The organisers of the Berg River Canoe Marathon from 7 to 10 July this year have heaped praise on the recent MyLife Dusi Canoe Marathon that was successfully staged against a strict set of Covid-19 lockdown protocols, paving the way for the eagerly anticipated 60th anniversary of the four-day race from Paarl to Velddrif.
“We watched the roll-out of the MyLife Dusi with great interest and we were thrilled to see them pull off a very successful Dusi with adherence to all of the rules and regulations,” said Berg organiser Brandon Macleod.
“The collaboration between Canoeing South Africa, the local union and the organisers proved that it is possible to stage a major paddling event that is fully compliant with every tier of regulations in place at that time and to assure the safety and well-being of every participant and their support crew.
“It was an exceptional achievement and we take great encouragement as we put our heads down to organise what is going to be a big milestone edition of the Berg marathon,” he added.
The MyLife Dusi negotiated a sweeping set of protocols in collaboration with Canoeing South Africa and their local authorities that included strict requirements for participants and their technical support to wear masks, be regularly screened and to sanitise their hands, to arrive just before their batch starts and leave as soon after each stage was completed.
“A lot of those protocols will be easily adapted to the Berg where smaller, staggered batches and the long-distance nature of the race means that sufficient safe proximity between paddlers is a given,” he added.
“We accept that spectators will not be allowed under the current Covid regulations and that the designated technical support person allocated to each paddler will only have limited, controlled access to the start and finish and a number of points on the river each day.
“We saw at the Dusi that even paddlers that have done the race dozens of times were capable of adapting to these changes, ensuring that they had a safe and pleasant race,” he added.
“The Dusi proved that while they had to drop things like the social events and prize-givings, it was still a thoroughly successful event.
“In fact, many paddlers who took part remarked that the event stripped to its basic essentials and raced in smaller groups focussed attention on the athletes and the valleys that they paddle through during the race and made it a great race built on the original core values of the event.
“As we celebrate sixty years since that first group of pioneers set off from Paarl for the West Coast, staging a Berg trimmed of some of the peripheral events that it has accumulated over time could be equally rewarding for the paddlers,” he added.
“With the KZN river season completed now, the 60th Berg in the second week of July will be the next major river race on the calendar, and as we negotiate the next waves of the pandemic, the recent Dusi inspires us to deliver what will be a memorable anniversary edition of the Berg, particularly after we were forced to cancel the race last year.”
Macleod said that they were engaging with the regional authorities and local municipalities to firm up the practical details, including overnight accommodation for the paddlers and their technical support crews.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), a division of the National Health Laboratory Service, have sequenced COVID-19 specimens from individuals with a recent travel history to India.
The institute can confirm that four of the specimens tested positive for B.1.617.2 (two cases from Gauteng and two from KwaZulu-Natal). The B.1.617.2 variant is currently highlighted as a variant of interest by the World Health Organization and is one of multiple variants circulating in India. All cases have been isolated and managed according to COVID-19 case management guidelines and contact tracing has been performed in order to limit the spread of this variant.

Another variant that is currently dominating COVID-19 infections in Europe and North America, B.1.1.7 has also been detected in South Africa. Eleven cases of B.1.1.7 have been confirmed, with eight cases in the Western Cape, two cases in Gauteng and one case in KwaZulu-Natal. “It is not surprising that new variants have been detected in South Africa”, says Prof Adrian Puren, the NICD’s Acting Executive Director.
“We would like to assure the public that the institute is focusing their resources and research efforts towards understanding the variants and what the potential implications are for South Africa.” Dr Michelle Groome, Head of the Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response at the NICD adds that provincial health authorities remain on high alert and are prioritising the sequencing of COVID-19 positive samples from travellers entering the country, from India specifically and their close contacts.
Minimising the spread of the disease and possibly curtailing a resurgence through compliance with non-pharmaceutical interventions cannot be emphasised enough.
“We understand that many are suffering from COVID-19 fatigue, and becoming lax in exercising preventative measures. But for the sake of yourselves and your loved ones, wash or sanitise your hands, wear your masks and maintain physical distance of 1.5 m from others. Remember to hold gatherings outdoors, or in well ventilated areas and roll up your sleeve once the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available to you,” Puren concludes.

In the heart of Malmesbury, on the corner of St Francis Street and Bokomo Road, you’ll find a hidden gem – a Chinese restaurant called Gung Taai May.

I just had to try it out, since I have a 16 year old Chinese food fanatic in the house.
We have nothing to loose, so give it a go!
I got their number off Facebook and was pleasantly surprised to see that you can order via WhatsApp.
I save the number in my contacts and sent my order.
Within seconds I got two blue ticks and soon after I received a friendly reply.
My order was placed faster than I could have done it over the phone!
Shortly afterwards I received the confirmation that my order was ready for pickup.
So, off we went.
The shop is welcoming, the atmosphere is warm and the faces that greet you, friendly.
The smell alone is enough to make your tummy growl of hunger.
At home I could not open the take-away box fast enough – with the 16 year old hovering behind me and reminding me that I need to hurry, because he is hungry.
I opened the boxes and was amazed at the portions.
It was much more that I could ever expect and definitely enough to feed a hungry teen.
The aromas, the taste, the texture, everything just combined into a culinary experience that is needed to experience again.
The beef was succulent, the noodles cooked to perfection, the veggies just the right consistency.
With every fork-full, it was just another flavour explosion in my mouth that left me wanting more.
Believe me, Gung Taai May will definitely see this family again and therefore they receive 5 stars!

Die Moorreesburg-gholfklub het Saterdag hul openingsdag van 2021 gehou. Die uitslae in die 4-bal-beter-bal was soos volg: M Carr/J Nieuwoudt 45, E Linder/F Linder 44, K Adams/R Krotz 44, T Maree/S Viljoen 43, A Visser/A Marcus 43, B Smit/A Smit 42, C Boois/D Sass 41, J Durr/T van Wyk 41.

Die dag is moontlik gemaak deur borge Malmesbury Isuzu, Carrick Wealth en Swartland Joernaal.

The award-winning Swartland organic winery, Org de Rac, will this year celebrate its 20th anniversary.
The vision of the late Nico Bacon, who ensured that Org de Rac was committed to organic viticulture since day one, Org de Rac has grown from a fledgling upstart on the Cape wine scene to a major player with solid business in various export markets, as well as over the past few years winning awards for its diverse offering of quality wines.
“I think that a reason for our success is that the ethos of Org de Rac places great quality wine expressing Swartland terroir first and the complementing this offering with the fact that we farm organically and as close to nature as possible,” say Johan Gerber, general manager of Org de Rac.

“It is no use just trying to sell wine on the organic moniker alone. People want quality wine above anything else, and our story says that by farming as close to nature as possible, i.e. organically, the result is healthier vines, producing better grapes for making wines of a delicious quality you can taste in the bottle.”
As part of this year’s 20th anniversary celebrations, Org de Rac is upgrading its hospitality offering.
A new tasting room is being built, away from the winery and an elegantly modern space committed solely to hospitality with a glass front offering stunning views of the Swartland.
“We want people to experience the quality of our wines in a magical environment allowing them to feel at one with this magic wine region that is the Swartland,” says Gerber.
“Day visitors from nearby Cape Town and surrounding towns, as well as travellers on the N7 will now have an amazing wine hospitality centre to stop-off at. Here the serenity of the Swartland can be felt and heard, while the other senses can give themselves over to our offerings of wines, food and local delicacies.”
The celebrations will culminate in food-and-wine experiences in October, the month during which Org de Rac was established in 2001. One event will include a fun run, food stalls and wine-tastings, while the other is to be a more formal evening event. Details to follow!
The revamping and new developments have expanded to our marketing offerings. Therefore we invite all those interested in Org de Rac and its wines to visit our website www.orgderac.com. Here one can gain insights into the farm and our world, as well as find your way to some exciting wine offerings in our on-line store.
This year we are twenty, and about us you’ll hear plenty!

Die Malmesbury-polisiekantoor is op soek na vrywilligers wat opgelei wil word as slagoffer-ondersteuners.
Die doel van slagoffer-ondersteuners is om enige persoon wat blootgestel is aan trauma te ondersteun en van hulp te wees.
Diegene wat hierin belangstel, moet ouer as 18 jaar wees, geestelik en fisies stabiel en bereid wees om hulle vingerafdrukke te laat neem om ‘n kriminele rekord na te speur.
• Enige belangstellendes kan sersant Henry du Randt skakel by 022 482 7500 gedurende kantoorure.

When a child confides in you that they are feeling targeted by a teacher, it can be difficult to know what steps to take. This can be a sensitive issue and it is important to get all the facts from your child so you are well prepared before approaching the school. It is important to note that generally speaking, teachers do a good job, often under stressful circumstances. However, there are times when pupils are being bullied by teaching staff and knowing how to deal with this is essential.
Gathering all the information from your child
Without disbelieving your child or sounding as though you are, it is important to be able to distinguish whether this is bullying by a teacher or a conflict between your child and teacher over specific reasons. There are some questions you can ask your child in a sensitive manner just to get all the facts, such as:

How long has your child felt this way about this particular teacher?
Has there been any issues of negative behaviour from your child in the class?
Has the teacher acted this way to other students?
Let your child know that you are going to address this and ask them for specific examples that you can use with when and where. If there has been verbal comments that have left your child feeling humiliated or with low self-esteem, find out what was said so you are able to relay this back to the school.

Make some discreet enquiries amongst the parents of your child’s friends. Overt unpleasant remarks are likely to be remembered by other children and reported to their parents. If other parents also have concerns about the way their children are being treated then that might indicate a problem. Discuss with your child what sort of remarks are made and in what circumstances. It might be worth speaking informally to a teacher at the school that either you or your child has a good relationship with. They may be able to give you some insight too on what is going on.

If your child is being criticised for not completing work, then a simple call to the head of year, or a note to the teacher explaining the situation and asking for a meeting with them should help to resolve the problem.

Taking this to the school
Depending on your relationship with the school, you might want to take the first step of resolving this by speaking to the head of year. If you feel a teacher is taking issue with your child and it is becoming regular, you might want to consider making a written complaint to the head teacher, and then to the governors if the problem continues. Particularly if as far as you are aware your child has never had a problem with any other teacher. It is important to request a follow up meeting with the head teacher so you are able to give specific examples and explain in detail how this has left your child feeling.

Obtain a copy of the school’s mission statement or ethos so you are able to point out that your child is not being treated with the respect or courtesy. Ask for a copy of the school’s complaint policy and follow the necessary steps and follow up everything you can in writing so you have a record of all communication and responses. If you feel you have a genuine concern and the head of year or head teacher hasn’t been able to resolve it then make a complaint to the chair of governors.

It is much better to try to sort the problem out diplomatically at a much earlier stage, where possible, because your child is likely to have contact with a teacher over a number of years. Be open to hear what the school have to say, as there may be a behaviour issue in the classroom that you were not aware about so getting all the facts from both the child and the school is important. Try not to overreact and stay calm when speaking to the school. It is normally a good idea to get things on a more formal footing anyway which can carry more weight.

Talking to your child
Supporting your child through this is very important too as your child may be anxious about going to school or really upset about the situation. Give your child space and time to talk about how this has made them feel and encourage them to discuss their feelings openly. They may not want to talk straightaway and perhaps they may feel more able to write down how they feel. For some children, they may feel like they are causing issues, but reassure them that this is not the case and if they are feeling bullied, you are there for them and will get this sorted out. They may need lots of reassurance and comfort at this time so be on hand to be there for them whenever they need your support.

‘n Splinternuwe woonstelblok-ontwikkeling behoort eersdaags grond te breek op Malmesbury.
Hierdie ontwikkeling, op die hoeke van Victoria- en Prospectstraat op Malmesbury, sal verskeie woonstelle bevat wat vanaf R719 000 verkoop sal word.
Die ontwikkeling, wat behartig word deur Opportunity Development in Durbanville, is ideaal vir verhuringsinkomstes.
Die woonstelle sal almal oor twee slaapkamers beskik asook een badkamer.
Een van die redes vir hierdie ontwikkeling, is die voltooiing van die N7, wat die eiendomsmark in die omgewing gunstig beïnvloed het oor die afgelope paar jaar.
“Om te pendel vanaf Malmesbury na Kaapstad, neem nou ‘n fraksie van die tyd. Kopers en huurders wyk uit na die platteland, aangesien baie maatskappye weens Covid19 die geleentheid aan werknemers bied om vanaf hul huis te werk.
Eerste kopers en beleggers kan nou ook ‘n voet in die eiendomsmark kry met die groeiende en gesogte ligging van Malmesbury.
Die woonstelle wissel in groottes van 60 tot 62 vierkante meter.
Vir meer inligting, kontak Donovan du Toit by 063 932 5006 of stuur ‘n epos na donovan@opprealty.co.za.

Die watervoorsieningskanaal van die Wes-Kaap was Maandagmiddag 68.6% vol, in vergelyking met verlede week se 67.9% en verlede jaar se 54.4%.
Die Bergrivierdam was Maandag 72.2% vol, terwyl dit verlede week 70.9% vol was en verlede jaar 66.3%.
Die Laer-Steenbrasdam was 57.4% vol, in vergelyking met verlede week se 57.6% en verlede jaar se 50.4%.
Die Theewaterskloofdam was Maandag 73.8% vol, waar dit verlede week 72.5% vol was en verlede jaar 50.8%.
Die Wemmershoekdam is nou 58.7% vol, waar die damvlak verlede week op 60.3% gestaan het en verlede jaar dieselfde tyd op 45.2%.
Die Voëlvleidam, die Swartland se enigste bron van water, was Maandag 58.9% vol. Verlede Maandag het die damvlak op 59.7% gestaan en verlede jaar dieselfde tyd op 51.1%.
Bron: www.capetown.gov.za

Selma du Preez van die Hoërskool Swartland op Malmesbury het die afgelope naweek deelgeneem aan die Wes-Kaap Biathle-kampioenskappe en het ‘n eerste plek behaal vir dogters o.19. Hiermee is sy ingesluit in die Wes-Kaapspan wat Junie aan die Suid-Afrikaanse kampioenskappe gaan deelneem.