TOTT 17 January 2019

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January 17, 2019
OPINION
D i ffe r i n g
views on
moralit y
As we report on the McLaren Circus
show in this week’s edition, we
acknowledge that the use of
animals in the circus is a contentious
issue.
The three shows were by no means
full, but the circus was well supported by
parents taking their children to the show,
as well as groups of adults just
attending for their own pleasure.
Far more people were at the shows
than the 20 who picketed at the entrance
to the hospital field where the circus had
set up its big top. This demonstrates that
for many people the use of animals in
the circus is not a burning issue. In fact,
the animals, which included lions, tigers,
camels, horses, goats and poodles, were
among the drawcards to the show.
For the townsfolk who didn’t attend
the circus, nor allied themselves with the
protestors, the issue seems neither here
nor there.
When I looked at the children’s faces
during the show, I saw their awe and
delight in response to all the acts – the
clowns, the acrobats, the juggler and the
animals too. I was reminded of my own
childhood going to see Boswell Wilkie
Circus at the East London beachfront.
The big top then seemed so much
bigger, and perhaps it was, but I was
looking through a child’s eyes.
And the children who go to the circus
now and enjoy the show are still
innocent. They haven’t been told they
m u st n ’t enjoy it, that the life of a circus
animal is depressing.
No doubt if we as children had seen
an elephant being beaten or pondered
the life of a caged animal being carted
around from town to town, we would
have been grieved. But it is only as
adults really, that we become
worldly-wise to such things.
I acknowledge the sadness of the life
of a circus animal. Does it motivate me
to go stand with the protestors and take
up their cause? No, it does not.
Each of us have issues close to our
heart that galvanise our outrage and
indignation – we are not all the same.
Most troubling for me over this period
was the meanness and nastiness I
encountered among the people opposed
to McLaren Circus – not necessarily
among the protestors who stood there
peacefully with their placards, but
among the armchair activists sounding
off on Facebook.
They do not sound like loving people
at all. In fact, it is very easy to draw out
how skewed their moral compass is
when it comes to other things we should
care about in our shared humanity. That
grieves me far more.
Jon Houzet
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Tide Guide
Kind courtesy-SA Navy
HIGH
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L OW
0647 1944
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1145 –
1227 0004
WIND AND FOAM: Visitors
from the UK, Claude Gerber
and Thereza Olfsson, were
amazed at the foam coming
from the sea when they were
kite-flying at Port Alfred’s
West Beach on Monday
afternoon. They said they had
never seen anything like it
before Picture: GEORGE PETZER
HAVE YOUR S AY
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El Shaddai pupils
make school proud
El Shaddai Christian Academy is ecstatic with our
2018 matric results.
Our pupils did us proud. Their hard work and the
invaluable input from the teachers and parents paid
off with us having 100% pass rate.
We are ready and raring to go for 2019. We have
increased numbers of pupils and a wonderful team
of staff to inspire and motivate pupils to achieve
their best. We look forward to what this year holds.
Our little ones have settled in beautifully with
very few tears and love for each other being
tangible and visible. Pastor Reddie Ndoro joins our
team as a substitute teacher and she already has
the pupils outside utilising the natural environment
as part of their studies.
We would also like to welcome Mr Atkinson, Mrs
Dodd and Mrs Beadon.
AMANDA RATHBONE, El Shaddai Christian Academy
S o n’s disability grant
not paid for months
As we had moved from
Howick in KwaZulu-Natal
to Port Alfred we went to
the local Sassa offices
to change our address.
This was sometime in
May last year.
We were required to
hand in proof of
residence (we had
moved from town to
Kleinemonde during this
period).
The disability grant for
our son, Wayne, was
always paid into his
bank account, yet since
June last year, he has
not received his grant.
Sue van Deventer at
the Sassa offices has
been very kind in
helping us fix the
problem but,
unfortunately, we seem
to have hit a wall as
nothing is happening.
We need someone
with the authority to tell
us what has gone wrong
and why, as for more
than half a year, our son
has not received his
disability grant.
Is there anyone who
can help us and tell us
what needs to be done
to reinstate his pension?
LYN MILLER
Emergency numbers
Port Alfred hospital – (046) 604-4000
Police station – (046) 604-2001/2
Multi-Security – (046) 624-2508
Chubb Security – (046) 624-4810
Sky Alarms – (046) 624-2806
NSRI – 082-990-5971
Electricity (a/h) - (046) 624-1111
EMS (Emergency Medical Services) – 10177
Gardmed –082-759-2134
Holistic EMS – 063-460-0042
Fire Department – (046) 624-1111
Thank you for Tree of Joy
On behalf of all the members of
the Rotary Club of Port Alfred, I
would like to thank the amazing
people of Port Alfred, and the
holidaymakers, who so
generously donated gifts or
cash to our 11th Rotary Tree of
Joy project during December
2018.
Your response was truly
overwhelming and it enabled
us, on your behalf, to spread
joy to some 265 people in our
community by giving them
Thank you
from Child
Welfare PA
With heartfelt
appreciation I would like
to thank all the people
that helped us during
December 2018.
I will only mention a
few: Pastor Ndoro, Rotary
Club, Lewis Stores
Makhanda, Anna Nel,
Shaun and family,
Nemato Foundation,
Gunther Johannson, Aunt
Sally and Ellen Fober.
I hope Nemato
Foundation will be able to
continue helping us.
Thank you so much.
VIVIAN MANCAM, former
foster mother at Child
Welfare Port Alfred
Golf fundraiser a big hit
The Kleinemonde Golf Day, which
was kindly hosted by the Royal
Port Alfred Golf Club on
December 23, was very well
supported by local and visiting
g o l fe r s .
The organisers, Nowell
Barnes-Webb, Rory and Mel
Gailey and Dave Jones-Phillipson
are proud to announce that the
phenomenal amount of
R285,000 was raised on the day.
The main beneficiary of this
hugely successful fundraiser is
Sunshine Coast Hospice, which
received R190,000 towards their
home-based, palliative, cancer
really wonderful Christmas
gif ts!
In addition, we would like to
thank Pick n Pay for sponsoring
200 paper shopping bags so
the gifts could be carried home
easily. Last year we found that
many little people opened gifts
and then battled to hold the
contents together.
Thank you to Rosehill Mall for
allowing us to use their atrium
for our project.
Thank you to Tidelines, Pam
care programme.
Other beneficiaries are the
Kleinemonde Inter-
Denominational Church, The
Mashie Golf Course, The
Kleinemonde Ratepayers
Association, The Kleinemonde
Sports Club and the SPCA.
Hospice joins the organisers,
Nowell, Rory, Mel and Dave in
thanking all the golfers and
volunteers who contributed to
the tremendous success of the
d ay.
This was indeed a community
effort and it is heart-warming to
see how all worked together to
Golding, Lavender Lane, Bean &
Olive and Country Living for
assisting as drop-off zones for
gif ts.
What a very special town,
what incredible people, what
huge hearts – Rotary is so
privileged to be a part of this
wonderful community. Thank
you, Port Alfred!
With our very best wishes to
each one of you for 2019, yours
in Rotary.
RAY OLIVER
Rotary wishes Port Alfred
a happy and peaceful 2019
On behalf of all the members of
the Rotary Club of Port Alfred, I
would like to take this opportunity
of wishing you all a happy,
peaceful and prosperous 2019.
I would also like to say a very
big thank you to the Talk of the
Town for all the support given to
Rotary through the coverage of
Having just spent a
very pleasant holiday
in Port Alfred, I felt I
needed to point out a
potential accident
point before it
happens.
At the corner of
Pascoe Crescent and
Albany Road there is
a road sign that
obliterates one’s view
of the traffic coming
over the bridge when
one is at the stop
st reet.
our events and projects
throughout the year – we so
appreciate the exposure and
positive relationship that Rotary
has with your paper.
With our very best wishes to
each one of you for 2019.
Yours in Rotary.
RAY OLIVER
Beware of accident danger
Well done to Port
Alfred on all the
upgrades taking
place, even though
there is still a long
way to go!
ANNE SKELTON
host such a special event.
Special thanks to the Royal
Port Alfred Golf Club, all the
players for their support and to
Cathy Braans for sourcing prizes.
We are most grateful to all the
sponsors of the event; to the
numerous individuals and local
businesses for their
contributions, and most
especially to our main sponsor
Ken Hall & Associates for their
very generous donations.
ANGELA HIBBERT, administrator
and TRISH GILLIES, director