NOT JUST FASHION: Zibele ‘Zibs’ Bhoyi at the start of a favourite trail ride. Wearing the correct kit is essential for safety and comfort. See why under ‘Zibs’s tips for the week: dress the part!’ Picture: SUPPLIED
The BUCO G2C mountain bike race from Makhanda to Port Alfred is on Sunday June 22 2025. Here is Week 5 of your 8-week training guide compliments of Peter Southwood and The Cycle Asylum.
Each session in this 8-week programme includes: Warm-up (15 min) – Gradual intensity increase; Main workout – Targeted training using HR Zones & RPE; Cool-down (10-15 min) – Easy spin for recovery.
Mon 26 May – Sun 1 June
Week 5: Introduce VO2 Max (High Intensity)
Mon: Rest
Tue:65 min @ HR Zone 2 / RPE 3-4
Wed: Rest
Thu:65 min ride with 3×8-min HR Zone 4 / RPE 7-8 (Threshold Intervals, 3-min easy)
Fri: Rest
Sat:100 min @ HR Zone 2 / RPE 3-4
Sun:50 min @ HR Zone 1 / RPE 1-2
If you missed the explanation in Week 1 of heart-rate training zones (and how to busk it if you don’t have a heart rate monitor) you can find it here: bit.ly/TOTTG2C25Hero_1
For details of the 58km and 70km routes, starting times and entry fees go to g2c.co.za.
Cycle Asylum are offering a 15% discount (excluding parts) on a full service for G2C entrants. Call them at 046 624 8358 or pop into the shop at the business complex at 88 Albany Road, Port Alfred.
Zibs’s tips for the week: dress the part!
The Cycle Asylum’s resident MTBer and bike mechanic Zibele ‘Zibs’ Bhoyi says cycling kit is not just for looking cool: it’s for your safety and comfort.
Cycling shirt: these are designed to wick perspiration away from your body and protect areas most exposed to the sun (shoulders and the back of your neck). For riding comfort, your cycling shirt should be a snug fit. Two or three pockets at the back are for essentials that you need to access without stopping (like energy sachets). Bright colours (like lumo green or pink) are a good idea if your training sessions involve competing with cars for road space.
Shorts: padded cycling shorts that fit snugly without being too tight are essential for your comfort, particularly on a longer ride – don’t stint!
Gloves: essential for your safety – when you perspire they help you keep your grip on your handlebars. They also protect your hands if you do take a tumble (your hands will almost always have the first contact with the tar or gravel!)
Glasses: if sun-protection lenses disorientate you, get clear lenses. Protecting your eyes from debris is a no-brainer.
Helmet: talking about no-brainers – no helmet, no ride – ever, whether you’re training, riding to work or racing. Just wear it. Always. A helmet must be the right size, with the straps adjusted to fit your head snugly no matter what happens.
See you on the road!
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 22, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
CELEBRATION: Graduates in B.Com Hospitality Management and B.BA Disaster Management at Stenden SA toss their mortar boards up into the air in celebration after their graduation ceremony at the Royal St Andrews Hotel on Friday May 16. Pictures: TESSA BURRELL PHOTOGRAPHY
Stenden South Africa graduates in B.Com Hospitality Management and B.BA Disaster Management were royalty for the night on Friday May 16 as they celebrated their graduation with their families, friends, fellow students and faculty at the Royal St Andrews Hotel. The pride of families and local mentors was tangible (and audible!) as 20 students were awarded their Bachelor of Commerce in Hospitality Management and 14 received their Bachelor of Business Administration: Disaster Relief Management.
Sinovuyo Dlepu, Sasha Anna Mavolwane and Bianca Stoltz (hospitality management) achieved theirs cum laude. In disaster management, cum laude was achieved by Avile Macingwane, Ann Moll, Takura Murengwa and Alex Nyashana.
Student Affairs and Marketing Manager Ronel Bartlett, MC for the night, said the smaller cohort was as a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the bans on travel that this imposed.
The students were addressed by Stenden SA Executive Dean Dr Wouter Hensens, Director International Relations and Strategy at NHL Stenden Dr Wayne Johnson, and Stenden SA Academic Dean Dr Juliet Chipumuro. The Keynote speaker was Clare du Plessis, director of National Academic operations at Southern Cross University in Australia.
Du Plessis began her career in the South African hospitality industry managing safari lodges, cricket stadiums and academic facilities before moving into academia. To the students’ delight, she recounted her own time at Stenden 18 years previously, as part of the institution’s third intake – “just five students – all women!” – whose real-world learning experience had been at Halyards.
One of the most valuable lessons she’d taken away with her, she said, was the Importance of listening and observing before speaking, or stepping into a new situation. It was advice shared by Hensens at her own graduation.
“Listen with curiosity before you speak with confidence,” she said. “Success isn’t about achievement: it’s about presence. Respect local knowledge: your ability to tune in before you take charge will set you apart. You’re not just graduates, you are global citizens.”
As is standard practice at the institution, the 2024 Stenden SA graduates completed their research projects at establishments across the continent and the world, where they were based for the practical component of their training.
Emotional intelligence was a theme throughout the speakers’ presentations. In fact it is a specialisation of Dr Juliet Chipumoro, Academic Dean: All Programmes, who emphasised how proud she was of how the graduates had persevered.
“You embraced new ideas and grew as leaders,” she said.
“The world is waiting for your brilliance, your creativity, your energy; but more than anything, the world needs your goodness. Choose good – over and over again.”
Alongside EI, the subject of AI featured across the speakers, with Du Plessis’ current research focus being generative AI in teaching practice.
Hensens earlier told graduates that the problem-based learning approach they’d enjoyed at Stenden SA woud stand them in good stead when it came to working with artificial intelligence.
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 22, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
INSIDE LOOK: Wildlife conservationist and Shamwari founder, Adrian Gardiner, left at the launch of his biography with author, Dr Dean Allen, at MYPond Hotel last week Friday. Picture: MARK CARRELS
Wildlife conservationist, Adrian Gardiner, famous for introducing Shamwari Private Game reserve to the outside world, unveiled at My Pond Hotel on Friday, his warts-and-all biography that gives readers an inside look at what makes the businessman tick.
Gardiner sold the reserve to an Arab company in 2007, but included clauses that allowed him to retain his home, Founder’s Lodge, on the land. In 2018, his hospitality company, Mantis Collection, reached a partnership agreement with international hospitality giant, Accor.
Gardiner famous for the saying that “it was while sitting on a hill that I saw potential when all that others saw was desolation,” was accompanied by the author of his biography, The Man who Changed a Landscape – The Adrian Gardiner Story, Dr Dean Allen.
Gardiner who has charm short of a swagger, and who according to Allen, “watches every penny and gets what he wants”, has felt the pain of near-bankruptcy in 1979 ,but his astute business nous saw him bounce back within a decade.
Gardiner, 82, was born in Zambia (then Northern Rhodesia), and attended the University of Cape Town, where he studied and left without obtaining his degree.
After arriving in Gqeberha (then Port Elizabeth) in 1969 with his wife, he took on jobs at Spar and a bus company before buying and then selling his shares in Penguin Pools and going into business.
Gardiner a former racehorse owner, stepping forward to launch the book, acknowledged Stenden executive dean, Wouter Hensens, thanking him for the institution’s support. The wildlife entrepreneur was one of the founders of the Stenden campus in the early 2000s.
“It’s been a helluva journey (book)” said Gardiner. If you think I’m tough, you just work with him and then you’ll know,” said Gardiner, referring to author, Allen.
“When I started my journey having sold my horse farm, having done lots of other things, Penguin Pools, Castle Crane Hire all the rest … I wanted my patch of Africa.”
The entrepreneur’s story of Shamwari’s humble beginnings, is stuff of legend. He had bought a farm of 1200ha he had heard via the grapevine was up for sale in Alicedale, and soon the one next to it came up for sale and before he knew it, had 3,000ha on his hands.
“My aim was to go and enjoy weekends not to create a whole game experience. I was 50 years old … “I bought this farm (at Alicedale) and the one next to it came up for sale and the next one and soon I had 11000 ha.”
Gardiner said he studied a book that showed the first lions had had their habitat in the region “and it became an absolute ambition of mine to put the big cats back in their indigenous habitat”.
“And it (Shamwari) wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t get the endorsements … I’m a great believer in if you do something you need the publicity and backing. “Everybody said around me at the time , ‘he has more money than brains … he’s mad it (Shamwari) will never work’.”
Gardiner so focused on his plan to have the lions back in their rightful habitat and the Big Five roaming free at a future Shamwari, managed to persuade conservationist Dr Ian Player to visit him and have a look at his plan.
“Dr Ian Player, the person who saved the white rhino from extinction said, ‘Adrian what you are doing is the future of conservation in South Africa … we got to get the private enterprise involved. Let’s make it to happen’,” said Gardiner.
Gardiner is proud as he waxes lyrical about the film stars and celebrities who have visited Shamwari.
“Brad Pitt, John Travolta and Tiger Woods who created such a storm because he got engaged at Shamwari and then blasted me for announcing it, but he actually did me a favour … he broke my website with all the (global) interest in the engagement … so we made mistakes with publicity, but we needed the endorsements,” he added to laughter
He said he often had to answer questions as to “why the heck did you sell Shamwari then?”
“My plan to sell to a Dubai Sheikh who had visited Shamwari previously, was that I believed he would replicate what we were doing there in countries like Rwanda, Senegal, ZimbabweL … and today there are 16 equivalent Shamwaris in existence … why? Because there is value to wildlife.”
Gardiner is hard at work focusing on a rewilding initiative with his Nyosi Wildlife Reserve, situated in Greenbushes just outside Gqeberha. “I am working flat out with the Wildnerness Foundation to create a corridor between Plett, Nyosi and Graaff Reinet, to drop their fences and to create something bigger than Kruger National Park.
“I probably won’t see it in my lifetime but I am confident it will happen.”
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 22, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
GOOD TO GO: The eight business teams get together for a group photograph before taking to the Port Alfred Tennis Courts for the final night of the 2025 Corporate Cup tennis tournament on Friday night. Picture: MARK CARRELS
The 2025 Corporate Cup tennis tournament came to an exciting end on Friday night at the Port Alfred Tennis Club with Sotheby’s International Port Alfred winning the annual event after a night of entertaining rivalry and battle.
With the marquee all set up for the night’s prize-giving ceremony, a fair crowd came in to watch the fifth and final week of this year’s fourth Corporate Cup. Inside the tent while one-man, Gary Botha belted out some classics, young and older folk enjoyed the matches on four courts in perfect evening weather.
In runners-up position, was the Kowie Toyota/Kariega team who despite some quality play, were unable to wrest the title from Sotheby’s’ grasp. First-time entrants, 43 Air School, gave a good account of themselves considering it was their debut tournament and were upbeat about their third-placing.
Club captain, Sean Schultz, who emceed the prize-giving said it had been five weeks of top class tennis culminating in an exciting finals night.
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for being here to celebrate Corporate Cup 2025. Your support means the world to us. And it’s people like you who make these types of events truly memorable and special.
“I would like to extend a massive thank you on behalf of Port Alfred Tennis Club to the eight businesses of Port Alfred who participated and sponsored this year’s tournament. Thanks everyone we couldn’t have done it without you. ”
This is our big fundraiser for the club and hopefully we spend it wisely. We’d like to thank the spectators who came out to cheer on all the teams .. . to soak up the exciting atmosphere and to witness some fabulous local tennis talent.”
“Your enthusiasm and support have added an extra layer of excitement to the tournament and we couldn’t have done it without you. “
There was a word off appreciation for the volunteers and the PA Tennis Club’s organising committee’s preparatory work.
“We want to recognise and thank the fantastic team of volunteers and committee members behind the scenes who have worked really hard to make this event a success. A special thanks to everyone on the hard-working committee for your dedication and hard work. You have been instrumental in bringing everything together and we are so grateful for all that you are doing for the club.
“Again, we are thankful to all the sponsors out there who continuously give of their time and financial support towards our club – your generosity and support are what helps make our club improve year after year,” added Schultz before announcing all the winners.
Results:
Sotheby’s International Port Alfred (Winners)
FIRST PLACE: The Sotheby’s International Port Alfred team from left, Gavin Foulston, Steven Hulley, Minnette Gleaves, Ant de Bruin, Cathy Pote and Chris Loock celebrate with the trophy after winning the 2025 Corporate Cup tennis tournament at PA Tennis Club on Friday. Picture: MARK CARRELS
Kowie Toyota/Kariega – (runners-up)
43 Air School (3rd)
Royal Alfred Marina (4th)
Pick n Pay (5th)
Pam Golding (6th)
Leach Pharmacy (7th)
Edge Financial Group (8th)
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 22, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
VUELTA: That’s Spanish for journey. This map of the Vuelta al mundo (the world) en familia on the side of the family’s customised camper van shows where they’ve been.
Travelling with young children takes a special kind of resilience. If you thought six hours on the road with one young child could be a challenge, try six years on the road with three.
That’s exactly what Spanish couple Daniel GImeno and Marta Bruyel and their three children, Tao, now 12, Dhara (10) and Erik (7), have been doing since 2018. Their journey started in Uruguay in December 2018. Buenos Aires was next, then Ushuaia in Argentina. From the city known as “the end of the world”, it was meant to be destination Alaska; however, that was 2020 and the pandemic put their travels on pause. So they spent a year in Costa Rica. Next was Mexico.
“South America was easy for us,” said Bruyel. “Spanish is the common language in many countries there, and people are really friendly. So it was a good way to start our journey.”
They loved Mexico and spent eight months there. “Again, most people there speak Spanish, and the children there play on the streets, so it was really easy for the kids to make friends.”
They eventually reached Alaska in 2023 and Canada in 2024.
“Canada has beautiful national parks, so that was where we mostly stayed.”
VUELTA: That’s Spanish for journey. This map of the Vuelta al mundo (the world) en familia on the side of the family’s customised camper van shows where they’ve been.
Eight months back home in Spain followed and three months ago they shipped their van to Gqeberha. Lesotho and eSwatini followed, along with a host of mechanical problems.
“It was very nice, but also very stressful,” Gimeno said.
So when they got to laid-back-land aka Kenton-on-Sea, they opted to extend their visas and fix their truck.
The children attend online school, supervised by their parents, but for two weeks they are attending a local school.
“It’s a good chance for them to practise English,” said Bruyel.
They’re still finalising their plans, but coming up are Cape Town and Namibia, then Kenya via Oman.
Okay, here’s the practical stuff.
The family funds their travels partly through their YouTube channel and from the proceeds of the sale of Gimeno’s company.
The truck is a customised (by Gimeno) Mitsubishi Fuso, turned into a 4-wheel drive that has everything in and on it that they need including solar power, water storage, a bathroom and shower, and enough sleeping space for three children and two adults.
“It’s wonderful because we can go places nobody else wants to go,” said GImeno. “We love nature and we love wild camping.”
Read more about this amazing family and their trans-global journey at losmundo.com
ALL-IN-ONE: Daniel Gimeno waves from next to the family’s customised Mitsubishi Fuso outside the Rosehill Mall in Port Alfred, where they caught up on some grocery shopping. Picture: SUE MACLENNAN
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 22, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
TOUGH ASSIGNMENT: Dr Ben Gaunt addresses Probus members about the life-changing experience of working at Zithulele Hospital in the Transkei for 17 years before being forced out. Picture: MARK CARRELS
Port Alfred-based medical doctor, Ben Gaunt, puts it down to a profound experience that eventually led him and wife, Dr Taryn Gaunt, to accept jobs in the far-flung reaches of the former Transkei.
That was 2005, said Gaunt who was addressing members of the Probus Club last week.
Gaunt kept his audience enthralled as he recounted the story of his and Taryn’s experiences at Zithulele Hospital, nestled among rolling hills and across rivers about 100km from Mthatha.
“I was a junior doctor in KZN when I was referred to an elderly male patient,” said Ben. “I realised he was a day late for his op. It was only when he told me it had been raining and that he had to sleep at a bus stop, catch a bus that had to negotiate rough terrain and negotiate a river to get to hospital, that I had an insight moment. I never knew people were living like this and – that is what led me to placing my focus on rural medicine.”
Following work at Ngwelezana hospital in Empangeni and a stint in New Zealand, Ben and Taryn returned home to South Africa and accepted job offers at Zithulele where they fulfilled roles as clinical manager, and medical officer in charge of paediatrics, respectively. The couple met while studying at the University of Cape Town.
When the couple arrived at Zithulele with their three children, they found a hospital beset by problems.
“We are the most unequal country in the world. One of the things that stands out is that not many people in the Transkei live to their 80s and 90s except for the genetically robust.”
“The “tata” in KZN taught me a lesson that has benefited many more people because that changed the way I thought about healthcare,” said Ben.
“So much about the way we worked at Zithulele was about access to health care: people in our world have the greatest need of health care and yet have the poorest services.”
When he was dropped us at the hospital in 2005, the driver asked, “Why are you coming here?”
Ben and Taryn were asked that question many times throughout their tenure.
“To us the place was simply great with its pristine natural environment away from city life and so close to Coffee Bay. Some of the friendliest people in the country are from the Transkei. The hospitality despite the poverty is remarkable.”
Challenges at Zithulele were plentiful.
“You have to able to make a plan when you are working in a rural facility.”
In his slide presentation, Ben spoke of having to carefully remove a plaster cast from a trusting patient, using a carp[enter’s saw.
“At the end he got home with his foot but without the plaster,” Ben said to laughter.
Zithulele started as a mission hospital in 1956 and went through several reconstruction phases over the years. The Gaunts built their family home on previously owned church land adjacent to the hospital and a community centre.
“We started an NGO on site. Other NGOs grew alongside us and we were able to provide care and assistance to people across a variety of disciplines.”
What had been a small, underresourced rural hospital grew into 18 full-time doctor equivalents and physios, occupational therapists and pharmacists. They were the first site to pioneer community-based drug-resistant TB treatment before it became policy.
One of Zithulele’s biggest areas of success was in maternity.
“The community came to trust us and access care for moms and children.”
From one of every three women losing a child efore the Gaunts got to Zithulele, the child mortality rate dropped.
“By the time we left, our paediatric mortality rate was 10 times lower.”
Ben showed a picture of one of their own doctors with colleagues after giving birth to her child at Zithulele by C-Section.
“It became the norm that all of our doctors’ wives and the nurses and physios chose to deliver their babies at Zithulele. Our philosophy was that if we thought our services were good enough, then our staff would be able to receive treatment there,” said Ben.
The Gaunts’ world came crashing down when after 17 years service the hospital got a new CEO who didn’t share their ethos of care.
“When she and I had conflict over that, she made it personal and public.”
Showing photographs of staff and community members being teargassed when they preotested against the new developments, he said, ““The troops were marshalled against us.”
The family ended up in Port Alfred feeling completely displaced.
“We felt like refugees. We thought we were going to be at Zithulele until we retired,” said Ben.
He said they were finding their feet in private practice in Port Alfred and a new venture called Hospital at Home which sees him and Taryn delivering hospital- type care to patients at home.
“It is amazing what we can do (in private practice) with a similar ethos to the one we had in rural medicine.”
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 22, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
Rene Uren, Integrated Development Plan Manager and Mayor Khululwa Ncamiso addressing residents in the Bushman's River Town Hall. Picture: PIET MARAIS
Ndlambe Mayor Khululwa Ncamiso addressed a large and lively group of residents in the Bushman’s River Town Hall last week after the previously scheduled meeting failed. She now firmly intends to personally take responsibility to re-establish, develop, and maintain communication channels with residents of the area.
The scheduled meeting on Tuesday April 15 to discuss the Integrated Development Plan with residents ended in frustration and anger when Ward 3 councillor, Zandile Myali, announced its sudden and premature adjournment citing a lack of presentation equipment.
During last week’s follow-up meeting, several residents voiced their frustration and dissatisfaction with the lack of service delivery despite their consistent payment of rates and in some cases exorbitant increases. They requested concrete outcomes and that the municipal manager and directors resolve operational issues. Participants also highlighted concerns about crime and safety in the community, compounded by the lack of basic services like water.
At one stage, it looked like the anger could boil over and that the meeting could once again come to another abrupt end, with one resident even stating that she was “gatvol” and planning action if necessary. Ncamiso said she was prepared to end the meeting and come back later if necessary. However, a call for order from Jacques de Wit, BRRAG committee member, brought the meeting back on track and it ended with an agreed plan forward.
Ncamiso repeated her earlier public statements that she was concerned after the failed April meeting. She was holding to her promise to personally attend the reconvened meeting where she unequivocally apologised to residents on behalf of the council.
A strong contingent of residents and representatives from community organisations explained their earlier submissions and views to the IDP. They included De Wit of BRRAG, Chester Wilmot of Estuary Care, Justin Wilmot of the Chamber of Business and Tourism and Ferenc Toth of BRM Nightwatch.
Ncamiso said she found it strange that individual issues, ranging from sewage spillage to water shortages and those mentioned by residents had yet to be addressed.
“Some of them are operational issues that should have been managed by employees and managers. The employees should be reporting to the managers so that appropriate action can be taken,” she said. “They must be addressed and resolved as soon as possible,” she said.
After the failure of the April meeting, BRRAG said in a statement that the ratepayers of Boesmansriviermond were not represented on political platforms, “leaving a huge gap for proper representation and consultation”. Councillor Myali, it stated, had never reached out to the community and had not taken the ratepayers of Boesmansriviermond seriously.
“As far as the gap between you and the ward councillor is concerned, I don’t know whether he is afraid or what,” Ncamiso said. Ward councillors had an oversight responsibility. They should conduct regular ward committee meetings and give the council regular feedback. They needed to open communication channels with the community and see that they were maintained, she explained.
As the situation stands now, Ncamisa gave the undertaking that she would personally take responsibility to re-establish and develop communication channels with Bushman’s residents.
Rene Uren, Ndlambe IDP manager, ended the meeting when she informed everyone that she had started documenting all complaints and issues, not only from Bushman’s River Mouth but all the other wards as well. These would be presented to council and to all directors for their signatures and comments on how they can address the issues raised by residents.
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 22, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
REGAL: Members of the Nyamla family and descendants of Chwama (back from left) Sakhekile Mbem, Xolelani Nyamla, Kwedinana Nyamla (‘Aahh! Jonguhlanga!’), Thozamile Lindi and (front) Banele Lungelo Nyamla and Endinalo Tukela. The photograph was taken outside the Sizamele Educare Centre in Freestone, Bathurst, where on Saturday May 17, the family gathered with supporters of their application to be recognised as the legitimate leaders of the AmaChwama Kingdom. Picture: SUE MACLENNAN
There are old people among us who still have a lot to tell us.” Those were the words of one of the speakers at a meeting in Bathurst last weekend under the banner of the Kingdom of Chwama. The gathering on Saturday May 17 at the Sizamele Educare Centre in Freestone was attended by around 30 people who had been invited to a royal sitting of the nation. Leading the gathering was Xolelani Nyamla. In the seat of honour, in front, was his father Kwedinana Nyamla (“Aahh! Jonguhlanga” – the correct way to greet a king).
Recording their family’s story has been central to the Nyamla family claim to the Commission on Khoisan matters for recognition of the AmaChwama Kingdom in terms of South Africa’s traditional leadership act, and the family as the direct descendants. One of the outcomes the family hopes for is the restoration of land along the Kariega River.
“It was Jonguhlanga himself that asked us to peruse this issue of restoration after we had also checked out that indeed even the history agrees that AmaChwama was a nation of its own with a ruler of their own which our forefathers claimed to be direct descendants of,” Xolelani later told Talk of the Town. “My family has always preserved its oral history but could not go public with it because they were living on farms for many years until 1996 when my grandfather moved to Bathurst. He told us they could not talk about this back in the day because this issue of royalty and land was a sensitive thing: if they got kicked out of a farm they may not be accepted on other farms. So they could only tell us young men in the family about our history and lineage. That was until my father said to me I must see if we can find a way to get what was once ours.”
Xolelani used the first part of the meeting to remind the gathering of the kingdom’s history, now part of their claim, submitted on May 9. He later provided an outline to Talk of the Town and the following is based on that. The diary entries of early colonisers are the source of some of that recorded history; however, the isiXhosa document that Xolelani submitted reflects a centuries-old oral tradition.
The AmaChwama were originally known as the Inqua and their king was Hinsati. In a 1662 diary entry, Jan van Riebeeck indicated that Hinsati was the highest lord of all the khoikhoi groups in southern Africa. Their Great Place was at Camdeboo near what is now Aberdeen.
In 1689 governor of the Cape Simon van der Stel sent a soldier, Isak Schrijver, to negotiate with Hinsati. Thirteen years later, when King Hinsati’s son Chwama was King, the Dutch raided their land for cattle. Chwama was killed and his Great Place burned. Chwama’s people fled eastward to seek protection from the then Xhosa King, Tshiwo.
Tshiwo had already recognised the Gqunukhwebe, another beleaguered royal house. But the AmaChwama experienced confict under Tshiwo. Some members of the former kingdom decided to move back to the Nxuba area (formerly known as Adelaide). Some opted to remain with Tshiwo. But the Great House lead by Nkciyo moved to land next to the Kariega River.
There they settled there until Ndlambe arrived. Caught in the middle of Ndlambe’s war with the British, the AmaChwama were driven out of those lands. They later returned, but the land had been divided into farms and given out to British settlers. Many thus ended up being farm workers.
For five years, the royal family has been trying to gather the nation of King Chwama together to put forward a claim to be recognised as a Kingdom. They finally submitted their claim on May 9, 2025.
Last weekend’s gathering, Xolelani said, was the first of many to raise the profile of the kingship and acknowledge what had become a scattered nation.
Thozamile Lindi, whose family also intends to seek recognition for their AmaChwama lineage, said he felt proud to be standing there on that day. “There are old people among us who still have a lot to tell us,” Lindi said.
Historian Jeff Peires, who assisted with compiling the claim, said, “Today is an important day in the history of the kingdom of Chwane. You have waited more than 200 years, but ‘ngyamazela’ – be patient: there are many claims being researched, but at least your case will finally be heard.”
Commenting on the process later, Peires said, “In restoring the traditional leadership of the Khoisan peoples, I hope that Government will consider those who, fleeing colonial expansion, found refuge in Xhosaland. King Sandile himself once promised to restore the kingship of the house of Chwama, but it is only now that its heirs have come forward with credible evidence.”
Following their submission to the Commission on Khoisan matters at the government’s provincial offices in Bhisho, they would be contacted following the outcome of the commission’s research.
“If our claim wins this will definitely change everything for our nation,” Xolelani later told Talk of the Town. “We have been culturally in confusion, because we are not Xhosa although we have adopted some of their practices. So spiritually we believe regrouping and building the nation will heal us and we will be able to communicate with our ancestors directly.
“We are hoping to get back the lands we lost so we build our Komkhulu (Great Place) and amaChwama villages. We hope to get as many of our people as we can to start working on building our nation on our lands,” he said. “And of course working with the government to achieve all of the above and to participate in social harmony of the country as well.”
In 2015 the traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Bill was tabled in Parliament to amend the The Traditional leadership and Governance Framework Act, 2003. The consolidated Traditional and Khoi‐San Leadership Act, 2019 (Act 3 of 2019) was passed to “avoid any fragmentation of legislation dealing with similar matters” according to a 2023 document from the department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs (COGTA).
According to a document on the government website https://www.gov.za/about-government/government-system/traditional-leadership “By 2025/26, the Commission on Khoi‐San Matters aims to research and investigate all applications it receives for the recognition of Khoi‐San communities and leaders, and to make recommendations to the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on the recognition of Khoi‐San communities and leaders.”
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 22, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
ADVOCATE: Ndlambe Municipality’s Community protection services director Fanie Fouche, right, being interviewed by KykNET’s Kwela show host, Therese Bam, on Monday at Kelly’s Beach. Picture: MARK CARRELS
Port Alfred’s attractions are in the national spotlight after KykNET’S Kwêla did a series of television interviews and documented the town’s tourism sites this week. This was one of the programme’s stops during a week-long tour along the coast.
Kwêla is an Afrikaans magazine programme that flights every Sunday on DStv at 6pm on channel 144 and travels the country showcasing the environment and the extraordinary things extraordinary people are doing in their communities.
Show host, Therese Bam, who travelled in with an entourage of assistants, from video to camera operators to soundmen and a producer, says the town’s attractions have surprised her. She spoke to Talk of the Town after interviewing Ndlambe community protection services deputy director, Fanie Fouche, at Kelly’s Beach – one of three Blue Flag beaches in the municipality.
“We are on a road trip with Kwêla, and we are looking for fascinating people and interesting stories. “We are doing a week-long trip up the coast,” said Bam.
Bam surprisingly says she is not familiar with Port Alfred at all but has been pleasantly surprised by the beauty of the natural environment.
“I am very surprised as I don’t know the town at all; the beaches are remarkable. I have just had the best lunch at Graze that I have had in a long time. We went on a beautiful river boat cruise this morning. People have been incredible; they have gone out of their way and I just didn’t expect to find this. The town is bigger than I thought. It’s beautiful,” she said.
“I loved the river boat cruise around the marina; that was s a surprise I didn’t know was there and that was beautiful and this beach (Kelly’s)… it must be so cool in summer.”
She said she understood the frustration of South African tourism sites that are off-limits to those who complain that the sector caters for the wealthy and not for middle-income or low-income earners..
“I live in Hout Bay and I can’t afford to do things in my own area because all the Europeans love Cape Town. I feel for locals, and that is my frustration as well especially when I drive through my neighbourhood and I see half the houses are closed up for the biggest part of the year.”
She said it was a reminder when coming to places like Port Alfred as to why our natural environment should be preserved.
“I think it’s absolutely precious … that you find spaces where you still find nature like this. I haven’t seen any pollution. I think it’s beautiful and I think it’s worth fighting for no matter where you stay in the town – to take care of what you have. The more people you can get in to the town the more it means to the people of the town in terms of the economy, jobs, security etc. It helps everybody when you take care of where you live. “
Fouche who ensures that the beaches are safe and clean – with emphasis on Blue Flag, Kelly’s Beach, – is also an experienced snake-catcher which attracted the attention of programme host, Bam.
Responding to Bam’s questions, Fouche said: “I am working 27 years for the municipality and it’s one of the strongest in the province. We are very proud of our town which has about 350 days of sunshine throughout the year. People are friendly here and the communities and businesses are working together with the municipality like a family to improve the town. And it’s quite amazing to have this kind of collaboration here.”
Other attractions filmed were the tennis, bowls and croquet club as well as the new padel courts, and the Royal Port Alfred Golf Course. Other visits planned were at Mansfield Reserve, MyPond Hotel and Stenden SA.
Members of the Sunshine Coast Tourism Committee are Kwêla’s hosts for the week.
Bam said the programme showcasing Port Alfred will be aired on Kyknet in two weeks.
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 22, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
On Tuesday, May 20, 2025, the South African People’s Tribunal on AgroToxins (SAPToA) and the South African Human Rights Commission will make representations on Highly Hazardous Pesticides and other Agrotoxins to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Agriculture. This will be livestreamed and members of the public may watch.
On Tuesday, May 20, 2025, the South African People’s Tribunal on AgroToxins (SAPToA) and the South African Human Rights Commission will make representations on Highly Hazardous Pesticides and other Agrotoxins to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Agriculture. This will be livestreamed and members of the public may watch.
The parliamentary briefing follows public hearings convened by The People’s Tribunal on AgroToxins over two days in March 2025.
In a media statement, the South African Human Rights Commission said the jury had heard live testimony from survivors of pesticide poisoning and exposure on farms and factories, from trade unions, farm workers and dwellers, researchers and experts on the types of pesticides used by big corporations in South Africa and their impact on the health, mainly of poor and marginalised communities.
“The jury also heard testimony on international obligations that are being flouted by our government, their connivance with corporations bent on profiteering at the expense of health and general secrecy and withholding of information from the public relating to the pesticides being used in agriculture – many of them classified as Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs),” the SAHRC said. “The jury also received extensive documentary evidence and research done in South Africa and internationally, particularly in Europe, where the use of the named pesticides is prohibited – but their export to our country is encouraged.”
The Tribunal was adjudicated by Judge Navi Pillay, Commissioner Philile Ntuli, and Dr Sophia Kisting-Cairncross. The briefing to parliament would be led by the three jurors, the statement said.
“The briefing aims to enrich participatory democracy by enjoining the People’s Tribunal to ongoing parliamentary and government deliberations regarding agrotoxins,” the statement said.
In February 2025, the Portfolio Committee considered, and committed in principle to the establishment of a multi-sectoral task team to conduct research on available and efficient alternatives to Terbufos and other HHPs.
“This was with a view to an effective ban on Terbufos in six months,” the SAHRC said.
The Parliamentary Briefing takes place as follows:
WORLDWIDE EXPOSURE: Sue Waugh, Manager Tourism Sunshine Coast Tourism Port Alfred), Jo Wilmot, Tourism Consultant, Sunshine Coast Tourism (Kenton) Justin Wilmot,resident of Kenton Boesmans Chamber of Business and Tourism posed in front of the World Travel Market (WTM) entrance in Cape Town. Picture: SUPPLIED
The Sunshine Coast Tourism team recently attended the World Travel Market (WTM) held at the ICC in Cape Town, where they were part of the Sarah Baartman District Municipality stand. The event, themed “Ignite Africa,” showcased Africa’s growing presence in global tourism, with a focus on innovation, inclusion, and sustainable growth.
Sue Waugh from Port Alfred and Jo Wilmot from Kenton represented the Sunshine Coast, along with Nadia MacDonald from Route 72. “The experience was incredibly informative, changing their outlook on tourism and highlighting the importance of collaboration and working together in the industry” said Justin Wilmot the Kenton, Boesmans Chamber of Business and Tourism President.
Key insights from the event included:
– Africa’s growing tourism industry: 241 million passengers flew in Africa in 2024, with an 11% year-on-year growth.
– Wellness tourism: Growing at 5% annually, expected to reach $120 billion by 2030.
– Wine tourism: International wine tourism is up by 22%.
– Accessible tourism: Increased by 63% since 2015, reaching $60 billion in 2023.
The team also learned about the importance of maintaining infrastructure, developing strategic alliances, and creating unforgettable experiences. Cape Town’s success in tourism development was highlighted, with 76 cruise ships expected in 2025 and 226 international flights weekly from 31 destinations.
The Sunshine Coast team will apply these insights to their own tourism strategy, focusing on strengths, storytelling, and the “three Ps”: people, places, and products. They will also explore opportunities such as capturing the self-drive market and improving signage along R72.
As a result of their experience at WTM, Kenton will be sending Jo Wilmot and Nolu Mbuyazwa to Indaba with Sue Waugh from Port Alfred. The team’s takeaway from the event was clear: “We must do less, better. It’s not about scale—it’s about excellence, strategic partnerships, and unforgettable experiences” Wilmot said.
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 8, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
MALLET MANIA: Some of the 60 participants in the Port Alfred Croquet Classic pose for a photograph on the greens of the Port Alfred Bowling and Croquet Club. Picture: CAMERON KRETSCHMANN
Port Alfred Bowling and Croquet Club (PABCC) has yet again flown the flag for the town’s tourism potential after hosting a very successful week-long annual PA Croquet Classic.
Played at the PA Bowling and Croquet Club, which put bowls on hold for the duration of the tournament, saw a record field of 60 players from prominent clubs across South Africa take to the croquet greens in fine weather from May 4. Participants played an average of five to seven games per day from 8am to 5pm – from Monday to Friday, culminating in the finals which took place on Saturday May 10.
Tournament coordinator, Trevor Welbourne, who won the Level 1 singles title, says so happy are players with the organising and the town itself, they have already booked for the national tournament to be played in November at the PABCC.
Players played from five to seven games per day for a total of more than 350 games throughout the week by the time the tournament ended on Sunday.
“The reason why it’s a success year after year is that we offer a whole package for the just over R1,000 registration fee,” said Welbourne. “For the entire week you have use of five greens … we entertain people at night, there is a bar area, and we have lunches, coffee, tea thrown in. So our facilities are very good and it’s reasonably priced.”
Welbourne said it’s actually a privilege to have so many greens available for croquet matches as some venues in the country only have one or two greens. “If I am correct, we are probably the third-biggest croquet venue in SA.”
“Some players come to have a holiday too once tournament is over and we have a playing contingent here from Johannesburg CC, Kelvin Grove and Rondebosch in Cape Town, Grayton, East London, MacGregor and Hermanus in the Western Cape.”
Welbourne says the only other tournament bigger than the Classic is the SA nationals.
“And we are actually bigger than them, of late. Two years ago at the national champs there were only 46 people, and in Somerset West there were 54 last year compared to our 60 participants,” said Welbourne. “We were over-subscribed and had to cut the number of entrants.”
There were more than 350 games played over four main groups – Level Singles, Handicap Singles, Level Doubles and Handicap Doubles. Welbourne pulled out all the stops in the Level Singles to emerge champion in the best of three final (7-1, 7-2) against Jeremy O’Regan of Grayton.
“Actually I struggled in my semi-final against Andries Nkoso (PABCC) and we were level pegging at 6-6. We went through to a “golden hoop” shootout and I sneaked in to win through to the final.”
Jeremy Regan won his semi-final against Graham Goosen (both from Grayton).
A highlight was the oldest participant of 96 years of age, Cyril Burrows from Cape Town. “He didn’t make the playoffs but proved a very capable player,” said Welbourne.
Winners summary
* Level Singles: Trevor Welbourne (PA)
* Handicap Singles: Noeline Kirsten (PA)
* Level Doubles: Margot and Richard Prosser (Kelvin Grove)
* Handicap Doubles: Poppy and Kanaki Androliakos (Johannesburg Country Club)
* Restricted Singles: Rob Taylor (PA)
* Restricted Doubles: Pat Cronin and Les Weiss (Johannesburg Country Club)
* Restricted Handicap Singles: Barry Brown (East London)
* Restricted Handicap Doubles: Tim and Gail Stroebel (PA)
For any information regarding croquet, kindly contact Trevor on 082-202-2541.
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 15, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
See more of Cameron Kretschmann’s photos from the tournament here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16Bjuq4rDY/
LEADERS IN TRAINING: Stenden SA students Ayla Skye Greeff, Juliet Alexander, Julia Kilpin and Ehrin Schmidt with Stenden SA lecturer Dr Megan Sharrock (centre) at RadissonBlu in Sandton where they recently took part in the Future Leaders Challenge. Picture: SUPPLIED
Four students from Stenden SA in Port Alfred recenty pitted their problem-solving skills against those of 19 other teams from across the country at the South African leg of the Future Leaders Challenge (FLC). The event was hosted at RadissonBlu in Sandton. The programme aims to attract talented young people to choose a career in the tourism and hospitality industry within the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.
Representing Stenden SA in this qualifying round were Ayla Skye Greeff, Juliet Alexander, Julia Kilpin and Ehrin Schmidt, full time students in their second year, completing the B.Com Hospitality Management degree. Dr Megan Sharrock and Dr Juliet Chipumuro accompanied the four students.
The second-year students in the team from Stenden SA were chosen on the basis of their academic results from their first year (2024).
Working on concepts key to the industry, such as entrepreneurship and project-based learning, the students are guided by experts provided by the MEA Future Leaders Challenge. This is in preparation for the live event, where over four days, students learn to cooperate as a community and come up with answers to strategic questions.
The Stenden SA team presented a sustainable concept for the coffee industry for reusable, returnable cup systems like Cauli Box in the UK a digitally-enabled reusable lunchbox scheme that rewards customers for sustainable behaviours.
The top three teams in the SA round qualified to go to the international round in Dubai. The winners of this leg were the team from the University of Pretoria.
All of the teams were from Hospitality and they needed to present on a sustainable concept for the hospitality and/or tourism industry.
“Unfortunately we didn’t make top three, but the students presented beautifully and the networking opportunities were incredible. I was very proud of their presentation skills and concept development. They represented us well,” said Sharrock.
“Their presentation was commended by the judges and they were able to network well during the event.”
On its website https://www.meafutureleaderschallenge.com/ the organisation’s long-term goal is to ensure the MEA region develops future leaders who are not only innovative but also environmentally and socially conscious.
“This aligns perfectly with the region’s vision for sustainable growth,: the FLC explains. “By organising events such as The Challenge for students, we focus on game changing collaborations between our stakeholders to enhance the quality of education, talent development, and human capital.”
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 15, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
ROUTE MARKER: Veteran (35-39) Vuyisani Nobi leads boys and girls as they set off on the course for the first Ndlambe Cross Country Development and Schools League event on Saturday May 10. It was hosted at Kenton Primary School with Upper Ego Athletics Club. Pictures: SUE MACLENNAN
The Ndlambe Cross Country Development and Schools League kicked off the 2025 programme on Saturday May 10 co-hosted by Upper Ego Athletics Club at Kenton Primary School. The event under the auspices of Eastern Province Athletics attracted 250 athletes from five clubs and 22 schools. Athletes came from as far as Somerset East (Gill College), Gqeberha (Sunridge Primary, Framesby High School and CRO Training) and Kariega (Handhaaf Primary).
The development league caters for athletes aged 7 up to 75 who can enter through their school or club, or as individuals. In an interview with Talk of the Town at the 2024 prizegiving ceremony, co-founder Sticks Stiglingh said the league, which started in 2022, was intended to introduce running as an outdoor activity, to encourage a healthy lifestyle in the community and in the long run to produce champion athletes.
The league also makes it easier for athletes in the Ndlambe area to compete regularly. Gqeberha and East London have well established leagues and regular events; however, the cost and logistics of travelling to those town precludes many from participating.
How points are accumulated
Athletes- 1st place equals 20 points, 2nd place 19 points, 3rd place 18 points and so forth.. Until 1 point follows after
School: per athlete accumulated points belonging to a school/club. equals an overall sum of points earned by the school/club.
Stiglingh is currently president of EP Athletics and the programme is run under the auspices of the provincial body. In 2024, no fewer than 13 athletes who participated in the league qualified for the provincial championships.
Kowie Striders athlete Thandolwethu Matsalo progressed through the league to the EP Championships and was selected to represent the province at the SA Championships.
TOTT reported that the initiative had experienced a 65% increase in participation since its launch in 2022, and a 30% increase from 2023 to 2024.
To be in the running for the league trophy, athletes must participate in every league race. Kowie Striders were the 2024 club winners with Volo Vikings and Upper Ego Athletics Club runners up.
The next meet is on June 21 at Alexandria Christian Academy and will be co-hosted by the Volo Vikings Running Club. For more information about the league, contact project coordinator Vuyo Nkayi at 074 478 6392.
* Background reporting by Mark Carrels
Results highlights from the Ndlambe Cross Country Development and Schools League: Saturday May 10, cohosted with Upper Ego Athletics Club at Kenton Primary School
1km boys – 8 years and younger
1 Nicholas Cox, Kowie Foundation School (KFS) 4:17:43
2 Siyavuya Nyaya, Upper Ego Athletics Club (UEAC)
3 Hayden Emslie, KFS
1km girls – 8 years and younger
1 Gabrielle Schweyer, Nedbank/ KFS 4:32:64
2 Likuwe Damoyi Kenton primary
3 Isidora Panter Kings
4km – Seniors men
1 Lithetha Gcume Port Alfred High School (PAHS)/Chillie Runners 12:27:28 20
2 Butshabethu Kayi Volo Vikings (VV)
3 Ayabonga Saul Kowie Striders (KS)
4km – Senior ladies
1 Liesel Van Zyl Nedbank Club 17:52:36 20
2 Tama Cranswick KS
3 Phumla Ngangqu VV
6km – Veteran men
1 Pierre Schweyer Nedbank/KS 26:02:87 20
2 Mike Nunan KS
3 [First name not recorded] Fana, Individual
8km – Men 35-39
1 Sizakele Dayimani Bathurst Athletics Club (BAC) 31:49:49 20
2 Vuyisani Nobi VV
3 Dylan Cox KS
2km Junior Boys
1 Rufus Rowett KFS 07:59:41
2 Buhlebethu Sinqe VV
3 Lelethu Kayi VV
2km Junior girls
1 Anke-mari Roets Sunridge 07:30:59
2 Ava Els Sunridge
3 Madison Mackenzie Kenton Primary School (KPS)
3km Junior boys
1 Ngcali Ngwekazi KFS 10:10:38
2 Trustworth Sibanda KINGS SCHOOL
3 Emihle Faba UEAC
3km Junior girls
1 Kylie Dorfling HANDHAAF (HH) 10:26:06
2 Anli Roets SUNRIDGE
3 Sinelitha Ntamo KPS
4km Junior boys
1 Connor Bird FRAMESBY 13:32:78
2 Mandilive Ngqolowa KUYASA
3 Nthando Olethu VV
4km Junior girls
1 Chanay Harding DF MAlherbe 18:03:82
2 Liezel Fisher Port Alfred Junior Secondary School (PAJSS)
3 Esona Goliath PAJSS
4km Senior boys
1 Unathi Stamper KUYASA 12:04:46
2 Sonwabile Soul Alexandria Christian Academy (ACA)
3 Kamvalethu Mona NOMZAMO
4km Senior girls
1 Entle Komani KUYASA 13:05:29
2 Jaydene Tee FRAMESBY
3 Mnike van der Merwe FRAMESBY
7km Boys
1 Siyamthanda Kalashe VV 19:16:22
2 Guerra Ntuli FRAMESBY
3 Tristan Lange KS
7km Girls
1 Carla Clotz CRO Training Group 24:30:35
2 Akhanya Ngesi NOMZAMO/KS
3 [First name unckear] Hooper ACA
8km Boys
1 Thandolwethu Matsalo NOMZAMO/KS 25:17:13
2 Dallian Oerson FRAMESBY
3 Lubabalo Mbambisa NOMZAMO
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 15, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
PIT STOP: Ulysses SA’s Gqeberha Chapter pose with their club’s flag during a stop at the Pig & Whistle Inn in Bathurst on Saturday May 10. They were in the area for the Ulysses SA national rally, hosted at Mpekweni resort. Picture: SUE MACLENNAN
The Sunshine Coast and Makhanda hummed, roared, growled and burbled with the sound of nearly 350 motorbikes, as they made the R72 and R67 their own for four days and nights during the Ulysses SA 26th National Convention. Hosted by the organisation’s Sunshine Coast (Port Alfred) chapter, it drew bike riders from its 30 chapters across South Africa.
Among them were 21 members of Gqeberha based Uysses SA: Port Elizabeth. The first chapter in the Eastern Cape to elect a woman president, it prides itself on great camaraderie and socially responsible behaviour.
“I’ve made a lot of changes,” Sharon Halgreen said. Talk of the Town met the bikers at their Pig & Whistle pit stop that followed their mass ride from Mpekwini resort, where their national convention was held from May 8-11. “When you’re a mom, you look at things differently.”
Ulysses SA Motorcycle Association was established in 1998 by Simon Fourie after he attended the Australian Ulysses Rally in Wagga Wagga.
“Ulysses SA, Port Elizabeth Chapter was re-inaugurated on 18 October 2017 after being dormant for many years,” Halgreen said. “The Port Elizabeth Chapter of Ulysses SA are an extension of a group of Ugly Buggers who all have the same love for riding motorcycles and enjoying the opportunity to share it with people who have the same interests.”
The Ulysses SA Port Elizabeth Chapter is a dynamic association for motorcyclists aged 40 years and above.
“Our history is one of camaraderie, shared experiences, and a passion for riding,” Halgreen said. “We value inclusivity, respect, and the joy of the open road and we welcome members of all riding abilities. We strive to create a positive environment where friendships flourish, safety is paramount, and the thrill of the ride never fades.”
Of the weekend convention, Halgreen said there were no incidents and everything had run smoothly. Ulysses PE walked away with the following prizes:
1 Best dressed for the Gala event (“We had the looks and the spirit!”)
Award for the best nett growth for the year 2024/2025.
Jeanette Bisschoff walked away with an awesome cash prize of R3000 in the lucky draw – so there were smiles all round.
“Ulysses Sunshine Coast were the hosts and what a brilliant event!” Halgreen said. “We had an awesome time where the company, food, music, bike rides were all great and of course unforgettable memories that were made.”
Thinking it might be for you?
“If you are 40 years and older, a motorbike enthusiast and enjoy socializing with a bunch of like-minded people, then Ulysses SA Motorcycle Association is what you are looking for,” Halgreen said. Activities of the Ulysses SA Port Elizabeth Chapter include:
A monthly Sunday group ride;
A pensioners’ ride every second Wednesday;
A monthly social at the clubhouse.
Contact Sharon Halgreen at 060-593-3052 or email sharon.ulyssespe@gmail.com
Follow them on facebook: Ulysses SA Port Elizabeth Chapter
The Sunshine Coast chapter of Ulysses SA, which hosted the convention, was established in February 2020. Based in Port Alfred, its mission, set out on the organisation’s website (https://www.ulyssessa.co.za/sunshinecoast/) is to “exhibit a positive and professional image, to promote and display motorcycle safety and awareness and to emphasise on positive community involvement and development”.
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 15, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
ALL ABOARD: The incoming Ladies Circle 29 Port Alfred board members introduced at the induction dinner at Round Table 177 venue on Saturday night. From left to right are Sunnette Kew- secretary, Gwen Scheepers- treasurer, Judy Horak- IRO/PRO, Nicole Riddin- chairperson , Monique Von Wielligh- vice chairperson, Melissa Marais- Immediate past chairperson. Picture: MARK CARRELS
Social network organisation, Ladies Circle No 29 Port Alfred, are on a mission to intensify their collaboration with other social service organisations to “uplift those in need in the region”.
Incoming chairperson, Nicole Riddin, who was ushered in to the hot seat at an induction dinner at Round Table 177 clubhouse on Saturday night, having taken over the reins from Michelle Marais, said her goal was to sustain assistance to organisations such as the Jehovah Jireh Children’s Care Centre.
Outgoing chair, Michelle Marais, after handing over the to her successor, Riddin, said her reign had been a huge learning curve.
“The year came with it’s own worries and challenges but, as always, we learned to improve and we moved forward. I can confidently say we are more united than ever. It has been truly a dream come true to lead such a loving, caring and determined group of women who are making a difference in our community.”
Marais said the organisation had grown from strength to strength since its formation two years ago and ongoing projects had made an impact in the surrounding communities. She highlighted some of them.
“ We collected stationery from the community and donated to a special needs care centre in Bathurst and Jehovah Jireh Haven. Our Women’s Day seminar in August was a vast improvement on the previous year’s. Our school career day in collaboration with the department of education helped Grade 9 learners from Kuyasa and Nomzamo High decide on their futures. At our Easter drive we distributed 33 boxes (Easter Egg Chocolates) in Nemato. And we delivered blankets to the local hospice in June.”
Jehovah Jireh was front and centre among the organisation outreaches. “Whenever we had books or clothes or other items we made sure to visit and deliver there.”
“The Bathurst show in April deserves a huge shout out … what an amazing and heart-warming experience. Ladies I am proud of us. We ran the tea garden and we were given just over two-weeks’ notice and it was successful.”
Marais admitted that chairing an organisation “sometimes felt like managing a toddler’s tantrum … challenging but oh so rewarding“.
The outgoing chair handed out awards to Sunette Kew (project of the year), Gwen Scheepers (stirrer of the year) before Riddin stepped up for her induction for the year 2025-26.
“It’s a great pleasure to hand over my torch to our incoming chairperson, Nicole Riddin. I wish you joy, all the strength and wisdom you will need, with heart. May your year be filled with unforgettable moments and beautiful achievements,” said Marais.
Riddin said she was grateful for the trust and support all members had placed in her..
“Being part of of Ladies Circle 29 has been a meaningful journey. And stepping in to the role is an honour and a responsibility.”
“Melissa our your dedication , passion and vision not only helped found this incredible circle but laid the foundation for everything we are today. I am grateful to be following in your footsteps.”
“The Ladies Circle is an orgainsation rooted in service, support and connection. It’s about coming together and to uplift those in need and we do this by building relationships with our communities.”
“One of my main goals this year is to build a closer partnership with other like-minded organisations. In particular, I would like for us to continue supporting the Jehovah Jireh Children’s home in Alexandria. The work they do is incredibly close to my heart. We can make a real impact there with fundraising and consistent support,” added Riddin.
Incoming Board:
Chairperson: 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧
Vice chairperson: 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡
𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲: 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐊𝐞𝐰
𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐫: 𝐆𝐰𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬
𝐈𝐑𝐎/𝐏𝐑𝐎: 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐤
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 15, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
The sacred pool on the Lushington River on Bathurst Commonage. Research has shown that the commonage is an important resource for a range of users, including for traditional ceremonies, medicinal herbs, hiking, grazing cattle and birdwatching. Picture: SUPPLIED
PIET MARAIS
The Bathurst community is preparing to face the latest threat of a sand and stone mining to the historic 3 000-hectare commonage. This follows an application for a 4ha quarry operation. A public participation meeting is scheduled for Tuesday May 20 at 10am, at the Nolukhanyo COmmunity Hall (Solomon Mahlangu Hall).
A notice was posted last week on a gate of South Africa’s largest municipal commonage, advising passers by of an application to mine stone aggregate and sand across an area the size of 10 football fields. An official notice was subsequently published in Talk of the Town (May 8, 2025).
It emerged that the Bathurst Commonage Management Committee (BCMC) had not been directly consulted or informed about the application. Talk of the Town understands that the committee is convening an urgent meeting to discuss the application.
Acting chairperson Monty Roodt has emphasised that the BCMC supports development initiatives.
“We as a committee are in favour of utilising the Bathurst Commonage as an economic resource to provide income for unemployed residents. However, any development must preserve and promote the environmental integrity of the Albany thicket and the existing grazing. Our lead projects, namely livestock farming and eco-tourism, demand this,” Roodt said.
The committee would meet to decide on the way forward and to come up with a position before the public meeting on May 20. Issues of concern included:
Failure to adequately notify and consult affected persons and organisations;
The environmental impact on grazing land, traditional healers, eco-tourism, and the Lushington River;
The identity of the applicants and their legal status;
The failure of Ndlambe Municipality, who are party to the establishment of the BCMC and have representation on the committee, to inform it of this application;
How this application fits into the present land use zoning of the commonage as per the spatial development plan and the integrated development plan (IDP).
This is not the first time there have been attempts to start quarries in the commonage. There are several overgrown former quarries, covering almost 2 hectares. TOTT previously reported on a 2019 bid to start a sand mine and revive and existing stone quarry on the commonage.
The current mining application for stone aggregate and sand is lodged with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy on behalf of Bathurst Quarry (Pty) Ltd. In order to have their comments taken into account, members of the public must register as interested and affected parties (IAPs), who should then receive the Background Information Document (BID) and draft Basic Assessment Report (BAR). To do so, you should contact the Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) at Lwethuma Environmental Consultants, McDonald Mdluli, on 079 242 1312 and info@lwethuma.com.
According to the notice published on May 8, a public meeting will be held at 10am on May 20, 2025, at the Nolukhanyo Community Hall (Solomon Mahlangu Hall).
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 15, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
EYE ON THE PRIZE: Klipfontein United first team’s Denver Hitzeroth pushes towards the try line as a Booysens Park player does his best to stop him in a friendly match at Harmony Park in Klipfontein on Saturday May 3. Klipfontein won the game and the final score was 36-5. Picture: SUE MACLENNAN
Heartfelt home ground support, boosted by some bonus points, surely played a role in Klipfontein United’s 36-5 win over Booysens Pride last weekend. The Klipfontein side was 24-5 up at half time in the third fixture of the Adams Cup Round 1. They held off the more experienced Booysens Park, Gqeberha, side until 25 minutes into the second half when the referee halted the match.
The little village is getting a reputation for punching above its weight, having successfully hosted the high-profile match between the EP Elephants and the Border Bulldogs late last year. Saturday afternoon again proved that Klipfontein has what it takes to put on a show: the atmosphere at Harmony Park was festive and the autumn afternoon provided perfect conditions for the match against the 2024 regional league champions.
With both sides playing their hearts out, it was understandable but unfortunate that emotions would run high.
Viewed from behind during their half-time team talk, the black-and-yellow submarines (Booysens Pride) presented a formidable mass. The mostly younger Klipfontein side didn’t shy away from contact – but lean and mean, they mostly just outran the more experienced outfit.
The 2024 regional league champions were not taking the drubbing lying down and their coach, unable to contain himself, ended up on the wrong side of touch.
After several warnings from the referee, he was red-carded and instructed to leave the field. When that instruction was ignored, the referee ended the match only 25 minutes into the second half.
Reflecting on the match afterwards, assistant coach Luceon Galant avoided referring to the sanction.
“It was a very physical game and both sides played their hearts out,” Galant said. “It was a good game, a hard game, played the way it’s supposed to be played. We lost it due to physicality.
“Big ups to the boys: they travelled very far and they played their hearts out.
“It’s not over yet: these two teams will see each other again,” Galant said.
Klipfontein coach Sheldrid Cannon said they were very happy with the score.
“We scored five tries, so I’m very happy” Cannon said.
“This is a small community and a small group of players, but with heart, and all puling in the same direction.”
This weekend Klipfontein United will be in Schauderville to play St Mark’s.
“They are a good strong team who play Grand Challenge, so we’re looking forward to that. We’re up for it – we’re up for the fight,” Cannon said.
Ndlambe Rugby Federation chairperson Chris Gidana expressed disappointment at the way Saturday’s first-team match had ended.
“I think that behaviour was unprofessional,” Gidana said of the Booysens coach’s alleged interference. “People come to watch rugby and that gives the sport a bad name.”
The Ndlambe Rugby Federation’s pre-season under-21 trials were scheduled for Monday May 5 at Harmony Park in Klipfontein.
With seven regional league fixtures to go (the last is on June 21), next up for Booysens Pride are the Paterson Lions. This weekend, Klipfontein play an away match against Grand Challenge veterans St Mark’s.
If you’re looking for local SUNSED league matches to watch, you’ll have to wait until next weekend’s all-locals affair when Ndlambe Tigers play Kowie United in Port Alfred.
The next league up from the Adams Cup is the Grand Challenge, whose winners are in line for promotion to the Super 14.
MATCH STATS
Halftime score: 24-5
Fulltime score (15 minutes short of fulltime): 36-5
Tries (Kowie United): Dylan Graaff x2, Denver Hitzeroth, Junaid van Rensburg and Fabian van Rensburg.
Conversions: John Hutchinson x 4 Penalties: John Hutchinson x 1
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 8, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
GROWING THE GAME: Under-65 participants of the Ryder Cup played at The Royal Port Alfred last week get together for a group picture after winning the trophy this year having beaten their more experienced over-65 opponents. Picture: SUPPLIED
A unique golf tournament – The Ryder Cup – which pits two groups of avid women golfers against each other, has seen a younger beginners cohort come up trumps at the Royal Port Alfred Golf Club.
All indications are that the fourball betterBall stableford format that hits off every April between a group of over-65s and under- 65s at the RPAGC – and now in its fifth year – is growing in popularity. To qualify these group of golfers have to be members of the club and they must have handicaps.
Former RPAGC manager and ex president of Women’s Golf SA, Sally Greasly, who coordinates the tournament, says this year’s edition was throroughly entertaining and enjoyed by the group of 48 golfers.
“We have a group of beginners we call “bunnies” – and don’t ask me why we call them that – we started them off two years ago,” said Greasly. “For a fee they are allowed to participate in group coaching lessons and can play on the course during the week as long as they don’t interfere with play.
“Our beginners’ programme has been successful and as a result of that, we have found our under-65s group has grown to such an extent, that we had 48 golfers playing The Ryder Cup this year.”
The tournament in which two over-65s players are paired with two under-65s in the fourball betterball format, saw the younger group beating their more experienced opponents after scores were tallied. The women golfers added a splash of delightful colour to the Ryder Cup with the younger group kitted out in pink and the older in green.
“The under-65s won the tournament to great applause,” said Greasly. This initiative is a by-product of proving to ourselves and to all our members that working to develop talent pays off because we have ended being the strongest ladies section of all Eastern Cape golf clubs and have introduced new members to the game of golf.
“ Also younger people are moving in to Port Alfred. And for those wives who may not be working they can play golf while their children are at school. The game builds up a great camaraderie among the under-65s and over-65s being involved in a sport and enjoying themselves in the fresh air.
“After four years of the tournament, the two groups were ‘even stevens’ in terms of victories but in this year’s tournament the under-65s have actually overtaken the over-65s and are leading when you look at the total number of tournaments played.”
Greasly says though the two groups enjoy themselves the competition is “very competitive”.
“Especially our younger group’s captain is very determined so it’s quite competitive out there … the older group are more experienced and have been members a lot longer; so competition is keen and we look forward to it every year. This year’s tournament was great fun.”
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 8, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
TUG OF WAR: Klipfontein United’s Francois Gunn, left, tries to stop a Ndlambe Tigers forward in his tracks during their controversial Sedru regional league fixture at Station Hill fields in June last year. The match declared a draw after the game was called off 20 minutes before the end with Tigers leading 17-13, is central to a dispute that has resulted in Klipfontein United being promoted to the Adams Cup competition. Picture: MARK CARRELS
Kowie United Rugby Club say they may take up what they claim is their unfair omission from the 40-team Adams Cup Competition with mother body, SA Rugby Union.
They are also looking at other options following a public dispute about their exclusion.
Kowie United’s president, Norman Denston, whose team plays under the jurisdiction of the South Eastern Districts Sub Union (Sedru) claims the club should have been given the nod to play in the Adams Cup (North section) that kicked off two weeks ago, ahead of Klipfontein United.
Both teams compete in the Sedru regional league competition.
Kowie United say they ended up second on the log to Rosebuds and not Klipfontein United, and it is they (Kowie United) who should have received promotion to the Adams Cup Competition.
The saga that is casting a dark cloud over this section of the competition can be traced back to Station Hill fields in June last year when Klipfontein United’s league encounter against Ndlambe Tigers was called off in the second half, after a Ndlambe Municipality fire engine got stuck on the field that impeded play.
The incident followed a few days of heavy rain leaving the field muddied in parts. At the time of the incident, the fire engine was making its way onto the field to assist another emergency vehicle that got stuck on the sidelines.
The referee, Kurt Wentzel, called the match off as a result with about 20 minutes to go with Ndlambe Tigers leading 17-13. The EPRU independent appeals committee then declared the teams must share the points after Klipfontein lodged an appeal with Sedru against the 17-13 result having to stand as is.
“However, what happened was that Klipfontein incorrectly received three points instead of two after parties agreed to the findings,” claimed Denston. The bonus point Klipfontein received for being within seven points the time the match was called off, should have fallen away completely after the decision was made that the points be shared. It should just have been the two points not three.”
The end result of EPRU’s decision is that Klipfontein shaded Kowie United by a single point which proved crucial in terms of the final log standings at the end of the season. To further put the matter to bed, it was Klipfontein who received the runner-up tropy and prizes at the EPRU prize-giving function towards the end of last year.
“We have been consistent this season and we are calling on the EPRU to promote us to the Adams Cup,” said Denston. This is not fair and must be investigated properly. Someone at EPRU messed up with the final logs and this is not a fair reflection. EPRU must acknowledge their mistake and we will be taking up the matter with Saru,” said Denston.
Kowie supporters have joined the fray and voiced their outrage on social media. One post on FB read, “You are destroying rugby in our communities. How can the team below Kowie United get promoted?
Another commenter said “Please , this matter must be taken further … that is why young and talented players are getting frustrated; everything just goes on like there is nothing wrong.”
Klipfontein Secretary Helgard Fischat said the club was not prepared to get in to a slanging match on social media. “We won’t comment,” said Fischat. “Except to say that we are playing under the Sedru banner and they sent the final log positions to EPRU after the season ended, which showed us (Klipfontein) in second place. At the EPRU prize-giving we received the runner up prize.”
“It’s funny that Kowie United had accepted the result of the appeals committee that suggested the points be shared, some time ago already. Now that the Adams Cup has been expanded now they are coming up with all kinds of criticism and highlighting the incident between us and Ndlambe Tigers.”
EPRU after receiving the final regional league log- standings from Sedru, decided to award runners-up trophy to Klipfontein United at their prize-giving ceremony last year.
“Also that log on social media that shows Rosebuds in first spot on 41 points and Kowie United in second on 40 and us Klipfontein supposedly in third (39) has been altered. It has been changed and it’s easy to do that in a Word document. So that’s not true,” said Fischat.
EPRU president George Malgas could not be reached for comment at the time of going to press.
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 8, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
BEAN THERE DONE THAT: Port Alfred’s champion barista, Lungisa Vena, addresses Probus members on what the process of brewing the perfect cup of coffee entails. Picture: MARK CARRELS
Champion barista, Lungisa Vena, who won a national coffee-brewing competition in 2024 had Probus members engrossed with his talk on everything coffee at their recent AGM at the Port Alfred River & Ski boat club.
The effervescent and confident barista who whips up an endless stream of everyone’s favourite cup of coffee at Bean Tree Café at SuperSpar Rosehill Mall all-week, regards himelf as something of an expert on the origins of the product too.
Vena kicked off his barista career in 2016 in Cape Town before relocating to Port Alfred where he took up a barista position at the Bean Café in 2020. Following his second placing in a national barista competition in 2023, he managed to win the title in 2024.
“I am the best in barista in South Africa … not in Gqeberha or Port Alfred but the best in South Africa,” he said to laughter at the start of his talk.
“The original coffee comes from Ethiopia … coffee has its beginnings on this continent. Coffee is therapy; coffee is nice. The things we do is to heal people … when you are in a bad mood and you go to a coffee shop and buy your coffee we as baristas are able to calm you down with coffee.
He reminds the audience that he is not a “coffee-maker” but a “coffee specialist”.
“The thing I do is to change coffee in to art, I make art with coffee too. I design faces,” said Vena. I design works of art in the coffee. If you have a birthday for example, I make your day better.”
Vena says once Ethiopia started the coffee trend, Brazil took over the markets.
“Brazil is the highest producer of coffee in the world’. There are two types of beans. They are robusta and arabica. Robusta sells more than Arabica and even Vietnam is producing it. As time went by, many other countries started growing coffee.”
Vena says the first coffee shop was opened in Oxford in 1652.
“And my ambition is to one day have my own coffee shop. Because coffee is my thing and I love it. That’s why I make nice coffee because I am doing it with love.
“Coffee is actually a type of cherry and roasting coffee is actually is a long process.”
Taking questions from the floor, he explained why coffee was so expensive.
“It’s because it’s labour intensive and a lot of processing goes in to it and requires transport costs. The No 1 coffee today is Lavazza .. . it’s from Italy so it takes time to get to SA shores; if we grow our coffee in SA it won’t be expensive … there is actually a guy from Hamburg who owns a coffee shop at Stenden – he grows his own coffee.
“That coffee – it’s the best because it’s fresh. This brand in Hamburg contains oils as an ingredient … it makes it richer and stronger. We as a country must invest more in coffee. Coffee makes money and coffee is a big thing.”
“So he started a coffee business after he went from barista to developing the art of roasting … he went from barista to roasting beans. He bought his own coffee machine and decided to roast the coffee and made his money from there.
“But it’s not about the coffee; it’s about the person who makes the coffee,,” he said.
When asked about climatic conditions to cultivate the coffee bean, Lungisa said: “Coffee is grown in two tropics – both of those beans (robusta and Arabica) need different climates”.
Lungisa says in some areas of the world the robusta bean can’t be grown. “For some varieties you’ll need a damp, moist climate and for others a dry climate.” Some beans need the sun and others the rain. With robusta for example coffee growers roast them in the sun for weeks before they are packed in to bags.”
Another question from the floor: “What makes a good barista and what makes a bad barista?”
“It starts from where you grind your coffee. When they interview you at the big competitions they will ask you all the difficult questions: But you need to love what you are doing. Most of our customers notice when I’m not in the best of moods. You can be the best barista, but it you don’t give good service, you’ll be bad for any company and for business. You need to know your story need to master the skills of coffee-making and know all procedures to become the best.”
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 8, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
AFRICAN EXCELLENCE: Port Alfred swimmer Will Beatt won bronze in the 200-metre individual medley at the 16th Africa Aquatics Junior Swimming and Open Water Swimming Championships 2025 in Cairo, Egypt.
When Joshua Esterhuysen touched the wall to clinch South Africa’s win in the final event of the continental swimming championships some time last Saturday night, the 4 x 100m Medley Relay, the national squad couldn’t contain themselves.
“We jumped over the fence and ran to the pool to help the guys out of the water,” said Port Alfred swimmer Will Beatt.
Watching their team win by a fraction of a second was also Will’s best moment in a week of exciting but exhausting competition at the 16th Africa Aquatics Junior Swimming and Open Water Swimming Championships 2025 in Cairo, Egypt. It took Helgaard Muller, Zaine Niemand, Tai Pearson and Joshua Esterhuysen 3:45:05 to complete the final thriller at the Cairo Stadium Swimming Pool. Egypt, who dominated the men’s competition over the four days from April 30 to May 3, were less than a second behind at 3:45:98.
Three days into the 16th Africa Aquatics Junior Swimming and Open Water Swimming Championships 2025 in Cairo, Egypt, Port Alfred teen Will Beatt had earned two medals: silver in the men’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay and bronze for third place in the 200-metre individual medley. By the end of the championships he’d added to that tally silver in the men’s 4 x 200 freestyle relay.
The South African 4 x 100 relay team of Tai Pearson, Will Beatt, Joshua Esterhuysen and Eric Kotze finished in 3:28:39, about two seconds behind winners Egypt (3:26:91). Will’s time for the 200-metre individual medley (4 x 50m) was 2:08:17. First was Namibia’s Oliver Durand (2:04:51) and second Egypt’s Mohamed Ahmed (2:06:19).
The men’s 4 x 200 freestyle relay saw almost exactly the same difference in the finish, with the South Africans’s Tai Pearson touching the wall just over two seconds behind the Egyptians. Swimming third in the 4 x 100 relay was really intense.
“It was incredible to see Joshua [Esterhuysen] maintaining the pace. Seeing my teammate so close to their number 2 really motivated me to the best possible,” said Will who put everything into his third leg of the relay.
Will said he was a little disappointed in his performance, but a fellow swimmer had explained it to him well.
“Usually you’re swimming for yourself or your club: it’s a qualifying time or a training goal you are chasing. But when you’re swimming for your country it’s not about yourself, your time, or a medal: you’re swimming to make South Africa look as good as possible. It’s a whole different kind of pressure.”
The 16th Africa Aquatics Junior Swimming and Open Water Swimming Championships 2025 is hosted by the Egyptian Swimming Federation and takes place at the Cairo Stadium Swimming Pool Complex from April 30 to May 4. Because it’s a junior championship, Will, who recently turned 17, is competing against swimmers older and a little younger than himself (15-18). Will, whose team is PE Aquatics was selected to compete in the 200m and 400m individual medley events, as well as various relays.
Talk of the Town published an article last month explaining that Will needed R40 000 to cover his travel and accommodation costs in Egypt.
“I’m very grateful for the support I got that made it possible for me to go,” said Will.
On Friday night Will and teammates Adrian Van Wyk, Matthew Goller and Tai Pearson were second in the 4 x 200m freestyle relay final. The Egypt team won in 7:37:18; South Africa were about two seconds behind in 7:39:67.
Will made the final of the the 400m individual medley and narrowly missed a podium spot, coming fourth in 4:37:75 – just over three seconds behind fellow South African, 15-year-old Matthew Goller. Namibia’s Oliver Durand won the event in 4:26:00.
Thirty two countries were represented at the continental championships and swimmers from 15 of those were staying at the same hotel as the South Africans.
“It was really nice learning about other cultures,” said Will, who was out of the country for the first time. “We all mingled a lot, especially towards the end of the competition.”
South Africans set several new Africa Aquatics Junior National Records over the four days.
South Africa and Egypt finished as the top two teams at the 16th Africa Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships – South Africa with 25 Gold, 17 Silver and 10 Bronze (Total: 52); Egypt with 10 Gold, 19 Silver and 14 Bronze (Total: 43).
The South African athletes arrived back on South African soil at 7am Monday and Talk of the Town spoke to Will late on Tuesday morning (after he’d had his first sleep-in in weeks!).
It was good to be back, he said after a very long week of travelling and competing. Which was more tiring?
“Definitely the travelling!” said Will, for whom it was his first trip outside South Africa.
Does Will see himself doing more on the international stage?
“That’s the plan,” said Will. “As far as selection goes, that’s out of my hands. My job is to train, to make sure I’m in the running.”
Will’s next big event is the national short course shampionships (date yet to be confirmed) and – hopefully – the Junior world championships in Romania from 19-24 August.
“I’m just off qualifying time for that, but there’s still a possibility.”
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 8, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
In the first three months of 2025, five provinces in South Africa lost 103 rhinos due to poaching, averaging at 34.33 rhinos per month.
“The loss of 103 rhinos to poaching in the first three months of 2025 is a stark reminder of the relentless threat to our wildlife. Yet, the absence of poaching in four provinces shows that our targeted interventions are yielding results, and we must build on this progress,” Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, said on Monday.
The latest statistics for the period 1 January to 31 March 2025 are closely aligned with the average monthly poaching rate of 35 rhinos over the previous 12 months (420 rhinos annually).
The Minister said the figures underscore the sustained pressure on the rhino populations and the urgent need for intensified efforts to combat this illegal activity.
The breakdown of poaching incidents by province reveals that South African National Parks (SANParks) recorded the highest number of losses, with 65 rhinos poached.
KwaZulu-Natal reported 16 cases, followed by Limpopo with 10, Free State with five, the North West with four, and Mpumalanga with three. No rhinos were poached in the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Western Cape, or Gauteng during this period.
To strengthen efforts against wildlife crime, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has taken proactive measures to address factors related to bail applications for perpetrators.
“We are working closely with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) to ensure that repeat offenders and those with no fixed address face stronger opposition to bail,” George said.
The department shares best-practice affidavits with investigators to ensure more effective bail opposition and is exploring options to secure funding for dedicated support to SAPS in these applications.
“The South African government remains steadfast in its commitment to combating wildlife crime. We continue to strengthen anti-poaching measures, including enhanced ranger patrols, advanced surveillance technologies, and collaboration with national and international law enforcement agencies.
“We are also working closely with various stakeholders to bolster anti-poaching efforts through the deployment of cutting-edge technologies such as drones and thermal radars. Additionally, we are engaging with communities living near protected areas to foster sustainable livelihoods and reduce the socioeconomic drivers of poaching,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 8, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
AMBUSHED: The notice on a gate at the Bathurst Commonage about an application for mining there. Picture: SUPPLIED
PIET MARAIS
Scarcely a year after the Bathurst Commonage Management Committee (BCMC) was formed as a milestone of collaboration, they are met with their first major challenge: a move to establish a quarry about the size of 10 football fields in the unique 3000ha natural resource at the heart of the small rural community.
A notice posted on a gate of South Africa’s largest municipal commonage and dated May 2, 2025 informs passers by of an application to mine stone aggregate and sand in two areas of the commonage about the size of 10 football fields. Sand and stone is mined for use in construction projects, including roads The company that has lodged its application with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy is Bathurst Quarry (Pty) Ltd, with its listed address in Koti Street, Nolukhanyo.
Mining operations require environmental authorisation and the notice headed ‘Notice of application for mining permit and environmental authorisation’ was issued by Lwethuma Environmental Consultants and dated May 2, 2025. The notice invites members of the public to register with McDonald Mdluli, the Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) at Lwethuma Environmental Consultants as interested and affected parties in order to receive the Background Information Document (BID) and draft basic assessment report (BAR). The notice advertises a public meeting to be held at 10am on May 20, 2025 in the Nolukhanyo Community Hall. Mdluli’s contact details for more information or registration are shared on the notice: 079 242 1312, or info@lwethuma.com.
The Bathurst Commonage’s unique nature and the value it offers to the communities who use it have been the subject of extensive studies and community discussions in recent years. Encouraging engagement between community stakeholders, municipal officials and experts in this regard have been the Bathurst Residents and Ratepayers Association (BRRA).
For example, on their website, brra.org.za is a link to a report from a Rhodes University Environmental Science third-year student research project on the commonage. It was conducted in collaboration with residents of Bathurst and Nolukhanyo in 2023. The study found that uses of the 3000-plus hectare land included horse riding, off-road driving, camping, picnics, hiking, mountain biking, dog walking, ancestral and spiritual ceremonies, lodge sites for ulwaluko (initiation), hunting, grazing livestock, collecting firewood, collecting medicinal herbs, fishing, collecting honey and collecting water.
A section on the BRRA website brra.org.za devoted to ‘Our Commonage’ states that “The Commonage is a vital resource to the people of Bathurst and a balanced and sustainable manner of effective utilization must be found so that all residents may benefit.”
An important step in agreeing on what that meant and how to realise that goal was the establishment about a year ago of a commonage management committee. BRRA assisted in its establishment.
A September 2023 presentation published on the BRRA website noted that in Ndlambe Municipality, management of the commonage fell under local economic development and that the municipality should publish a commonage management plan as part of its spatial development plan.
The Bathurst Commonage Management Committee has expressed concern about the manner in which the Bathurst and Nolukhanyo communities found out about the proposed mining..
The committee’s deputy chairperson Monty Roodt said, “Whilst we as a committee are in favour of utilising the Bathurst Commonage as an economic resource to provide income for unemployed residents, any development must preserve and promote the environmental integrity of the Albany thicket and the existing grazing. Our lead projects, namely livestock farming and eco-tourism, demand this.
“So this raises the fundamental question: who was consulted for the initial stages of this application, and why does the Bathurst Commonage Management Committee, which has been in existence for almost a year, have to find out about it from a small poster stuck on the commonage fence?
“We welcome the opportunity to make constructive input at the community meeting on May 20 and encourage all residents to attend.”
The committee intended to register as an interested and affected party and would contact the environmental assessment practitioner to obtain copies of the relevant documents.
McDonald Mdluli, the Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) at Lwethuma Environmental Consultants, told Talk of the Town that he would try and answer questions arising from the notice as soon as possible. Questions included who had been informed about the application. By the time of going to press, he hadn’t yet responded.
TOTT previously reported on a bid to start a sand mine and revive and existing stone quarry on the commonage in 2019. Read that article here: https://bit.ly/TOTTMining_4
Here are some sources members of the public may find useful to inform themselves about the steps involved in applying for a mining licence and obtaining environmental authorisation.
Centre for Environmental RIghts: ‘Mining and your community – know your environmental rights’: https://bit.ly/TOTTMining_3
Additional reporting by Sue Maclennan
This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 8, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
Port Alfred Detectives are investigating an Inquest after the body of a 25-year-old man was discovered in the Kowie River in Port Alfred around 9am this morning, Sunday May 4.
South African Police Service spokesperson Captain Marius McCarthy said the police were informed this morning that there was a body floating in the river.
“With the assistance of the National Sea Rescue Institute, they managed to retrieve the body. The person was declared dead on the scene by EMS,” McCarthy said.
Statement by the Press Council of South Africa on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, May 3 2025
As the world observes World Press Freedom Day, the Press Council of South Africa (PCSA) underscores the enduring significance of a free and independent media in a rapidly evolving digital age.
We stand in solidarity with journalists and media practitioners worldwide, recognising their indispensable role in safeguarding democracy and informing the public.
This year’s UNESCO theme, ‘Reporting in a Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom’, resonates deeply with the PCSA’s commitment to fostering ethical and responsible journalism in South Africa.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents both extraordinary opportunities and significant challenges for the news media landscape, and this year’s theme compels us to inspect closely its transformative potential and its capacity to erode information integrity and fuel unprecedented levels of information disorders.
The PCSA firmly believes that the core tenets of ethical journalism – accuracy, fairness, impartiality and accountability – are more critical than ever in navigating this ‘brave new world’.
Crucially, as AI becomes increasingly integrated into news production and consumption, adherence to these principles is paramount to preserving public trust and combating growing threats.
The Council recognises the urgent need for news media organisations and journalists to proactively engage with the ethical implications of AI.
The PCSA’s Executive Director, Phathiswa Magopeni, says, ‘This includes transparency in the use of AI in news generation, and ensuring that audiences can distinguish between human-authored and AI-assisted content’.
‘It is also about accountability by establishing clear lines of responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of AI-generated information, mitigation of bias by actively identifying and addressing potential biases embedded within AI algorithms to ensure fair and representative reporting, and human oversight to ensure rigorous verification, editorial control over critical journalistics decisions and ensuring that AI serves as a tool to enhance but not replace human judgment in news processing.’
The PCSA remains steadfast in its mission to promote and uphold the highest ethical standards in South African journalism and to strengthen media accountability.
Through its outreach programmes, it fosters adherence to its Code of Ethics and Conduct and its FAIR principles of Factual, Accountable, Independent, and Responsible journalism and media oversight.
The PCSA’s Deputy Chairperson, Amina Frense, says, ‘We reaffirm our commitment to supporting a vibrant and ethical media ecosystem, one that embraces innovation responsibly and remains a reliable source of credible information for all citizens in the face of an evolving technological landscape’.
‘The integrity of our information environment, and indeed our democracy, depends on it.’
The Council urges journalists, editors, publishers, policymakers, and technology developers to recognise the gravity of this moment and collectively champion ethical journalism, a just development and deployment of AI technologies, and mechanisms to promote and preserve digital rights, human dignity and inclusion in the usage of AI tools as the bedrock of a healthy news and information ecosystem.
‘The robustness of our media freedom, the integrity of our public discourse, the strength of our democracy, and public trust depend on our unwavering commitment to these principles in the face of the AI revolution,’ says Magopeni.
The Executive Director will represent the PCSA at UNESCO’s World Press Freedom Day Global event in Brussels, Belgium, this week, speaking on AI, information integrity and media ethics.
About the Press Council of South Africa:
The Press Council of South Africa is an independent co-regulatory body established to promote and maintain the highest ethical and professional standards in South African media. It adjudicates complaints from the public about the content of media entities that subscribe to its Code of Ethics and Conduct.
Talk of the Town through Arena Holdings is a subscriber member of the Press Council of South Africa and is committed to adhering to the Press Code.
Three people were murdered in Nemato, Port Alfred, last night in two separate shooting incidents.
South African Police Service spokesperson Captain Marius McCarthy said police arrived at a Nemato house around 8.50pm on Thursday May 1 to find two people lying on the floor in a pool of blood.
“It is alleged that two suspects carrying firearms had entered the house looking for one of the deceased,” McCarthy said. “Multiple shots were fired that fatally wounded the man they were looking for and a 43-year-old man who was also inside the house. The suspects fired more shots as they fled the scene.”
The two men were declared dead on the scene by Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
“Investigation into a double murder case that was opened is ongoing,” McCarthy said.
Fifteen minutes later, five suspects entered a spaza shop in Joe Slovo Road, Nemato, pretending to be customers.
“When inside the shop the suspects demanded money and pointed firearms at a 25 year old male staff member who was assaulted and shot multiple times. It is further alleged that a 22 year old male staff member tried to run out of the shop when shots were fired at him that hit him in his head.”
The suspects had fled the scene with a Kasango machine (used for purchasing electricity), a shop to shop machine (used for airtime), a Samsung A13 cell-phone and an undisclosed sum of cash.
Residents in the area spoke of their terror as they hear gunshots and shouting, and then horror as they realised someone had been killed.
“It was terrible. We just heard these shots, and we were terrified,” said one.
Anyone who may have information regarding the murders is requested to contact Lt/Col Mhlauli on 082 374 1082 or Crime Stop on 08600 1011 or the nearest police station. Anonymous tip-offs can also be communicated via our MYSAPS App. All information will be treated as confidential and callers may remain anonymous.
