Producers in South Africa’s Constantia region joined forces to keep their vineyards safe from devastating wildfires that tore across Table Mountain National Park this past weekend is that the 2025 harvest is safely in barrel and tank While 3,000ha of vegetation have been scorched vineyards are largely unscathed thanks to efforts from both the local farming community as well as the Western Cape’s relief services The wildfires first ignited in the national park’s Tokai and Silvermine sections on the evening of Friday 25 April with the blaze reaching its zenith on Sunday (27 April) All initial reports indicate that the fires were set intentionally and police currently have a suspect in custody The vineyards most at risk were those of Buitenverwachting Beau Constantia and Constantia Glen are located further afield from the Constantiaberg slopes and Cape Point Vineyards on the Noordhoek side of the mountain were equally able to keep the flames at bay said the wide firebreak is what saved the site — a precaution he says most valley farmers take ‘It gave us space to operate and spray the flames without getting trapped.’ Detailing the rescue efforts Hanekom said: ‘Etienne Southey from Constantia Glen arrived with a Land Cruiser fitted with a 700-litre water tank spraying and beating the flames as they came down snuffing out sparks and burning logs as best we could Our only aim was to keep it from breaching the fence and hope it moved into an area more accessible to firetrucks He was called back urgently as a strong northwesterly wind picked up on Sunday Firefighting continued late into Sunday night until the wind finally eased Harris reported that conditions initially held steady on Monday as helicopters resumed water drops over the Tokai sector above Buitenverwachting an unpredicted and unexpectedly strong northwesterly wind picked up again The blaze pushed back slowly into the wind edging dangerously close to the upper vineyards of Buitenverwachting the coordinated efforts managed to steer the flames past the vineyard blocks with only around a quarter of a hectare suffering damage The fire then turned toward Klein Constantia but calmer conditions in the evening slowed its progress with only isolated hotspots visible by Tuesday morning Helicopter support resumed briefly on Tuesday but was grounded due to poor visibility ‘The teamwork between farms in moments like this is extraordinary,’ said Harris but when everything around you is burning and people keep showing up It’s a humbling contrast: destruction met with pure selflessness.’ South Africa’s most historic region, Constantia has been wine-producing since 1685. a spectacular setting that’s arguably the most beautiful wine estate in South Africa producing one of the most celebrated sweet wines in the world Klein Constantia scarcely needs an introduction Forming part of the first Cape Dutch Governor Simon van der Stel's original Constantia farm with sweeping views of False Bay and the Cape Flats the estate’s 146 hectares grace the foothills at the edge of Table Mountain clambering sometimes precariously up to 343 metres The stunning views down the Cape from Klein Constantia Though the estate has an estimable history there is no resting on laurels for it is also a place of restless experimentation: trialling new grape varieties while resurrecting native scrub pioneering the latest techniques to preserve water (a notoriously scarce resource in Cape Town) using reservoirs to catch rainfall and utilising experimental winemaking without frightening fans of its venerable flagship wine The Western Cape is celebrated as a ‘floral kingdom’ and Klein Constantia is itsmicrocosm amongst its rich tapestry of conservation projects Buffer zones for native flora and fauna have been created along the farm’s borders and water courses which have all been cleared of so-called alien vegetation to maximise water runoff and encourage the growth of indigenous plants These corridors also provide pathways for animals and insects while also encouraging (rather less welcome) baboons from the neighbouring hillsides decomposed granite and Table Mountain sandstone are dry farmed using uncertified organic and biodynamic practises Farm manager Craig Harris says it wants “the most natural representation of the season possible” Craig Harris says being organic and biodynamic means it can get as close as it can to its soils His team have been working to isolate the estate's own clones of Muscat de Frontignan from its oldest vineyard block believed to come from cuttings of the original Muscat grapes brought to the Cape in the 1650s An experimental plot has also seen trials of Harslevelu and Chenin Blanc Klein Constantia has been recognised as a WWF ‘Conservation Champion’ for its work to boost biodiversity protect against fire (a constant threat) and reduce the use of herbicides While Muscat de Frontignan might steal the limelight as its most famous grape Sauvignon Blanc is actually Klein Constantia’s dominant variety with 34 hectares planted across 43 different plots Winemaker Matt Day describes himself as a ‘Sauvignon nut’ and his enthusiasm for the variety could also be bottled alongside the wine but I am still playing with Sauvignon Blanc,” he says “It has taken us a long time to properly understand the impact of our soil conditions on the wines.Table Mountain sandstone brings out richness and texture while the decomposed granite reveals saline Matt Day describes himself as a "Sauvignon nut" Day has also pioneered a relatively unorthodox oxidative approach for his Sauvignon Blanc “Normal thinking is to add lots of sulphur to protect the thiols but we purposely oxidise to break down volatile thiols then yeast will take it back into a reductive phase It’s very risky but we have the terroir for it We are quite funky to start and then when the fermentation takes off we are very technical,” he explains We taste Klein Constantia 2023 Sauvignon Blanc which Day describes as the estate’s “bread and butter wine with a gentle textured citrus mid palate and a refreshing minerality Representing the best of Klein Constantia’s single vineyards Klein Constantia Clara 2023 entices with citrus and peach melba there’s a herbal undertow and - again - it is a textural triumph blanched macadamia and a granite freshness Klein Constantia Perdeblokke 2023 offers notes of celeriac relaxed demeanour belies the fact that he has one of the most demanding high profile jobs in South African winemaking before being taken on as assistant winemaker The Sauvignon Blanc range from Klein Constantia his impressive Sauvignon Blanc portfolio sits in the shadow of Klein’s Constantia’s most celebrated cuvée star-studded history: Napoleon Bonaparte sought solace in its sumptuousness while exiled on the island of St Helena; both Charles Dickens and Jane Austen extolled its virtues in their novels; while America’s Founding Father Yet none of this was enough to prevent it falling out of fashion the wine is then matured in oak barrels for around three years Day has tasted an example of the 1875 vintage an analysis of which showed strong similarities to the re-created wine which has attention to detail as its defining characteristic The historic Vin de Constance that dates back some 300 years and was drunk by Napoleon and George Washinton was brought back to life by Klein Constantia in 1986 passing each vine up to 30 times across the season to choose the precise picking date for each bunch with each batch treated separately and the blending starting during the long fermentation process We’re looking for that perfect balance of acidity and sweetness,” he says bruised apple and toffee-infused complexity Vin de Constance 2021 is described by its creator as “one of the best vintages we have ever made,” ethereal and enticing with floral aromas its 173 grammes of residual sugar countered by a bright Though the wines grow graceful with age - and I have been fortunate to taste older vintages of Vin de Constance in the past - to my palate the most recent vintage is actually my favourite for its extraordinary depth and serene sense of balance Day encapsulates it best: “These are not just sweet wines * You can find out more about Klein Constantia's website here. The Buyer TVClick below to watch The Buyer's library of online debates, videos and webinars. SuperSport Schools Plus and day two’s action on Sunday offered up further evidence of that which is being hosted by St Alban’s College On Saturday, the opening day Maintaining consistency was going to be what those teams would be after on day two Led by coach Alex Gitlin and manager Dale Holmes the boys from Cape Town defeated Helpmekaar Kollege 6-1 and St Benedicts College 3-2 on Saturday They returned to turf action on Sunday and bagged another two victories defeating St David’s Marist Inanda 1-0 before thumping Trinity House Centurion 6-2 “Our festival intention was to put into play what we have practiced through the pre-season programme,” coach Gitlin told SuperSport Schools Plus after day two’s play but where we are today is where we should be.” wants his side to build character on and off the field They’ll end their festival schedule with a clash against an unpredictable York side and the coach said he won’t be making many changes it will be about arriving awake and being keyed into our roles.” Reddam will be focused on a clean sweep in Pretoria and they’ll look to key players like Mitchell Welch who found the back of the net five times on day one Reddam and York meet at 08:00 at the Pretoria Boys High AstroTurf The action will be LIVE on the SuperSport Schools App Related News Dominant Jeppe u16A claims Alan Monk Top 10 title Vuyo Ndudane 2025-05-05 Parktown Boys’ High School hosted 10 hockey schools from across Gauteng for the u16 Alan Monk Top 10 Tournament Four goals by Reece Theunis highlighted a comprehensive 6-3 victory by South African College High School (SACS) over Paarl Gimnasium Paarl Gimnasium held their nerve to beat Herschel 3-2 in a penalty shootout to lift the inaugural Belgotex Sport Girls and elation highlighted day three’s action of the Standard Bank Hibbert Shield Herschel and Pearson will go head-to-head in the semifinals of the Belgotex Sport Girls Hockey Challenge on Saturday Parktown Boys’ High School hosted 10 hockey schools from across Gauteng for the u16 Alan Monk Top 10 Tournament Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio The police have confirmed that a man has been arrested for allegedly threatening to kill a Baboon Watch monitor with a firearm on Rhodes Drive in the Cape Town suburb of Constantia on Saturday The 53-year-old was arrested on Monday, 16 December on charges of pointing a firearm, common assault and malicious damage to property, after allegedly threatening to kill and then assaulting Benson Chapasula, the South African Police Service said.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The man allegedly emerged from his property to confront and threaten the monitors with the firearm Police media liaison officer Captain FC Van Wyk declined to name the suspect he has been identified from a photograph by three witnesses – Chapasula and fellow monitors Nolan Gericke and Donovan Linnett – who said he lives on Rhodes Drive Daily Maverick will name him once he appears in court Van Wyk confirmed that a 9mm pistol with one magazine and no ammunition was confiscated and the suspect was released on bail of R1,500 Baboon Watch monitors are employed to keep the Constantia 2 (CT2) chacma baboon troop in the wilder parts of the area since the City of Cape Town withdrew rangers from this troop in April 2022 Chapasula says they heard two shots coming from the property before the man appeared looked over his fence and said: “What are you guys doing here The man then emerged from his property, allegedly saying “I will shoot you” while producing a firearm from behind his back, which he allegedly pointed at Gericke.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads saying “what’s going on?” The man then turned his attention to Chapasula allegedly hitting him in the ribs and chest with the nose of the gun Chapasula’s statement describes how the two men struggled over the firearm as Chapasula tried to hold the alleged attacker’s arm to keep the firearm pointed away but the suspect allegedly punched Chapasula with his free left fist ADT security officer Thandabantu Mkile managed to separate the two men but the suspect allegedly knocked the two-way radio out of Chapasula’s hand and smashed it on the road Mkile confirmed he had been called to the scene by neighbourhood watch officers who saw the altercation on CCTV The suspect is due in court on 19 December 2024 Read more: Cape peninsula baboons — outdated management framework persists despite legal mandate The incident is a further escalation of tensions between some residents and baboons in the leafy suburb on the urban edges of the Table Mountain National Park A nearby resident has publicly threatened to kill any baboon that enters his property “Cull them or move them… If I see them again I will shoot them,” he is reported to have said during a virtual meeting organised by ward councillor Liz Brunette in December 2022 a nonprofit that employs the Baboon Watch monitors said she was “appalled at the assault and racial slurs our team experienced while working on Rhodes Drive on Saturday” and “delighted that an arrest has been made and that the matter will be before court in coming days” “We have been deeply concerned at the increase in the deaths and injuries suffered by baboons from intolerant residents but are also expressing our frustration at the lack of prosecutions against gun-[toting] residents We have warned repeatedly that people are more at risk of being hit by a stray bullet than ever attacked by a baboon “Our collective teams working to keep baboons out of urban areas need to be supported by communities and authorities and it is deeply concerning that these hard-working dedicated men are exposed to such inexcusable behaviour.” Read more: SPCA seeks Kommetjie resident who pepper-sprayed baboon amid rising tensions Members of the CT 2 troop living in Cecilia Forest since activist Ryno Engelbrecht recently filed an application in the high court demanding that the City continue the programme to avoid the “chaos” that would result Read more: Baboon activists launch legal action seeking better management of troops in the Cape In terms of an out-of-court settlement this month the City extended the NCC contract and put out a tender for a further extension the City announced a memorandum of agreement with the Shark Spotters to support the implementation of the Baboon Strategic Management Plan in terms of which Shark Spotters would manage troops on the peninsula Engelbrecht hailed the settlement as a “huge win” for baboons and communities as the order records the duty of the City of Cape Town SANParks and CapeNature to finance and implement the solutions “For the first time in 24 years there is a court order in place in which the City of Cape Town, South African National Parks (SANParks) and CapeNature have accepted responsibility for management of baboons and their duty to provide a safe and healthy environment for both communities and baboons,” he said.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The application was supported by Baboon Matters and Beauty Without Cruelty. The Order obliges the parties to implement the Baboon Strategic  Management Plan, which appeared to have stalled since its adoption last year, following a memorandum of agreement signed by the City, CapeNature and SANParks. DM It is always upsetting how people encroach on wildlife habitats and blame the wildlife for encroaching on their land. How about the rich Constantia, Tokai and satelitte villages vacate from their land and settle in the rest of suburbia like everyone else. Or live in harmony with the baboons. Erm, no, maybe Sanparks – particularly – should do their jobs properly and keep the baboons in the national parks where they always were until the former made such a stuff up. And your stupid comments about the affected residents shows up your ignorance and jealousy, too. Learn to livevwith baboons? Good luck with that. Baboons have roamed the peninsula for centuries – residents have moved into their territory and now some get aggressive when the baboons come back. It is entirely possible to live in harmony with them and all the other wild animals. How exactly do you propose they keep them in the “national park” which has no borders? You and your attitude is the problem, not the baboons. What a pity we’re surrounded by ignorance and intolerance I recall being attacked by baboons above Kirstenbosch in the 1980s – and seeing them there regularly. So much for your baboons always being in National Parks! Jealousy? Typical entitled person’s attitude. I remember driving through Constantia, stopped by a resident at a road block. I refused to give him my licence or anything – we are equal citizens. But they felt that they are above everyone else? Trust me, not jealousy. I’d rather live on the street. My goodness Steve D, get out of the wrong side of the bed again this morning? Yeah, ‘Bro Andy’ did not think it through. Too far out. Please “post” a photo of this idiot pointing a firearm at a civilian. Should have his gun license taken away permanently. These are allegations and probably not true. I especially don’t believe the “half breed” allegation. You think, based on? Your own prejudices maybe. How come the perp was arrested and charged would you say? Which planet are you living on? Which country? We are probably in one of the most hostile aggressive countries in the world, abuse is most often directed towards women/children and animals. Really? We had many witnesses.. and may I ask why you don’t believe the “half breed” allegation? I have worked with these men for a long time so if they say he said that, he did. How do you seem to miss him threatening to kill them and pointing a firearm at them on a public road? Is it ok? Fully agree. Please can we please also launch full crime investigations into the murder of all god’s magnificent creatures in suburbia, incl. snakes and spiders and flies. DNA-analyse spades & swatters. I mean, it would be specie-ism to discriminate against the less good-looking beings, right? Elevating the rights of animals over those of humans is a bit bizarre. Baboons should be in zoos, fenced-in parks or well from human settlements just like other wild animals. The thing about rate paying humans encroaching on their habitat is a bit childish. This is basically the whole problem with us humans – seeing ourselves as better than everything else. Unless we change our attitudes and recognise our need to live with other species, we are fast going to hell in the proverbial handcart. Yes, it is us who encroach – always! Jeepers, you need to pull your socks up abit if you think baboons are above humans in the food chain, we vastly, I mean if an adult comes into a school yard of kids does he have to listen to the kids cause they were there before him? It’s just bad thinking for survival Those wild animals have been displaced by humans. Why should they have to be caged because we have chosen to move into their habitat? What an infantile argument. Do you want lions in your street too? Your comment is rather “childish”. We are very fortunate to live in a country with some wildlife left. Zoos are outdated and cruel, as is your attitude Great plan Sydney. Put all wild animals in zoos. What kind of world is your utopia one has to wonder. Despicable behaviour! We once had a loaded cross bow drawn and pointed at us by a bordering neighbour, whilst doing survey work on a forest line in a similar area. He was incredibly agitated and aggressive, as this character was. One has to wonder what’s in the water up there? 😉 Tred Maggill wrote a biased piece of vitriol to incriminate a permanent resident, land owner and taxpayer. He deliberately failed to mention the reason why the resident was ‘up in arms’! Everybody is on edge nowadays for ‘prowlers’ that spy on residents with the intention to break in later …. Um, what a silly comment! Our 3 monitors where standing on the opposite side of the Road, IN FULL UNIFORM with name tags, when he walked out of his property WITH A GUN and assaulted and threatened to shoot these men.. and you say Tred wrote a biased article!!! Really???? Baboons should be removed from urban areas. They should be relocated to somewhere like the Hottentots Holland mountain range where they can live as nature intended eating scorpions and seeds and roots. It is ridiculous to assert that “we have encroached on their territory”. We have not. Yes, we have. These animals have historically lived in these areas. They have not miraculously appeared, unlike human population explosion and encroachment on their land. It’s a straight-up lie to assert that we have not. No one talks of the green spaces expanding and squeezing our “precious” city suburbia, because that simply never happens that way around. I met that troop of baboons while we were walking in opposite directions to each other along the Cecilia Forest trail just above Rhodes Drive. It was a special experience for me and I am left aghast that people could actually shoot them. I am so happy to hear that it was a special experience!!! Humans could learn to much from them Jeremy that answer can be found in the Afrikaans language. Die mensDOM. Note that these are the entitled, rich folk who think the world is theirs, because they pay for it. You know the kind – those who think their expensive cars absolve them of the need to indicate a turn or lane change, who think that paying taxes means the wildlife must salute from a distance. I think baboons have moved into urban areas rather than people moving into areas where baboons live. They (the baboons) obviously find it much easier to get food here, so they stay, breed, multiply, and become a nuisance. I don’t remember them being this much of a nuisance years and years ago. It’s their “park” humans found them there” no it’s not. If mr lions, leopards is not there to handle population control its lost park status. They’re meat in the food chain, meant to be eaten. Instead, they’re out here breeding like there’s no tomorrow, with no predator in sight. We should arrange for leopards to be brought in. Humans are doing a good job at being the predator.. someone killed 3 in the last 6 weeks The only uncobtrolled “breeding” taking place is that of the two legged species who walk upright. 8 billion and counting. On the other hand, every other species is declining due to man’s actions. We are experiencing the world’s sixth mass extinction of plants and animals. Exactly. Natural habitat for every species is declining due to increasing human consumers, requiring more farmland, factories, homes, etc. Yet because economics requires growth, and it’s a primal instinct, we think it’s our right, despite there being so many children without parents. Nature intended for baboons to be food of lions, leopards and and, appending humans and baboons on the same breath its naive at best. And those predators are extinct from the area now. Heard of the Kwagga? I think there was a regional lion subspecies that is extinct too. Want to guess why? I’ll give you a clue, it’s not because of wokeness or because park rangers aren’t doing their jobs. Ah, yes, Eleanor, humans are the problem, but unchecked baboons are angels, right? No lions to balance them? Forget ecosystem balance—let’s crown baboons as kings while they loot our trash. Genius! OK. Lead the way, Eleanor. Stop being part of the problem. As with any species, over population limiting resources is the real problem here. Too many Baboons, not enough productive habitat is a recipe for disaster! Too many baboons? Do you monitor their numbers? As with all primates, e.g. the vervet monkey in kzn, they face constant threats due to man. The amount of development that has occurred on the peninsula has resulted in decreased foraging area for them. We are losing our fynbos as well. Correct. Not enough habitat, due to overpopulation of the human species, taking that habitat. Recipe for disaster. I’ve done my bit and not selfishly decided that somehow my genes are better than anyone else’s, and not added more humans to make myself feel good. Have you? How are you helping? Where do you get your facts? We have lost 17 baboons in just over a year to humans Species are going extinct continuously, & in conflict with humans, because we breed as if the earth is an infinite resource, created just for us. Every new factory, mine, etc exists because we create more consumers. As advanced as we are, we can’t live without nature. The ‘humans have encroached on their land’ comments are funny. Who do the commenters think lived on the land they occupy before humans encroached on it? That even the most virtue signally bunny huggers amongst us are living on land ultimately ‘stolen’ from some or other population of animals. Some people live on land recently occupied by humans and others where it was cleared of animals long ago so they can feel smug. This is typical of the ‘incomers’ to the WC and Cape Town. A few of them can also be identified here by their racist comments. If they cannot adapt to the WC, please don’t come here or just stay the hell out at your ‘hiding post’ or island, wherever that may be, please. We have them in Montagu as well. We even have a “Gauteng Boulevard” with houses built on our beautiful reserve. I’m patiently waiting for the next overdue fynbis fire. No respect for our wildlife Plus, it’s that time of year. When the cars without indicators zip between everyone at 2x the limit to get to the beach 2.5 secs faster, without a front numberplate. Because the holiday season is all about rushing, impatience, intolerance.. everything the Constantia people above are displaying. And we think we have issues in Gauteng! At least people get along better! We were regularly visited by baboons in Bishopscourt – once or twice a month. They came to eat from the fruit trees, and swim. But my house in Umdloti had a similar issue with vervet, and we managed that by placing fruit every day at specific times in the nature reserve. Problem solved. ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Tasleem Gierdien4 September 2024 | 10:29Historic brass bell stolen from Groot ConstantiaThe brass bell, weighing around 110kg, was stolen from Groot Constantia Estate in Cape Town on Monday, 2 September.The Cloete Cellar building on Groot Constantia Estate. Picture: Zaian/Wikimedia Commons The historic Slave Brass Bell at Groot Constantia Estate in Cape Town has reportedly been stolen. The brass bell, weighing around 110kg, was stolen on Monday, 2 September. The bell is 30cm to 35cm in both height and width. A plea for any information regarding the whereabouts of the bell was put out on social media in Constantia resident/watch groups. This was also announced in a notice issued by Round-Robin, a wine farm and shared to social media by the wine farm. Sections 0861 99 00 44    Studio@smile904.fm Authorities have arrested two suspects in connection with the theft of the historic brass bell from Groot Constantia but the search for the stolen artefact continues The estate is now offering a reward of up to R20,000 for any information leading to its recovery sparking an extensive investigation led by the Diep River Detective Service They were assisted by the Wildlife Trafficking and Cultural Heritage Working Group of the Hawks in the Western Cape along with the Constantia Community Police Sub-Forum (Constantia Watch) ALSO READ: Locals urged to assist in search for stolen historic bell Authorities made a breakthrough in November 2024 when they recovered the bell clapper in Constantia prompting Groot Constantia to appeal to the public for assistance The first suspect was arrested on 1 November 2024 at the Wynberg Magistrates Court while appearing for an unrelated matter The second suspect was apprehended on 15 February 2025 in Spaanschemat River Road This suspect was found in possession of presumed stolen property and has known ties to an informal settlement behind Checkers Emporium He was scheduled to appear in the Wynberg Magistrates Court on 17 February 2025 the priority remains the recovery of the bell Groot Constantia urges anyone with knowledge of its whereabouts to come forward Those with information can contact Groot Constantia at enquiries@grootconstantia.co.za or Crime Stop at 08600 10111 authorities hope this incentive will lead to the bell’s return and further highlight the importance of protecting South Africa’s cultural heritage © Smile904.fm hosted and supported by ImmediaTerms of Use | General Contest Guidelines|Archive|Advertise with us|Privacy Policy|Contact Us Two prestigious choirs are performing at Christ Church Constantia on Sunday 4 May at 3 pm.The Cape Town Children's Choir The 32 voice Cape Town Camerata will then present a selection of songs that include some of what made them winners of the World Choral Grand Prix held in Spain in October last year The Camerata will be conducted by Leon Starker.Tickets are R170 (seating unreserved) and available from Quicket at the door or by calling Anne on 082 218 0100 will open the concert at Christ Church Constantia Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon The best of Cape Town straight to your inbox We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Cape Town If you ask me, Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia serves up the best-value fine-dining experience in Cape Town Of course, there are restaurants in Cape Town (but not many) with more expansive views But when it comes to that elusive trinity of a stellar setting and a menu priced to offer exceptional value (value and cost isn’t the same thing of course) I’d wager that it’s hard to beat the Constantia outpost of Chefs Warehouse where chef-patron Ivor Jones has wowed hungry diners since 2016 So good news for those looking to add a dollop of exclusivity to the experience with the summer launch of small-group private dining experiences The curated experiences – available at lunch and dinner – are served in Bronn’s Box a private dining room set in woodland and offering superb views across the vineyards of Constantia Bronn’s Box is named after Japie Bronn who was brought out of retirement to plant the first vineyards on the steep slopes of Beau Constantia in 2003 He is considered an unsung hero of viticulture in the Constantia Valley and was responsible for planting many of the valley’s famous vineyards diners will sit down to Jones’ acclaimed Set Menu kicking off with Beau Constantia’s signature bread course before moving onto four additional courses for sharing across the table An optional dessert menu is also available on request.  is that courses are paired with hand-selected wines from the Beau Constantia cellar including rare vintages and limited bottlings from the Beau Constantia vinoteque ‘The wines will be a mix of our current offering with a few surprises not usually available to the public,’ explains Beau Constantia winemaker Megan van der Merwe ‘These special wines really showcase the beauty of what can happen when you have the patience to let wine evolve over time and what kind of long game we are in.’ The new wine and dine experiences can be booked directly via cw@beauconstantia.co.za Time Out's pick of the Best Restaurants in Cape Town right now! Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! About us Contact us The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate will do planned work in the identified areas, resulting in water supply disruptions. This critical maintenance work is done on our water supply infrastructure to benefit customers. Residents in the affected areas are encouraged to take note of the work that will take place and to prepare accordingly and store enough water in advance, as a precautionary measure. Water should ideally be stored in clean, sealed containers.  Planned maintenance work will result in water supply disruption to these areas:  The Water and Sanitation Directorate will be doing a test shut-off on the water supply to the area between Juliana Street and Lourensford Road from 09:00 until 12:00 on Tuesday, 10 September 2024. The Water and Sanitation Directorate will be doing a test shut-off on the water supply to the area between Irene Road, Rue New Orleans Street and Hoëveld  Road from 09:00 until 12:00 on Tuesday, 10 September 2024. The Water and Sanitation Directorate will be shutting off the 535mm diameter water main opposite the Greenbelt in Lower Constantia from 09:00 until 23:00 on Tuesday, 10 September 2024. What residents need to know about larger-scale planned water supply disruptions: Dozens of residents gathered at the Yusufeyyah Masjid in Wynberg for a public meeting hosted by the Muslim Cemetery Society of Wynberg on Sunday The meeting provided an update on the status of Constantia Cemetery and addressed community concerns about the resting places of their loved ones particularly focusing on the lower section of the cemetery near Strawberry Lane one of the longest-standing executive members told VOC News that residents are troubled by graves being reopened without family consent “We are extremely elated and happy with the turnout of both men and women It shows genuine interest in the kaberstan,” he said we will celebrate 100 years since the establishment of the maqbara We should be proud of what our grandfathers achieved 100 years ago I am proud to continue the work that my grandfather pioneered.” He further highlighted that by the first of Muharram the Muslim Cemetery Society of Wynberg has a lot of work ahead to meet the necessary requirements aiming to organize things properly and legally “We need to learn from our shortcomings and identify where we didn’t execute things correctly in the past particularly regarding the disturbance of people’s graves We must respect and rectify the mistakes made and approach them positively.” “It is our duty as living Muslims to appreciate and protect the integrity of the cemetery.” stated that the meeting aimed to address the current status of the lower section of the cemetery “I believe the meeting was largely successful in addressing the administrative issues for the future We were able to establish that an Annual General Meeting (AGM) is needed for the Constantia Cemetery emotions ran high at the public meeting when several residents expressed serious concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability within the Muslim Cemetery Society of Wynberg’s current leadership Allegations were made regarding payments for tombstones that were not accounted for They specifically questioned whether the proper procedures were followed during the opening of graves especially when there were objections from the family explained that the rules required two family members to identify the graves of their loved ones He highlighted that only individuals who were biologically related to the deceased could serve as identifiers The committee also acknowledged a shortage of space noting that the cemetery at Strawberry Lane reached capacity between 2013 and 2014 VOC became the first Muslim radio station in South Africa when a special events license was granted to the station in Ramadan/January 1995 Subsequent temporary broadcast licenses were granted permitting the station to broadcast for 24 hours Copyright © 2025. All Rights Reserved. Website by Volt Africa.  Disclaimer | Terms & Conditions  |  Privacy Policy Western Cape’s No.1 Community Radio Station The competition continues through the weekend until just after midday on Sunday Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools! cruised to an 18-3 win over George’s Glenwood House in their opener Affies responded well by handily defeating East London’s Stirling High 13-5 There was a rude introduction for the Grey College II team They were trounced 22-4 by the host’s first team and Reddam House Constantia made light work of them Reddam went on to beat Grey High 9-6 and Pretoria Boys High School (PBHS) 12-9 to finish the day with a perfect record of three wins from three outings which thrust them to the top of the Pool B standings That was not the only defeat that Boys High suffered They lost a heart-breaker to Maritzburg College scored another one-goal win over Grey College Jeppe High School for Boys took on St John’s College and St Benedict’s College recently in preparation for the Grey College tournament and Jeppe beating Bennies 27-11 in a high-scoring fixture Having those contests under the belt appeared to help as Jeppe opened their account in Bloemfontein with a 14-7 win over Paarl Boys’ High A new champion will be crowned on Sunday. Selborne College, who won in 2023 and 2024 Jeppe 14-7 Paarl Boys’ High Northwood 10-9 Affies Northwood 18-3 Glenwood House Stirling 5-13 Affies Stirling 6–5 Paarl Boys’ High Glenwood House 9-10 Stirling Maritzburg College 8-7 Pretoria Boys High Pretoria Boys High 9–12 Reddam House Constantia Reddam House Constantia 23-1 Grey College II Grey College II 4–22 Grey College Grey High 6-9 Reddam House Constantia Grey High 9-8 Pretoria Boys High Grey College 8-9 Maritzburg College Related News Get to know rising SA swimming star Grace Morris Avuyile Sawula 2025-03-11 South Africa is recognised for producing top swimmers who compete at the highest levels of the sport. In the past Rhenish Girls’ High School showed class and composure on their way to a 19th consecutive win in the 4M Swimming The annual King Edward VII Water Polo Tournament concluded on Sunday with Bishops beating Hilton College 4-2 on penalties in The Reef Cup Water Polo Invitational Tournament ended on Sunday afternoon at the St Stithians Aquatic Centre with Saints clinching The Bishops first team water polo side made history when they won the annual King Edward VII (KES) Water Polo South Africa is recognised for producing top swimmers who compete at the highest levels of the sport. In the past CAPE TOWN - It's all smiles at Reddam House Constantia as the class of 2024 matriculants received their exam results on Monday afternoon One hundred and eight pupils from the Constantia campus sat for last year's Independent Examinations Board (IEB) National Senior Certificate matric exams ALSO READ: SA's independent schools achieve 98.47% matric pass rate - IEB the private school has reported 288 distinctions from last year's cohort There was jubilation and joy at Reddam House's Constantia campus as the matric class of 2024 celebrated the outcome of all the years of hard work Julia Monk was the school's top achiever with eight distinctions "I'm very happy because I worked really hard and the support I got from the teachers and friends." Candidates from government schools will receive their results at schools on Tuesday morning [WATCH]It’s all smiles at Reddam House Constantia as the class of 2024 matriculants receive their exam results. 108 pupils from the campus sat for last year’s Independent Examinations Board (IEB) National Senior Certificate matric exams #MatricResults2024 @NtuthuzeloNene pic.twitter.com/pGelFfSBWS the winemaker for South Africa’s greatest sweet wine despite its typical residual sugar levels of 155-170 g/l he does not really think of it as a sweet wine “It tastes almost dry - that’s the key to Vin de Constance,” he mused during a visit to London in mid-summer when he brought with him half a dozen different vintages including samples of not just 2022 and 2023 but also 2003 “It’s not a sickly sweet wine - the residual sugar is there as a flavourant.,” Day added The goal is to figure out what that is and create a sweet wine that isn’t too sweet The whole residual sugar discussion has got to the point where the level is so consistent and that’s because of the blending during fermentation and you blend it again and you blend it again until you have a very homogenous kind of blend which has the right sugar and right amount of alcohol,” Day explains If 2021 is a favourite vintge of Day’s, he loves the 2016 no less. The latter is also the vintage to which Jancis Robinson has given her highest marks for those tasted in the last decade. Very intense, savoury and spicy, with dried pineapple notes, it was the first vintage to be made in a brand new cellar at Klein Constantia. Matt Day in the winery: "242 is south-facing and only ten metres away from Block 241 but we’ll pick it six weeks later “The tanks were specially designed for Vin de Constance,” Day revealed “Ageing was in brand new foudres of 4,500 litres It was a hot vintage with harvesting in three weeks of March when we made 23 passes when we finished in the first week of April but with fabulous flavour and concentration.” The 2021 was the first vintage that saw elevage of 18 months in barrels (60% new) followed by another 18 months in the foudres that were installed in 2016 to provide ‘a fast-track route’ from primary to secondary flavours though the influence of micro-oxygenation Primary flavours - aromatic fermentation characteristics such as lychee and Turkish delight notes - are attractively perfumed but ‘don’t taste a terrible lot’ in his words “But I still want to create more complexity so then it’s into foudres where it’s a time capsule but you’re still getting integration of oak into the wine which becomes very interesting.” The French influence on the estate’s Sauvignon Blanc Klein Constantia has 42 blocks of outstanding Sauvignon Blanc No less important to Klein Constantia than Vin de Constance are the estate’s 42 blocks of Sauvignon Blanc which produce outstanding expressions of the varietal The winery makes between 125-160,000 bottles of it each year with several different small-production labels in addition to the estate Sauvignon through new labelling and a new bottle shape Day is not being immodest in declaring that “my goal as a winemaker is to make an iconic Sauvignon Blanc that is the New World reference of what Sauvignon Blanc is.” For Klein Constantia is blessed with perfect terroir as acknowledged by one of Sancerre’s leading producers of Sauvignon “It was after I worked with Pascal Jolivet in Sancerre that I learnt that wine is made by terroir not the winemaker,” Day said “His winemaker Jean-Luc Soty came to South Africa for the 2013 harvest with me and said as we were walking through one of the blocks ‘Matt this is perfect for my style of making wine: hyper-oxidised at crush dirty fermentation on high soluble content with wild yeasts and a long time on the lees.’” “In those days we were making Sauvignon like we were taught at university - very clean get it out of the cellar as quick as possible and learnt so much from that project that we started incorporating what worked in the Metis back into the estate Sauvignon Blanc so we had to change the style of Metis quite a bit to differentiate it.” “We started more of a micro-vinification approach,” Day continued “We found the three best blocks with the grapes with the most personality Then the other big difference was we put it in neutral oak barrels and left it there for six to nine months depending on the vintage It just created a different texture to the wine The estate Sauvignon Blanc remained tank-fermented and tank-aged.” Now every single one of the 42 Sauvignon blocks is made in its own tank having its own personality and then being blended after six months on the lees Then you have the perfect blending process taking a bit from this tank and a bit from that one and understand the personality of the blocks.” The French influence on Day has been profound “A lot of the blocks are made like Metis - high soluble content at fermentation about 80% of it is hyper-oxidised at crush you’re doing everything you’re told not to with Sauvignon Blanc but what we’re doing is oxidising away all those volatile thiols getting rid of them before fermentation and creating a more solid textured structure when you go into the fermentation You create a wine that is going to be robust and last for a very long time as opposed to Sauvignon Blanc that changes literally within six months of bottling and is terrible.” The blocks are east-facing and south-facing and benefit from higher acidity and freshness it gets exponentially colder due to the influence of the cold Atlantic Ocean “A great example of how that affects the harvest is that Block 241 is first to be picked usually on February 1 - that’s at 200m on an east-facing slope,” Day revealed “242 is south-facing and only ten metres away but we’ll pick it six weeks later Two different types of geology are found at Klein Constantia: decomposed granite and Table Mountain sandstone and affects the highest vineyards we have,” Day added “and all the alluvial soil we have is sandstone eroded down But the core of these two wines is granite roundness to the mid-palate; granite brings out savoury But with 42 blocks bringing all those contributing factors you can have so much fun as a winemaker putting together a blend You can have a little bit of that saltiness with the bright fruit and you can create that perfect masterpiece The Perdeblokke is what Day describes as “our rock star Sauvignon Blanc: single vineyard It has so many tiny little pockets of terroir….south-facing east-facing and different altitudes from 70 to 340 metres Very few vineyards in the world can have this different exposure to terroir.” Day is relishing the challenge of making the red wines of Anwilka which is also owned by the proprietors of Klein Constantia He took over at the Stellenbosch estate for the 2021 vintage when the winemaker there moved to Wales but it is a premium location for Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah “It’s been fun as I love Syrah and took inspiration from Gramercy in Washington State with its white pepper notes,” Day reflected so you’ve got the benefits of the heat of Stellenbosch but also the cooling effect of the ocean seven kilometres away The goal is to be organic but not certified with sustainability the watchword I have had the owners’ backing all the way Day modestly credits Klein Constantia co-owner Hubert de Boüard “Hubert has attention to detail like none other when it comes to tannin extraction,” he said “He’s a master from whom I’m still learning The focus is to have a great red wine in our portfolio.” In managing that Day is presiding over a notable triumvirate of world-class wines Tasting the new Klein Constantia and Anwilka vintages Klein Constantia Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Benchmark South African Sauvignon; grapefruit and lime on the nose orange zest and citrus blossom notes on the palate; refined with delightful crisp freshness as well as texture from six months on the lees Klein Constantia Sauvignon Blanc Clara 2021 Blackcurrant leaf herbaceousness with appealing note of nettliness Fabulously intense with exceptional length No new oak (compared to 50% new in both 2019 and 2020) One of the greatest vintages in the western Cape A blend of the five best barrels from the best six vineyards Racy acidity (pH 3.14) but in perfect balance (13.9% abv) Klein Constantia Sauvignon Blanc Metis 2019 The flower pictured on the label is a hybrid of the South African protea and French iris to reflect the collaboration with Sancerre vigneron Clear hints of salinity to accompany flinty minerality wet slate and lime give way to complex notes of kiwi fruit and lemon zest on the palate Nine months on the lees gives texture and weight Notably long finish to a wine that really sang Klein Constantia Sauvignon Blanc Perdeblokke 2021 High altitude block; very pronounced fruit intensity with pink grapefruit notes Very perfumed and aromatic with great tension Really good oak integration (five barrels only made - none new Very special wine from 24-year old vineyard 14.3% abv but well-balanced thanks to thrilling acidity (pH 3.16) aromas of strawberries and red peppercorns; red fruit on the palate with very silky tannins Full-bodied with plenty of structure from 40% new oak yet complex and very concentrated black fruit with fine Syrah adds texture to backbone of Cabernet A serious red wine with cellaring potential named after the Xhosa word for ‘distinguished warriors.’ Attractive red cherry fruit predominates in this fresh medium-bodied wine with soft tannins and a satisfying finish Honeyed floral perfume and aromatic spices on the nose Pickled ginger and jasmine notes stand out on the palate Explosion of flavours on a magnificently long finish with a waxy coating layer The wines of Klein Constantia are imported and sold in the UK through Mentzendorff which is a commercial partner of The Buyer. To discover more about them click here