line – a continued impasse with the Chinese Railway Rolling Stock Corporation, which has preventedTransnet from procuring critical spare parts it requires to fix and maintain certain locomotives.

Stats recently presented by the Minerals Council show reasons for over 3 000 train cancellations to the Richards Bay CoalTerminal in 2022, wherein cable theft accounted for 16% of the cancellations while loco maintenance accounted for 22%.

But there is more to the picture. Other operational issues accounted for 20% of the cancellations, while rail infrastructure accounted for 15%. Power outages accounted for around 6%.

SouthAfricans battling inflation woes would be wise to worry about logistics – which are more important than most people realise.

Havenga notes that the average cost of logistics for all commodities in South Africa is 58%, more than electricity

Take, for example, a loaf of bread.There is a cost to transport the wheat from the farm to the silo, and from the silo to the mill. Moving the flour to the bakery and delivering the bread loaf to the shop shelf also incurs a cost. Where goods can be railed rather than trucked, the transport costs are significantly reduced.

Fortunately, there appears to be genuine momentum behind solving the logistics crisis.

Most notable is that President Cyril Ramaphosa has taken a hands-on approach, resulting in the establishment of a National Logistics Crisis Committee which will be headed by the president himself, the ministers of transport and public enterprises as well as technical experts.As announced this week, work is also under way to integrate the private sector into the committee.

Unlike with Eskom and the load shedding crisis, which started as far back as 2008, the comparatively swift onset of the logistics crisis could elicit a commensurately speedy – and hopefully more successful – response.News24

Transnet's rail issues are taking a greater toll on the economy than some might think. Getty Images

Kumba Iron Ore’s Kolomela mine has onboarded several education specialists to improve education outcomes in the Siyancuma municipal area. In June 2023 Kumba introduced implementation partners that will be responsible for driving phase two of theAnglo-American South Africa (AASA) Education Programme.

According to Kolomela’s Community Liaison Specialist, Mr Keaobaka Matilo, the ambitious 5-year program boasts a national footprint but has been customised for the needs of the local Siyancuma schools. “With this programme, we are able to respond to a survey done last year which indicated that the poor quality of education is a major concern for the people of Griekwastad,” explained Matilo at the launch event. “Furthermore, with the help of our education partners, we did a baseline assessment specific to each school, which informs the interventions we are launching here today.”

Key features of theAnglo American SouthAfrica Education Programme:

- Children aged 3-5 attend and receive tuition for quality Early Childhood Development to get them school ready

- Primary school learners attain grade and age appropriate education standards

- Secondary school learners’ complete school and attain quality matric pass

- More than 80% of schools in host communities are in the top 20% of public ordinary schools in terms of improvement in performance by 2030.

Private Public Partnerships to administer education intervention

The Siyancuma education intervention is a multistakeholder project between Kumba, community leadership, the Northern Cape Department of Education and various private education experts.Ahybrid team of implementation partners will collaborate to deliver innovative content and teacher development programmes in the local community schools.The principal implementation agent,

JETEducation Services, will on behalf of Kumba manage the implementation and evaluation of theAngloAmerican SouthAfrica (AASA) Education Programme in Griekwastad and Campbell.

Wordworks, a SouthAfrican nonprofit organisation that focuses on early literacy development, will assign support coaches to monitor and support preschool literacy teaching at participating schools. Early preschool literacy

is touted to be a catalyst for academic success later in school.To stimulate maths performance, Maths centre will roll out a multidimensional digital programme in line with the national strategy for teacher development.The outcomes will be audited annually and measured against a quality assurance and impact assessment metric.

Licensed Conveyancers

Some of the stakeholders that attended the launch event of the Anglo America South Africa education programme

As discussed in our previous article, we covered what the specific duties are that fall on the employer, and whether the employer is the only one responsible when an incident occurs.

In summary the employer must provide and maintain systems of work, plant and machinery that are safe and without risks to health. The employer must establish hazards in the workplace and to further establish what precautionary measures are necessary and to provide such measures.As well as, the employer must provide information, instructions, training, and supervision as may be necessary to ensure the health and safety of employees.

This would include setting up a Health and Safety Plan - the elements of which are as follows:

• Draft Safety Plan (SMS)

• Scope of Work

• Legal Compliance Records

• H&S Policies and Procedures

•Appointment letters

• Training Records

• Contractors Documents & Records

• Equipment inventories

• Risk Management

• Equipment scheduling services / tests

• Inspections – walk-around

• Inspections – checklists

• Emergency Preparedness – drills, plans, etc.

• Incident Management – W/Comp

• Incident Investigation – DOLReport

•Audits

This article aims to provide general information and does not constitute legal advice. For more information contact 054 333 1115 OR kal@joblaw.co.za

WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY PLAN?

Grape Farming: Stick To The Basics To Succeed!

best crops and cultivars for the production conditions.

GPABoerdery currently has 14ha planted to wine grapes, 30ha to grapes for raisin production, and 20ha to pecan nuts.

“We used to have 30ha planted to table grapes, but stopped growing them in around 2012 because of the high risk of frost and rain at times when these varieties are particularly vulnerable.

The remainder, their Shiraz and Chenin Blanc wine grapes planted in the shale soils above the floodline, are grafted onto Ramsey rootstocks.

The right thing at the right time

While downy mildew had a devastating impact on the grape harvests of the previous two seasons, Lourens successfully managed the risk in the 2022/23 season, thanks to his adviser, Francois Ozrovech, a cropprotection specialist at InteliGro.

Unfavourable climatic conditions in the Orange River region this season have caused a significant drop in production on most wine, table grape and raisin farms.

According to Jacques Ferreira, manager of commercial industrial affairs at the South AfricanTable Grape Industry, the region delivered 16,4 million 4,5kg-equivalent cartons of table grapes for export inspection this season.This was about 27% less than the previous season and about 17% less than the region’s five-year average.

The Orange River region produces 85% to 87% of South Africa’s raisin supply. Raisins SouthAfrica reported that the country produced 78 757t of raisins last season, with production expected to decline to between 63 000t and 68 000t this season.

Charl du Plessis, CEO of Orange River Cellars in Upington, says that wine-grape production in the region averages around 35t/ ha, but was closer to 20t/ha this season.

Despite the decline in all three grape types, some farmers, such as father-and-son-team Lourens and Kobus Maass of GPABoerdery near the town of Grootdrink, are still producing decent volumes.

Lourens says that during the 2021/22 season, they achieved 2,5t more raisins per hectare than the industry average, although the 2022/23 harvest was 19% lower than last season’s.

Nonetheless, the quality of their raisins was much better than the previous season, when many grapes were downgraded as a result of a downy mildew outbreak. Lourens adds that the

improved quality more than made up for the reduced volume.

Their 2022/23 wine-grape production was 5% higher than last season’s, but about 10% lower than their long-term average.

Keeping it simple

Lourens and Kobus attribute their success to the fact that they do the basics well, which to them means “doing the right thing at the right time”.

“The poor economy, combined with the sharp increase in input costs, has made it too expensive to make mistakes or experiment with new trends. “Instead, you have to use tried-and-tested [methods] and get help from fellow farmers and other experts to make well-informed decisions when you get stuck,” says Kobus.

Even so, they admit that some environmental factors counted in their favour. Lourens explains that about half of their vineyards are located above the floodline of the Orange River

As a result, there is much better airflow in these vineyards than in those closer to the river or on the river islands.This in turn ensures that they are less susceptible to fungal diseases such as downy mildew, which was the biggest production challenge in the region over the past two seasons.

Their vineyards are also planted in shale soil, which dries faster than the clayish soil closer to the river This makes it easier for them to access the vineyards to perform essential maintenance work.

Choose the right crops

Asked to expand on “getting the basics right”, Lourens says that the first step is to choose the

“It also no longer made sense when we took into account rising input costs, increased competition, and the high export standards with which table grapes have to comply,” says Lourens. He adds that there are no table-grape producers left in the eastern part of the region, where he and Kobus farm. Still, his experience with table grapes has taught him a lot.

“Most farmers who grew up producing table grapes tend to retain the diligence and precision with which we worked these vineyards. So when we switch over to wine grapes and [grapes for raisin production], we’re more in tune with what’s happening in our vineyards and how to use our inputs more efficiently.”

Turning to raisin production, he says that they have stopped farming sultanas, which in the past used to be the main variety for this use in the region. Sultanas, he explains, are sensitive to rain damage and have lower yields than some of the new and improved grape varieties, such as Selma Pete, Sugra 39 and Merbein, that he and Kobus now use. More than half their vineyards comprise the Flame Seedless cultivar

“This can be produced for the table grape or [raisin] market, so we merely switched some of the old vineyards from table grape to raisin production, and have since planted more hectares. I’ll definitely plant more Flame Seedless in the future, because it gives good yields, produces good grades even when it rains, and performs better than any of the other varieties under our climatic conditions. Some of the others are prone to alternate bearing,” explains Lourens.

They graft most of their raisin varieties onto 143B MGT rootstocks, which are best suited for their deep clay lime soils.

“We used to start our downy mildew spraying programme after the rain, but two seasons ago, Francois advised me to begin earlier. I argued that it was unnecessary, and my failure to do so resulted in the disease having a severe impact on the quality of my grapes during the two seasons that followed,” admits Lourens.

In the season thereafter, they implemented a more rigorous programme than usual in midJanuary, before any signs of infection, and this helped to reduce quality losses in 2022/23. They made as many as five fungicide applications to some vineyards, up until March.This season, they started with a downy mildew spore load that was lower than before, thanks to their stricter management and the drier conditions. For this reason, they reverted to a less intensive programme.

They alternate their fungicides to prevent the development of fungicide resistance.

Kobus points out that they don’t use copper sulphate to manage diseases.

“Systemic fungicides are translocated into the plant system, whereas contact fungicides like copper sulphate only destroy the fungi they come into contact with. Acontact fungicide can make it look as if you’ve won the battle, only for you to discover a few days later that the problem is out of control.”

Consistency

It isn’t enough to simply do the right thing at the right time once and expect to reap the benefits on an ongoing basis.Actions need to be implemented consistently, over many years, says Lourens.

This starts with the establishment of new vineyards. “You need to do a soil analysis, correct nutritional deficiencies and prepare the soil properly before you plant.The vines you start with also need to continues on pg 16

Weeds are used as cover crops in the vineyards to keep the soil cool and reduce evaporation. Photo: Glenneis Kriel

be healthy and strong, because a sick vine will never perform as well as a healthy vine. From then on, you need to give the vines what they need at the right time.”

Soil samples are taken every three to four years to analyse the vines’nitrogen, phosphate and potassium requirements.The Maasses’fertilisation programme is adapted according to these results, the vines’needs at different growth stages, and the crop loads at the end of each season.

“You aren’t only looking at the current season,” says Lourens. “You need to ensure that the vines have enough reserves to take them through the next one. Stress will makes vines more vulnerable to pests and diseases, and will prevent them from fulfilling their full genetic potential.”

Leaf samples are taken during the production season to identify trace-element deficiencies, which are corrected with foliar sprays. “Don’t skimp on chemicals, fertilisers, water or pruning, as you’ll end up with lower yields and poor-quality fruit. My father, Gert, used to warn that ‘you can save yourself into bankruptcy’by trying to cut costs.

“On the other hand, these inputs should be used correctly and as precisely as possible so you don’t waste money.”

Caring for the environment

Lourens and Kobus use chemical pest-management solutions as sparingly as possible in an effort to avoid disturbing the biodiversity on the farm. “We don’t have many pest problems under normal conditions, thanks to our dry climatic conditions. Our average annual rainfall is around 160mm,” explains Lourens.

Nevertheless, Sugra 39 and Selma Pete are vulnerable to leafhoppers, so are treated preventatively with a single insecticide application every

“We have to keep leafhoppers under control, or they’ll destroy the ‘factory’of the plant by sucking the leaves dry,” he adds.

The Maasses also have a set programme to manage rust, and adapt it according to the risk and the severity of the problem. “With rust, we’ve learnt to spray before flowering, otherwise we lose money,” says Lourens.

Keep it cool

Weeds are left in the vineyards as soil cover. “Temperatures here can reach above 40°C, which bakes the soil.The weeds help to keep the soil cool, preventing it from drying out and protecting soil organisms.”The weeds are mulched when they grow too high.

Aproblem often experienced with cover crops is that they compete with the vines for water This is not a problem on the Maasses’farm, as they have sufficient water. What’s more, roughly half of their vineyards are under flood irrigation, while those away from the floodline are under either drippers or micro-sprinklers, depending on the soil type.

Kobus explains that vineyards where the soil has lower waterholding capacity have microsprinklers to ensure that enough water is delivered on hot days, while those where the soil has greater water-holding capacity are fitted with drippers.

While the use of micro-sprinklers and drip irrigation is more waterefficient than flood irrigation, flood irrigation is a saviour during load-shedding, as the water is delivered via gravity, not electricity, to the farm.As a result, the farm does not have to incur extra costs in the form of generators to provide irrigation at the right times.

Farm the light

The success of a harvest is greatly influenced by vine management. Kobus says the aim of their summer pruning is to “open up” the vineyards to

ensure good light penetration and air movement.

“You need the light to penetrate the canopy to ensure the vines’ future fertility The good airflow helps to prevent the development of fungal diseases,” he explains.

Their winter pruning strategy depends on the vigour of the variety in question. With some, all the bearers are shortened; with others, four to six are left. Most of their vines are pruned to four short bearers per side, as the new varieties are much more vigorous than the older ones.

Kobus says his grandfather used to say that “a wire doesn’t carry any grapes”, so they try to cover the whole wire with branches.

“We twist the bearers around the wire, which seems to activate the budding process.” Where some farmers start pruning in May, the Maasses prune quite late in the season, towards the third week of July. “The trend is to prune later in the season. For us, it helps to stretch the harvest period by a week or two,” says Kobus.

Ateam of about 40 well-trained workers make certain that everything is done on time, with two controllers moving up and down the vineyards to ensure that the vines are pruned correctly and to address problems as they arise.

Succession planning

Good succession planning is another requirement to ensure the future of a farm. Lourens points out that his grandfather, also Lourens, was one of the first farmers in the region in the 1930s, and Kobus is now the fourth generation on the farm.

Kobus, who is in his late twenties, grew up on the farm and joined the operation straight after finishing high school in 2013.

Father and son enjoy farming together. “We make a good team, as Kobus is quite handson in the office and on the marketing side, whereas I like being outside, in the middle of the action on the farm,” says Lourens.

He adds that the challenge for farmers growing older is to give the next generation leeway to operate as they see fit. “It’s easy to become set in your ways, but you need to have an open mind and give your [child] room to make mistakes and find [their] own way.”

Kobus says communication is the key to the success of this kind of relationship. “We argue like cat and dog some days, but in the end we put our differences aside because we realise that both of us want what’s best for the business.” - Farmer’s Weekly

From left: Lourens Maass, his daughter-in-law Elske, son Kobus, and wife Ilse Marie (front) believe that having a negative attitude won‘t solve your problems.

Upington

Myn Tonnels Val Delwers Toe in Namakwaland

Nog ‘n tragiese mynongeluk het inwoners van Namakwaland getref, toe n uitgewerkte De Beers diamant-myn naby Kleinzee, aan die Namakalandse weskus, inmekaar geval het. Volgens polisie-woordvoerder, luitenant kolonel Sergio Kock, het die voorval Saterdagoggend ongeveer 10:00 gebeur

Omdat onwettige buitelanders betrokke was, kan nie met sekerheid bepaal word hoeveel persone betrokke was nie. Die diamantmyntonnels het inmekaar getuimel, terwyl onwettige mynbedrywighede hier plaasgevind het.

Volgens Kock het een persoon

op die toneel gesterf.Twee beseerdes is na die hospitaal geneem, maar die vermoede bestaan dat nog persone onder die tonnels vasgekeer kan wees. Reddings- werkers het Sondag (11.06.23) nog gepoog om die ander liggame na die oppervlakte te bring.

Intussen het ‘n bron na aan die voorval aan vertel dat sewe buitelanders betrokke was. Drie kon betyds wegkom, sonder beserings, terwyl een beseerde in die Springbok- hospitaal opgeneem was. Die hospitaal het dit bevestig.

Behalwe die een sterfte word daar nog na die twee ander lyke gesoek. Paul Swartbooi, die

Nama-Kaptein, wat hom beywer vir diamantmynpermitte aan delwers het die voorval betreur

Hy blameer die SAregering vir sulke mynrampe wat n algemene verskynsel word by Namakwalandse diamantmyne.

Volgens Swart-booi sal die

KIMBERLEY

regering nou moet besluit wie waar in Namakwaland diamante mag delf.

Die publiek word intussen versoek om te help met die ondersoek na die voorval. Hulle kan die ondersoekbeampte speurAO Donald Links skakel by: 0795293935.

A Plan To Help SA Small Businesses Fight Back Against Just About Anybody Is Back On Track

Aplan to create an ombud office for small businesses – with the power to issue money orders without necessarily getting lawyers involved – is back on track.

On Monday, Small Business minister Stella NdabeniAbrahams published an explanatory summary of the National Small Enterprise Amendment Bill, a key step to getting it before Parliament and into law That bill, she said, seeks to set up the Office of the Small Enterprise Ombud Service, which is supposed to deal with small businesses, notably in order to get them paid what they are owed.

"The mischief the bill aims to remedy is the lack of effective and affordable access to a justice system for small enterprises," said the minister in her notice. "Business-tobusiness disputes and late or non-payment of amounts due and payable to small enterprises are a significant reality in the lives of small enterprises across the world, with very adverse implications on their growth."

We know roughly how that is supposed to work, because the law is not an entirely new one. Almost exactly a year ago, Ndabeni-Abrahams' department declared that it was ready to go – after first being introduced in late 2020.

As it stood at the time, the draft law proposed an ombud office that could deal with nonpayment, but that also went a long way beyond that, encompassing anyone who has any kind of dealings with any small businesses.

The original bill said the ombud would be able to deal with both contractual and "other legal relationships" that are not captured in a contract, or, in theory, even written down. Within such a relationship, small businesses would be able to complain of any of three things of increasingly broad reach:

"unfairness”

"abuse or unjustifiable exercise of power or unfair or other improper conduct or undue delay", and

"practice, act or omission which results in unlawful or improper prejudice to a small enterprise". If the ombud upheld such a complaint, they would have the power to award "damages", which could exceed amounts specified in contracts or invoices.

The result could be that the small business ombud would be able to intervene in anything from unfair government tenders to cases where individual customers try to overturn a credit card transaction.

Much like SouthAfrica's most famous ombud office, the Public Protector, the small business ombud would be able to direct any action they deem fit beyond just a cash award. Where a cash award is made, that ombud finding would have the power of a court judgment, so the complaining small business would be able to send in the sheriff to attach assets should the other party not pay up. Investigations by the ombud would likewise fall under court rules, so anyone who stands in the way of an investigation could

be found in contempt of court and, in a sufficiently extreme case, could be jailed.

Specific abuses the original draft law considered included ambiguous contracts, unfair leases, sudden termination, long-term exclusive agreements that keep others out of a market, and shifting risk from a stronger to a weaker party in a relationship.

When Cabinet last week approved the introduction of the 2023 version of the law, it promised, by way of Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, the amendment will "realise greater stability to the sector and advance economic opportunity through the creation of job opportunities by small, medium and micro enterprises".

In at least its broad strokes, the law seems set for a smooth ride through Parliament, with the DA in May welcoming it as an antidote to "the apathetic government" and its "lack of urgency" in supporting small businesses. - News24

Dis Junie, en party mense vier Pride Month! -Bert Mostert

Dis Junie, en die wêreld vier Proud Month! Of dit direk vertaal moet word of nie, weet ek nie.As ek moet raai sal ons dit seker in ons huis taal noem:Trots Maand. Maar kom ons hou vir eers by die engels, ek wil nie nog 'n rede byvoeg by die lang lys van tenakominge wat hierdie artikel na vore dalk mag bring nie.

Volgens “Statistics SA” is 79.8% van die land se populasie christene. Die res van die 20.2% word opgedeel tussen 'n variasie van verskeie ander gelowe. Ek as skrywer val onder daai 79.8% as 'n beleide, wedergebore kind van God.

Ek is geleer as christen om my medemens lief te hê, en om nie ander te oordeel nie. Dieselfde Bybel wat dit vir my geleer het, sê dat 'n volwasse christen die onderskeid kan maak tussen reg en verkeerd. Opsommend: jy oordeel sonde, nie mense nie. Ons lewe in 'n land van vryheid waar jy kan glo en doen soos jy wil, solank jy net binne die perke van die wet bly. Ek ondersteun hierdie beginsel ten volle.As jy wil gay of lesbies wees, be my guest. Dis jou lewe, ekt nie 'n probleem daarmee nie. Glo jy nie in dieselfde God as ek nie, of dalk in geen God nie, selfde beginsel. Dis jou reg. Weereens geen probleem van my kant af nie. Maar soos die engelsman sê: “There's always a but…”

Maar… waarmee ek wel 'n probleem het is as iemand

anders se ideologie in my keel afgedruk word. En as ek nie daarmee saamstem of saam staan nie, dan is ek deel van die probleem. Dan is ek 'n vyand van die gemeenskap. Ek het laas week 'n gesprek met 'n lid van die LGBTQ+ gemeenskap gehad, wat ek eintlik mee bevriend is, en hy/sy het vir my gesê dat ek deel van die rede is hoekom soveel mense selfmoord pleeg. Daai aantuiging is belaglik, verregaande en 'n gevaarlike beskuldiging om te maak. Dit was na aanleiding van 'n funny meme wat ek gepost het. Ons mag grappies maak oor DonaldTrump se oranje vel, Will Smith wat vir Chris Rock geklap het oordat hy iets oor sy vrou se kaalkop gesê het, maar as jy bogenoemde ideologie aanraak, dan is dit die vergelding wat jy kan verwag.

Ek weet dit klink seker bietjie hard wat ek nou gesê het, maar kom ons plaas dit 'n bietjie in perspektief. Op tv, sosiale media en allerlei platforms word christendom openlik bespot en die kern van die geloof wat Jesus Christus is, se Naam word ydelik gebruik en deur die modder gesleep, maar dit is oraait. Klink dit dalk regverdig? Hou in gedagte die statistiek wat vroeër genoem is, 79.8% van Suid Afrika is christene. Nou hoekom moet ons dan elke keer die kort ent trek?

En hier kom weer 'n maar…

Maar, afgesien van die onregverdigheid, is die volgende

punt die ware rede vir my ongelukkigheid. In Pink Floyd se lied “Another Brick in the Wall”, sing hy die wel bekende woorde, “Teacher, leave them kids alone”. En ek sing saam, “Los ons kinders uit!”. Kinders moet volgens wet wag tot op 18 voordat hulle 'n bestuurlisensie mag kry, drank mag koop of selfs 'n pakkie sigarette. Maar hulle kan nog op skool wees en besluit dat hulle nie “in die regte liggaam gebore is nie” en 'n sex-change of hormoon blokkers kan kry, waarvan beide onherroeplike skade veroorsaak.Toe ek 'n kind was wou ek 'n polisieman, 'n dokter, 'n ninja en 'n dinosaurus onderskeidelik gewees het. My suster en haar vriendin het vir my make-up opgesit as ek saam met hulle gespeel het. Vandag is ek nie een van daai dinge nie, eks 'n skrywer. Kinders se breine ontwikkel nog op skool, hulle eksperimenteer met verskillende dinge en probeer uitvind waar hulle in die lewe pas. Dit is 'n ouer se verantwoordelikheid om die kind te help uitvind wie hy of sy is, en as die kind 'n volwassene is om dit te ondersteun sodat hulle dit tot die beste van hulle vermoë kan doen. En ek praat defnitief nie van seksualiteit nie.As jy 'n skrynwerker van beroep is, dan beteken dit nie dat jou kind ook een moet word nie. Hy wil dalk 'n onderwyser word. Maar ek dwaal van die onderwerp af. Punt is, los ons kinders uit.As hulle wil besluit om 'n sex-change te hê, of gay of lesbies te wees, laat

hulle self daar uitkom as hulle verstande heeltemal ontwikkel is, en hulle eie geld daarvoor kan betaal. En moet ook nie toelaat dat hulle geindoktrineer word van voorskool af met hierdie dinge nie. Ons kinders behoort aan hul ouers, nie aan die staat nie.

So ter afsluiting, as jy wil hê ek moet jou respekteer in dit wat jy wil glo of hoe jy identify, respekteer my ook gelyktydig om daarmee te kan verskil as ek nie dieselfde voel nie. Ons almal hoef nie saam te stem oor alles nie, dis wat hierdie wêreld so 'n wonderlike en interessante plek maak. En hierdie is nie 'n oproep tot geweld nie, maar om verdraagsaamheid en liefde teenoor mekaar

Ek los jou met die volgende: Heb 12:14 Jaag die vrede na met almal, en die heiligmaking waarsonder niemand die Here sal sien nie;

Rubriek deur Namakwalander Bert Mostert

Faf in Speedo Offensive Rules Ads Board NOT

Two SouthAfricans formally complained that the Budget Insurance advert of Faf de Klerk in a speedo is offensive, but theAdvertising Regulatory Board did not agree.The pair argued that De Klerk’s private parts are “clearly visible”, making the advert inappropriate and off-putting.TheARB ruled that the image is not offensive given the context behind De Klerk and his speedo and that SouthAfricans typically wear speedos to the beach and the pool. In its defence, Budget Insurance said De Klerk was merely wearing a speedo with the SouthAfrican flag on it,

which shouldn’t necessarily be regarded as offensive, especially in a democratic society. Budget also pointed out that many other famous sports personalities wore speedos and regular people often wore them to public places like beaches, indicating that it wasn't offensive.

"For the sake of context, Faf de Klerk gained notoriety in 2019 after SouthAfrica’s Rugby World Cup victory, and this advertising merely sought to leverage that light-hearted memory There was no intention to offend or promote any sexually inappropriate behaviour,” said theARB in its ruling.-news24

TGR 1000 Returns to Botswana This Year 23-25 June 2023

TGR 1000 will return to Botswana for the first time since 2019.The race will be held in Jwaneng from June 23 to 25 as it makes a return to the mining town for the first time in five years.The 2023 edition of the race has been incorporated as a ‘Road to Dakar’competition. ‘Mantshwabisi’ was held in Upington, SouthAfrica (SA) in the last two years due to logistical glitches in Botswana. During the same period, the race was not

used as a qualifier for the premier, Dakar Rally As Mantshwabisi returns ‘home’, local competitors will be itching to score good times to book a ticket to the Dakar Rally

The three-day marathon event is a part of the SouthAfrican Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC), which also forms part of the Botswana Motor Sport National Off-Road Championship. “The event will again incorporate the ‘Road to Dakar’competition and withToyota’s sponsorship, as part of theTGR 1000 Kalahari Botswana Desert Race, this competition opens the door for local competitors to achieve their dream as the prize is an entry to participate in the Dakar Rally,” SARRC CEOArchie Rutherford said in a statement.

The local terrain is among a few selected around the world and it promises to attract some of the continent’s elite competitors. ‘Mantshwabisi’will feature a feast of national championship racing with round three of the SARRC and rounds two and three of the Botswana Motorsport BMS Championships.

The roadmap has been issued to the competitors and they now face a gruelling but exciting 1,000km of racing. For the 2023 edition of the SARRC, competitors will have to take on a 61km prologue on Day One (Friday) to determine the starting order for the race on DayTwo (June, 24) with the fastest 10 teams having the opportunity to draw and choose their starting positions.The route will consist of two loops of 220 kilometres that will take competitors to the east of Jwaneng towards Sese, Betesankwe,Tsonyane and Lefhoko before turning back to Jwaneng, while they will have to complete a 214 loop twice towards the south-western side of Jwaneng on Sunday

Welkom in Kalahari Lodge

KIMBERLEY

Vrydag 16 Junie 2023

N.Cape Lithium Marula To Be Additionally Listed On JSE

In conjunction with a proposed Aim listing in London, Marula Mining is going to have an additional listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), Marula Mining CEO Jason Brewer told the Junior Indaba on Wednesday

“We’re in the process of appointing our advisers,” said Brewer, who spoke of Copper 360 as having done “a fantastic job” with itsApril listing on the JSE'sAltX,"and we'll see how we progress." (Also watch attached Creamer Media video.)

Battery metals investment and exploration company Marula, with its Blesberg lithium and tantalum mine in the Northern Cape, has received a funding boost by clinching a partnership with Q Global Commodities, headed by SouthAfrica’s Quinton van der Burgh.

Marula is currently listed on the Aquis Stock Exchange in London.

“We’re very much focused on making sure we are anAfricanfocused company. Whilst listed in London, to be honest guys, it’s post box for us. Our whole operating administrative team is based out of Nairobi. We have an office in Kimberley. We have

an office in Dar es Salaam, and literally just there in Sandton, we have our major shareholder and our funding partner in place, which is critical for us.

“One of the big reasons about being here and coming here on the JSE is we did a transaction earlier this year with Quinton van der Bergh, who is probably best known from the coal-mining sector

“He’s diversifying into the metals, the hard-rock, and certainly into battery metals. He’s coming on. Q Global Commodities are going to be taking a 51% interest in us. Quinton is going to be taking his first seat, I believe, on a listed company, and they are investing a lot. Basically he funds us through all our projects, the project here in SouthAfrica, the three projects inTanzania, and the ones we’re going to be announcing duly in Zimbabwe and Kenya. So, Patrycja (a reference to JSE business development manager Patrycja Kula, who was present in the audience) we’ll be working very closely with your team to make sure we add to those 12 junior mining companies on the exchange,” Brewer told the Indaba, chaired by mining

“We’re working with communities we live with and that brings on additional responsibilities. In the space of six months, we’ve grown our workforce from three to just over 100 people, here in the Northern Cape and up inTanzania, so we’re moving very quickly, and certainly by the end of the year, we’re probably going to be about 250 to 300 people.

Blesberg, operated intermittently for more than 80 years, has 250 000 t to 400 000 t of stockpiled waste.This was a small operation mined primarily for its tantalite.

“Within that pegmatite, is very high grade spodumene, lithium. We’ve done multiple samples there. It’s running between 5% and 8% of what is typically exported as a spodumene concentrate, so we started reprocessing those dumps in November. We secured a prepayment from a Swiss-based trading group for $5-million to completely buy out all the minority shareholders and fund the initial development there.

“Just last month, we took delivery of six brand new bits of mobile mining equipment,

courtesy of Q Global Commodities, courtesy of Bell Equipment.That has allowed us in the space of a month to double production, double the movement of volumes from that mine.

“We are now delivering the spodumene concentrate through to our offtaker The first deliveries are taking place this week.

“We’ve had a pilot plant in Joburg taking that spodumene and producing lithium carbonate, something we’re focused on – not just producing a raw product but producing an intermediate product,” said Brewer

The lithium carbonate produced in the pilot plant has been tested and the process is being independently verified with a view to producing an initial 1 000 t/y of lithium carbonate which is going for roughly $40 000/t.

“For a company of our size producing at a revenue base just purely on that is going to be something very significant for us,” said Brewer. - Mining Weekly

luminary Bernard Swanepoel.

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19 June 2023

African Opportunities At First Tourism Investment Forum In Upington

The inauguralTourism Investment ForumAfrica (TIFA) has opened in Upington in the Northern Cape Province of SouthAfrica.

Making its debut in the Northern Cape of SouthAfrica,TIFAis themed, “Forging Global Partnerships for Inclusive Local Economic DevelopmentThrough Sustainable Investment”,

The forum has assembled over 150 public and private stakeholders from the tourism and investment sectors to create sustainable economic growth, job creation, and employment opportunities, among others.

Setting the scene for the opening of the conference was Miller Matola, CEO of Millvest Advisory, at the boutiqueAfrican Vineyards in Kanoneiland near Upington.

He said the focus of the forum is to connect project owners with investors and business representatives who are seeking partnerships to support the implementation of ready-formarket projects.

Amongst the desired outcomes of the Forum is also to promote the Northern Cape as a destination of choice for investors and equally one for the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) sector, Matola added.

Welcoming delegates as the

host of the event wasAbraham Vosloo, MEC for Finance, Economic Development, and Tourism of the Northern Cape Province.

In his speech, the MEC highlighted the importance of investments to the province and the country at large and also underscored the province’s strategic importance to the SouthAfrican economy

In his speech to officially open the conference, Fish Mahlela, SouthAfrica’s Deputy Minister of Tourism, was happy with the choice of Upington as the host of the inaugural summit, which he said is in line with the government objectives, as outlined in theTourism White Paper of 1996, “which encourages us to prioritize underdeveloped areas with high tourism potential for investment.”

This will go a long way in promoting the Northern Cape as a MICE destination.

“At the height of the pandemic, we embarked on an extensive Infrastructure Maintenance Programme in state-owned attractions, which includes the KgalagadiTransfrontier National Park (here in the Northern Cape) and Kruger National Park (our largest national park that straddles two provinces).

These efforts are aimed at protecting and rejuvenating the

supply base of the tourism economy to ensure that when demand returns to the prepandemic levels, the supply side such as airports, roads, accommodation, and amenities such as broadband and health infrastructure are able to keep up with the anticipated demand in line with the objectives of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan as well as the Tourism Sector Recovery Plan,” Mahlela added.

The gathering also saw countries and provinces showcasing the investment opportunities in its tourism sector

TheTourism Department of SouthAfrica offered insights into its investment climate.The Northern Cape, KwaZulu Natal, and Mpumalanga provinces took

turns to outline the opportunities in its tourism sector for investments.

Namibia, Botswana, and Mozambique in their presentations underscored the deliberate and attractive investment climate enabled by the government to ensure return on investments in their respective countries.

Panel discussions centered on innovative ways of financing tourism developments, ease of doing business, and smart regulation as cornerstones of sustainable intra-Africa investment flows among other pressing issues.

TheTourism Investment Forum Africa (TIFA) is organised by Millest Investments with strategic partners. - Business Day

Recent early winter rains have had those in the know start predicting a good spring flower season. Intermittent rain through the winter months makes sure that by 15August the fields of Namaqualand begin to be covered with blossoms ranging from oranges to purples. It is a world wide phenomenon and much need tourism revenue for the hospitality industry in the area

Eerste vir STAAL

Boesak Family Land Claim May Affect SKA

hands.”

His aunt was anANC member and, from 1994 to 2004, she was the party’s chief whip in the Northern Cape legislature. She told City Press that she had a map and all the facts about the Boezaks’land claim.

It was her grandfather (Willem) who left in theAnglo-Boer war.

fight for your land.

Binneman said there were no active land claims on any of the land purchased for the radio telescope. He said the land was acquired through negotiations with the landowners.

Atotal of 135 000 hectares were purchased, a large portion of which is managed by SA National Parks.

The protracted fight by the Boezak family to get back their Boezaksvlei farm in the Northern Cape is also the fight of thousands of land claimants who may have to wait for many years to have their claims settled, according toAllan Boesak (77).

In an interview with City Press sister publication Rapport, Boesak said the numerous cases about families’lost land symbolised “a much larger context and history for many people across the country”.

The former political activist, who was born in Kakamas on the banks of the Orange River, said the land issue in Carnarvon must be understood in the context of section 25 of the Constitution, and the struggle to get “stolen land” back was therefore not only the correction of a historical injustice, but the duty of the current government.

Boesaks were farm's original owner

According to his cousin Sonja Boezak’s research, Ruiter Boezak was the original owner of the sheep and cattle farm, Boezaksvlei, located between Carnarvon and Prieska.

When Ruiter died in 1857, part of the farm was sold for £15 and his brother Willem became the new owner

But, during theAnglo-Boer War, Willem disappeared without a trace and the official transfer of the farm could never be completed.

According to Boesak, the land

was one of the burning issues now and “people must not get angry if land affects the new debate of the [Julius] Malemas [of this world]”.

He said the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), which is building the world’s largest radio telescope north of Carnarvon, must also make sure that there are no land claims on the farms “purchased from 35 white people for their project”.

Boesak said:

Land claimants from Carnarvon are insisting on a conversation with the SKA, because the farms that were bought may have previously had coloured owners.

He added: "So, the SKAmust be ready with the answers if there are land claims.”

He said there was the argument of land “redistribution and return”.

“I am talking about giving back expropriated land, about restitution and reparation,” he said. “Why did the SKAask Aunty Lu in 2015 to enter a conversation about Boezaksvlei? Now they want to stand back from the issue?”

Alife's work to get farm back Boesak was referring to his 90year-old aunt, Louise Boezak, who has been pushing the land claim on the Boezaksvlei farm for a long time.

It has been her life’s work to get the farm back.

“We hopeAunty Lu will live for a long time [to see this claim resolved].This is also not in our

She added that she had written letters to the Cabinet ministers about the issue and was awaiting feedback. She felt disillusioned at how “a government I supported is now insulting brown and black people by delaying the land claims”.

She asked:

It’s a slap in the face of people like me who were freedom fighters. Do we have to die first? Boezak said Carnarvon had a history of integration “from a mission station that said whites can stay here”.

She said that, in their community meeting, she had askedAnton Binneman, spokesperson of the National Research Foundation (NRF), which manages the SKAproject, what the SKAwould do if evidence was found that the farms that were bought had other names but belonged to the original owners.

“We are going to stand with posters in front of government buildings and the SKA. I pray to the Lord that He will spare me,” she said.

More claimants such as Boezak said time was running out as they wait for the Commission for Restitution of Land Rights to decide on their claim.

Gerthy Julius (74) said her uncle,Abraham Pretorius (80) had submitted a claim for the family land, Waaipunt, and they have been waiting since “right through the Covid time”.

According to Sophia Vass (75), their farms, Minaskolk and Didaskloof, were “taken many years ago”.

At that time, their pastor, Reverend Pottie Potgieter, said to them:

You must not just leave like that;

In some cases, there were farm workers who had land rights under the Extension of Security ofTenureAct, 62 of 1997, and they were provided with houses or land, as they chose.

However, Binneman said the fact that the NRF had bought the land in no way exempted them from the land claims.

“I personally had discussions withAunty Lu Boezak about this. If we do receive a claim, it will be referred to the correct department within government. And if the land rightfully belongs to someone such asAunty Lu, the NRF will be guided by the same law that will guide a farmer or any other landowner [whose land is subject to a claim].”

The process

The Commission for the Restitution of Land Rights gave a progress report on the land claims to Parliament’s portfolio committee for agriculture, land reform and rural development last month.

Chief land claims commissioner Nomfundo Ntloko-Gobodo said 82 976 “old order” land claims (claims submitted before December 30 1998) had been settled for R53 billion.

This amount included R22 billion for financial compensation, R25 billion for the acquisition of land and R5 billion for grants.

More than 3.8 million hectares were returned to 2.3 million beneficiaries, including 175 000 women-headed households and 1 246 people with disabilities. She said 163 383 new order claims, which were submitted between July 1 2014 and July 28 2016, would be processed as soon as the “old order claims” had been settled. - City Press

Allan Boesak initiated the family’s land claim in the Northern Cape Photo: Edre duToit

Clever And Cheap Ways To Warm Your Home This Winter

Winter is fast approaching, and that means chilly, dark mornings and cold, long evenings will soon be our reality – not to mention the impact that increased load shedding will have.

Granted, SouthAfrican winters are mild compared to many other parts of the world, but that does not mean we do not find the lower temperatures difficult to contend with.

In addition to the rolling blackouts taking away our power sources for heating appliances in our homes, and warm food and drink, the financial struggle many are facing has forced us to cut down on our electricity usage.

This does not mean we have to suffer in both the cold and dark this winter though. Here are some clever ways to keep your family and home warm this winter:

1. Block any cracks or crevices in your home

Spaces underneath your doors and gaps around your windows may appear to only let in a little cold air, but it is enough to bring a definite chill into your home.

If you are able to, fix any

windows that do not close properly, before the temperatures drop further. For all other cracks or crevices, you can use towels or other thick materials to block any drafts, and then secure them with tape.You can use draft stoppers on the bottom of your doors.

2. Insulate your windows Did you know that you can help keep cold air out by insulating your windows with bubble wrap or plastic wrapping?All you need to do is cut the wrapping to the size of the window, secure it to the window with sticky tape, and then use a hair dryer to melt the plastic to the sticky tape.

3. Bring out your sleeping bags

Sleeping bags are designed for outdoor use and this makes them warmer than regular blankets. Whether the power is out or not, you could use them in the lounge when watchingTV, or even in bed while you sleep.

4. Consider erecting a tent

Just like sleeping bags, tents are made for outdoor use and designed to insulate occupants. It may be unconventional but you could set up a tent inside your home.You could gather inside it

during the colder days or evenings and even sleep in it. Plus, the kids will love it.

5. Reverse your ceiling fan

By reversing the direction your ceiling fan turns, you will push any warm air near the ceiling down towards the floor of your home.

6. Open curtains during the day

During the day, make sure your blinds or curtains are fully open to let in as much light and warmth as possible.At night, ensure they are closed to then keep that warmth in your home for as long as possible and help block out any drafts.

7. Make use of rugs

By covering your floor with rugs you can help prevent heat escaping through the floor boards. For extra effect, use rugs made of fabric that offers insulation.

8. Drink warm drinks regularly Keep your body warm by consuming warm drinks, and/or soup, every couple of hours. If you are able to heat water on a gas stove then your supply of hot drinks should not be hampered,

but if not, then make sure you check your load shedding schedule and prepare for the outages by boiling water beforehand and storing it in flasks.

9. Fill up hot water bottles

Fill water bottles with boiling water and the heat should last you a couple of hours. Children, however, should not be left to use hot water bottles unsupervised. An alternative is to make use of bean bags that can be warmed in the microwave.

10. Light some candles

While candles are often used as home décor, they can be a good source of heat, especially if you use a few of them together. Set up some candles on a table and they will eventually start to warm the nearby areas. Do not leave candles unattended though.

11. Layer yourself Don’t just rely on a warm jacket or gown, but, rather, layer your clothing while inside the home. Not only will this keep you warmer but will also allow you to take layers off should you get too warm. - IOL