TOTT 28 March 2019

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March 28, 2019
N E I G H B O U R LY NOTES
E-mail Rob Knowles at knowlesr@tisoblackstar.co.za or fax (046) 624-2293
or drop in at 29 Miles Street from 8am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday
THE big local stories this week are
the water situation and Eskom.
As far as water is concerned, Talk
of the Town’s news editor, Jon
Houzet, visited the balancing dam
last weekend and took a video of the
state of the operation there (see
www.talkofthetown.co.za to see the
video) .
Firstly, there is no control over
anyone entering or leaving the area
of the dam which, in itself, is a little
worrisome. Surely the main water
feed into Port Alfred should be
p r ot e c t e d ?
Next, he showed us the condition
of the dam which is virtually empty
and collecting debris. The supply of
water to residents is intermittent to
say the least and some of the
outlying areas have had little or no
water for weeks.
Finally, when the water flows it is
brown and smells, totally unsuitable
for consumption and possibly
presenting a risk to health.
This is a priority that the
municipality must address
immediately. Water is a basic human
right and, without it, people cannot
sur vive.
Amatola water, whose “quick
wins” and various other promised
deliverables have never come to
fruition, but that hasn’t stopped
them spending literally hundreds of
millions on a failed project. When
will the corruption end?
As far as electricity is concerned,
the total shutdown by Eskom on
Tuesday presented business and the
household consumer with
challenges.
All around town one could hear
the “Bap, bap, bap” of engines as
generators were fired up for the
entire day just to keep businesses
open and customers reasonably
h a p p y.
However, load-shedding (that
seems to have gone from a crisis to
no load-shedding at all – perhaps in
ALMOST COMPLETE: Brett Smith sent us this photograph stating the new Kapp River bridge is nearing
completion
response to Moody’s ratings due on
Friday or perhaps the May elections)
is likely to continue for some time
into the future unless independent
power producers (IPPs) come
on-board.
Incidentally, the message by
minister of energy Jeff Radebe that
IPPs are now welcome to connect to
the grid could be a good time to
consider solar power.
Any excess electricity can now be
pumped back into the grid at Eskom
tariff rates! You might be able to pay
for your system in less than a year
with the money you would get back.
THE Bathurst Agricultural Show is
due to kick off on April 5, and
Bathurst Agricultural Society
president Danny Wepener and his
team have been doing some
fantastic work at the showgrounds to
prepare for the 111th show with new
roads, a general sprucing up of the
area and some rebuilding work.
This is a show not to be missed
and it is where town and country
meet and get to talk together. Make
sure you and your family are ready
for the show.
THE Amanzi Challenge is also almost
here (April 19 to 28). So many
activities are on display for the
benefit of residents and the
anticipated thousands of tourist who
will be here for the Easter holidays
and may well stay for an additional
week.
Don’t miss the action at the
beaches and on the water, including
international surfing and
bodyboarding, a trail run, a mile
swim, inflatable boat races, as well
as plenty for the kids to do at
Kiddies Beach.
Read about beach handball in this
week’s paper and make sure you get
to the beach to witness teams
compete for titles and prizes, as well
as potential qualification for the U16
inaugural Africa Beach Games,
scheduled for Cape Verde in June
2019.
CONGRATULATIONS to Calvin
Rostron who was awarded first place
at the Grom Games, held at Pipe
Beach in Port Elizabeth.
BIRTHDAY greetings, congratulations
and good wishes to everyone
celebrating a happy occasion in the
week ahead, especially John Dell,
Mike Brown, Hannie de Flamingh,
Sally-Ann Phillips-Page, Joy Geard,
Vicky Kleynhans, Okkie du Plessis,
Christopher Phillips-Page, Jami
Weeber, Jay-Leigh Taai, Hein
Barnard, Scala Booi, Leon de Waal,
Dorothy de Reuk, Noeleen Pretorius,
Megan van de Merwe, Brendan
Marais, Eloyse Meinzer, Anthony Gill,
Roxy Simes, Kiki Hughes, Michelle
Bowles, Maureen Spearman, Eve
Dombai, Vince McDuda, Shireen
Hilpert, David Cooke, Daniella
Swanepoel, Beryl Pancoust, Joyce
Harrison, Charne Boshoff, Ashley
Riddin, Ntia Sylianou, Wendy Cock,
Linda Buchanan, Reuben Hayes,
Tosca Spenceley, Ann Engler.
EVERY success for many more years
to follow are the wishes we are
conveying to the following
businesses and organisations on
another anniversary, especially KTP
Kitchens, Sports ‘n All.
INTERNATIONAL ratings agency,
Moody’s, is due to release its ratings
review on Friday and government,
business and the ordinary citizen are
anxious to learn if we have been
regulated to junk status
(non-investment level).
Such a downgrade, already
imposed by two other agencies,
would mean billions of rand of
investment would be withdrawn and
all the plans for rebuilding
infrastructure would collapse.
The county is also holding its
collective breath awaiting the
announcement from the Reserve
Bank to establish if the prime
interest rate (that the Reserve Bank
charges other banks for loaning
money) are going to be increased.
However, watch out. If we are
dropped to junk status China will no
doubt step-in with investment.
This is another example of passive
colonialism and state capture that
we must avoid at all costs if we are
to prosper as an African country.
We need investment, but at what
price?
With last year’s figures in brackets
for comparison the currency was
trading at R14.61 (R11.70) to the
Dollar, R19.32 to the Pound (R16.55)
and R16.48 to the Euro (R14.50).
In the commodities department,
Gold was trading at 1,318.35 per fine
ounce ($1 337.12), Platinum was
trading at R855.85 ($947.20) per
ounce and with Brent Crude Oil at of
$67.48 ($70.11) per barrel.
SPECIAL thoughts and prayers are
with all those folk who are not well,
having or have already had tests,
operations and treatments. ‘Sterkte’
to Roy Potter, Andrew de Vries,
Jenny Groenewald, Malcolm Cock,
Chris de Wet Steyn, Marian Eaten,
Martin Bekker and Brenda Shelton.
CONGRATULATIONS and best wishes
for many more years of happiness to
all couples enjoying another
anniversary, especially Jedd and
Tania Reid, René and Eileen Denis,
Jimmy and Julia Jamieson, Glenn
and Jennifer Henning, Eric and Dawn
McQuillan, Juan and Candice
Pretorius, Gordon and Katie Japp,
Reegan and Wouné Muller.
THOUGHT for the week: “Harmony
makes small things grow, but lack of
it, can make great things decay”.
BEST regards as always,
The team.
DIARISE THIS
OUR ENTRIES ARE OPEN FOR APRIL, MAY AND JUNE
E-mail houzetj@tisoblackstar.co.za or fax (046) 624-2293 or drop in at 29 Miles Street from 8am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday
Alzheimer SA East Cape Support Group
meets the last Thursday of each month at
3pm at Brookshaw Home at 9 Donkin
Street, Grahamstown. The Support Group is
for family, friends and caregivers of those
with Alzheimer’s Disease or any form of
Dementia. There is usually a speaker
followed by discussion and tea. Contact Dr
Heather Rauch 081-350-8079 for information
and to get on to our mailing list.
Bathurst Farmers Market – Every Sunday
rain or shine at Yesterday Today and
Tomorrow Nursery, Kowie Road from
9am-12.30pm.
Birdwatching Tours and Three Sisters
S a u n te r. Book with Anne (046) 675-1976 or
083-719-4950. www.annesbirding.co.za
Bonsai Club meets once a month on a
Saturday. For more information please
contact David Brewis on 076-457-3218. Or
e-mail davidbrewis77@gmail.com
Cricket Club – Practices on Tuesdays and
Thursdays at the Port Alfred Country Club,
French Street from 5pm. Contact Rob Nel on
076 - 3 9 4 - 4 0 67 .
East Cape Shotokan-Ryu Karate, Port
Alfred - Mondays and Thursdays: 4.30pm
for beginners. 5.15 for intermediate class
and 6pm for the advanced cl;ass. Contact
Gary Grapentin on 073-346-0059 for more
i n fo r m at i o n .
Healing Horses Therapeutic Riding Centre
- Therapeutic and recreational horse riding
activities for people living with disabilities.
Mondays at 09h30 and 10h30, Wednesdays
at 10h00 and 11h00, To book a ride, or find
out about volunteering, call Jann on
078 - 3 4 6 - 5 41 2 .
Hockey Club – Practices on Tuesdays and
Thursdays from 5pm at the Port Alfred
Country Club, French Street. Contact Chris
Pike on 082-350-0900.
Kenton Garden Club meeting second
Wednesday of the month at 9.30am. For
info visit www.kentongardenclub.co.za
Kenton Pub Quiz – 6.30pm – first Sunday
of each month at Kenton Bowls Club. Cash
bar available. Cash and other prizes. Teams
of four to six. All welcome.
Kleinemonde Morning Market on the first
Saturday of every month, from 8.30 to 10am.
Kleinemonde Community Hall. Enjoy
breakfast and browse the stalls selling
wholesome farm chickens and home
produce, including quality meats,
vegetables, pancakes, frozen meals,
quiches, bread, rusks, gingerbread houses,
home baked cakes, doggy treats, candles,
gifts and more.
Knit and Knatter Crafters club at Holly
House, every Wednesday at 9am. All
welcome. Contact Kathy on (046) 624-4452
for further information.
Kowie Auctioneers - monthly auction every
last Thursday of the month at 35 North
Street. Entries for the auction need to be in
on the Tuesday before the auction. Viewing
day prior from 2pm. For more information
call Colin Maclachlan 083 521 3623 or Peter
Charter on 082 5693478.
The Kowie Camera Club monthly meeting,
the last Monday of every month (except
December) at 7pm in the Settlers Park
Retirement Village hall. Contact Herman
Groenewald 078- 428-9551.
Kowie History Museum, at The Old Railway
Station, Pascoe Crescent. Open
9.30am-12.30pm Tuesday-Saturday. Closed
Sunday/Monday and public holidays.
Kowie Striders time trial – every Tuesday
at 5.30pm at the Port Alfred Country Club.
Distances of 3, 5 or 8km. Runners and
walkers welcome. Contact Sticks Stiglingh
on 071-612-7339 or Alan Robb on
082-495-6842
Kowie Striders casual long run from the
Duck Pond - every Sunday at 7am . Runners
and walkers welcome. The route will be
determined on the morning of the run.
Lower Albany Historical Society meets 3rd
Thursday of the month – some meetings in
Don Powis Hall, Settlers Park, others,
outside trips. Call Avonne on 083-473-6823
for details.
Lower Albany Woodworkers’ Guild, meets
first Tuesday of each month. Call Brian
Edwards on (046) 624-2945 for more
i n fo r m at i o n .
Memory Book Scrapbook Club meets
twice a month on a Thursday afternoon. All
welcome. Contact Cheryl (046) 624-2733 /
0 8 3 - 5 5 6 - 75 6 2 .
MOTHS - Old soldiers never die – Calling
all ex-servicemen “Ou Manne” and their
ladies for a get-together on the first Sunday
of every month at 12 noon and the MOTH
Hall (next to the Ski-boat Club) for a light
lunch and some memories. RSVP MOTHS at
082-537-9033 for catering purposes.
National Sea Rescue Institute practices
every Wednesday at 5pm. To join the NSRI
visit the base in person to undergo an
e va l u at i o n .
Port Alfred Art Club welcomes new
members, both experienced or wanting to
learn. We meet weekly offering a monthly
DVD from leading artists, giving excellent
tips and guidance on how to draw and
paint. Contact Jenny (083-292-2650) or
Paddy (083-226-5254).
Port Alfred Bowling and Croquet Club
invites you to try your hand at lawn bowls
and Croquet,free coaching and equipment
available. Situated next to the Nico Malan
Bridge. Enquiries: Rod Wilson at: 082 375
2968 or 046 624 5671. Croquet enquiries:
Rodger Darkes at 082 373 8181 See our
website at: www.pabcc.co.za and our
Facebook page.
Port Alfred Bridge Club – Now meets at
the Eddie Grant MOTH Hall (next to the
Ski-boat Club) every Monday and Thursday
– 1pm for 1.30pm start. All bridge
enthusiasts and persons wishing to learn to
play bridge are most welcome.
Port Alfred Community Police Forum
meets on the third Tuesday of each month
at the Port Alfred Police Station at 2.30pm.
Port Alfred Floral Art Group (PAFAG)
meets on the 3rd Saturday of the month at
Settlers Park hall at 2.30pm. For more
information please phone 082-464-4606
(Hennie de Bruin). All welcome.
Port Alfred Park Run, Civic Centre. Every
Saturday 8am-9am.
Probus Club of the Kowie meets on the
second Tuesday of each month at 10am at
the Port Alfred River and Ski-boat Club.
Rocky Ridge Farm Market opens every
Saturday and Sunday from 9am with a
variety of home made delights,
“egg-cellent” free-range eggs, honey,
biltong, droewors as well as its very popular
morning breakfast. Contact Desia Holmes
on 083-589-0765 for more information.
Rosehill Mall Art and Crafters Market, the
first Saturday of every month, from
9am-4pm. A true art and craft market. Only
handmade items available by our local
crafters. Large selection of goods. Craft
market for December only on December 1,
14 and 15.
Scottish Country Dancing at Don Powis
Hall, Settlers Park, every Wednesday from
5pm-7pm. All welcome. For more
information please phone Mary (046)
604-0478 or Audrey (046) 624 3179.
Scrapbook workshops and classes:
Bcreative offers monthly workshops, night
classes, social classes and a whole lot
more. Call (046) 624-3096 to book or for
more information.
Self Drive Heritage Map: All the historical
sites in Port Alfred, Bathurst and
surrounding areas. Available at the tourism
of f i c e .
Sunshine Coast Women’s Forum meets
every fourth Tuesday in the Don Powis Hall,
Settlers Park at 2.30pm. Come and join us.
Visitors welcome. For more information
contact Tosca Spenceley (046) 624-4339.
U3A – Port Alfred Branch meets on the
fourth Thursday of every month at 9.30 for
10am at the Don Powis Hall, Settlers Park
village. All welcome.
Thursday March 28
PA Art Club – 9am – Catholic Hall. Enjoy a
social time. DVD and book exchanges, tea,
coffee and snacks. Bring paintings for
r e v i e w.
Port Alfred Scrapbook Club – 2pm to 5pm
– Presbyterian Church Port Alfred. All
welcome. Contact Cheryl (046) 624-2733 /
083 - 556 - 7562 .
Join Jann and Sheena from Healing
Horses Therapeutic Riding Centre to
celebrate our registration as a Non Profit
Organisation at 6.30pm at the Royal Port
Alfred Golf Club. There will be a DVD
presentation on Healing Horses, an
inspirational talk by adventurer Dan
Skinstad, delicious snack platters and a
cash bar. Tickets will be on sale at R150
from March 15 at The Jewellery Shop at the
Duckpond Centre. See
www.healing-horses.co.za for more info.
Friday March 29
Mass Spay Day at SPCA – from 8am to
3.30pm. Port Alfred Rotary in conjunction
with the State Vet. For pet owners in Station
Hill and Nemato.
Hospice Grand Band Concert – 7pm –
High Performance Centre, Kingswood
College, Grahamstown. This is the second
year that Kingswood's Concert Band and
First Band join forces for this popular
fundraiser. Sixty plus instrumentalists for
the Grand Band pieces. Tickets cost R120
per person or R1,200 for a table of 10
guests. All funds in aid of Grahamstown
Hospice. Contact Alke Bradfield (046)
603-6670 (w) /
a.bradfield@kingswoodcollege.com) to
reserve your seat.
Saturday March 30
Diaz Cross Bird Club outing: Our birding
outing will be in the form of a "car tour" to
the pans and estuaries in the Kenton area.
We will meet at Robbies at 6.30am and
Heritage Mall at 6am. Visitors welcome (R10
per person to DCBC). Bring a picnic brunch.
For more details contact Tim Cockbain
(046) 624-8483.
Sunday March 31
The Kentones present “Down Memory
Lane” – 2.30pm for 3pm – Port Alfred
Presbyterian Church. An afternoon of banter,
songs and sing-along. Tickets from Kevin
063-240-5753 or Errol 084-800-3033. R50
per person, including refreshments.
Classics at the Castle presents saxophone
quartet Avena – 3pm – Richmond House.
Featuring Fabio Cesare of Italy, South
African Adam Campbell, Sumika Tsujimoto
of Japan and Nicolas Allard of France.
Tickets at R90 are available from Kowie
News Agency in Port Alfred. The price
includes a welcome drink and a detailed
programme. Out-of-towners may phone KNA
on (046) 624 2036) to reserve their tickets,
but these need to be collected and paid for
soon after.
Monday April 1
DA “Let’s Engage” meeting – 6pm – St
Pa u l ’s Anglican Church hall. DA leader in
the Eastern Cape legislature, Bobby
Stevenson, will unpack the DA’s manifesto
ahead of the May 8 general election.
Thursday April 4
PA Art Club – 9.30am – DVD at Settlers
Park Hall.
Friday April 5 to Sunday April 7
Bathurst Agricultural Show – at the
showgrounds.
Saturday April 6
Christian Men’s Association breakfast –
7 for 7.30am – Ta s h ’s Craft Bar. John
Amoah will speak on the challenge of
bringing young people into close alignment
with Christianity. He was TBN's anchor for
the weekly series, "The Family an
Endangered Species", and presently heads
up a high school as well as Mdantsane
Community Church in East London.
Suggested donation of R45 (students R20)
to cover costs.
Thursday April 11
Port Alfred Scrapbook Club – 2pm to 5pm
– Presbyterian Church Port Alfred. All
welcome. Contact Cheryl (046) 624-2733 /
083 - 556 - 7562 .
Thursday April 18
Friends with Compassion - Caring for
those who are mourning a loved one.
Presbyterian Church Port Alfred at 3.30pm.
All welcome - Join us for a cup of tea and a
chat. Contact Cheryl (046) 624-2733 /
083 - 556 - 7562 .
Friday April 19
Good Friday.
Friday April 19 to Sunday April 28
The 2019 Amanzi Challenge.
Saturday April 20
Kowie United Rugby Club will be hosting
the third annual 10’s Easter Tournament at
Station Hill rugby field. A day for the family
with stall and activities for children.
Entrance fees will be R10 per car parking,
R10 per adult, and R5 for children.
Sunday April 21
Easter Sunday.
Monday April 22
Family Day
Thursday April 25
Port Alfred Scrapbook Club – 2pm to 5pm
– Presbyterian Church Port Alfred. All
welcome. Contact Cheryl (046) 624-2733 /
083 - 556 - 7562 .
Saturday April 27
Freedom Day.