SAFFER Magazine Issue No: 01

Issue No: 1
The Brand New Magazine & Radio Platform
For South Africans Around The Globe
Lifestyle Veterans Sport Music Wildlife Entertainment Fun & Puzzles
SAFFER RADIO
The brand new station bringing you the very
best entertainment on the internet
RADIO
THE VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS
Vossie and the team
reach out in a brand
new show to those who
need a distant voice
CAPE ST FRANCIS
THE PERFECT WAVE - THEN & NOW
Over half a century has passed since
the ‘Endless Summer’ - We take a look
at how the ‘Perfect Wave’ has changed

Contents
January 2020 | Issue No:1
6
CAPE ST FRANCIS
How the perfect wave has changed
since the Endless Summer
In This Issue...
Features Regulars Sport
6. Cape St Francis
Returning to the Endless
Summer’s Perfect Wave
8. A Month in Heaven
Looking at South Africa’s
Natural Wonders
12. Visiting the Vultures
Hester visit the Oribi Vulture
Viewing Hide
14. Dissipline...
The life of Baboons
16. A Close up of
Winter’s Face
10. Veterans Tales
Stories from our ex-Forces
11. Have Faith
An inspirational reflection to
help you with your daily life
Coming Next Month...
Readers Letters: Your chance
to write into us with your
concerns and stories
30. Dan on Cricket
A look at the cricketing
world. This month, England
defeated.
31. Surf Spot
Jordy Smith makes the Tokyo
Olymics 2020 in first ever
surfing event
32. Vossie on Rugby
This month a look back at the
2019 World Cup Victory over
England
34. Baseball
Our man in New York gives
us the Baseball Lowdown.
| 02

Contents
8
A Word from the Editor
Update: Good Ship Lala-Land Log – Happy Hour, 18 DEC 2019
No, that should read Happy New Day: Lala Log but for conformity sake, we’ll call this
post an update.
12
Right, here we go… greetings, welcome abroad the good ship Lala-Land… we guarantee
smooth sailing and very little in the realms of doldrum dodging. If you don’t find us
all a-flounder, you’ll find us landlocked somewhere near the closet ocean. Just to prove
that point… here’s a view of the wild winter world as seen from my office porthole,
down on the lower decks… where the skivvies hang out.
Pic 1
I’ll swing your gaze out to sea… yes, that
very horizontal line between the rooftops is
the distant sea horizon.
Pic 2
14
On a different day I may be out there taking
a breather… strolling on the beach… gazing
south… to a very yonder land. For now,
I’m safely tucked away from the raging storm outside, warm, as warm as can be at the
peak of the northern winter. I’m thinking… a bit of Oubies could add warmth… but
alas, I’m on the wagon so, music is doing the warming! Good old memories, and other
upbeat tunes… streaming as I type.
You may wonder – I say, wonder no more!
SAFFER Worldwide radio is now a reality!
Years of dreaming and scheming… and now
it is a reality! But… before I go any further…
I have to say a heartfelt thanks to the creative
genius behind making my vision a reality!
18
Thank-you Paul, from the bottom of my
heart – you have made said captain of the
good ship Lala-Land most happy, with a
warm fuzzy feeling all over.
So… welcome here – be sure to subscribe and follow on all the social media platforms…
we’ll be placing regular updates! OK, before I go… submissions welcome,
we’re planning for the release of Issue One of the magazine by 20 January… so, let’s
hear from you on or around the 8th, won’t you please?
Thanks, talk soon,
Vossie and Team!
Editor: AJ Vorster
Magazine Manager: Paul Michel
All content in this magazine is subject to copyright. No
unauthorised copying, reproduction, editing without the
express permission of SAFFER Worldwide.
© 2020 SAFFER Worldwide Magazine
03 |

An Introduction –Like A Voice… in the Wilderness
Mholo, Dumela, Lumela, Sawubona, Xewane, Salibonani,Hallo, Dumela,
I nhlikanhi, Sawubona, Hello,
Yes -welcome to the very first edition of a dream turned reality! I am
blessed. As the old saying goes, one door closes and sometime, just
sometimes, a massive hangar-door rolls quietly open. The door that
rolled open for me – the controls activated by the Web Master of this
new platform – has me now doing what I have long contemplated and
long dreamed of.
So… what sparked the initial idea? Please forgive me as I go off on a bit
of a personal ramble… I’ll keep it brief.
I am a South African, that fact I’m sure you’re well aware of by now.
However, we have lived in Ireland (the ROI) for just about 19 years. I
am also a veteran. I served in the SAAF for more than 16 years, I’d like
to think it was with distinction. There will be many who disagree…
yep, I had the odd run-in with authority. But then, I’d like to think that
unique individuals seem to suffer that malaise.
OK… skipping quickly along… I have often used this line in chats with
others,
You can leave your military, but your military never leaves you!
And, that is so true. I long for a chat or three… not really about myself
or the bad old days… more just a chat with a familiar sounding voice
and someone who understands the concept of camaraderie. Cama-what
you may ask? OK… here comes another definition… my way.
Camaraderie is that vague concept – a bond shared by total strangers
(and friends) who have covered each other’s backs – under fire!
Yes folk, people who have never donned a uniform in the defence of
others have difficulty understanding this concept. So… that left me,
very far from what was home, really estranged and doddering on. I’ll
tell you what… any South African who phones me knows they are
most likely in for an ear bending. I don’t do it on purpose… it just
happens, sorry!
There you have it… ideas sparked by starvation. You know the old
story… when you’re hungry you get desperate… the yearning in your
belly or as in my case, my soul, kept getting more intense. That is when
things started happening. Early in 2019 I connected with Paul Michel,
himself a veteran. Paul was reaching out to veterans and he took some
of my ideas on board. However, Paul is a very busy man, so it took a
bit of time for him to take over the controls of my dream’s hangar door.
Paul has worked tirelessly to create this platform. So, before I go any
further…
THANKS Paul – from the bottom of my heart!
Right… let me get to the crux of the matter – me living out my boyhood
rock DJ fantasies… but, and this is the big but… reaching out to
others who may want to hear a familiar “Dutchman” waffle on a dark
night. That’s when I was reminded of the biblical phrase – a voice in
the wilderness. No… you won’t only hear my voice… promise. Also,
you won’t only be reading my tales… and seeing my content. No… the
whole plan for the magazine is to be open to anyone’s contribution. The
only request we have is that it be dignified… so, NO politics or rugby!
What? No rugby? OK… only kidding!
We’ve included a broad spectrum of articles in this first edition, thanks
to the generosity of all our contributors. However, we want to build on
this format – to add value. We’re very keen on the idea of interaction…
so, for the magazine we’re looking at an old-styled “classified” page…
for the fun of it.
We’re also very keen on sharing articles from your part of the world.
Yep, I want to see where you live. I may never be able to get to your
part of the world but I can experience just a little of how your area has
impacted your life. We’ll be showing you glimpses of our world.
Just before I say cheers… poems, short stories… flash fiction, and art
contributions together with travel type photos and tales… that will all
be cool! Rugby? Cricket? Surfing… netball? Braaiing… pap envleis…
lekker sosaties? Snoek, kreef op die kole. Man, now I’m salivating!
Last but not least… there’ll be music! Rock, blues, folk… good old
South African classics and even new music. The music station is live
and interactive, as often as we can manage to fill regular timeslots. Paul
will add value – maybe a Sunday afternoon Gospel music program.
Fitting, because Faith, friends, fun and family have a way of helping us
through the dark days.
Vossie
SUBSCRIBE NOW
And get saffer worldwide delivered
to your inbox every month
| 04

S
RADIO
REACHING OUT TO SOUTH AFRICANS ACROSS THE GLOBE
24/7
ONLINE
Listen in every day to the very best in
music and chat brought to you by the
team at SAFFER WORLDWIDE as we
reach out to South Africans around the
world like a voice in the wilderness
www.safferworldwide.com
05 |

CAPE ST FRANCIS
53 Years Ago, Bruce Brown’s Endless Summer
discovered the perfect wave, not too big,
perfectly formed and an unbelievably long
ride. Fast forward to 2020 and the Cape is not
the wave it once was. We look at what has
happened to change this iconic surf spot
By The Fenderbomb
| 06

Cape St Francis
Back in 1966 Bruce Brown’s cult surfing
film The Endless Summer took two
surfers around the world following the
summer in search of the perfect wave.
The two surfers were Mike Hynson and
Robert August, both seasoned American
surfers.
Although they visited many beaches
and breaks, one stood out as the perfect
wave. Cape St Francis on the East Cape
of South Africa. The waves were not
too big, around 4 feet but perfectly
formed and constant. Each one the same
looking wave but these things just went
on forever. If you haven’t watched this
film, take a look when you can. It’s easily
found on Youtube right here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-
3hIYkalIS4.
It’s well worth the watch.
Being the old English Surf bum, I can
only dream of waves like this. the UK,
although it has some great breaks, there
is nothing that compares to this. These
days, my webbed feet and gills have
healed up and I get my surfing kicks
on the TV following the world tour or
playing those classic Surf guitar tunes on
my Strat. You never know, I may get my
feet wet once more before I’m through.
But back to Cape St Francis, the perfect
wave.
Following the success of Endless
Summer, Bruce Brown revisited the
breaks in 1994. with Endless Summer 2.
I think anybody watching the film was
just dying to see how CSF was doing.
Like in the first film, the two surfers, this
time Pat O’Connell and Robert Weaver,
walked across the sand dunes to get their
first glimpse. The once empty sand dunes
were now populated with houses, condo’s,
hotels, you name it. The waves were still
there but because the sand was no longer
blowing into the sea and forming the
smooth sea floor, the crucial factor, the
shape of the waves were now nothing like
that of 30 years prior. It was still a great
wave but not the perfect wave.
Reeling on another 25 years and Cape St
Francis is now a populated surf resort.
One one hand it’s great that many can
now experience this iconic wave but on
the other hand, human progression has
yet again altered nature in an irrepairable
way. The perfect wave of Cape St Francis
now only exists in the wonderful film left
to us by the late Bruce Brown.
As an old surfer who wished that natures
gifts were left unaltered by the destructive
forces of Homosapiens, this particular
story is heartbreaking. Indeed, my own
surf break in the South of England has
also changed because of man’s alterations.
What was once a classic beach break,
is now adorned with rock groynes and
miles of shingle. Highcliffe on Sea’s
wonderful sandbar has now completely
disappeared and the wave is now a
choppy, shorter ride.
South Africa remains as one of the great
surfing nations. Much of the coastline
still remains untouched and one wonders
if another perfect wave exists. If it does,
and if you know of one, keep it a secret.
Riding the ‘Perfect Wave’ back in 1966
07 |

A MONTH IN HEAVEN
Dries de Wet
www.dewetswild.com
dewetswild@yahoo.co.za
You don’t need me to tell you that
South Africa is richly endowed
with natural wonders, scenic
splendour and an incredible diversity of
fauna and flora. Destinations like Table
Mountain and the Cape Peninsula, the
Drakensberg, the Garden Route, the
Kalahari and Karoo, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi
Park and Lake Saint Lucia are known
the world over and top the bucket-lists
of tourists both local and overseas. And
then there’s the Kruger National Park,
one of the oldest, largest and best managed
National Parks on the planet and a
| 08
place very close to the hearts of so many
South Africans, including us de Wets.
So it came that we; being myself (Dries),
my wife Marilize and our ten year old
son Joubert, spent a month over this past
Christmas and New Year camping at
Satara Rest Camp in the central Kruger.
Sure, it was hot; 40+ degrees centigrade
in the shade is par for the course in the
Lowveld at this time of year. It was humid
and sticky, and when it rained it came
down in bucket loads. There were snakes,
scorpions and blister beetles to contend
with. Regularly.
Yet I don’t think
I’ve ever felt as
close to Heaven
as I was on this
holiday. Colours
so rich that
they cannot be
replicated by
mere humans –
the veld greener
than green, the
sky bluer than
blue, sunrises
and sunsets
glowingly red, clouds whiter than the
sheets in a washing powder commercial.
A serenity set in deep inside our souls
that’s impossible to describe in words,
in absolute awe at the magnificence of
Creation untrammelled by the human
presence.
Of course, it is the wildlife for which Kruger
is best known. To list the sightings we
were blessed with while staying at Satara
will sound like bragging. And I am. We
had excellent sightings of all five the major
predators occurring in the Park: lions,
leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs and spotted
hyenas. Even one of only three known
wild white lions on earth. Elephants were
prevalent on all our drives, including a
few majestic tuskers – Kruger is after all
one of the few remaining strongholds
for elephants carrying impressive ivory.
Despite the scourge of poaching we still
had some very special encounters with
rhinoceroses, and buffaloes, hippos
and giraffes put in regular appearances.
Scores of baby impalas, wildebeests and
zebras were as cute as can be. Flocks of
queleas numbering in the thousands
moved over the grassy fields in huge
waves. Altogether we ticked 46 species

DeWetsWild
of mammals, 195 kinds
of birds and an amazing
variety of reptiles,
frogs, spiders, scorpions,
insects and plants.
Satara was an excellent
base from which to explore
at a leisurely pace.
From there, roads diverge
in every direction
and it is easy to find a
route where you can feel
all alone in the wilderness
if that’s what your
soul requires. Even at the
peak of the school holidays,
between Christmas
and New Year, we
never had any sense of
overcrowding. The Rest
Camp has some very
convenient amenities,
including an excellently
stocked shop, restaurant,
take-away kiosk, fuel
station, swimming pool
and accommodation options
ranging from basic
camping to luxury guest
houses. We didn’t need
to leave the Park at any
stage for anything during
our 30 night stay – even
a visit to the doctor
in Skukuza (the Park’s
headquarters) could be
transformed into a productive
game-viewing
drive!
A Kruger visit is a
tradition, a pilgrimage
almost, passed from
generation to generation
in many South African
families, and even
for some visitors from
foreign lands. It is simply
addictive, and once you
have it in your blood
there’s no shaking that
longing for the Park the
moment you depart for
home. Only problem
for us now is that even
a month in Kruger has
flown by in the blink of
an eye, so how will we
ever be content again
with a shorter visit?
We’re going to find out
soon enough though;
our next visit is already
booked!
09 |

VETERANS TALES
Who Am I – Veteran?
So, here’s a thought for the magazine. Why not share a favourite
photo of something, some place, some moment you hold
dear, or not so dear? A photo taken when you were boarding
the troop train at outer Pofadder… or lower Smellington. A
photo of your favourite moment at Mpacha or Nkongo… Kuito,
Xangongo or wherever you spent a Sunday afternoon or fifteen,
laying low. Yes, I know you weren’t supposed to have that little
instamatic… yes, I know you weren’t supposed to be taking
sneaky pics… but you did.
You see… I also snuck a wee instamatic to the bush. Yep… I kid
you not. But… I’ve destroyed quite a few of the photos taken
way back then… because priorities change. We don’t want to
look back. Often, just looking stirs a devil… a nightmare or an
uneasy reaction. But… sometimes… just sometimes, looking at
the photo helps us confront and deal with the devil in the detail.
Do you feel let down by your reaction? Do you long to chat
about the memories the photos bring? Do you care to share the
history… before it disappears into oblivion? Do you wonder
about it all? I do… and that’s why we should get together, here…
and regale each other with memories. Why? Because… only by
talking and sharing will others know a little more, and hopefully
we will feel a little freer about life.
I was going to begin this series with a very tame photo… of my
squadron badge, until I realised, I can’t be asking you to share
something a little more personal if I hide behind a squadron
badge. So, here’s a photo taken with that wee instamatic… way
back when I was still quite skinny.
Yes, it’s really me. Those who know things from those days may
recognise what’s going on. I would like to think that the actions
we took saved lives… and strengthened our belief in our cause.
OK… that’s it, do please take part. Share, because in so doing
you may lift, or shift, a memory. We owe it to ourselves… we
owe it to others. We were part of a great organization… we need
to remember that.
Thank you. Yes… I feel a need to talk… that’s why this platform
has a very real mission… to be that voice in the wilderness, a
link for likeminded folk who feel the need to build friendships
and record interesting conversations.
Do you have a story to tell?
Would you like to get your voice heard?
We are looking for content, whether it be of a
serious or humurous nature. So why not get
typing and send your articles into:
safferww@gmail.com
| 10

Have Faith
Inspiration for your daily life
When you have an ailment the best place for you to be is in
your local doctor surgery where he can advise the best remedies
and treatments to you back on your feet. Our physical health
is something we all need to take care to the best of our ability.
Even down to eating well, taking regular exercise and reducing
our stress levels. But when it goes a little wrong, off to the
doctors and get help. yes?
Our Spiritual health is just as important but in many ways
we overlook the importance because it doesn’t effect the daily
running of our lives. Or does it?
One particular passage from the Bible sticks in my mind and
is just so true. At Matthew 9:12 Jesus said “It is not the healthy
who need a doctor, but the sick.” This one passage really brings
to me the true weakness of humanity. For some time, I avoided
going to church because I saw too many people that went to
church purely because it was the right thing to do and by them
going to church meant they were all spiritually healthy. I used
to find these very people would scorn if you were guilty of sins
which they didn’t approve of.
To me, these people were all sick but were ignoring the
symptoms. In my mind, we go to church not only to Worship
our Lord but to be healed of our spiritual ailments. Without
exception, that is all of us. None of us are perfect or without
sin. Jesus didn’t give his life for all of the good people of the
world, he actually gave his life for those sin the most so they
could be healed.
If we go to our GP and hold back on our symptoms, how can we
expect them to give us the right treatment? So next time you
are in Church, let the Lord know all of your spiritual illnesses so
he can treat you properly.
Pause A Moment –
Please
Little more than a month ago,
SAFFER Worldwide was still
a figment of my imagination,
ideas passed back and forth
between a few people in the
last months of 2019. What
happened next was rather
remarkable. Paul found time
- time to help me create this
platform - from scratch. Paul
worked between a number of
fires… no, not irons in one
fire, rather irons in a number
of fires.
About the only thing I was
doing was trying to find
content for the first issue of
the magazine. In the process, I
established a LinkedIn group
also going by the name Saffer
Worldwide. (In fact, in this
day and age where URL’s and
social media names and tags
are mostly taken… we’ve
found Saffer Worldwide and
its derivatives free for all our
social media accounts.) OK…
so, there was me building a
LinkedIn group. I pursued just
about every LinkedIn contact
listed on my account – South
Africans got special treatment
– extra harassment.
Then, a few days later I did a
round of bombarding again –
submissions please! In came a
number of messages – one in
particular stopped me in my
tracks. The message read quite
simply “undergoing treatment
– beating this horrid disease
that had thrown a temporary
roadblock across my path.” No
scolding, no leave me alone,
no delete me as a contact. A
totally dignified reply.
I offered thoughts and
prayers – because that is
all I could do. We rose very
early the next day to go off
on “darling duty” – minding
the grand-kids. However, as
my good lady returned from
the shower, I briefly told her
about the previous evening’s
conversation. Why? Because I
knew she would also keep this
stranger in her thoughts and
prayers.
That day, each time I went
near LI, I thought of the
situation. Yes, the person was
in our thoughts and I even
said the occasional one-liner
prayer. But I felt powerless – I
kept wondering about life
and why some folk get more
roadblocks pushed in their
paths than others.
Then, later in the day a
thought dawned. One of the
core reasons for the creation
of this platform was to reach
out to others… fellow South
Africans and friends. To
share a bond, to share the
load, however small our
portion, we can share. So,
I’m asking you, in the spirit
of this new platform, please
pause a moment – and spare a
thought for our friend who is
fighting this fight.
If doesn’t matter if you don’t
believe in prayer – just pause
a moment to think how a oneliner
of support can encourage
our friend. For those who feel
the need for saying a prayer –
please keep our friend in your
thoughts and prayers. We’ll
ensure this article is placed
on the website – and open
comments. We’ll send the link
to our friend who can in turn
see the support. Thank you!
11 |

WE VISITED THE ORIBI
VULTURE VIEWING HIDE
The hide, located on privately owned farmland in a
canyon approximately 400 m deep and 30 km long, just
west of Port Shepstone, is home to a breeding colony
of more than a hundred Cape Vultures (Cape Griffon).
This colony is highly significant in view of the fact that
the total population of these birds, endemic to southern
Africa, is a mere 8 000 - 10 000.
The viewing hide is managed by a non-profit organisation
which aims to create awareness of the ecological role
played by this endangered species and the dire threats
to their survival. Visits to the hide must be booked in
advance.
These photos were taken from the cliff ’s edge in the
Umzimkulu Valley, with vultures soaring at eye level.
The hide also overlooks a vulture restaurant where the
birds are fed the carcasses of farm animals donated by the
community.
Formed by two rivers that cut through the Oribi Flats
sugarcane farmlands in KwaZulu-Natal, the canyon
offers spectacular views of kloof and crags, and the dense
subtropical plant life that covers the sandstone slopes –
any photographer’s dream.
Hester Blog’s at https://www.hesterleynel.co.za/ or
Twitter’s @HesterLeyNel
| 12

Hester’s Blog
13 |

Dissipline, Dissipline... Dissipline!
Dis vroegoggend en die Adoonsfamilie wei rustig in die rivierbedding.
Kotie Kees kam versigtig deur Bessie Bobbejaan
se dik pels, terwyl Kareltjie styf teen haar sit. Dis nog koud,
maar die goue lig van die eerste sonstrale gooi die mooiste kleur oor die
landskap...
Mamma Meitjie sit rustig terwyl Kiepertjie sy oggendmelkies gulsig
opslurp…
Skielik is daar ‘n oorverdowende lawaai en Mamma Meitjie vat die pad
met oopgesperde lippe, terwyl Kiepertjie angsbevange aan haar klou…
Bondeltjie Bobbejaan spring verskrik in sussie Katryn se arms. Albei
staar angstig na waar die lawaai vandaan kom…
Katryntjie hou vir Bondeltjie styf vas terwyl hy nuuskierig oor haar
skouer loer…
Die lawaai is nou eens so erg en die ontstigte tweetjies klou mekaar stywer
vas…
| 14

Baboons
Brolloks, die leierbobbejaan hardloop al boggommend agter ‘n
skreeuende Fielies aan.
“Vandag trek ek jou basvelle af!” Brul hy verwoed…
Na ‘n hewige jaagtog deur bome en bosse, vang Brolloks uiteindelik
vir Fielies. Die stomme outjie kan net tande wys en laag kruip
voor die vreesaanjaende harige monster..
Intussen sit almal die pettalje en gade slaan…
O jinne toggie, wat gaan nou gebeur? Bondeltjie jy moet nou mooi
kyk wat jong Bobbejaanmannetjies nie mag doen nie, hoor… Seun,
laat ons mekaar nou mooi verstaan… jy dek nie weer een van die
wyfies in hierdie trop nie.
Jy is ‘n snotneus en nog nat agter die ore…
Artikel en foto’s deur Dina van Wyk. https://perdebytjie.wordpress.com/
15 |

A Close-Up of Winter’s Face
I
’m waiting for a bus to a neighbouring town, where I attend language studies.
My eyelashes are frozen. At first, I try not blink as I’m afraid the upper and lower
lashes will stick together, if they touch. I can feel contact lenses already dry in
my eyes. So, I resort to facial exercises just to make sure I don’t turn into a statue.
It’s my first winter in Europe. Temperature, on this particular day, is comfortable
at -26 degrees Celsius. The countryside landscape is as vivid and enchanting as a
scene in The Polar Express. But I can’t fully take it all in, because I’m highly irritable.
The bus is late, again.
As a child growing up under the scotching African sun, I often dreamt of fairy tale
places with snow and white Christmases I read about from the books. But now
that I’m here, I start to question the motives of this life adventure. Because I didn’t
only leave a little piece of me behind but everything I know and familiar. Love, of course, is the answer. What
else could it be!
We eventually buy a car. But I’m at extremes, I either drive like a grandma or a formula one driver. Because I
simply can’t get the hang of driving on icy and slippery roads, and with road signs sometimes buried under
the heavy snow.
In retrospect, I realise that I’ve never fully known winter until I moved continents. And to fully witness winter
is not only a privilege but a gift, for an outdoor enthusiast. But I had to relearn how to drive. I had to relearn
how to live. Because I was no longer chasing my dreams, they were staring right at me as if in disbelief.
Category: Creative Nonfiction
Tags: Finnish winter, joys and challenges, life of an immigrant
Author Portrait & Short Bio: Born and bred in South Africa, Khaya Ronkainen nowadays calls Finland her
home, and it’s where she lives with her husband. Her overlapping experiences and life (city, rural, Africa, Europe)
largely influence her writing.
Feature Image (Winter landscape; a frozen river behind our countryside home)
| 16

A Close up of a Winters Face
17 |

Namibian Adventure 2020
A
few basic details before you embark on this type of
trip: We are using a rental VW Polo. Cross border
documents, a valid driver’s license, International
licence, and a “ZA” decal on the vehicle are essential. The B1
and B2 roads are tarred. Plan your route carefully. Drive slowly
on the C roads which can be bone rattling at times. There are
Police roadblocks outside of each town. Do keep your driver’s
licence ready for inspection.
Namibia offers a very diverse landscape. From the stunning Fish
River Canyon, the rolling sand dunes, and the semi dry pans of
Ethosha which changed overnight into a salt water sea after a
dramatic thunderstorm.
We explored Luderitz with its magnificent stately homes, at
Keetmanshoop we walked in the Quiver Tree Forest, and
viewed the Giants Playground with its balancing boulders.
My favourite place was Swakopmund- adrenaline junkie
heaven! We did a flight over the rugged canyon landscape to
the Sousseveld dune fields. Passed over abandoned mining
settlements, shipwrecks and thousands of basking seals. The
scenery is dramatic! Places which are etched in my mind are
where the dunes meet the sea, the oasis with its lush green area,
the rocky canyon winding across the landscape...
We also did a “Little Five” guided desert tour. The guides
skilfully found the sidewinder snake, the ... chameleon, the
legless lizard and the sand burrowing gecko. The only missing
creature was the dancing white lady spider. The holes of the
venomous scorpion were not inspected!
This tour was followed by the Welitschia tour. This took us
off the beaten track with stunning scenery in search of these
enormous ancient plants. Our guide brought his knowledge
to life and kept us entertained while skilfully negotiating
the dunes. A guide is essential in this protected area. Permit
required.
At Mariental we took advantage of the swimming pool and
enjoyed the free roaming animals (chickens, geese, ducks,
peacocks, turkeys and springbuck) There are also camels and
pigs and a children’s playground.
We were directed to the Tsumeb Museum for accommodation
information. Their suggestion was to stay at a Lodge outside
of Ethosha National Park. We spent 3 days doing day trips to
explore the park ourselves. From Namatoni camp we did a game
drive in a safari vehicle with a guide.
The trip southwards took us back to Tsumeb where we visited
the private Museum. As avid scuba divers we were delighted
to find an assortment of lovingly restored cannons which had
been found abandoned after the war. More cannons are still at
the bottom of the lake. Live munition means this area is still
dangerous for divers.
Accommodation varies from the backpacker version to
high end luxury lodges. The people are extremely friendly
and justifiably proud of their beautiful country. Our
accommodation varied from self-catering to luxury. All types
of tourists are catered for. From sites for self-drive camper vans,
tents, A-frame mini houses to basic bed and breakfasts and of
course the luxury lodges.
Today we head back into South Africa and I can highly
recommend Namibia as a travel destination.
I loved the 3 weeks spent in this beautiful country.
Maureen Dickason
| 18

Namibia 2020
19 |

FEEDER AND FEEDEE
His face lights up when I stumble into the kitchen. “Would you
like a niggerball?”
I cast my weary eyes towards the clock on the wall. “It’s only ten
to six.” And the cat kept me up all night. I don’t have to add that
part – he too, suffers from insomnia. So does the cat.
“And please don’t use that word. It’s offensive. We now call them
blackballs.”
“They’re only black on the outside.” He sees the look on my face
and changes tack. “Maybe you need something more substantial
this morning. Can I burn you some toast?” I like my toast well
done. But not this early in the morning.
I part my lips to decline and he promptly pops one half of a
peeled banana in my mouth.
Banana between my unbrushed teeth and murderous rage in my
heart.
This time he interprets my facial expression correctly and retreats
into the lounge.
My husband is a Feeder. And I am his favourite Feedee. The
Chosen One who must taste his food and applaud his culinary
choices.
Which is weird, illogical, when you think about it. Because my
husband is not a discerning eater. Like most Afrikaner men, his
preferred diet consists of red meat, rice, potatoes and bread.
According to him, poultry is an insult to the meat trade, and he
refuses to eat food which is ‘off-colour’ – meaning any shade of
green, orange or red. I, on the other hand, thrive on roast chicken,
salads and veggies. He loves sweets. I adore salty cracks.
This does not prevent him from trying to feed me off his
plate. Sometimes he gets lucky and his darting fork finds the
mark. But his overall success rate is not good. I’ve learnt to keep
my pie hole shut at all times. Only sometimes, I lose concentration
and find myself chewing on a piece of banana or toast
spread with apricot jam. I hate apricot jam. I love bananas, but
not before six in the morning.
Only when eating in a restaurant, will I allow him to feed to me
morsels from his plate. The other patrons seem to think this is
cute. Quite often, we switch plates during the meal. The other
| 20

patrons definitely find this weird. I’ve even learnt to drink some
of his beer – from his glass. He seems to derive great pleasure
from this gesture. My children grew up to think of this as normal
behaviour. I know that this is a good way of maintaining
peace at our table.
As a Feedee, I must be the greatest disappointment of his life.
But his choices are limited. Our obese dog recently passed away.
And our cat is anorexic.
Lately, he’s been trying to rope our daughter into his Feeding
Frenzies. But he is very cautious around her. She has been
known to bite the fingers that feed her. Occasionally, she does
consent to sharing an apple with both her mom and dad. We
enjoy this three-way meal, one apple at a time while watching
television. At least this behaviour benefits the constitution.
Authors Bio
My husband and I (both in our late 60s) together with our
daughter, live in a quaint little coastal village on the beautiful
Lower South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal. We love the laidback
lifestyle, the temperate climate and the company of co-retirees
in our security complex. Life is not always a bed of roses – what
with a few grumpy old men in our midst – but at least my
daughter and I are avid hikers and can always escape to one of
the endless beaches with tidal pools, nature reserves and hiking
trails. We are enthusiastic amateur photographers and in this
breathtakingly countryside, it is almost impossible to to capture
a bad image.
www.hesterleynel.co.za
21 |

Silly Me!
By Inge Bevers
Vossie asked and doesn’t know
what he’s got himself into. I’m
Dutch, so I take myself and what
I do extremely seriously. That said, I do
call myself half Irish after 6 years in the
country and absolutely falling in love
with the place and the people, so I do a
bit of the ‘taking the mick out of myself ’,
so why not show a bit of me, here we go.
Some of you may recognise my name
from cricket or hockey. As a 10-year old
I started playing hockey and to this day I
do not know how I didn’t end up playing
cricket a few years later as most of my
team mates were playing cricket in the
summer and the 3rd pitch of the cricket
club next door was a strip of gravel
between pitch 2 and 3 at the hockey club.
Some of the guys I looked up to in the
hockey club, and my sister’s PE teacher,
were even playing for the Netherlands’
national team – or so I discovered about
25 years later.
How did I get involved in cricket I hear
you ask? Well, the regional hockey
umpires’ association had a monthly
meeting and we often asked umpires/
referees from other sports to give us a bit
of insight into their world. One night this
cricket umpire turns up with 2 players
and says nothing when asked to start. He
looks right, he looks
left, asks ‘may I speak’
and off he goes telling
us about laws, spirit
of the game and all
sorts of things. I start
following the game as
it is still on the Beeb
(BBC) and a couple of
years later fall in love
with an English umpire
who plays cricket
in the summer. Still
not playing the game
though.
When I decided to
retire from top hockey,
I also decided to give
this cricket game a go.
And a friend of mine
plays the game and her
Dad is on the National
Umpires’ Committee,
so the connection is
quickly made. My
friend tells me I need
to play and, as her team is often short
of females – I later discover that this is
par for the course in the lower women’s
league in Holland – I can join them
immediately. The remainder of the season
is 3 matches, 2 of them are rained off
during or after the 1st innings, I get to bat
at 11 twice, run around the square leg or
midwicket boundary sliding my way into
preventing 4s and into the team. I was
hooked.
Then winter comes and so does the
umpiring course. Eight Thursday
evenings starting at 8 and there are 5 of
our team who are interested, my friend is
one of them and she’s 5 months pregnant.
Due to misunderstandings, we miss the
first Thursday but come well prepared
on evening 2. The others on the course
are 6 or 7 gentlemen, all of them with
subcontinental roots. That night their
world as they know it ends.
The other 3 can’t make it on night 2, so
it’s just my pregnant friend and myself. A
few eyebrows are raised but the tutor is
great and helps us find our feet. The next
week, 2 more of us attend and the guys
are slightly surprised, but when female
number 5 attends from the 4th night
onwards, they’re completely thrown.
Clearly a point of ‘do females play cricket
and even if so, what are they doing
thinking they can do an umpires course’.
When we all pass the exam, some of them
are horrified – we might decide to go and
umpire!
Three of us do – my friend is due in June
so she’s out for the season, but with 2
others I decide to do a few matches to
see what happens. The first match is with
my friend’s father, Division 2 so nothing
too frightening. All is well in the first
innings apart from me feeling completely
uncomfortable because of the lack of
playing experience; I used to umpire top
men’s and women’s leagues of hockey, but
having started playing age 10 and having
played at a decent standard, I knew that
game inside out and I could feel the guys
on the cricket pitch were sceptical at best.
And then I give out RUN OUT to the
home captain. Mind you, he was out by a
yard at least and knew it, but I had only
moved to about45 degrees and therefore
wasn’t aligned with the popping crease.
He was not amused and the whole of the
Sparta sports complex could hear what he
thought of my decision. He walks past my
colleague on the way back to the pavilion
and repeats some of it ‘whispered’ in his
ears.
Second innings starts and Phil, the home
captain, who has clearly figured out that
I’m on my first match, opens the bowling.
You’ve guessed it, at my end. Anything
that hits the pads gets an appeal and the
first one of way too many, is done from
about 5 foot in front of me and all I can
think is ‘please don’t give away that you’re
absolutely shaking’. Welcome to cricket in
the Netherlands and to former oversees
pro’s who have married Dutch girls and
now captain or sub-captain their teams.
The debrief is in my colleague’s garden
and it’s not pretty. I decide that I’ll give
it a few more matches as my hockey
experience tells me that I’m not all that
bad, I just had a fanatic Kiwi as a captain
| 22

Inge Bevers
and made a few mistakes. The next
2 months I do 4 more matches and I
feel I’m getting nowhere. No support
from colleagues, unhappy vibes
from players and captains who are
not talking to me.
Then I umpire a match with a
South African pro captaining the
away team. I decide at the end of
the match that this is not working,
ready to leave, when that captain
buys me a drink, sits down next to
me and starts explaining how he
and his team have profited from
my insecurity and inexperience.
He talks me through a couple of
decisions and tells me what he as a
captain is looking for in an umpire.
The lights go on and after 2 more
matches where things improve
massively because I’m less
vulnerable and open to conning,
I finally start enjoying myself in
the middle and enjoying the game
played. And the next time I see this
Sparta captain is 2 seasons later,
again a home match but with quite
a different ending. At the end of the
match Phil shakes my hand, asks
me to stay and have a chat and then
proceeds to tell me I was ‘more of a
man than my (male) colleague was
today’. I reckoned that meant I had
had a good game.
That’s all folks for tonight and Ill
leave it to Vossie to decide whether
there is more to follow.
For now, all the best for 2020!
Inge @ingeborg_bevers
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23 |

Canal Root Surgery…
There comes a time, when history and agony
meet… on a dingy dentist’s chair. Or,
better still… there comes a time when one
strolls down a towpath of history… to be
rid of the pain. Pain? Yep… that pain akin
to a longing for the wild outdoors.
Canals, roots… pain? Yep… I came to an
alien place, where elephants didn’t walk…
where meercats didn’t stand tall. A place
where rivers didn’t roar… or rush down
gullies too steep to swim. I came to a place
where golden sunsets bewitched… where
the toolmarks of bygone generations were
etched on stones… where the waters ran
slow. So slow in fact… that a ditch could
be dug… right across an island. Well,
almost.
Cut a canal… into the root of the land. Cut
a root into the canal. So… there I was, looking west. Into the sunset. The very same sunset so many before
had witnessed. The only thing… many of those lookers had looked across a land without the hope of the
ditch… and now, here I was standing… looking at the toolmarks of long-gone masons. Here I stood… looking
at walls built, bridges constructed. Where did the builders go? No… not to the land I’d come from.
No, in this land there were no lions… no wild lonely plains. Here was a flatness… and famine. Here was a
need to cut a ditch. And, here I stood, wondering… where are the elephants? Oh well, I thought… the pioneers
have gone. To distant lands. So, what am I doing here… wandering along a towpath?
A fact that caught me early... the Royal Canal reached Kilcock in County Kildare two decades before the
1820 Settlers set foot in Algoa Bay. The roots of the stories about the canals lay in the history of the land. Two
canals originate along the Liffey, the river that cuts through Dublin Town. The Royal and the Grand. Two
canals… two sets of engineering works carried out with picks and shovels… and sometimes a kilogram or ten
of black powder explosives.
| 24
Two canals that meander across the land… linking
towns and villages. Two canals – the projects often
driven forward by blind ambition or mighty egos
of the people living in the 1700’s. but I’ll leave the
detail for another day. Then, you may wonder why
I’m telling you this tale? Because we South Africans
are mostly fascinated by the history and geography
of the systems, because we may have lions and elephants
back home, but we don’t have canals… only
crocodile and hippo infested rivers.
So… the pain of the indoors… it drives many out
of their houses and onto towpaths. One can walk

Canal Root Surgery
from Dublin town in the east… all the way to
the River Shannon in the west. Today, both the
Royal and Grand Canals have been reopened
after going into disrepair for a long time. The
Royal was worst hit. In places it was said to
have turned into a smelly dumpsite. Nature was
trying hard to reclaim the ditch and man was
trying even harder to forget the great history
and heritage that had gone before.
The canals often cut through the centres of
small towns and villages. This had a positive
spinoff, as local Tidy Town committees took it
upon themselves to begin the clean-up of their
local stretches. Little by little the canals were
restored until the Royal was reopened officially in late 2010. It was not much later that I felt the need… to go
see where the towpath led. So, my love for the canals began. I can say I have met great people along the way
but those are stories for another day.
Yes… your eyes deceive you not… those are South African flags. I took the photos during a walk along the
Grand Canal. It seems I’m not the only Saffer who’s interested in the canals… learning the history and getting
outside… rooting out the pain of cabin fever!
WE NEED YOU!
Here at SAFFER Radio, we cannot do it all alone –
we need YOU… yes, visualise the picture of the Lord
Kitchener poster… WE NEED YOU! (Now… I know
he wasn’t quite as popular as he would’ve believed he
was… but I’m only after that image…)
And, you may ask… just why we need you? Simple…
without you listening and interacting on the chat
line, we’re only speaking to the wind. There’s nothing
wrong with that either… but I’m sure you’ll understand
that it’s the camaraderie we’re also after.
Internet radio? Why? Why bother? Well, the way I
see it, it serves a number of niche functions – especially
useful when veterans get a hold of the platform:
Reaching out directly to specific groups or clubs
Spreading camaraderie among veterans and friends
Reaching out to folk who just need to hear that
“voice in the wilderness”
Promoting upcoming events and gatherings
Stirring memories… and stimulating interaction
Playing good music – mostly ad free – for veterans,
their families and friends
Discussing the bad old days… or NOT!
So… I’ve put my case for internet radio… now I’m
throwing it over to you. We need participation but
we also need DJ’s – likeminded folk who believe the
adage…
For veterans… by veterans – by Saffers for Saffers!
We understand each other, that’s why we need to talk
with each other! Contact us at safferww@gmail.com
or tap on the contact page just below the banner and
drop us a line! We’re looking forward to your interaction,
so… get cracking – on the double, WE NEED
YOU!
25 |

Boerewors for Dummies
Making boerewors is actually very simple and does not have to be an expensive exercise. I started with a manual mincer / grinder
bought online for less than GBP 15 which worked very well. If you are going to make large quantities of wors and dry wors it makes
sense in investing in an electric mincer. The cost depends on the brand, features and the power rating. Again, I opted for a mincer
with a reverse function (very handy should the feed become ‘blocked’) with a 1800 watt motor and after shopping around found
one for under 50 pounds. Unfortunately, the mincers tend to be a bit noisy but worth enduring the noise level to acquire the result!
The name Boerewors comes from Dutch (Afrikaans). The word “boer” meaning farmer and “wors” translates to sausage. There are a
number of varieties to the basic recipe. The traditional recipe consists of 90 percent meat, beef, as well as lamb, pork, or a mixture of
lamb and pork. The other 10% is made up of spices and other ingredients. Not more than 30% of the meat content may be fat. The
ground meat, spices, vinegar and water are mixed and encased in a casing. Casings can be sheep, hog or collagen and are supplied
in various sizes. I personally prefer sheep casings 18 to 26 mm even though it is slightly more expensive. I find them stronger and
more consistent in size and they do not ‘pop’ when feeding the meat mixture into the casing.
The spices added to the wors, consists of black pepper, dried coriander seed (ground), nutmeg, cloves (ground) and all spice. Salt
and vinegar is added to the meat and spices to act as a preservative and then stuffed into casings. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Boerewors An alternative to trying to mix and match the different spices in the correct ratio one can purchase a wide range of spice
mixtures from either Freddy Hirsche or Crown National in either 1kg or 1.1 kg packaging. Again, shopping around is well worth
finding the best price as it differs between suppliers. Approximate cost is 10 to 16 GBP per kg.
A kilogram of boerewors stuffed into 18 – 26 mm casing measures approximately 90 cm in length for those wanting to accurately
cost making your own. So, let’s get down to business.
Ingredients:
1. 1 Kg of meat. A mixture of 700 g of beef and 300 g of pork or 300g of lamb cubed into about one-inch pieces to feed into
the mincer for mincing. The mincer usually has 2 or 3 grinding plates for fine, medium and coarse finishes, I prefer the coarse finish
as it does not ‘mash’ the meat too fine. For this exercise I actual purchased a mixture of minced beef and pork from the supermarket
too ‘speed’ things up. I personally like to add about 50 - 100 g of hand cubed pork rind (chopped finely into about 5mm blocks), but
that’s a personal preference. Also, as a variant 50 g of bacon lardons for a ‘smoky’ taste.
2. Optional extras to taste - like cheese, chilly or garlic
3. About 1.2 meters sheep casing, washed and rinsed in cold water for about 30 minutes.
4. 30 to 36 g of boerewors spice. Please note the spices are very concentrated and I found under spicing is definitely better
than over spicing!
5. 30 ml of cold water and 30 ml of malt brown or cider vinegar.
1. . 2. 3.
Method:
Mix the ingredients in a large bowl and refrigerate for about an hour. Fit the correct nozzle/ funnel to the mincer/ grinding machine.
Feed the casing onto the nozzle and tie a knot in the end of the casing. Stuff the machine with the wors mixture. Switch
machine on and feed the mixture into the casing whilst guiding the wors in a circular shape on a plate. You can hang the wors for
about 1 – 2 hours if you wish to get rid of any moisture but it is not necessary. Hope you enjoy and remember to have fun and a
good laugh.
| 26

Boerewors
The wors mixture.
The casing fed on to the funnel / nozzle
Stuffing the casing.
Ready to go!
Finally – how about a coil of fine cheese wors on the coals? You really can’t beat the flavour!
By Steph Nel
27 |

Nuus Uit Harties
Wonderwerke gebeur regtig steeds!
Ons woon sedert 2010 in Kosmos; ‘hang’ behoorlik
aan die Magaliesberg.
Dis ‘n voorreg om so teen die water ‘n huis te hê,
veral as julle die spreekwoordelike Damduikers is wat
gereeld op bote rondvaar.
Sedert 2017 het ons dam egter verhoed dat mens
sommer net ‘n piekniekmandjie kan pak en boot
gaan ry. Die hiasinte het heeltemal oorgeneem!
Alhoewel hierdie plant ons damwater skoongekry
het, en duisende vissies bygekom het, was daar ook
baie nadele. Eiendomspryse het geval, watersporte is
so te sê gestaak. As ek my feite reg het, was die dam
onlangs meer as 50% toe onder hierdie plante. Ek het
soms so gestaan en uitstaar oor die ‘groen monster’
wat uurliks bly beweeg het, en geweet dat net ons
Vader deur ‘n wonderwerk die dam kon red.
Hier glimlag ek nou, want dit het toe gebeur. Ons
vertrek middel Desember 2019 Mosambiek toe vir ‘n
gesinsvakansie, kom 3 Januarie 2020 laataand weer
terug in Kosmos aan. Wat ‘n gesig wag vir ons die
volgende oggend! Die hiasinte is amper weg! Diè
wat ons nog kan sien is bruin verkleur, glad nie die
gesonde groen van die laaste paar jare nie.
‘n Vinnige navraag of twee en ons hoor dat ‘n
sekere gogga in die dam vrygelaat is; een wat net
hiasinte vreet. Self sê ons net dankie Here vir die
wonderwerk. Ons het ons dam weer terug.
Groete uit Harties,
Una – ons SAFFER Worldwide korrispondent
Editor’s Note: There is a lot of information available
on Facebook and the net if you feel like doing further
reading.
Now
Then
| 28

SAFFER SPORT
29 |

Test Cricket is Alive and Well!
Test Cricket is Alive and Well!
It was in the shadow of Table Mountain
where I had the privilege of attending
one of the most enthralling test matches
in recent memory, in fact, if I were
to develop a set of criteria for what
constitutes good test cricket, this would
probably have ticked all the boxes.
A beautiful stadium with an even
more beautiful view, a packed house,
youngsters, legends, battles within a
battle, two evenly matched sides, the
Barmy Army, and most importantly, an
even contest between bat and ball.
The ebb and flow of that test match had
me on the edge of my seat for all five days
and I would go as far as to argue that all
four possible results were on the cards
going into the final day. Having said
that, momentum was definitely in favour
of the touring side after the all too the
familiar batting collapse that the current
Proteas side has become notorious for,
occurred in their 1st innings. Props must
go to the English spearhead and fast
bowling legend Jimmy Anderson who
showed that even at the ripe age of 37,
he still has all the skills and ‘prowess’ of
anyone in the game.
field and turned twos into singles. Simply
put, they performed the basics at a more
consistent level than the Proteas for five
days and thoroughly deserve to go into
the much-needed break leading into the
third test on an equal footing to South
Africa.
Moving on, it’s a funny phenomenon
in cricket that you seem to never want
to make changes to a winning side, but
after a defeat, gaping holes in the playing
XI suddenly appear and, in my opinion,
we’re often too quick to call for a player’s
head. Personally, given the players
that are available in the current squad,
and without having too much to work
with from the ongoing 4-day franchise
fixtures, I would go with an unchanged
side into the third test. Having said that,
I wouldn’t be surprised or rather, a case
could be made to shake up the playing
XI altogether. Hamza and du Plessis
have yet to offer much in the form of
runs and with an in form, eager and ever
promising Keegan Petersen hungry for
a spot, partnered with the pressure of
defeat weighing on the back of selectors
minds, we could see him make a debut in
that number 3 slot.
Dan on Cricket
Furthermore, there can be no denying
that South Africa’s recent shortcomings
have not been the result of their bowling
attack, but rather their fragile and timid
looking top 7. To add some much needed
depth to the line-up, I would also not be
particularly surprised to see a batsman
coming in for Dwaine Pretorius who,
in my opinion, has played his role with
the ball fantastically well, but has not
been able to contribute with the willow
in hand. That number 7 role, I believe,
should be reserved for a batsman who
has the ability to contribute with the ball
if needed. Dwaine Pretorius is a fantastic
cricketer, but in my opinion, is a bowler
who can contribute with the bat. If
replaced by a specialist batsman, Faf du
Plessis could be asked to use Maharaj and
Philander to do a ‘holding’ job with the
softer and older ball, while Rabada and
Nortje operate as the ‘strike’ bowlers of
the attack.
What would I do? Personally, I believe
that we need to back Dwaine Pretorius
as the all-rounder for the series. Maharaj
has struggled thus far, and I would feel
very vulnerable going into a seriesdeciding
test with three seamers and
a spinner (who is low on confidence)
without any realistic 5th bowling option,
aside from Dean Elgar. Stick with the
same XI, give Dwaine and Hamza as
much time as we have given others before
we pass judgement, and let’s work on
doing the fundamentals well.
I’ll hopefully see you all in Port Elizabeth
for what is likely to be a cracker of a
game!
Daniel @ https://twitter.com/
DanCricket93 & Daniel @ https://
straightsport.wixsite.com/website
Now I am not one to go into the intricate
details of each day’s play, but regardless of
proceedings going down to the final hour
of the final day, I’d argue that there was
a definite inevitability about the result,
and dare I say, a definite sense that we got
a fair outcome. England outplayed the
Proteas in all three departments of the
game. They were more patient, resilient,
and confident with that bat, they not only
had clear games plans with the ball, but
stuck to them relentlessly, and lastly, they
took their catches, applied pressure in the
| 30

South African Surfer Jordy
Smith Makes Olympic Team
For Very First Surfing Event
Surfing
South African Surfer and No:3 on the World Surfing
League has qualified for the forthcoming Olympic
games in Tokyo during 2020.
The announcement became official at the conclusion
of the Billabong Pipe Masters on the North Shore of
Oahu, Hawaii this week.
The 31 year old Surfer from Durban tweeted just
after the announcement:
“WOW - Dreams do come true. #olympics2020 It’s
been something I have thought about since I started
surfing. Such an honour to be the first male to qualify,
and on to of it all to represent #southafrica I am
so proud,”
Jordy will be competing against top surfers from
Australia, USA, France, Japan and Brazil on Japan’s
Pacific coast.
31 |

Lessons
What I learned from the 2019 Rugby World Cup Winning Team
It seems to me that after each significant sporting event, someone writes a piece about how we can learn lessons and transfer the
learnings to the business community. So… I’m taking it upon myself to do something similar.
Let me begin by stating the following:
• I am not a rugby pundit – however, I played the game a few centuries ago… in the fully amateur era. Meaning? I loved
playing the game… often referred to as “a hooligan’s game played by gentlemen”.
• I’ve been part of a team and led teams in diverse environments in the past, so, even though I have no degree in management,
I have watched and advised many. I have taken on my superiors at different points in life… to suggest improvement or even
challenge their style.
• I did not watch any of the games but rather listened to radio commentary, living the images in my head and “feeling” the
excitement as the commentators described it! I did look at highlight clips on the official RWC website.
• It goes without saying that planning, preparation and hard work was essential.
OK, so… based on the above… what have I learned from the recently concluded Rugby World Cup in general and the victorious
team in particular? What skills can we transfer to a new or existing team?
Before I get into the nitty-gritty… a quick explanation of the squad and team structures:
• Each squad consisted of 31 players
• Each team taking to the field consists of 15 players – 8 forwards and 7 backs
• Each game allows eight substitutes, often not all used.
A – Change is good. Yes, the management structure of this winning team changed significantly only 18 months or so before the
team became world champs. I cannot overemphasise the importance of the correct leader for the particular team you are part of. I
also cannot overemphasise just how much the winning team has to thank their head coach for this victory. The biggest take-away
for me… yes, one man can and will make a massive difference.
B - Winning isn’t everything! Yes, you read me right. Of the four teams who reached the semi-finals, each team lost only ONE
match. The victorious team didn’t lose the final… and that mattered most. So, sometimes we must accept early failings and carry on
regardless. I’ll elaborate just a tad. In days gone by the team would not have taken the early loss as magnanimously. They would’ve
dwelled on the loss and that may have affected their later performances.
C - Resource management – I hate calling humans ‘resources’ but in this case I will. The coach chose wisely from the squad for each
individual game. The old “horses for courses” adage.
| 32

Rugby
• In a few of the lesser games the star players didn’t even make it onto the bench. I have a feeling it wasn’t only to rest the top
players but rather to hide them from the prying eyes of other coaches.
• The coach selected players out of position and switched players positionally during games – thereby using talent and widening
skills of players in real live situations.
• The team played a different game for each match… but basically relied on the power and strength of the pack of eight
forwards.
o
Here too, the coach integrated a practice of often swapping out most of the forwards during each game.
o Thus, in eighty minutes, he could rely on 100% effort from each forward… because they all knew they would be substituted
anywhere in the latter half of the game. Playing 100% for 60 minutes way outdoes a performance of 85% for 80 minutes. Yes, in
the workplace you can rest team members at times… lightening their burden, thus ensuring 100% performance when needed.
• The coach instilled a spirit of togetherness. In days gone by, one would be forgiven for thinking of a two-tier structure in
the squad. Key players for the crunch games and other players for the lesser games. That was often not the case during the pool
games – even the team captain had to sit out, and then, when he was substituted onto the field he served under the captain of the
day! Togetherness, playing for each other and leaving the egos very far behind!
D – Adaptability - I mentioned earlier that the coach used the resources well. However, if the players didn’t adapt or adjust then the
strategy would’ve failed. I think that caught opponents off guard.
• Note some of the comments in the post-match clips… yes, we integrated seamlessly when the replacements came onto the
field, no… we didn’t mind the positional switches, we just loved playing!
• Some thought the team lacked imagination but boy-oh-boy… were they surprised by the final!
E – Gratitude and Humility – this team was known from very early on in the tournament for interaction with spectators after the
games. They often stayed on long after the final whistle, doing more and more autographs and selfies. They couldn’t have known
that they would become champs, yet they played the role of champs, spreading the word and good will of the game. In the workplace,
you will reap rewards for expressing gratitude and practicing humility, simple.
F – Defence as offence – This team defended better than any other team. It shows in the final statistics. Their ‘for versus against
points’ tally is the highest of all the teams. When they were in trouble, they closed ranks, played for each other and drove defence
into attack. How do we bring this to the workplace? I’m going to leave that to you but basically, cut the backbiting and backstabbing…
that will help!
G - Saving the Best for Last – Here I really think the team struck their biggest victory. They had played each preceding game within
themselves. Yep, at times they looked outplayed – but their defence held. Then, this boring team found that spark and totally
outplayed their opponent in the final. Not my words… the words of many others. Makes me wonder, were they playing this boring
power game all the way along… fully knowing they could unleash the glamorous victory punch when it suited them!
In conclusion… yes, it is really a pleasure for me to share these views… because I am a part of that winning tribe… even though I
haven’t lived in South Africa for many years… I will always cherish my roots. My only prayer is that the unity shown by this team’s
play and victory will continue to inspire change for the better in South Africa… a nation in need of positive growth!
Just before I go… there’s line in a very old book that goes
along these lines…
“Where there is no vision the people perish…”
That, I think, sums up the whole Springbok philosophy…
VISION!
OK… here’s a link to an article found on the RWC website…
I only add it because I went looking for a photo to
use and then read it… it sounds like I have got most of my
observations above just right!
33 |

SOUTH AFRICA’S PAST TIME
Aaaaah, cricket, my first love, how I miss you… but, maybe not
as much as I thought I would.
I’ve been in NYC for nearly two years now and as amazing as
it’s been, I knew when coming over here that I would have to
somewhat part ways with (arguably) my biggest passion; cricket.
I still keep up as best I can on Cricinfo and occasionally get to
watch the odd game, but I find myself longing to play a game on
a frequent basis.
That said, when I moved out to NYC, I knew I had to find some
way to fill the void. Fortunately, I’m a massive sports fan. I have
always admired athletes at the highest level of any sporting association
and found a way to enjoy whatever sport I was watching/
playing or learning about and - as a South African cricket fan
- the most obvious replacement for me was baseball, “America’s
Pastime”.
At a basic level, the two sports are the same. See ball, hit ball,
right? Well, not quite as simple as that. Most Americans that
I speak with argue that hitting a baseball is the most difficult
thing to do in all of sport. My initial retort was: “Pftt, try scoring
a double hundred on day 4 of a test match”. Again, not quite
as simple as that.
For a quick breakdown: as a batter in baseball, the cream of the
crop will have a batting average north of .300. There are only
20 players in the history of baseball (circa 150 years) to average
.400+ over the course of a season. That’s less than one hit every
two at-bats (AB). When you break that down, you’re immediately
thinking: “How is hitting one ball every 3-4 AB an accomplishment”?
Well, when you’re standing 60 feet away from a guy
who’s hurtling a ball at you at 100+ MPH who can throw sliders,
changeups, curveballs, sinkers etc. you start to get an idea.
Similar to the best bowlers in cricket today, they don’t purely
rely on pace, they have got to adjust to conditions and change
things up. I know this having played myself. As a fast bowler,
I took close to 50% of my wickets with my slower ball which is
essentially a change-up (sizable drop in pace) in baseball terms.
The element of surprise and deception being key. Now, extrapolate
that when you’re facing a pitcher who can throw as many as
ten variations (some dropping as low as 60mph), all while you’re
expecting a 95+ MPH fastball.
Yankees vs Indians from a booth. My own image.
Baseball mirrors so many aspects of the things I love about
cricket. Be it the intricate strategies, the emphasis on mental
strength and concentration, the tactics involved etc. I have
been enthralled and baseball has provided a surrogate that has
*almost* made me forget about cricket… almost.
Aroldis Chapman throwing 105.5MPH. Not sure to credit
with the article link/writer/can’t find the photographer
name…
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/eze7xk/aroldis-chapmanthrew-a-1051-mph-fastball-should-be-traded-immediately
So, although I still question whether hitting one ball is more
difficult than scoring that double hundred, my level of respect
and admiration of hitters in baseball today is far greater than
when I initially got to the US. This chess match between hitter
and pitcher reminds me of the battle between batsman and
bowler on day 4 of a test match when the batting side is battling
for a draw. Except, in a test match, there can be periods where
the batsman rules. Conditions get easier, the ball gets older and
stops moving, the pitch gets easier to bat on etc. This isn’t quite
the case in baseball.
Editor’s Note: Our Man in New York – in his younger days –
swinging a cricket bat, with purpose!
There are no switch off periods for a hitter in baseball. Every
single pitch requires absolute attention and concentration. At
least on said day 4 of a test match, you can get a chance to take
| 34

Baseball
a breather at the non-striker’s end. Yet, like how cricket has
changed with the introduction of the IPL and emphasis on T20
cricket, the game is getting easier for batters in baseball. With
smaller stadium sizes, “corked balls”, better bats etc. the game is
seeing record breaking home-runs (HR) every season but batting
averages are consistently at the .220-.350 mark every year,
similar to how batting averages in cricket have never drastically
increased, rather how quickly the rate of scoring has increased.
That brings me to pitching and fielding. With more and more
HR’s, the best pitchers in the MLB have never been in such
demand. As an example, my beloved Yankees (yes, I am a bandwagon
fan) have just signed Gerrit Cole as their ace, (arguably
the best pitcher in the MLB over the last two years) to a $324
MILLION dollar contract for 9 years. Yes, you read that correctly.
With that said, that’s probably not even my favorite part about
the sport.
Since I became a bandwagon Yankees fan, I promised myself to
not become a bandwagon fan, i.e, one that watches the playoff
season and that’s about it. I’ve gone to nearly 50 games since
I’ve been in NYC, more than any of my American friends and
a lot of “diehard” fans. Partly because I love watching the game
but also due to the atmosphere created at Yankee Stadium, one
of my favorite atmospheres I’ve experienced while being a NYC
native.
If you remove the incredibly overpriced beer, there is nothing
quite like being at a Yankees/Red Sox game (one of the greatest
rivalries in sport). There’s also nothing quite like feeling the
roar of the crowd when you hear the explosion off the bat when
someone hits a HR or when a pitcher catches fire and it seems
impossible for anyone to lay a bat on him. But that crack off the
bat is one of the sweetest sounds in sport.
I vividly remember seeing my first walk-off home run. The
Yankees had trailed most of the game and it reached the bottom
of the 9th inning when Giancarlo Stanton arrived at the plate.
2 runs behind with 2 runners on base, we heard that crack off
the bat and the stadium erupted as we watched the ball sail deep
into the bleachers in right field and the Yankees had come from
behind to win an absolute classic.
Link again: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/
yankees/2019/12/18/gerrit-cole-new-york-yankees-sign-freeagent/2687353001/
One (including myself) may feel that no one is worth that sort
of money, but in a sport that has 162 regular game per team per
seasons, you have GOT to have that ace in place that can win
you 20+ games a season with an ERA (earned-runs-against)
that’s less than 3.00. That means a pitcher will concede less than
3 runs for every 9 innings pitched. You may think: “Well, that
should be pretty easy considering a typical batter will only hit
1 in every four pitches”, but again, not that straightforward –
particularly with how the game is changing as mentioned above
and that is why these pitches like Cole can command those
ridiculous $ figures.
Back to the technicalities. The strategy of a pitcher is to outsmart
the batter. Find their weaknesses, pitch to that weakness
and constantly keep the batter guessing. Sounds familiar, right?
This is also the concept with fielding too. Batters tend to have
preferred zones when hitting, just like being off-side/leg-side
dominant as a batsman. They’re not just closing their eyes and
hoping for the best, they are stronger in certain areas and this
is where field shifts come in. Again, just like a captain adjusts
his fielding placements in cricket, it’s an ongoing strategy in
finding those weaknesses to remove whoever is at the crease/at
the plate.
Anyway… that’s a fundamental breakdown of the basics of the
game and how I found the comparisons between the two sports
so appealing which piqued my interest in baseball so quickly.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jerrybeach/2018/06/21/giancarlo-stanton-and-the-yankees-send-the-mariners-andevery-other-al-playoff-contender-a-message/#1e3940d47205
– (Photographer is Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Following the walk-off HR, I was high-fiving strangers, hugging
strangers, screaming and roaring with strangers as if they were
best friends of mine. That’s an experience I’ve only really had
at a baseball game. The passion for baseball is instilled from a
young age and it runs deep. They call it “America’s pastime” for
a reason!
So, as much as I love and miss cricket, I have found a similar
love and passion for a sport that is pretty much brand new to
me. And that love and passion has resulted in me embracing
the fact that you can’t be a proper New Yorker without loving
America’s pastime!
For SAFFER Worldwide by NRV – our Man in New York
35 |

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