Saturday, February 27, 2010

Issue 158

Issue 158 of The Prince Albert Friend is now available as a PDF download.
Download Issue 158 - February 2010 (13.3 MB)
(Right click on link and select "Save As" to store it on your computer)

Uitgawe 158 van die Prince Albert Vriend is nou beskikbaar as 'n PDF.
Laai Uitgawe 158 - Februarie 2010 (13.3 MB) af
(Regs klik op skakel en kies "Save As" om dit op jou rekenaar te stoor)

Wie is bang vir die Dood?


- Hennie Boshoff -

Elza Botha, better known as Dr Miles, art curator, historian, writer is also an artist, one of our finest print makers. Botha’s ground breaking exhibition at the Prince Albert Art Gallery in the Seven Arches building is one of the most exciting I have seen in South Africa, uses woodcut, the oldest form of printing. It is a journey into the past, to her (and my) roots, embedded in dark soil. Ouma and Oupa, bywoners, reading the Bible, the only book they read. [Boekevattyd].

It was a mistake to include her coloured multi media works in such a small space: I visited the exhibition several times, and always they seemed to compete with, distract from the woodcuts, the stark richness of dense black ink on white.

Her work, meticulously executed, is driven by mad passions: juxtaposing various [wo]manifestations of the anima: innocent girl, sensual woman, wise crone. In Karoo ontmoeting, self portraits of the artist are shadowed by the Owl, bird of the Night.

Elza B: Dit gaan natuurlik alles oor die dans met die Dood.

Hennie B: Jou werk‘donker’: [Dit gedurende die donkerste ure van die nag wanneer jy kan droom – Genet]. Jou werk is ook ‘n glim/lag, ‘n Feesviering.

EB: skrik nie vir die donker nie, en ons is nou in Kali Yuga.

Hinduism cosmogony spans, not 6 days, but millions of years. This age, Kali Yuga, is one of destruction, immoral leaders, famine, earthquakes, torture, war. Chaos.

Botha shows that liberation comes when we lose the fear of our shadows, the night and its inhabitants - spoke, incubi, succubae, tokoloshes, when we acknowledge Death, not as a fiend, but as a lover.

At the start of spring, the followers of the three monotheistic religions transfer their sins onto a goat [and in one instance, a man, the Lamb of God], which is slaughtered and offered to the Supreme Being. This rite isn’t performed only at Easter, but daily: the tribe alienates, marginalises and attempts to destroy the individual, the scapegoat [sondebok]. The tribe feels [temporarily] cleansed, pure, united.

The Balke series refers to the opskop – barn dance – of our youth, our age of innocence. A goat, the pagan horned god, the shadow of God, is crucified. Other creatures - human and animal merge into one - are joyfully participating in a danse macabre.

This exhibition is a journey into the future.

Liewe Elza : Kali Yuga: Ons is binne die ekologiese Armageddon. Ek sien geen hoop nie. wat ons kan doen, is om te lag en te dans, selfs in die vlamme: Afrikaners is plesierig.... [The title of another work, named after the traditional folksong.]

I explain the context to British-born Rossetta: Volkspele at school, the only time when [supervised] the genders could meet. I was too shy to ask a girl to dance. But no longer. I teach Rossetta: Afrikaners is plesierig, hulle hou van partytjies en dan maak hulle so. We bow. She turns, I turn. And we whirl around and around under the Karoo sky.

Briewe / Letters

Tortoise sets the record straight

Give the Poor Tortoise a Drink!” (in the Friend of January 2010) were the words that started what I ashamedly recall as “The night I nearly drowned in my sorrows.” To put the record straight this is what actually happened.

It was the last Friday of the month and a slow stroll down from the koppie to meet my regular pals – the Bergies, as we bergskilpaaie are fondly known – at our usual watering hole. Much later that evening (or possibly early the next morning) on my way home, I paused for a much-needed drink of water (as those of you who know, know) from the handy leiwatersloot in Nuwestraat. I unfortunately had a dizzy spell and toppled – maybe tippled – over and came to rest upside down delicately balanced on a rock in the canal with the water gently flowing just under my shell.

With my left front foot braced against the wall to stop the spinning, I pondered the wonders of the Universe and fell asleep watching Orion and the Pleiades swirling about overhead.

Wakening to a sudden jolt early (or late) the next morning, I was rescued from my precarious position by the kind Mr Canning who offered to assist me back home to Gordon's Koppie.

Now, (as those of you who know, know) having spent the night upside down in a leak proof shell with the soft sounds of gurgling water in the background, I had a desperate need to relieve myself and promptly did so, unfortunately on my benefactor's pants.

I'd like to thank him for his act of charity – certainly not misguided, and I definitely don't want to hear those dreaded words “Give the poor tortoise a drink” ever again. (unless of course it's the next end-of the-month Friday.)

Gordie the Tortoise

P.S. Please do give us poor tortoises a drink of water, especially the morning after!

Hoekom anoniem?

Ek was nog nooit ‘n voorstander daarvan om anoniem te bly as jy ‘n standpunt wil stel of kritiek wil lewer nie – Prince Albert Vriend, Januarie 2010. As jy seker is van jou feite en klagtes, is daar mos geen rede om nie jou identiteit bekend te maak nie.

Ek is nie bekend met mnr McKnight of die skool se omstandighede nie. Ek wil net vir Anoniem inlig dat die enigste manier waarop jy enige besigheid of instansie kan bestuur, is om dit te hanteer asof dit aan jou behoort. Alleenlik dan sal jy die besigheidsinstansie met die nodige verantwoordelikheid na die beste van jou vermoë kan bestuur.

Dit is dus glad nie die uitsonderlik dat mnr McKnight na die skool verwys as sy skool nie.

Sterkte vir albei partye.

Lena van Eck

Vals telbord!

Die “verdigsels” en “los praatjies” in “Kyk na die telbord” (Januarie 2010) word hiermee met die waarheid toegelig: Ek haal aan en reageer as volg:

“sake word openlik bespreek met almal se insae” Ons het insae; maar ons insette word grootliks geïgnoreer. Met die skool reeds vier weke aan die gang, word die eerste leierspan vergadering geskeduleer vir 10 Februarie, wat beteken hulle het geen insette gelewer tot dan nie.

Die gehaltebestuurstelsel van die skool word gebasseer op nege fokusareas wat geëvalueer word. Die uitslae van die evaluering moet in die beplanning vir 2010 gebruik word om die swakste areas te verbeter. Die areas is nie bespreek nie, en ons kon dus nie planne help maak en insette lewer oor die hantering van die skool nie.

“sogenaamde onbekwaamhede” is aan die orde van die dag: ‘n enkele voorbeeld: met die jaarendafsluiting tydens saalbyeenkoms is twee personeellede wat ons skool verlaat het, nie bedank of enigsins gemeld nie. Is dit bekwaamhede?

Die matriekslaagsyfer van 100% word nie aan die goeie bestuur van die skool gemeet nie, maar wel aan die toegewyde en harde werk van onderwysers.

“dit kon gedoen word met die handha-wing van goeie verhoudings met die WKOD-area kantoor te Beaufort-Wes.” Personeeltoekenning vanaf die WKOD word aan hand van ‘n ingewikkelde formule gedoen, die getal ingeskrewe leer-ders in die skool, die vakke wat die skool aanbied, en die armoede faktor van die gemeenskap, word in berekening gebring en het niks te doen met die goeie betrekking met die areakantoor nie. Beteken dit dat kontrakposte nie toegeken gaan word aan skole wat nie “goeie verhoudinge” handhaaf met die areakantoor nie?


“geweldig trots op hierdie skool” Sluit dit die kinders en onderwysers in? Inteendeel, die kinders in die skool word langs ‘n krieketveld uitgekryt vir slapgatte en dogters word uit die kantoor uitgejaag met kru taalgebruik, ‘n bus vol skoolkinders word met slegs ‘n onderwyseres alleen gelaat om vanaf Kareedouw tot Prince Albert te reis in die middel van die nag?

“het na ‘n lang personeelsessie, as groep, besluite geneem oor die hantering van die skool in 2010”
Onwaar: Personeellede is nie almal ingedeel in areas van hul sterkte en belangstelling nie. Werksverdeling is grootliks gedoen volgens die skoolhoof se oordeel.

Tydens die personeelontwikkelingsessie, wat die skoolhoof beplan het en waarin die leierspan geen insae of insette gehad het nie, word gesê “dat die personeel aangetoon het dat hulle reken HZ ‘n goeie skool is wat geborgenheid aan sy leerders bied.” Dit is nie die waarheid nie, want die personeel se opinies word nie vervat in die kommentaar nie.

Geen “vendettas” word gehandhaaf nie. Elke mens is verantwoordelik vir sy eie keuses. Al wat ons wil hê is dat die skool optimaal bestuur word tot voordeel van elke kind, ouer en leerkrag en dat almal menswaardig behandel word.

Die groot probleem blyk hier dieonvermoë en/of onbetrokkenheid van die WKOD te wees. Die kanale wat gevolg moes word is gevolg, sonder enige resultate.kringbestuur van hierdie area het in 2009 onderneem om elke 14 dae terug te keer na die personeelaandag te gee aanen/of vordering in HZ. Daar het niks van gekom nie. Besoeke is wel aan die skoolhoof gebring. Hy het kans gehad om sy sake te stel.personeel en hul geldige bekommernisseegter nie aangehoor nie. Briefwisseling ens. word summier afgemaak as ongeldig en/of nie ernstig. Daar kort daadwerklike ondersoeke deur 'n volledige ondersoekspan vanaf die WKOD sodat die waarheid aangehoor kan word.

Personeellid, Hoërskool Zwartberg

(Die skrywer se identiteit is aan die Vriend bekend)

Apartheid by any other name…

Recently, someone told me she understood most people living in Prince Albert were retired. No, I replied: work in the serving capacity for whites, or are unemployed.

Mary Page complains that the street children (who, according to her irresponsible and mischievous sources, don’t exist) are ‘preying on unsuspecting visitors’, tarnishing the ‘image’ of this ‘glorious, friendly little Karoo town.’ Image, rooted in a quixotic truth or a lie is a mirage. Spin, so prevalent in the noughties is dead. Ms Page wants to and can afford to dip into the pool, eat out for lunches and dinners (but refuses money for ‘n klein broodjie.); to relax: oblivious to gin traps, poisons and other ugly aspects of this beautiful region.

Prince Albert boasts of its gasvryheid. On my travels I found that generous cultures, like the Arabs and West Africans don’t crow about it. To define hospitality as lavishing much attention (often too much!) on you if you pay to eat/sleep in my establishment is nonsense. Generosity, the 11th century Sufi mystic El Bakr said, is when you give me more than you have.

She cries out for ‘urgent attention’: a return to the ‘good old days’. Forcibly removing street children, and others?

We take our guests on tours, starting in South End, complete with faux Victoriana. I know the town was, oddly, named after the consort of a particularly unpleasant monarch of an era that imprisoned Oscar Wilde, waged opium wars, and here, burned homesteads, blew up bridges, exiled my liewe Oom Paul, incarcerated women and children, including my grandmother in camps. A tradition to celebrate and be proud of?

Letter space is limited: I won’t start on my own mense. It is, in any case, well documented. The scars are evident, everywhere.

We complete our tours in North End. Ms Page felt ‘uncomfortable’ about a boy following them. dismal reality of the lives of ‘the community’ as the residents of the darker side of this dorpie are sometimes disrespectfully referred to, will make her more so. Like it or not, this is part of Prince Albert, where some people, young and old, cannot afford a basic meal, let alone apple pie and cappuccino. Jean-Baptiste Karr said "plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose”. this means, apartheid bly hier, maar ons noem dit nie meer so nie.

Hennie Boshoff


Nou tyd om ons skool te red

Ek wil graag die onderwysers van Hoërskool Zwartberg se kant baie duidelik stel. Geen persoonlike vendettas of verdigsels – soos deur die skoolhoof beweer word (Januarie 2010) - is hier ter sprake nie. Slegs die soeke na die waarheid. Dit gaan oor die groter prentjie en nie oor ‘n “telbord” nie. Ons is opvoeders en hier om ‘n opvoeding aan leerders te gee na die beste van ons vermoëns.

Die gemeenskap moet glad nie onder ‘n illusie verkeer nie. Die skoolhoof maak soos hy wil, sê wat hy wil en steur hom uiteindelik aan niemand nie. Hy beweer hy gee almal ‘n gelyke kans om hul saak te stel, maar wanneer jy hom aanvat oor ‘n spesifieke saak, val hy jou aggressief en aanvallend in die rede en weier dat jy klaar praat sonder dat jy jou hele saak gestel het. Daarna roep hy jou (soms sommer tydens klastyd) alleen eenkant toe en trap jou uit omdat jy dit durf wag om hom teë te gaan en so ‘n “uitbarsting” in die personeelkamer te waag. Waar is elkeen se gelyke kans nou?

Onderwysers word ingeroep en deur mnr. McKnight oor die kole gehaal omdat hul hom nie as “meneer” aanspreek nie. Verdien mens nie respek nie?

Die dissipline van die skool is voortdurend ‘n onderwerp van kommer. Onderwysers pas die skoolreëls toe – en dan word dit in die kantoor na goeddunke afgemaak as nietighede. Onderwysers se hande word afgekap en nie gesterk in die toepassing van die skoolreëls nie. Leerders word rondgeruk aan hemde en tasse. Sommiges word selfs gevloek - en dis iets wat tot op hede glad nie in ons skool gebeur het nie. Hierdie dinge gebeur deesdae op ‘n daaglikse basis. Wil ek dan my kind in hierdie skool sit of hou?

Mnr. McKnight beweer hy is nie verantwoordelik vir die finansies van die skool nie, maar hy gee in 2009 geld sonder die toestemming van die finansiële komitee uit – soms op dinge wat nie in die begro-ting inpas nie. Hoekom moet al die ander mense dan moeite doen om hard te werk om geld in te samel – selfs met uiesaad boer – om die skool se boeke te laat klop? Lê die verantwoordelikheid van die finansies dan nie by ‘n ieder en elk nie?

Verskeie onderwysers en werkers word afgeboek weens stres. Weereens ly die onderrigproses daaronder aangesien ons klein dorpie nie genoeg bekwame plaasvervangers kan oplewer nie. Toegewyde, geïnspireerde onderwysers word voortdurend gedemoriliseer en negatief ge-stem. Wil enigiemand dan in so ‘n omgewing werk?

Daar is al verskeie skrywes aan ons streekskantoor gestuur om die ongerymdhede en ongelukkighede aan te meld. Resultate was tot op hede nog glad nie tot voordeel van die opvoedings-proses nie.

Mnr. Paddy Atwell, soos berig word (Januarie 2010), is tevrede met Zwartberg se vordering en so ook die koshuis. Daar was al verskeie geleenthede waar die skoolhoof as koshuisvader inwoners onregverdig behandel het. So byvoorbeeld het hy onaangekondig in dogters se kamer ingestorm (waar hul besig was om aan te trek) asook in die badkamer waar ander dogters besig was om hulself te verklee om te stort. Hulle is gevloek en uitgeskel. Wil ons ons dogters hieraan blootstel?

Deesdae word daar van diensdoenende personeel verwag om deur die week en naweke in te slaap sodat hulle 24-uur van die dag op diens is. So ‘n stelsel het nog nooit bestaan nie. Wat is die verantwoordelikhede van die koshuisvader dan nou en watter voorbeeld word aan ons kinders gestel?

Op die sogenaamde “personeel-ontwikkelingsessie” het een onderwyser opgemerk dat dit slegs aan die genade van die Here te danke is dat ons skool in 2009 staande gebly het. Die feit dat ons ‘n 100% slaagsyfer in Graad 12 aan die einde van 2009 gehad het, is slegs te danke aan ‘n ge-oliede sisteem wat outomaties gehardloop het. Uiters toegewyde en bekwame Graad 12-onderwysers wat nie hul einddoel voor oë verloor het nie – te midde van die daaglikse stryd en deurmekaarspul.

Dit raak nou tyd vir die skoolgemeenskap om te sê: ons is nou moeg om misbruik te word en gaan nou opstaan en terugveg om ons skool en gemeenskap te red sodat ons kinders ‘n gebalanseerde opvoeding in ‘n gebalanseerde omgewing kan ontvang – ten bate van ons kinders, gemeenskap en dorp.

Baie dankie vir die geleentheid om die waarheid aan die lig te bring.

Anonieme, eerlike onderwyser
aan Hoërskool Zwartberg

(Die skrywer se identiteit is aan die Vriend bekend.)

Not So Proudly Prince Albert

I am a social pensioner and recently my status as to whether I was still eligible to receive a pension was reassessed by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). I needed to complete application forms and had to submit a myriad supporting documents and affidavits.

The whole process was an education for me: I discovered that there are government officials who do care and do work hard and go out of their way to be “public servants” and, sadly, for the first time, an unpleasant incident at the SASSA office made me not so proud to be a Prince Alberter.

I dreaded the thought of having to queue again for hours in the baking sun to return my application on the days that SASSA was in Prince Albert – I was informed in writing of the dates on which SASSA officials would be here. So, I was delighted when a SASSA official, Ms Boniswe Gam, came to my home to help me and a couple of friends complete our forms. This, after she had already spent most of the afternoon processing social grant applications for elderly and disabled residents at their homes throughout the town, as well as for patients at the hospital.

Ms Gam spent the evening helping us with our applications and took the time to explain how and why things worked. We then met her at the “house on the hill” near the Hospital the next morning, SASSA’s last day in Prince Albert so that her colleague, Felix Robertson, could put a final signature to all our pension applications.

Mr Robertson was just as kind and helpful and all went well, albeit slowly, until Ms Gam politely told the crowded waiting room that SASSA officials would not deal with any new social grant applications as it was their last day in Prince Albert. They would finalise all applications that had been handed in on day one, as SASSA had requested. She asked that all new applications be brought to SASSA early during their next visit to Prince Albert the following month.

Ms Gam was met by a tirade of insults and aggression that I have never experienced. Several people shouted personal abuse at her and became increasingly racist: “Jy’s net ‘n swart k***meid wat nie jou werk ken nie” was among the more polite attacks on her.

To her credit, Ms Gam did not lose her cool and eventually a security guard dispersed the people.

I am ashamed of what happened and hope that this will not deter Ms Gam from returning to our town and doing what she does best – going out of her way to help those who are less fortunate.

Renee Finn

Mary Page, get real!

Mary Page (January 2010) – there are hungry children all over South Africa and the rest of the world We’re not going to pretend they don’t exist in Prince Albert by drawing a veil over reality for the benefit of visitors who don’t wish to be confronted with unpalatable facts.

Prince Albert is a real town, with real people, some of whom are - much to our distress - hungry.

You, I am quite sure, manage to deal very effectively with little beggar-children of whom there are hundreds on the streets of Cape Town.
I’m sure you can cope with a handful of hungry kids here.

Elaine Hurford

A True Friend

The Prince Albert Friend is truly a friend!

Those of us who come and go from Prince Albert frequently, often feel ourselves ungrounded when we get back. My remedy is to lay my hands on the latest copy of the Friend and read it from cover-to-cover.

The variety of articles never ceases to amaze me, covering not only the past but also current and future events too. So, within a short space of time I am brought up-to-date and feel very much at home again.

A very big thank you to all the dedicated people who make the Friend happen.

Sonja Mckenna

Starry Splendour over Prince Albert

- Hans Daehne -

In March we will have the Autumn Equinox already on the 20th after which the nights will gradually get longer. In Autumn we are in the ideal situation that we can still enjoy the last of the Summer constellations in the early evening above Prince Albert to the north-west and already see some of the early winter constellations in the late evening in the north-east.

Make a last effort to look at the Orion Nebula with a pair of binoculars on some kind of support – it is really worth-while. The Orion Nebula (M42) is the fuzzy patch above the three belt stars and it can be regarded as a maternity ward of stars.

The dense gas cloud that you will see is illuminated by the bright, young stars it has borne and the hydrogen gas itself is only made visible to us that way. Can you imagine how much gas there must be so that one can actually see it?

Seen through a telescope the Orion Nebula looks alive and photos from the Hubble Space Telescope show a colourful display of gas and stars. It is difficult to grasp that our Sun wastefully converts 4,3 million tons of hydrogen gas into helium per second – no wonder it is so hot in Prince Albert.

The three red “stars” that can be seen in an obtuse triangle are from west to east Aldebaran, the red eye of Taurus, the red supergiant Betelgeuse in Orion and Mars.

Now at opposition Mars is the very bright red object in the otherwise inconspicuous constellation of the Crab. “At opposition” means that it is in “full Mars” position and thus at its brightest for us for the next two years.

Saturn makes its reappearance for 2010 in the constellation of Virgo and it will be at opposition on 22nd March with its rings still in the edge-on position. The imaginary line Mars – Regulus – Saturn – Spica is called the Ecliptic and is the orbit around the Sun where the planets and the Moon can be found. All the constellations of the Zodiac also lie on or close to the Ecliptic while Orion is a constellation on the Celestial Equator which is the other imaginary line in the sky straight from east to west. The celestial equator is the projection of earth’s equator extended skywards and runs approximately parallel to and close to Orion’s belt.

New Moon will be on the 15th and Full Moon on the 30th of March.

The brightest star (Sirius) is still up in Canis major and together with Procyon (Canis minor) and the red Betelgeuse it forms our Summer Triangle , an unilateral triangle with horizontal base (Betelgeuse – Sirius) and apex (Procyon) pointing down.

In summer we can also see the most beautiful open star clusters. In Taurus the Seven Sisters or Pleiades increase to 13 or 20 when viewed through a pair of binoculars. In Canis major not far from the bright Sirius is M41 and of course the Jewel Box close to Becrux must not be forgotten. If you really want to have lots of stars in your eyes look at the bright patches in the Milky Way to the right of the Southern Cross.

For any comment or celestial query feel free to contact Hans Daehne at:
072-641-9657 or at
daehne@telkomsa.net

Keep the stars in your eyes!

Brett the Vet - While the Sun Shines

There is great relief in the Karoo when February is over. The longest, hottest month of the dozen in our cycle takes no prisoners, or does it? Appropriate behaviour in the heat can be gleaned from free nature. Misguided people wish everyone they see a happy Valentine’s Day. Fires in the hearts of lovebirds; fires on parts of the mountain; no fires for the people of Klaarstroom where there is no more wood to collect from the usual places. Burning feet and faces, melting asphalt, frazzled veld, and ostriches dying in concentration camps en masse, from hyperthermia, because nobody can be bothered to provide shade.

Zero shade for ostriches is the policy. Hell’s mirage on a sizzling rocky patch of earth is abandoned at midday by those who can escape to the cool. People in the business laugh at the suggestion of providing shade for the magnificent flightless birds.

Some farmers even ensure there is no shade because the odd tree would attract too many shade seeking ostriches that may smother each other to death in the struggle to get out of the baking sun. Like the victims who swamped the limited lifeboats when the Titanic sank: a potential life saving feature is always in great attraction.

Confining people in the blazing sun is a well-documented form of torture. The effects on the body, and mind, are the same for ostriches. When body temperatures become abnormally high, the birds also start to show symptoms of heat illness – nausea, headache, dizziness, followed by hallucinations, delirium, convulsions, shock and cardio respiratory collapse; then coma and death.

Ostriches are very well adapted to hot dry conditions. They have loose feathers, ample bare skin, and are capable of gullar fluttering, a breathing technique used to cool down the body through evaporation. But even the toughest bird would move out of the direct sun as a natural survival instinct. Those that live through extreme heat are taken to the brink, dancing with death, regularly. Only the slaughterhouse provides the ultimate relief

So why bother with shade? It is simple really: Ostriches are sentient beings therefore they are capable of feeling pain and suffering. It is inhumane (and illegal) to impose cruelty on one and all on this scale. These wild animals crowded into tiny camps in large numbers, eating unnatural food are already stressed, which leads to health problems. Losses incurred through unnecessary deaths and poor weight gains associated with daily heat stress would cover the expense of shade cloth. In the meantime seeds from indigenous trees could be propagated to eventually plant out in all camps to make them more habitable.

Using animals for our pleasure should not be taken lightly. The shame of institutionalized cruelty to animals disturbs our society by encouraging aggression and reflecting the lack of love. I am advocating compassion in farming for the animals that often have to endure miserable lives. If one farmer can stand up and say that he or she genuinely cares for animals and demonstrates compassion through decisive action to alleviate routine suffering, hallelujah!

Die “Ou Tol” is Oop !

- Denise Ohlson -

Die Ou Tolhuis, geleë op die Swartbergpas, se deure is sedert Januarie oop as Bewaring/Inligtingsentrum van die HOPE Foundation - daar word ook koffie, tee en ligte etes in die “Berg Kombuys” berei.

Die HOPE Foundation, op Oudtshoorn gebaseer as gemeenskaps- en bewaringsorganisasie, het die “Ou Tol” hul basis gemaak en daar gaan verskeie inisiatiewe hier geloots word.

Die lede en borge van die Ou Tol hoop om hierdie Wêrelderfenisgebied en die grootliks onbenutte toerismegeleenthede wat in die Swartberg opgesluit lê, tot voordeel van die Groot en Klein Karoo te ontgin en in die proses sterk ekonomiese geleenthede vir omliggende dorpe, besighede en gemeenskappe te bied.

Sedert 2006 al fokus True South Travel (as ‘n plaaslik geakkrediteerde operateur) op die ontwikkeling van Eko-toerisme binne Cape Nature se bewaringsgebiede en reservate. Plaaslike spesialisgidse word gebruik.

True South Travel beplan om vanaf die Ou Tol begeleide toere na Gamkaskloof aan besoekers te bied, asook staproetes, 4x4 ekskursies en bergfietsritte. Die inrig van piekniekareas en braaigeriewe vir dagbesoekers word ook in die vooruitsig gestel.
Aangesien die omskepping van die Ou Tol met hoë koste gepaard gaan, word ‘n beroep op alle plaaslike inwoners, besighede en belangstellendes gemaak om betrokke te raak deur skenkings en bydraes te maak sodat die Ou Tol so spoedig moontlik ten volle op dreef kan kom.

Vir ‘n volledige uiteensetting van die dienste, toerusting, materiaal en meublement wat benodig word, kan belangstellendes HOPE foundation se webwerf by www.hopefoundation.co.za besoek.

Vir begeleide Eko toere binne die Swartberg en ander Cape Nature bewaringsgebiede, kontak True South Travel (0440700) of besoek hul webtuiste: www.truesouthtravel.co.za.

Museum News

What is the last thing you’d expect to come across in the middle of nowhere in the Karoo? Maybe a set of false teeth? In 2000 Fred Badenhorst found a set 30km from Prince Albert. The false teeth, it turned out, had belonged to Hansie Odendaal. He lost them on 17 February 1978 while in the air as a passenger with the flying doctor, Manie Coetzee. After 22 years in the open veld the teeth found a home in the medical display at the Fransie Pienaar Museum. You can see them in a glass display case surrounded by other inventions to make life more pleasant for human beings.

Having had a sleepless night caused by a dozen mozzie bites and still scratching, a white metal tube exhibited near Hansie Odendaal’s false teeth caught my eye. It has green and black writing on it half of which is gone but one can still read the words “repellent cream… Ypel trademark, an entirely new protective cream against flies, midgets, gnats, mosquitoes and other biting insects.” There is some stuff left in the tube and it made me wonder if mankind has - unbeknownst to me- found the ultimate itch-reliever. If you know of anything, please drop off the info at the museum. I’ll mention it in the Friend so that the entire community can benefit.

Museum Greetings!

Gunda Hardegen-Brunner

Help for Victims of Crime

- Barbara Castle-Farmer -

The Victim Support Programme (VSP) was started by Business Against Crime (BAC) in 1997, and remains one of its flagship projects. Over the years strong, sustained relationships have been built with the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Department of Community Safety and Nicro regarding the provision of standardised training, mentoring and monitoring of victims of crime.

The help offered by VSPs can mean the difference between hope and despair for rape survivors, those who suffer domestic violence and victims of other violent crimes. In cities, help might be a cellphone call away. In rural areas such as ours, it is even closer - in a ‘comfort’ room in the police station staffed by civilian volunteers.

Often volunteers are people who have either been victims of crime themselves or have seen friends of family affected by crime. Many others simply want to give something back to the community. Their training is specifically in the area of traumatic crime and they are not to be confused with Welfare or Social Services.

Background
In the past, little attention was paid to the needs of victims of crime and violence. The focus was primarily on offenders’ rights. And this often led to victims experiencing a double dose of trauma: firstly at the hands of the perpetrator and secondly at the hands of insensitive ‘professionals’ tasked with managing the case.

In 1996, the Government adopted the National Crime Prevention Strategy with specific provision for the establishment of the national Victim Empowerment Programme.

The aims of the programme

  • to make the Criminal Justice System more understandable and accessible to victims
  • to provide a more central role for victims in crime prevention
  • to address the devastating consequences of crime and violence – for example by means of counselling and support services

Victim empowerment is also recognised as being a key to more effective justice, as empowered victims are more likely to contribute positively to the process of investigating, arresting and convicting offenders. The man responsible for Prince Albert’s Victim Support team is Inspector Eddie Hattingh.

BAC Victim support kit
From the lessons learnt from two Pilot projects (one in Rosebank, Johannesburg where volunteers dealt with 12 to 15 cases a month, and the other in Alexandra, where the average was over 80) BAC put together a victim support kit. This usually consists of step-by-step guides on the rights of victims, the training of volunteers and managers, victims’ rights, the psychological effects of trauma and the importance of good listening skills. There are also usually a number of helpful booklets, pamphlets and brochures available to help victims through the many phases of trauma. Plus there is usually a directory of services with everything from AIDS information to children's homes, legal aid bureaux, hospitals, and NGOs that deal with trauma.

Over 795 victim support rooms are currently in place at police stations throughout South Africa.

The traumatic experience of a victim of violent crime may also affect many others with whom they have contact. Known as ‘indirect’ or ‘bystander’ victims they include witnesses to the event itself as well as the families/friends/colleagues of victims. They can also be children who witness domestic violence, as well as those such as emergency personnel and the police themselves who deal with the effects of violent crime on a daily basis. All of them, both direct and indirect victims are entitled to the help offered by the Victim Support Programme.


Victims have rights
  • As part of the process to empower victims it is important to know that victims have rights. They are enshrined in the terms of the United Nations Declaration on Victims Rights and include:
  • the right to respect and dignity
  • the right to get information e.g. regarding progress of the case, name of investigating officer
  • the right to protection
  • the right to legal advice

So if you, your staff, your friends or your family are victims of – or witnesses to – a violent crime, remember that there is a Victim Support Programme and a ‘comfort’ room at our Police Station. Victims have a right to be heard and volunteers are there to listen with empathy, one-on-one, in the safety of the comfort room with no police personnel present. They are there to nurture and to comfort, to encourage and, if necessary, to refer onwards. Volunteers may also assist by helping to complete a Protection Order, accompanying victims to hospital and even supporting them in court.

A victim who has contributed to the successful arrest and conviction of an offender feels that justice has been done. And the other upside of that is that they are less likely to take the law into their own hands by themselves committing an act of violence in revenge.

Barbara Castle is a Certified Victim Support Volunteer and served six years with the Unit attached to the Hout Bay SAPS.

Give the tortoise a drink – but be patient

- Hugh Forsyth -

Subsequent to a few words that appeared in the January edition of this esteemed publication a valuable lesson has been learnt about giving a tortoise a drink – be patient. My Klipstraat neighbour of four doors down, Ms Gill Hall, a vegetarian but a decent soul none-the-less, recently found a big bergskilpad in the road and invited it in. She offered it a dish of tap water (yes, we had water) and the tortoise hissed at her most aggressively. This display of hostility from one vegetarian to another is most odd, but perhaps tortie was stressed. Sensibly, Ms Hall stood well back and waited. The bergskilpad relaxed and drank its fill, said grace and left for the hills.

By the way, research has revealed that the Bergskilpad or Leopard Tortoise, or Geochelone pardalis in Latin (Bell, 1828) is water dependant, must drink regularly and can actually float in water and can even swim, though very slowly. In captivity it has been recorded as having a lifespan of up to 75 years. It is possible that in its later years it may check in nicely as a youthful face in the Thursday Group. If you would like more detailed information on the bergskilpad, contact the writer.

In the November edition of the Friend there was an article about the water pipeline from the mountain to the town, including the good news that there would be several drinking places along the pipeline so that tortoises and other animals could slake their thirst.

For quite a long time these drinking points were bone dry. However, in early February work was done on them and indications are that they now contain water. Let us hope that they remain full and tortoise-friendly.

FOOD SECURITY AND THE GARDEN PROJECT

The Prince Albert Communal, Allotment and Household Garden Programme (instigated by the Western Cape Provincial Development Council) placed several short, medium and long-term responsibilities on local municipalities and NGOs.

The Prince Albert Cultural Foundation responded by identifying suitable ground for the project and submitted a report with its recommendations to the Council in June 2008. Subsequently, the Spatial Development Framework was reviewed and three suitable sites in North End were earmarked for the Food Garden Project. BADISA has been tasked with taking the project forward.

On 18 May 2009 the Department of Agriculture (Mr J Johannes, Agricultural Advisor, 0235411323/0825411323) submitted a letter to BADISA indicating that R750 000 had been allocated to the project of which R250 000 was for the current financial year. To date a borehole for the project has been sunk by the Department, on behalf of BADISA, and costings for infrastructure such as fencingbeen obtained.

The Council has accepted the conditions of the Department of Agriculture funding, namely that due process has to be followed for the selection process for beneficiaries and for rules of procurement. However, in spite of the favourable offer of funding from the Department of Agriculture, to date a business plan has not been prepared which would set out the way forward and regularise the processes needed.

The PACF has been informed that the project has ground to a halt for reasons known only to those responsible to implement the project. This delay is a disappointment for the community which the allotment project is intended to serve, and amounts to poor service delivery.
A letter has been addressed to the municipal manager requesting that the Prince Albert Communal, Allotment and Household Garden Programme receive the Council's urgent intervention for the process to recommence.

An update of the situation will be made known in a later issue of the Friend. In the meantime it is hoped that the Council and BADISA together will demonstrate their competence in bringing this project to reality.

Prince Albert Emergency Services Come Up Trumps

- Elaine Hurford -

Prince Albert’s emergency services were put to the test and came up trumps two weeks ago when a trailer of waste caught alight near the Weltevrede turnoff.

Sitting in the patio at Koppie House, Elaine Hurford and Hugh Forsyth heard a series of sustained, muffled explosions which grew alarmingly loud as it came ever closer. Peering down the driveway, they saw a huge pile of debris in the road, and a dense column of smoke.

Hugh, who had parked outside the gate, was convinced he was about to witness the final meltdown of the Little Red Devil and took off down the driveway at warp speed. Ducking under flying bottles pelting him through a cloud of smoke, he leapt in and moved his bakkie well out of the way up the Weltevrede road.

The quick-acting driver, Graham Dolf, who had seen the smoke from his rear-view mirror, had already unhitched the cab and driven it a safe distance away.

The contents of the trailer were smouldering fiercely; a towering pile of waste material on top of huge sacks of plastic cooldrink bottles had caught alight and was emitting a massive pillar of smoke.

The drivers were valiantly trying to put out the fire with salvaged one-litre plastic cooldrink bottles dipped into the leiwater stream. Andries Ryneveld, Elaine’s gardener was just then irrigating the orange orchard, and was able to lead the pipe through the fence and over the road. Maria Nel the charlady came to the rescue with all the buckets from the household.

Elaine had called the Police who arrived in less than five minutes, immediately summoning a fire truck which arrived shortly afterwards, followed by an ambulance.

It took an hour of concentrated effort to douse the smouldering load and once safe, the drivers continued on their way to the Oudtshoorn recycling plant. Scorched cloth and mountains of plastic bottles littered the road for about 50 metres.

Within a short time the Municipal garbage collection vehicle had arrived and by lunchtime there was no evidence left at all.

Die Kragstasie in Klipstraat

- Adri Schoeman -

Nadat ek Anoniem en Mnr. McKnight se IS/ISSIE–polemiek gelees het (Januarie 2010), het ek besef dat Prince Albert nog nie sy ware aard van “saamstaan” verloor het nie. Dit het my laat besluit om die volgende staaltjie te vertel.

Rondom 1937 het die stadsvaders be-sluit dis tyd dat die dorpie elektrisiteit kry. Soos vandag nog as groot besluite geneem moet word, het daar dadelik ‘n skeuring plaasgevind en was daar twee groepe mense, naamlik die vir-groep en die teen-groep.

Die vir’s het die dorp ingevaar en die voordele deeglik propageer. Die teen’s het ook die dorp ingevaar en met me-ning vertel hoe duur die elektrisiteit gaan wees en dat almal hulle bankrot gaan betaal .(Vir my baie interessant dat hierdie voorspelling toe sewentig jaar later waar geword het!)

Wel, die vir’s het toe gewen en die krag is aangelê. Sommige huise en sommige strate het krag gekry, nie alle huise en alle strate nie. Toe die krag aangeskakel is, het die besparing dan ook dadelik begin. Twee vrouens het die saak bespreek: “En toe aunt Helen, hoe gaan dit nou daar met julle in die Bo-dorp vandat julle elektrisiteit het?”

Die antwoord was voorwaar iets om aan te teken vir die nageslag: “Ai, nig Dollie, nou praat jy ‘n groot ding. Dit gaan sleg, baie sleg. Ons het nog nooit in die DONKERTE geleef soos vandat ons LIGTE gekry het nie!”

Ratepayers – Alive and Well

- Hugh Forsyth -

The Ratepayers Association committee has now met three times and is getting direction. Several matters of interest have been discussed and plans laid for constructive work in the near future, including more contact with the North End where the vast majority of residents are ratepayers. It is also pleasing to note that membership is growing steadily.

Do you think that non-property owning residents should be included in the Association if they have been resident for at least six months? Is there sufficient progress being made in solving the problem of “Unaccountable Accounts” and are queries being dealt with in a satisfactory manner? Is the water supply to this town, including household water, being managed efficiently and correctly? Does the Municipality have enough technical expertise to perform its daily tasks plus a varied range of projects? These are some of the questions asked with worrying frequency, and your Association intends dealing with them.

The Municipal Manager, Juanita Fortuin, must be praised for her honest and brave invitation – “Please Complain.” (PA Friend, January 2010) Such a clear indication of willingness to co-operate and put right what is wrong is indeed welcome. The Committee looks forward to working with Ms Fortuin in order to improve service delivery to the satisfaction of every Prince Alberter.

Would anybody disagree that in some areas there is much scope for improvement?

Fred Basset in Contemplation

Ain’t life grand! Here I am, reclining on my brocade couch, not a care in the world. Just had a lovely lunch of mutton and rice, with watermelon as dessert. I spit those pips out you know!

Anyway, I was having a chat with my old chum, Nigel, the other day. I went for a visit. The poor bugger is so unhappy and confused. His owner used to love him to bits, but he must have done something wrong. Okay, so he did overturn the rubbish bin a while ago, but he was just so hungry. And his kitty friend, Scrooge, is locked up in a tiny bungalow and he doesn’t know how often she gets food.

He says he sometimes hears her call but he can’t do anything. So we’ve decided to devise a plan to get them freed. Nigel did try chewing through the rope but then his owner saw him and gave him a terrible beating.

I’m going to try and visit him this afternoon and take a bite to eat.

Oh goody, here comes Misty the poodle. I haven’t seen her in ages. She’s probably been to Plet for a trim and pedicure. She goes regularly, you know. She sure looks pretty with her diamond-studded collar.

Ain’t life complicated! Some of us totally adored and others tied up with hardly any food or water.

Fred Basset was rescued by the Prince Albert police last year. His former owner has been charged with animal neglect.

A Dog Party

There was great excitement at our house the other day. It was our Mom’s birthday and she decided to invite some ladies and dogs who sometimes come to stay when their parents go away.

My name is Frikkie and I joined the household only recently. Most people call her “die katvrou” or the Dog Lady but to us she is just Mom Henriette. Anyway, when we woke up that morning Mom told us to behave like angels that day. So we all got very busy helping her to tidy up but she said we were not doing a good job because we didn’t put our toys and bones where she wanted them. Eventually, she gave up on us and we lot decided to do what we do best – causing mischief and lolling about.

Our friend Miki Senekal and Riempie Ohlson-Joubert came the previous day. Zoe Southern sent a message that she couldn’t make it because she had another engagement, while Patch and Jabu Jaquet said they were too busy getting ready for their visit later that week.

And then it was four o’ clock and all these ladies started arriving, and brought us presents too! There were tins of food and biscuits and pellets. And there was this lady on a funny red thing with wheels and she said she was Patch’s and Jabu’s grandma. We really wanted to check out this thing but then Fred Bassett Penfold arrived with his mom and dad. I’d not met him before but he apparently stayed here a while ago after being rescued from a horrible life. And he looked so good with his yellow scarf.

We really were on our best behaviour. Fred’s dad was great because almost all of us got a turn to sit on his lap and get a good scratch! And this other lady, Penny, sat down on the stoep to give us all a cuddle. There were nine of us and about 19 ladies and Fred’s dad and there were all these cakes and things. Mom said she had a special treat for us. We were so good, sitting in front of her like little angels while each got a treat.

Everybody seemed to be having fun because there was a lot of laughter. By bedtime that evening we were positively exhausted and I was dreaming of riding on that funny red thing with wheels.

Garden Club News

- Colin Bower –

A taste of honey

As a school boy at Rondebosch Boys’ High, Peter Lawson would spend his break time down at the edge of the sports fields where someone had erected a few bee hives. And he watched in fascination as all of those thousands of little insects worked industriously every day to produce food. And he said to himself: “You know what? They do all that work for no pay. I want bees to work for me”. And so began a lifelong vocation of working with bees, and collecting and bottling honey.

Members of the Prince Albert Garden Club heard this anecdote from Peter at a talk he gave in the Jans Rautenbach Schouwburg on a hot afternoon in February. Peter and his wife Elizabeth farm in the Leeu-Gamka area, and are well-known in Prince Albert for their Karoo Gold branded honeys. On the afternoon in question, Peter suffered a flat tyre on his way through to Prince Albert, but Elizabeth was on hand to introduce the delightful subject of bees, bee-keeping and honey prior to Peter’s delayed arrival. She told the audience of the difference between monofloral honey and polyfloral honey, and explained how difficult it was to find sufficient flowering plants of a single species at just the right moment of their flowering cycle - in other words when they are producing nectar - to create a big enough harvest for bees to make the monofloral honey that the Lawsons specialise in.

Peter arrived in due course, and in his presentation he explained to the audience that there is something like an east-west line across South Africa, passing through Beaufort West. North of that line we have the black scuttelata bee, also known as the African bee, feared world-wide as a killer, and south of it the yellow capensis. I detected a distinct sense of pride in the audience that we in Prince Albert should be the home of the far superior capensis, which is not infamous for its murderous qualities, but instead well-regarded for the unique ability of its unfertilized workers to lay fertilized eggs, without having been mated, and thus reproduce a queen bee. You just have to admit it, the Cape just always comes out on top.

A property of honey which is not generally known is its tremendous efficiency as an antibiotic as it kills virtually allandbeen used as a first aid treatment for burns, where it has the virtue of providing a non-stick dressing. It finds a most appropriate application should you have a small cut on the tongue, for instance. We also learned that pollen provides protein to feed the larvae, while nectar, which turns into honey after being partially digested by the bees, is a carbohydrate. Eat some, advised Peter, when you have an energy lapse, and it will hit your blood stream within five minutes.

The presentation was finished off with a honey tasting. Oh well, much sweeter than wine anyway.

Kweekvallei Water Users Association News

- Kallie Erasmus, Vice Chair, KWUA -

An information meeting for members of the Kweekvallei Water Users Association will be held in the NG Kerksaal at 18h00 on 4 March 2010.

The purpose of the meeting is to explain how the election of a new management committee will take place and to give greater clarity regarding the management of water now that the furrow has been piped.

The piping of the furrow was supposed to have been completed before the end of October 2009 but due to unforeseen circumstances (that were not the fault of either the Municipality or the KWUA), there was an overrun which has meant that the process has only recently been completed.
It is expected, however, that many of the frustrations that have been experienced over the past year can now be addressed.

Even though it has been rather dry on the plains recently, regular rainfall in the Swartberg Mountains has meant that the groundwater that feeds into the irrigation area has remained strong.

At its meeting held on 26 January this year the KWUA resolved to put forward a short monthly report for publication in the Prince Albert Friend. It is hoped that this will lead to greater transparency and more effective communication.

National Airways Donates to Huis Kweekvallei

- Tanya Krause -

National Airways Corporation (NAC) recently surprised the residents of Huis Kweekvallei when they flew to Prince Albert to hand over a cheque for R48 700.This money was raised during a wine auction held at Bergwater Wine Estate during NAC’s 2009 Baron and Bonanza fly-away.NAC’s customers dug deep into their pockets to make a difference in the lives of the elderly.

The money will be used for various projects at Huis Kweekvallei.They have already begun to renovate a room and also want to purchase some new wheel chairs.

In the photo, Johanna Retief and Johan du Toit, manager of Huis Kweekvallei hold the NAC’s cheque, supported by residents, Frieda Terblanche, Peggy Clow-Wilson, Ellen Bothma and Alta and Nico Marais and the NAC’s JP Fourie and Tracey Porter.

VLV leer meer oor heelbreinontwikkeling

Me Marianne Vorster, Neethling brain instrument (NBI) praktisyn van Beaufort-Wes, het Woensdag, 27 Januarie, ‘n baie interessante praatjie kom lewer oor heelbreinontwikkeling. Sy het dit gedoen aan die hand van die NBI van die kreatiwiteitskenner, Kobus Neethling, en ‘n navorser oor die werking van die brein.

Hierdie instrument bepaal elke mens se denkvoorkeure wat baie belangrik is vir die benadering van jou kind en die oordra van kennis. Kinders met verskillende denkvoorkeure studeer op verskillende maniere. Dit kan leerlinge ook help om die regte beroep te kies en om menslike verhoudinge te verbeter. ‘n Persoon het die geleentheid om haar-/homself beter te verstaan en te aanvaar.

Wat baie belangrik is, is dat daar nie ‘n “regte” of “verkeerde” breinprofiel bestaan nie. Mense leer ook mekaar se andersheid aanvaar.

Hierdie toetse wat Marianne doen, duur ongeveer ‘n halfuur waarna ‘n volledige verslag aan die persoon oorhandig word. Sy gaan Prince Albert op 23 Maart weer besoek.

Enige navrae kan gerig word aan Dalene Coetzee. Tel 023 541 1130 of 082 500 2252.

Substance Abuse and HIV/AIDS

The Media and Training Centre for Health that is attached to the Prince Albert Advice Office is concerned about the high incidence of substance abuse, particularly alcohol, in Prince Albert.

The Friend (TF) spoke to field worker Ferdi Willemse (FW) about the problem.

TF: What is substance abuse?

FW: Basically the use of any substance that changes the mental state of a person, creating disorientation, mood swings, confused thinking, memory lapses, and lack of concentration and/or time distortion.

It affects the thoughts and feelings of a person, such as low self-esteem, suspicion, decreased responsibility, guilt or anger.

It also changes a person’s physical state and leads to such things as lack of co-ordination, altered speech, changed activity levels, altered sleeping and eating patterns, neglected hygiene and or headaches. A very common example is alcohol.

TF: Surely that can damage the system in the long run?
FW: Yes, if used repeatedly for the psychological and or physical effect, for example to experience euphoria, escape from reality, exert control and/or alleviate discomfort. The primary effects of drugs are on the central nervous system.

Just consider that in South Africa we drink 5 billion litres of alcohol every year. That amounts to120 litres per person. Alarmingly not only adults consumed this amount. A recent study of grade 8 - grade 11 students in schools in the Western Cape shows that in a two-week period, half the students had consumed alcohol, 42% had smoked cigarettes, and 16% had smoked dagga. In all, between 30% and 50% of all school children have experimented with drugs by the time they reach matric.

TF: Surely that is only in the main centres?

FW: No. This kind of consumption has an impact on all South Africans. We in Prince Albert experience major problems with substance abuse, especially alcohol. Just think: If you buy one beer a day for 7 days you end up drinking R70 weekly. That adds up to about R3600 a year for one person. We experience a lot of youngsters who are exposed to alcohol and experiment with it.

TF: How does that affect the community as a whole?

FW: Well, spending hard-earned money on non-essential products such as alcohol not only impoverishes the community, it also increases the risk of risky sexual behaviour. That dramatically encourages the spread of HIV/ AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. beg every organization and all role players to act against alcohol abuse and the community must be part of the prevention of any substance abuse.

It is very important that adults should lead by example and talk to their children to stop alcohol abuse and early experimental sex. If we don’t act it will lead to HIV/AIDS infection and more socio- economic and health problems.

VLV Prince Albert sien uit na ‘n leersame en interessante jaar

Die nuwe bestuur van die VLV het koppe bymekaargesit om hierdie jaar ‘n leersame en interessante een te maak. Daar gaan probeer word om vergaderings elke keer op ‘n ander interessante plek te hou.

Lekker dinge wat die jaar nog voorlê, is ‘n kookdemonstrasie by African Re-lish; ‘n praatjie oor sypaadjietuine; ‘n demonstrasie en verduideliking oor die konsep van Pilates; ‘n praatjie oor kreatiwiteit in die alledaagse lewe en inligting oor die hantering van e-pos, Facebook en ander webwerwe.

Ons sien ook baie uit na besoeke deur die skrywer Riana Scheepers en kuns-tenaar Maria Oosthuizen later vanjaar.

Die datum, plek en tyd van elke vergadering sal in die Prince Albert Vriend aangekondig word.

Enigeen wat belangstel om by die VLV aan te sluit kan Dalene Coetzee kontak by 023 541 1130 of 082 500 2252.

Ever thought of what you are missing in life?

On a cold January morning a musician started to play the violin at a Metro station in Washington, DC.

He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes while thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by before a middle aged man noticed the musician and stopped for a few seconds – only to hurry on to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first tip: A woman, while continuing to walk, threw a dollar in the till.

The one who paid the most attention was a three year old boy. His mother tagged him along but the kid kept on pulling back to listen to the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the boy was forced away, but he kept on looking over his shoulder all the time. This reaction was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only six people stopped to listen for a while. About twenty gave him money without interrupting their normal pace. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition. He collected 32 dollars.

No one recognised Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before playing in the subway, Bell sold out at a theatre in Boston where the seats averaged a hundred dollars.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito at the Metro station was organised by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perceptions, taste and priorities.

The outline was: In a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour:

Do we perceive beauty?
Do we stop to appreciate it?
Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experiment could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written on one of the best instruments ever made, how many other things are we missing?

(With thanks to the Washington Post, 7 April 2007, “Pearls before breakfast” by Gene Weingarten)

Prince Albert Openbare Biblioteek

Die een boek wat ek uit die biblioteek sal steel!
(As my gewete my sou toelaat)

Na agt jaar as bibliotekaresse het ek altyd gesê: as daar een boek is wat ek uit die biblioteek sal steel, dan is dit Die Gesindheid van ‘n Wenner deur John C Maxwell.

Eintlik is dit ‘n boek wat permanent op jou bedkassie voor jou bed moet lê. Maar helaas is hy nêrens te koop nie!

Maxwell het die gawe om deur sy Christelike oortuigings sowel as inspi-rerende verhale, ‘n mens met ander oë na jouself en ander mense te laat kyk.

Sy boeke handel hoofsaaklik oor leierskap en verhoudinge. Wen met Mense is veral ‘n moet as jy ‘n leiers-posisie beklee.

Maxwell se boeke word oorspronklik in Engels geskryf en in Afrikaans vertaal.

Onontbeerlike leesstof vir selfontwikkeling!

Ronél McKnight

Prince Albert Primêr se Kinders Presteer

- Linda Fodor -

Prince Albert kan met reg spog met al ons kinders se akademiese prestasies. Selfs al gaan ons leerders na ander skole, hou hulle aan met presteer. Nie net presteer hulle akademies nie, hulle beklee ook leierskapposisies.

Hoërskool Môrester in Oudtshoorn spog met Reginald Griebelaar, nie net het hy onderskeidings in Wiskunde en Lewens-oriëntering gekry nie, hy was ook die top presteerder van die graad 12! As onder-hoofseun, tesourier van die VRL en primarius van die koshuis het hy hom ook as leier bewys. Reginald is tans besig met ‘n graad in siviele ingenieurswese by die Kaapse Skiereiland se Universiteit van Tegnologie.

Die huidige hoofseun by Môrester is Stuart Delport en hy is ook die primarius by die koshuis die jaar. Hy het ook onderskeidings in ses vakke – Afrikaans, Engels, Wiskunde, Fisiese Wetenskap, Lewensoriëtering en Tegnologie: Elektries – behaal en was die top presteerder in graad 11.

Madré Uys het met drie onderskeidings in graad 11 die skoner geslag verteenwoordig.

In graad 10 was Arion Isaks met drie onderskeidings en Sachin Reed met vier onderskeidings die manne op wie ons baie trots is.

Willicia Reed het Prince Albert Primêr aan die einde van graad 7 verlaat. Sy was deurgans ‘n toppresteerder. In 2009 het sy by Colridge Primêr in Oudtshoorn begin. Sy was die voorsitter van die VRL en het aan die einde van graad 8 die toe-kenning vir die beste graad 8 leerder ontvang met ‘n A gemiddelde. Tans is sy by Bridgeton Senior Sekondêr en ons weet sy gaan Prince Albert se naam hoog hou.

Sy volg in die voetspore van Abraidan Farao wat ook deurgans ‘n toppresteerder by Bridgeton was en met baie goeie punte graad 12 geslaag het.

Ons leerders daar vêr in die Kaap by die Kaapse Akademie vir Wetenskap, Wiskunde en Tegnologie presteer ook goed. Joshua Afrika, die 2009 hoofseun, het met onderskeiding in Wiskunde geslaag. Hy is tans besig met studies in ingenieurswese aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch. Nomsa Afrika is steeds besig met haar studies om ‘n mediese doktor te word en ons sien uit na die gradeplegtigheid!

Attie Lekay, ook by die Kaapse Akademie, het onderskeidings in Wiskunde, Lewenswetenskap en Natuurwetenskap gekry.

Hierdie leerders bewys weereens dat Prince Albert se leerders ons skole verlaat met ‘n soliede fondasie waarop hulle kan voortbou. Hulle is toegewyd en hardwerkend, het dissipline, kreatiweit, talent en die wil om te wen. Met sulke positiewe eienskappe is dit geen wonder dat hulle deur hul mede-leerders en onderwysers verkies word tot leierskapposisies nie.

Prince Albert Primêr neem deel aan Interskole Atletiek

Mark Rockman -

Op 12 Februarie het die Interskole Laerskole Atletiek in Oudtshoorn plaasgevind. Om 11h00 Vrydag oggend het 76 atlete met groot opgewondenheid vanaf Prince Albert Primêr vertrek. Verskeie skole o.a. Bergsig, Colridge, St Conrad, De Rust, Protea, Van Rheede, Zwartberg en Bongolethu het ook deelgeneem.

Ouers, leerders en onderwysers was baie ontsteld om te verneem dat die atletiek eers om 15h00 sou plaasvind. Reëlings is laasjaar al getref om vroeg in die oggend te begin en die reëlings is vroeer vanjaar weer bevestig. Op die laaste nippertjie is daar deur ‘n paar skole besluit dat die atletiek in die middag moes begin. Dit blyk dat hierdie selfsugtige besluit die gevolg was van swak beplanning.

Hoewel ons die dag geniet het was daar heelwat logistieke probleme. Ons het eers na 22h00 die aand in Prince Albert aangekom. Daar moes toegesien word dat al die leerders veilig by die huis aankom. As gevolg van die besluit moes Dysselsdorp onttrek omdat baie van hulle leerders op verafgeleë plase woon.

Op 20 Februarie, word die Interskole Atletiek weer in Oudtshoorn gehou en ons span bestaan uit al 23 wenners van 12 Februarie:

Hillary Hendricks : 1200m
Lettitia van Rooi: 800m en 1500m
Booi Jonas: 800m en 1500m
Due-Maine Clarke: Hoogspring
Gaylon Olifant: Hoogspring &1200m
Zandria Koot: Hoogspring
Ardinand Claassen: 100m en 80m
Ruwalton Berdien: 1500m
Monica Claassen: 1200m
Vizel Boksman: 1200m
Michael Jacobs: 1200m
Adrehana Olivier: 1200m
Rejean Malan: 100m & Gewigstoot
Mcarthur Coetzee : 100m & Verspring
Gervano Olifant: Hoogspring
Wilfred Paulse: Hoogspring
Elton Fredericks: Verspring
Arantes Lottering : Diskus
Zealon Wanie: Spiesgooi
Michaela Jacobs: Gewigstoot
Danville Prins: Gewigstoot
Nicola April: 1200m
Elrico Marthinus: Hoogspring

Ons sien uit daarna om in die volgende uitgawe vir ons lesers te vertel van die byeenkoms.

Hoërskool Zwartberg Atletiek

Dogters onder nege spook sake behoorlik uit op Hoёrskool Zwartberg se atletiekbaan - snikwarm 22 Januarie ten spyt. Die dag het begin met die aankoms van die skool se Rooi Span en Goud Span onder groot gedruis en “fanfare” om saam met die spanne van Merweville, Prince Albert Primêr en Albert College voor die pawiljoen mee te ding om die spangees “trofee” – waarmee die Rooi Span net-net weggestap het, want die atlete van Merweville wat op maat van “Kaptein span die seile” hul ding gedoen het, het groot applous ontlok.

Op die baan het almal (atlete én onderwysers) hul bes gedoen en goeie resultate is behaal. Agter die skerms het ouers net so hard gewerk om hambur-gers en worsrolle en koeldrank te smous ter stywing van die skoolfondse.

New Governing Body for Hoërskool Zwartberg

Parents elected a new Governing Body for Hoërskool Zwartberg at the beginning of February.

It will be chaired by Joseph Steyn, with Hannes Le Grange as Vice Chair. Hennie Grové will serve as Treasurer and Marika Heyns, who represents the non-teaching staff at the school, is the Secretary.

The other elected members are Rachel Lekay, Mathilda Mooneys, Imke Maeyer and Gerhard Kleynhans.

The principal, Richard McKnight, with teachers, Jennifer Munro and Shaun van der Walt, represent the teaching staff. Learners are represented by Marsholine Visagie and Schalk van Wyk.

The governing body plans to co-opt further members, who are not necessarily parents, to assist it in its work.