Letter to the editor: Re Groendaller

Dear Siegfried 

Over the years I have appreciated and admired Groendaller’s so well written “Along the Stiebeuel” column, his insights and the focus he brings to issues in his community. I loved his description of the Matric excitement in November’s Tatler and applauded his call for adoption of a “Franschhoek First Policy” by locals in procurement and employment - although many already do so. 

Groendaller’s description in December’s Tatler of loan sharks preying on the poor was painful and poignant and, along with Groendaller and others, I see the whole character of our village being changed out of recognition by recent developments approved by the municipality without due process or any public consultation. 

Although I cannot speak for any developer (and would not want to), let me assure Groendaller, however, that I am 100% confident their motivation is not “to keep Franschhoek’s golden mile for whites only”. I am saddened if those living along the Stiebeuel (or anywhere else in Franschhoek) feel frustrated and excluded by recent developments as I imagine Groendaller is saying. Although some have opened I do not know what other shops there will be in the new developments. The concern of many residents is that they will be irrelevant to them and Franschhoek’s destiny is to be an open-air shopping mall for tourists only. We must wait and see but we may soon be united in our feelings of frustration and exclusion. 

But what saddened me most in Groendaller’s column in December’s Tatler is his belief that the new PicknPay “only came into existence so white residents can have the luxury not to bump into a coloured person.” Stuart and Leigh have made an enormous contribution in many, many ways to Franschhoek for the benefit of all sections of our community. As I understand Groendaller he is suggesting their motivation to do all the work and take the financial risks of opening a second PicknPay was just to provide for “whites only”. If so it is not only very, very wrong but also very, very unfair. If I have misunderstood Groendaller I would be grateful if he could explain what he actually meant but if not, and his view is widely held, we have a longer road to travel than many may have thought.

My sincere good wishes to all Tatler readers for the festive season and New Year. 

Barry Phillips

Catch the new season of Saturday Summer Concerts at Solms-Delta

 Summer in the Cape Winelands means wonderful, long leisurely evenings and the start of the popular Saturday Summer Concert season at Solms-Delta wine estate.  From 27 November (excluding the Christmas and New Year period) until 5 February 2011, spend a Saturday evening At Fyndraai restaurant soaking up the sun, scenery and sounds of this magical concert series and enjoy a glass of wine and a hearty Kaapse braai buffet.

Local favourites Delta Soetstemme, Delta Langbroeke and Lekker Lekker Delta will set the stage for toe-tapping revelry and there is an exciting line-up of musicians from around the country, which include the popular Radio Kalahari Orkes and much loved Hannes Coetzee as well as well-known local muso Les Javan (Solms-Delta’s musician artist-in-residence).

27^th November  - Hannes Coetzee, Delta Soetstemme, Delta Langbroeke and Lekker Lekker Delta.  

4^th December – Les Javan with Delta Vier and Delta Valley Entertainers.

11^th December – Radio Kalahari Orkes, Delta Langbroeke.

18^th December – Nick Turner, Delta Soetstemme and Delta Valley Entertainers.

Christmas and New Year break

15 January – Nick Turner, Delta vier, Soetstemme, Langbroeke, Lekker Lekker Delta.

22 January – Les Javan, Delta Vier, Delta Valley entertainers.

29 January – Tony Cox (t.b.c.), Soetstemme, Langbroeke, Lekker Lekker Delta

5 February – Hannes Coetzee, Delta Valley Entertainers

Go to Solms-Delta website for the latest programme information www.solms-delta.co.za  Time: 6.30pm to 9.30pm

Bookings: Fyndraai 021-874 3937 ext 115 or restaurant@solms-delta.co.za

Cost: R170.00 p/p. Children under 12yrs – R85.00.

Free piano recital in Franschhoek NG Church

A free piano recital will take place on Tuesday 16 November at 19h30 in the NG Church, Huguenot Street, Franschhoek.  US pianist Anthony Spiri will be performing works by JS Bach and sons. 

Spiri is one of the most versatile and highly-regarded among ‘lied’ accompanists, chamber music pianists and soloists of his generation. Born in the USA, he studied in Cleveland, Boston and at the 'Mozarteum' in Salzburg.  From 1988 to 1993 he acted as assistant to Nikolaus Harnoncourt and since 2001 has been professor of piano chamber music at the Musikhochschule in Cologne. He gives master classes and lectures worldwide.

Donations collected toward concert expenses and NG Church Piano Fund.

Cape Dutch Connection to pay tribute to Alex van Heerden

On 20 November 2010, Cape Dutch Connection will perform a special concert as a tribute to Alex van Heerden, a member of the jazz band who died tragically in January last year in a car accident.  Alex would have celebrated his 36^th birthday three days later on 23 November.

The concert will take place at the Saronsberg Theatre in Tulbagh, where Alex spent five years of his life with his father Lex in an historical Victorian house were Alex had a studio.

Says Lex van Heerden:  “He was a wonderful son and we had a totally straightforward and honest relationship.  His word was his honour.  He also had a great sense of humour and would laugh easily. He taught me how to laugh. We used to have lunch together every day.”

He composed of lot of electronic and bush orientated music and explored many types of music, calling himself the “frontier rogue”.  He loved the Karoo and used the click sounds of the bushmen and other Karoo nature sounds like wind and insect calls in his music.

When he became more involved in electronic music he travelled to Stockholm, Sweden, to work with Hakan Lidbo who said of him: "Alex is the most musical person I've ever met in my 15 years as a producer. He is made of music and can make anything sound beautiful.”

In 2004 Alex was introduced to Derk Blaisse and the Franschhoek-based jazz band, Cape Dutch Connection.

Says band leader Derk Blaisse:  "Alex had a love-hate relationship with traditional jazz. He only knew a few traditional jazz songs when he joined us, but soon began to enjoy our regular Friday gigs. Thanks to his fabulous talent he learned the songs and performed brilliantly on the trumpet, as a vocalist and also on his accordion. He soon had a repertoire of over 100 songs.”

Alex was also very interested in the Cape Vastrap, which unites Khoesan trance-dance with Dutch folk music and is played on anything - concertinas, home-made violins, banjos and 'blik-kitaars'; and Goema, the unique music of Cape Town City. He played this music with his band, The Gramadoelas, but from time to time he also performed this type of music with Cape Dutch Connection and earned himself the nickname "Alex Vastrap van Heerden".

It was pure coincidence that a few days before his death a live recording was made of the band featuring Alex and guest soloists.

The band decided to make a CD of the live recording in recognition of Alex’s extraordinary talent and contribution to the band and as a farewell to their beloved colleague.  The CD "Tribute to Alex van Heerden" will be sold at the concert at just R50, which is half the normal retail price.

Cape Dutch Connection with vocalist Charlette Dickson, Basil Moses double bass, drummer Jack Momple, Derk Blaisse on piano and Len Richey on saxophone. 

The band plays jazz in the style of Benny Goodman, George Gershwin and Cole Porter as well as Brazilian Bossa Nova’s in the style of Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto, and even some Cape Goema.

To book for the special concert Tribute to Alex van Heerden, call 023 230 1782 or 082 494 7777. Tickets are R120.  For more information visit www.capedutchconnection.co.za.

Province to go Green

Today, Western Cape Minister of Finance, Economic Development & Tourism Alan Winde launched an initiative to drive green economy projects in the Western Cape.

The GreenCape initiative is a government funded, industry-led initiative to support the development of renewable energy in the province.  It will house all green economy role-players in the province and be mandated with the role out of a comprehensive green economy strategy.  The provincial government has put down a deposit of more than R5 million to kick-start projects in this sector.

During the launch, which took place at the inaugural Renewable Energy and Green Economy Conference, Minister Winde said: “Our target is a 15% shift to renewable energy production by 2014.  This has the potential to create 20 000 jobs and bring R45 billion worth of investment into the province.  To do this requires dedicated planning and a transversal approach, which will from this point on be facilitated by the GreenCape team.”

Because of his deep knowledge of the industry, and the provincial gtovernment’s desire to “hit the road running”, Dr Francois du Plessis, a well-known player in the greentech field and an expert in the financial services industry, has been appointed CEO of GreenCape.

Shortly after being announced CEO, du Plessis said: “The GreenCape Initiative will be at the forefront of green and renewable technology in the province.  Its primary goals in its first year of operation will be to become the ‘shop window’ for the sector, make sure that the Western Cape gets a significant share of jobs from it and that local companies develop manufacturing capabilities, and to promote the transition of the Western Cape economy to greater resource efficiency and a low-carbon future.  I will also be held accountable for removing barriers to green business.”

The Western Cape has several competitive advantages in the renewable energy sectors:

·        Two-thirds of South Africa’s wind resources reside in the province. We also have good solar and biomass potential.

·        We have 4 excellent tertiary institutions which have produced renewable energy engineers, who sell their products internationally, and academics

·        We have a diversified manufacturing base and a keen industry

·        Most importantly, however, is that the Western Cape government is putting its political might behind making renewable energy a reality.

“This initiative is supported by each and every member of the cabinet, including the Premier.  We are building a new sector in this province, and from it, we will achieve significant growth and jobs”, said Winde.

Take part in Franschhoek brand audit to win a case of Franschhoek wine

Franschhoek Wine Valley is currently collecting feedback from Franschhoek visitors, potential visitors, and residents to determine their perception of the Franschhoek valley and what it has to offer. The audit will enable FWVTA to better plan future marketing initiatives and development priorities.

Please access the Franschhoek Brand Audit survey here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/franschhoek

The survey is completely anonymous and by completing the survey you stand a chance of winning a case of Franschhoek wines. Please contact Tania at marketing[at]franschhoek.org.za if you have any questions about the audit. 

Malema mouths off in the Gourmet Capital

Julius Malema let rip again when he addressed a handful of business people at a fundraiser in Franschhoek on Friday night.  The fundraiser was part of the ANCYL’s 66th birthday celebrations.

Following Zwelinzima Vavi’s criticism of businessman Kenny Kunene’s lavish lifestyle Malema said that Vavi “must be cut down to size.”  He also accused Vavi of doing Helen Zille’s job by “casting doubt on the credibility of his people’s government.”

Malema also restated his call for the state to control 60% of mining resources.  According to Malema those opposed to nationalisation were simply defending the interests of the Rupert family.  "When people say you are scaring investors they are just referring to one family in Stellenbosch. They call it investors but it's just one family."

Malema further said that the private sector need not fear plans to redistribute wealth as forty percent would remain in private hands. "We appreciate the role of private business people. You will still get something."

Guests paid R10 000 a table to attend the event.

Newsflash from FRANCO

FRANCO has been working at establishing youth groups in the townships as a way to keep the young people off the streets, off drugs and off alcohol.  We work with Minnie Petersons' YEA and KUSASA.

One of the groups calls themselves Sondelani Productions, supported by FRANCO. They are led by an amazingly proactive young man, and are all from the Eastern Cape, where unemployment and the problems that go with it are rife. Besides working here, in the Franschhoek townships and for no pay, Sondelani plan a trip to the Grahamstown area to help their own communities establish similar youth groups.

On Friday night, 5th November at 18h30 in the NG Church Hall, they are putting on a show which they call "Spring Entertainment" that features some delightful Xhosa male and female choral work and gum-boot dancing. The show lasts about 1 hour, which allows you to make your restaurant booking, and tickets are R30, available at the door or from Franschhoek Tourism (upstairs, above the pharmacy).  If you would rather donate to their cause than attend the show then please call me - details below.

This entire performance was generated, scripted and organized by these young people, with no help other than from FRANCO.  This same group has plans to start cleaning up the township (in conjunction with other groups) and have started a netball league for about 70 girls.  They have also been sent by FRANCO on an education trip to Hermanus to see the whales (that none had ever seen before.) and a team-building and leadership camp-out to Villiersdorp.

We have all heard the stories about the youths hanging around the streets, doing nothing and getting into trouble. Well, this group is doing their very best NOT to fall into that trap. They are doing things. They are spreading the message of no drugs, no booze, responsible sexual behaviour, no lying, cheating or stealing.

This is also an opportunity for returning swallows, or visitors, to see a little local culture. They really need your support.

Ron Whytock

Chairman:  FRANCO

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