OVERdeBERG

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© Jacques Louw (2021). Alle regte voorbehou.

Jaargang 2 Uitgawe 73

Vrydag 2 Julie 2021

In hierdie uitgawe...

0656862204 (WhatsApp) overdeberg2020@gmail.com (e-pos) Kontak ons gerus!

Skolenuus uit ons streek

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Leopard rescue near Greyton

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“Strandroof” Miles Barton (1861)

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For a better future The vaccination campaign for people over the age of 60 years was well underway at the Glaskasteel in Bredasdorp on Tuesday 29 June.

Photo: Gurswin Prins/CAM Communication

“What a find!

Adrian and Jill have created something really special here.

The attention to detail is exceptional…”

- TripAdvisor

overdeberg2020@gmail.com

Email: blueskyarniston@gmail.com www.blueskyguesthousearniston.co.za Phone: +27 28 4459010 Cell: +27 71 4186209 See our Nightsbridge listing for availability and bookings.

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Vrydag 2 Julie 2021

Redaksioneel Vrydag 2 Julie 2021

Goeiedag! Dit is weer tyd vir nog ‘n praguitgawe van OVERdeBERG… jou unieke en ware gemeenskapskoerant wat jou positief ingelig hou. Dit is vandag ons 73ste uitgawe en dit is vir my nog steeds ‘n baie groot voorreg om weekliks die koe-rant vir julle saam te stel.

No.10, 5th Avenue, Arniston

Vir dié van julle wat nuwe lesers is asook nuwe lede op ons FBblad, net so bietjie agtergrond rondom OVERdeBERG. Met die aanvang van die COVID-19 pandemie in 2020, het ekself besluit om ‘n kans te vat en ‘n interaktiewe aanlyn gemeenskapskoerant te begin.

Wat die OVERdeBERG anders maak as ander publikasies is dat daar nie gekonsentreer word op negatiewe beriggewing nie.

Die fokus is dus 100% op positiewe nuuswaardighede uit die pragtige Overbergstreek. Daar is heeltemal te veel ander publikasies wat sensasie put uit negattiwiteit en juis daarom wou ons ‘n verskil maak. Dit is dan die situasie waaruit die OVERdeBERG ‘gebore’ is. Ons plaas ook die fokus taamlik op ons skole in die Overberg en probeer soveel moontlike skolenuus en foto’s plaas.

Daar is letterlik iets van alles in hiérdie gemeenskapskoerant en ons moedig mense aan om hulle nuus en foto’s aan ons te verskaf of stuur op die verskillende platvorms wat ons bied.

Email: blueskyarniston@gmail.com www.blueskyguesthousearniston.co.za Phone: +27 28 445 9010 Cell: +27 71 418 6209 See our Nightsbridge listing for availability and bookings.

Weekliks het ons bepaalde rubrieke soos ‘Kombuiskuier’ en die ‘Gemeenskapsdagboek’. Gaan loer gerus op bladsy 4 en 5 vir dié gedeeltes. Bladsy 13 is weekliks die tuiste van T.O. Honiball se geliefde sketse wat voorheen deel was van die baie bekende Landbouweekblad. Dit is natuurlik Adoons-hulle, Oom Kaspaas en Jakkals & Wolf.

Laaste maar nie die minste nie, is daar ons agterblad. Dit is die gedeelte van die koerant wat ons afstaan aan die geskiedenis van die Overbergstreek. Jimmy Herbert deel weekliks met ons interessanthede rondom die ryk maritieme geskiedenis van die Overberg.

Geniet die uitgawe. Bly gesond en veilig. Tot volgende week.

Groetnis!

“The tests we face in life's journey are not to reveal our weaknesses but to help us discover our inner strengths. We can only know how strong we are when we strive and thrive beyond the challenges we face.”

Kemi Sogunle

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Special offer R995.00

per room per night for two people

Breakfast included.

Direct bookings only.

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Vrydag 2 Julie 2021

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Oraloor All over

Op Woensdag 30 Junie, het die eerste groep onderwysers van Laerskool Bredasdorp hul COVID-19 inentings ontvang.

Foto: Laerskool Bredasdorp/FB

Die inentingsveldtog vir mense ouer as 60 jaar het goed verloop op Dinsdag 29 Junie by die Glaskasteel in Bredasdorp. ‘n Werknemer van Kaap Agulhas Munisipaliteit, mnr. John Roberts, was baie opgewonde om sy eerste dosis van die COVID19 entstof te ontvang.

Foto: Gurswin Prins/KAM Kommunikasie/FB

Bridging the gap

Rubber Sealant binding properties

Click below to view

Click below to view

Stuur jou brokkies nuus en foto’s uit jou deel van die Overberg aan ons vir publikasie.

WhatsApp by 0656862204 E-pos: overdeberg2020@gmail.com overdeberg2020@gmail.com

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Vrydag 2 Julie 2021

Kombuiskuier Jacques Louw

Gegeurde rys Bestandele:

Korslose quiche Bestandele: 125 g spek, in repies gesny 1 ui, fyngekap 1 knoffeltoontjie, fyngekap 1 rooi soetrissie, in repies gesny 250 g sampioene, in skyfies gesny 250 ml room 5 ml mosterdpoeier 4 eiers 1 eetlepel gerasperde parmessankaas 250 ml cheddarkaas, gerasper sout en peper na smaak Metode:

225 g wit rys 500 ml water 1 ui, fyngekap 1 soetrissie, fyngekap 2 tone knoffel, fyngekap 1 teelepel olie of botter sout en peper paprika Spesery vir rys komyn 1 teelepel Worcestersous sap van 1 suurlemoen pietersielie tiemie oreganum Metode:

Kook die rys in die water– dit moet ferm wees, nie te sag nie.

Braai die spek liggies in botter. Voeg die ui, knoffel en soetrissie (Hou ‘n koppie van die ryswater eenkant) Braai die ui, soetrissie, en knoffel in die olie/botter vir ‘n paar minute. by, en braai liggies tot gaar.

Voeg die sampioene by en braai tot dit gaar is – nie te lank nie, Meng in ‘n aparte bakkie die sout, peper, paprika, rysspesery, die sampioene moet nie pap wees nie. Klits die eiers, room, komyn, Worcestersous en suurlemoensap. Voeg die speserymengsel by die uiemengsel, en braai dit saam vir ‘n paar mimosterdpoeier en parmesaan saam tot goed gemeng. nute. Voeg die gekookte rys en die koppie afgekoelde ryswater Voeg die spekmengsel by die eiermengsel, en vou die cheddar by die spesery-en-uiemengsel. by. Voeg dit in ‘n oondbak.

Verlaag die hitte, en laat die rysmengsel vir ‘n rukkie op die plaat staan om die geur lyf te gee. Voeg ‘n bietjie fyngekapte Bak vir 30 – 45 minute teen 180° C. Bedien saam met ‘n slaai. pietersielie, tiemie en/of oreganum by net voor opdiening.

Resepte & foto’s: RSG Resepte Bedien dit net so as ‘n bykos, of meng dit met vleis/seekos/ groente vir ‘n alles-in-een maaltyd.

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Vrydag 2 Julie 2021

Gemeenskapsdagboek Kontak ons by 065 686 2204 (WhatsApp) om jou gebeurtenis gratis hiér te adverteer.

Contact us by email at overdeberg2020@gmail.com to advertise your event here for free.

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Community diary

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Skolenuus

Vrydag 2 Julie 2021

Paul Jordaan en Litha Schutte van Hoërskool Swellendam, het as 'n span deelgeneem aan vanjaar se UCT Wiskunde Kompetisie op 4 Mei 2021. Hulle behaal 'n uitmuntende prestasie deur as die 5de beste Gr. 11-paar uit 409 aangewys te word.

Foto: Hoërskool Swellendam/FB

Carlene Cordier van Hoërskool Swellendam, het op 19 Junie 2021 deelgeneem aan die Interprovincials for Acrobatic Arts.

Slegs die top 2 -kandidate, per vlak , word gekies om die Westelike Provinsie by die SA-Kampioenskappe te verteenwoordig.

Carlene het gekwalifiseer en gaan ook die WP by die SAKampioenskappe, op 2 en 3 Julie 2021 verteenwoordig. Carlene gaan die WP in vlak 7 verteenwoordig. Haar afrigter is Yolande Janse van Rensburg.

Foto: Hoërskool Swellendam/FB

Graad 7’s van Laerskool Buffeljagsrivier se kunspotrette wat hulle gedurende die week by die skool gemaak het. Voorwaar besonders.

Foto: Laerskool Buffeljagsrivier/FB

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Vrydag 2 Julie 2021

Skolenuus

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Graad 6’e van Laerskool Buffeljagsrivier se Mandalas wat hulle gedurende die week by die skool gemaak het. Baie treffend en besonders.

Foto: Laerskool Buffeljagsrivier/FB Foto: Laerskool Bredasdorp/FB Ilé Snyders, ‘n gr. 7-leerder van Laerskool Bredasdorp, het deelgeneem aan die Internasionale Dramaweb kunskompetisie in samewerking met die KKNK en ondersteun deur die ATKV. Hierdie kompetisie is van stapel gestuur en beoordeel deur Ira Blanckenberg en Waldemar Schultz, bekende akteurspaar in die vermaaklikheidsbedryf.

Ilé het 3 Cum Laudes verwerf met haar Afrikaans ongedramatiseerde gedig, Afrikaans dramatiese monoloog sowel as English prosa. Sy word afgerig deur die briljante Madré du Toit. Ilé en nog 6 van haar ander studente, neem Saterdag, 3 Julie deel aan die nasionale finaal van DramawebSA. Dit sal ‘n lewendige ZOOMsessie wees waarop kykers kan inskakel om te kan deel in hierdie ervaring. Die skakel sal binnekort beskikbaar wees.

Baie geluk aan Ilé, asook aan die oud-leerders Zoë Louw, Somé Louw en Mieke Saayman wat ook finaliste is.

Bron: Laerskool Bredasdorp/FB

Laerskool Bredasdorp overdeberg2020@gmail.com

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Vrydag 2 Julie 2021

Overstrand’s New K9 Dog Unit Officially Launched The air, abuzz with excitement and exuberant energy, greeted Overstrand Executive Mayor Dudley Coetzee and dignitaries on Friday, 18 June 2021 at the official launch of Overstrand Municipality’s recently established K9 Unit.

The Overstrand K9 unit is a specialised division of Law Enforcement Officers who use specially trained service dogs to perform various law enforcement tasks. This launch follows the recent establishment of two new K9 units in the province, in the City of Cape Town and Swartland Municipality respectively.

The dignitaries were treated to a demonstration on the beach, simulating a typical day at work where DAFF, CapeNature, SAPS and Law Enforcement would encounter poachers. Pictured here are the law enforcement officials from the Municipality, CapeNature and DAFF who took part in the demonstration.

Photo: Overstrand Municipality/FB

The dignitaries were treated to a demonstration at Grotto Beach, simulating a typical day at work where DAFF, CapeNature, SAPS and Law Enforcement would encounter poachers.

It was evident that it is not just about chasing and catching the bad guys, but also presenting sufficient evidence that would lead to successful prosecution.

Pictured at the official Overstrand K9 Unit launching ceremony are (left to right): Operation Phahisa’s Gert van Eeden, CapeNature’s Pierre de Villiers, Cllr Hannie Morgan, Hermanus Station Commander Colonel L Nosilela, Provincial Legislature Reagen Allen, Cluster Commander Donovan Heilbron, the mayor's wife Shirley Coetzee, Director of Protection Services Neville Michaels, Overstrand Mayor Dudley Coetzee, Overstrand Municipal Manager Dean O’Neill, Acting Chief Director of the Department of Community Safety David Coetzee, HoD for the Department of Community Safety Advocate Yashina Pillay, ODM Mayor Sakkie Franken, Hermanus Senior Manager Anver Wyngaard, Cllrs Arnie Africa, Kari Brice, Ronald Nutt and Lindile Ntsabo.

Photo: Overstrand Municipality/FB

In attendance were the Overberg District Mayor Sakkie Franken; Members of the Provincial Legislature, Reagen Allen and Mesuli Kama; Head of Department of Community Safety Advocate Yashina Pillay, Acting Chief Director of the Department of Community Safety, David Coetzee, Cluster Commander Donovan Heilbron; various councillors, as well as officials from Overstrand Municipality, CapeNature, local police stations and the Provincial Department of Community Safety.

Delivering a heart-warming opening address, and also making particular reference to Premier Alan Winde’s commitment to community safety as the No 1 priority in the Western Cape, Mayor Coetzee said that in his drive to make the province a safe place to live, Premier Winde decided that Municipal Law Enforcement divisions should be expanded to supplement the service provided

by SAPS. Continued on page 10

Maak Radio Overberg fm deel van jou besigheid se bemarkingstrategie!

Kontak ons vir ‘n pasgemaakte lugtydpakket!

028 424 2877 (T) admin@radiooverberg.co.za (E) 8

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Vrydag 2 Julie 2021

Skolenuus

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Alle skolenuus met foto’s is welkom!

Stuur dit gerus aan ons vir gratis publikasie. overdeberg2020@gmail.com WhatsApp: 0656862204

Foto: Letty-Ann Möller

Die Leerlingraad van Laerskool Gansbaai, het Woensdagoggend tydens pouse, al die onderwysers in die saal bedank vir hul ondersteuning die afgelope kwartaal en daarna het elkeen 'n heerlike soet bederfie ontvang. Die ondersteunings- en adminpersoneel het ook hul soet bederfie daarna ontvang.

Foto’s: Laerskool Gansbaai/FB

Studio98 musiekuitvoering betower Letty-Ann Möller Studio98, oftewel dan Sarel Cilliers Straat 98 in Napier, het Sondag 27 Junie om 13h00 'n musiekuitvoering van die tjellis, Sarah Blake, aangebied.

Yvonne en Herman se binnehof was 'n effektiewe opelugteater vir die gemaskerde musiekliefhebbers.

Sarah het haar eie komposisies afgewissel met bekende jazz en folkmusiek op die tjello en op kitaar. 'n Rooiwang Napier het die ideale atmosfeer geskep vir tuisgemaakte appeltert en "bitterballen" en die gaste het geleentheid gekry om met die talentvolle jong musikant te gesels.

“Music can heal the wounds which medicine cannot touch.”

Debasish Mridha overdeberg2020@gmail.com

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Overstrand’s New K9 Dog Unit Officially Launched

Vrydag 2 Julie 2021 enforcement operations and will be used for specialised operations such as sniffing abalone or drugs as well as assisting with foot patrols. “The six Belgian Malinois dogs that will be used in our K9 unit, and that you saw put through their paces earlier, are recognised as one of the most intelligent species in the world.”

He concluded by saying “As the Overstrand Municipality we are committed to continue to partner with the Western Cape Government to ensure that we combat crime in our communities to en"It has been accepted that SAPS alone would not be able to sure that the Overstrand is a safe place for our residents to live, ensure that communities are safe and that property is secure, for tourists to visit and so contribute to the safety and security of nor are SAPS able to uphold and enforce the law because they the Western Cape”. are simply under-staffed and work long hours under difficult The Western Cape Minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, conditions,” he explained. was not able to attend the opening ceremony. However, his keynote speech was delivered by Advocate Yashina Pillay as the HoD for the Department of Community Safety, and indicated that the deployment of the K9 unit forms part of the Provincial Safety Plan (PSP), which aims to halve the murder rate in the Province over the next ten years. The PSP rests on two legs, namely Violence Prevention and Law Enforcement, and this deployment forms part of the various initiatives in the latter of the two legs.

Continued from page 8

Minister Fritz further indicated in his speech “that the K9 unit was an initiative first conceived while Premier Winde was still Minister of the Department of Community Safety, and that it gave him immense pleasure to carry forward this exciting initiative and bring to fruition something that will increase safety for the citizens of the Overberg. We know that coastal towns are adversely affected by trade and transportation of illicit substances. This unit will go a long way in assisting law enforcement operations to track down perpetrators and improve the safety of residents in the Overberg.”

All six K9 officers received a special brooch or lapel pin to wear as part of their uniform. Pictured here are Joseph Tyhaliti and Argo, who received his pin from Senior Manager of Traffic, Law Enforcement & Task Team Rudi Fraser. Looking on is Overstrand Executive Mayor Dudley Coetzee, and his wife Shirley, as well as Overstrand Municipal Manager, Dean O’Neill. In the background is K9-Inspector, Lance Mara, who is managing the unit.

Photo: Overstrand Municipality/FB

Pictured here are the law enforcement officials from the Municipality, CapeNature and DAFF who took part in the demonstration. At the back is (from left to right) J Tyhaliti, F Marais, A Blankenberg, M Hull, A Lucas,B Hunter, M Spandiel, R Dickson, N Ramba, J Rossouw, R Fisher, C Esau, R Botha, H Mert, L Mara. In middle is (from left to right) R Smith, P Frans, W Baatjies, V Solomons, R Telling, C De Rhoode, E Hansen, S Ngongo, M Campher. And front T Clarke, E Lombaart.

Photo: Overstrand Municipality/FB

The Mayor further added that Overstrand Municipality is privileged to be one of the few municipalities selected to partner with the Department of Community Safety to attain the goal of making the Western Cape a safe place to live and visit.

Source: Overstrand Municipality/FB

The Department availed R8,2 million towards this programme: R4 million in the 2018/19 financial year, R2 million in 2019/20 and R2,2 million in 2020/21. The Department has also provided vehicles to assist with the transportation of the K9 units to the various areas within the region for the purposes of searching and detecting of narcotics, contraband, explosive devices, firearms and ammunition. This includes two VW Amarok double cab bakkies to the value of R1.36 million in total.

Mayor Coetzee thanked the Department for making funding available to enable the Municipality to establish a K9 unit, supporting the Overberg District Municipality’s safety plans. He explained that the Overstrand K9 unit will provide support to law 10

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One household One garden On Wednesday, 23 June 2021, the Overstrand Executive Mayor handed over trays of beetroot, spinach, broccoli and onion seedlings in communities of the Greater Gansbaai area. This will give more residents the opportunity to fight food insecurity by growing food for their families in their own backyard.

11 Almost 600 community members in the Masakhane, Blompark, Pearly Beach and Stanford areas are beneficiaries of the seedlings for their home gardens. These include people who have an existing vegetable garden, as well as those who indicated that they would like to start with the One Household one Garden programme. Community gardens also benefited from this handover.

On delivering his speech, Mayor Coetzee emphasised that the Covid-19 virus has had and will, for the foreseeable future, continue to have a devasting impact on the members of our community who, even before the start of the pandemic, found it difficult to put food on the table.He said the pandemic has affected the most vulnerable members of our community most. For many the ability to simply feed their family has become an almost insurmountable task.

The Mayor then explained that Overstrand Municipality has moved the emphasis from supporting food kitchens which feed the communities, to assisting residents to do things for themselves by promoting a food garden in each home that can contribute towards putting food on the family’s table throughout the year. “Through the distribution of these seedlings, purchased by the Municipality for our communities, we contribute to feeding the most vulnerable people in our communities and so fight malnutrition and boost our people’s immunity against illnesses,” he said.

Pictured here are LED project co-ordinator Luvo Bomvana, cllrs Xolani Msweli, Kari Brice, Riana de Coning, Mayor Coetzee, Director of Social and Economic Development and Tourism Soli Madikane, Manager: Local Economic Development (LED) Xolile Kosi and LED administrator of Enterprise development Vuyolwethu Gwantshu with some of the beneficiaries in Masakhane.

Photo: Overstrand Municipality/FB

overdeberg2020@gmail.com

Mayor Coetzee thanked Minister Ivan Meyer and the Department of Agriculture in the Western Cape, who, in collaboration with Overstrand’s Directorate of Local Economic Development (LED), declared themselves more than willing to help ensure that the community garden project we jointly initiated, would be successful.

Source: Overstrand Municipality/FB

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Leopard rescue Leopard number 65 was rescued last Tuesday by the Landmark Foundation on the lower foothills of the Riviersonderend mountains between Greyton and Villiersdorp.

They were called out to help rescue an adult male leopard from a cable snare, set probably by bushmeat hunters. The farmer found this leopard in a snare on his property and was horrified that such heinous devices are being set on his property.

Earlier research demonstrated that merely 500 adult leopards remained in the Western Cape.

It is becoming increasingly clear that here in the Western Cape the willingness for human wildlife coexistence is gaining ground.

It is indeed a privilege and joy to work with farmers that welcome animals on their properties.

Source & photos: Landmark Leopard & Predator Project - South Africa /FB

This young adult male leopard weighed 34 kg, was in prime condition and was lucky to escape serious injuries when the snare gripped it around the abdomen. It was indeed luck that it was discovered when it was, and may not have been in the snare for too long judging by the fact that his hydration was still good and the snare had not cut into the skin. Snares are often lethal in these instances and would certainly have been had he not been discovered and the prompt response by the farmer.

There are many “thank you’s” due from the Landmark Foundation team: Mike, Rudolph, Jan, the Caledon Veterinary Clinic, and CapeNature that all worked as a team.

The veterinarian attended to the animal and they placed a GPS collar and released it on site. He will become part of the research efforts to understand the leopard ecology and social dynamics, inclusive of their use of the landscape, damage causing behaviours, how well compensations works and the impact that corridors have on leopard population connectivity. They are also analyzing the genetics of the leopards in the region as earlier evidence of bottlenecking has been demonstrated due to habitat fragmentation and ongoing persecution. Although not applicable here, they are also studying efficacy of local translocations as a management tool.

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Vrydag 2 Julie 2021

Adoons-hulle

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...daar doer in die Bosveld

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Vrydag 2 Julie 2021

As julle graag gebruik wil maak van ons WhatsApp groep, kan julle net die QR-kode skandeer met julle slimfone.

Ons plaas slegs weekliks die koerant se skakels waar dit gelees kan word daarop. Julle kan ook nuus en foto’s aanstuur op hiérdie platvorm.

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“Strandroof” along the Overberg coast: MILES BARTON (1861) sailors returned to the ship to plunder the baggage left there. It was later reported that “As to the officers' luggage, much had already been ransacked by people from the shore, and many valuable articles lay scattered about the cabins in the most admired confusion”. This was very clear proof of yet another “strandroof” in the Overberg.

In the 1990s ceramic finds were made on land in the region of Struis Point, some 27 kilometres to the northwest of Agulhas.

These sherds date to the late fifteenth century or the early sixteenth century and are postulated to be either from a very early Portuguese shipwreck or that of the Miles Barton.

The Portuguese ‘Carreira da India’ trading ships were the only European ships to round Cape Point during this period. If the remains of such a shipwreck were to be found, it could prove this yet unknown wreck to be the earliest ship returning from the Orient to sink off the South African coast.

This author imagines a more likely possibility to be that the sherds come from the wreck of the Miles Barton. Such a prized antique porcelain plate could easily have been part of the above -mentioned palace items stored in the hold of the Miles Barton.

JIMMY HERBERT Retired lecturer: Stellenbosch University (1977-2013) Writer & Specialist in Maritime History and Archaeology In next week’s issue…

“Strandroof” along the Overberg coast: SCHONENBERG (1722)

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History of the Overberg Jimmy Herbert “Strandroof” along the Overberg coast: MILES BARTON (1861) THE PLUNDERERS ARE PLUNDERED – ‘TIT FOR TAT’ Due to fog and hazy weather experienced over the last few days leading up to the accident, the navigators of the Miles Barton had not been able to make a landfall (identified position from recognised land geography). Their last navigation latitude fix had placed them a lot further to the north (34° 28'S) than Cape Agulhas (34° 50'S).

To safely round Africa’s most southern tip, they would thus have had to sail much further to the south. This is something they appeared not to have succeeded in doing, as they struck the coast close to latitude 34° 37'S. On Friday the 8th of February between 10h00 and 11h00 and close to spring low tide [at 09h20] while negotiating reefs lying much shallower than normal, the ship struck on what has since been named the Miles Barton Reef. Up to that point, they had all plain sails set and were experiencing hazy weather, with high winds from the South-west. The powerful waves soon forced the ship closer to the locally named, Klippestrand (today Ryspunt), where she eventually was fixed permanently.

317 troops of the 3rd Buff Regiment, had a significant number of valuable curiosities in the hold that they had looted while in China. As part of an act of revenge, the Emperor’s majestic Summer Palace in Beijing was completely destroyed by a joint British-French army in 1860.

This act of cultural destruction is one that everyone in China patriotically knows about, but hardly anyone else in the world.

Today, it is often referred to as China's ‘ground zero’. Very little is left of what was still, in 1860, a massive complex of palaces and other fine buildings filled with cultural treasures. At that time, these were often fondly referred to as being the most exquisite collection of architecture and art in China.

When the palace was ransacked, one witness commented, "Officers and men seemed to have been seized with temporary insanity. In body and soul, they were absorbed in one pursuit only, which was plunder, plunder and plunder." In turn, Lord Elgin, the British Commander, remarked that "War is a hateful business. The more one sees of it, the more one detests it."

However, looting was an established part of army pay, and it was Army tradition to share out the spoils, with officers and ranks taking alike. The acceptance of such looting can be seen in the fact that a Pekinese dog taken from China and presented to the British Monarch Queen Victoria, was given the name “Looty”.

On Sunday afternoon (3rd day after the wrecking), intelligence of a serious ship casualty already reached Cape Town. The news that came via Caledon was that the transport ship Miles Barton of 957 tonnes, with Captain Shelford as Master and troops from China on board, had gone ashore in Struisbaai and become a total wreck. Although this noble ship had been lost, some relief was experienced by the news that the lives of the crew and passengers had been saved.

The very next day, the ship Albatross was sent from Cape Town to assist. On arrival, officers went on board the stricken vessel.

A scene of the utmost disorder and disaster was reported. The Miles Barton was lying aground about half a mile out and firmly embedded. The vessel herself lay bow-on and had already broken amidships with her main- and mizzenmast down and lying partly across her deck. Some pieces of her keel had already been washed up (see the picture of Ryspunt, ten years later in 1871).

Although the majority of the personal effects of the troops were saved, the water was already up to the troop-deck ensuring that much of the heavy baggage could not be removed from her hold. This British Transport ship had just returned from a military campaign in China. It is said that Major King, his 7 officers and 16

Chinese porcelain sherds dating to the late fifteenth century or the early sixteenth century So it was that the 3rd Buff Regiment, later to be transported on the Miles Barton, also helped themselves to valuable metal artefacts, bronze sculptures, porcelain, silks and ancient books ‒ or simply destroying what they could not take with them. After the ship had stranded, the overseas newspapers reported, “The officers and men had a great quantity of valuable Chinese curios from the Emperor’s Summer Palace, but all has been lost with the baggage.”

It was at this point that the tables were turned. Now the looters became the looted. On the spring low tide, two or more of the Continued on page 15 overdeberg2020@gmail.com