The Western Cape Government celebrated a significant milestone this week with the official opening of the new Ladismith Clinic a state-of-the-art healthcare facility that will bring critical services closer to the residents of Ladismith and surrounding areas is designed to provide world-class healthcare services an efficient layout and water filtration systems the facility ensures that patients receive quality care in a comfortable and dignified environment Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness expressed her gratitude to the community of Ladismith and the Ladismith Clinic Committee for their unwavering support of the project “This facility represents more than bricks and mortar—it symbolises progress and our collective commitment to ensuring access to quality healthcare for all We understand the challenges faced by this community particularly residents of areas like Nissenville who previously had to travel long distances to access care The opening of this clinic brings healthcare closer to where people live and raise their families,” Minister Wenger said The clinic’s primary focus will be on preventative healthcare including services such as mother and child health management of chronic illnesses like hypertension and diabetes Patients will also benefit from visiting specialists referrals will continue to be made to Alan Blyth Hospital “This new facility is part of our government’s commitment to expanding and modernising healthcare infrastructure to meet the growing needs of our communities Investments like these are investments in dignity The Ladismith Clinic is a shining example of how we are working to ensure that all residents of the Western Cape have access to quality healthcare services,” said Minister Wenger “The opening of the Ladismith Clinic in the heart of our town is a significant step forward in making healthcare more accessible to our residents while placing the importance of healthy living at the forefront This project is a testament to the successful collaboration between the Kannaland Municipality and the provincial Department of Health and Wellness and we are proud to have worked together to make this vision a reality.”  The Western Cape Government invites all residents to utilise and take pride in the new facility which is set to deliver high-quality healthcare services and enhance the well-being of the Ladismith community Spokesperson for the Provincial Minister of Health and Wellness  Email: robyn.thomson@westerncape.gov.za Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio Residents in the Central Karoo – in both the Western and Northern Cape – have had their electricity restored after almost two weeks without power after gale-force winds and heavy rain damaged key power lines Now, residents and business owners are trying to recover. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The power had been out since the evening of Saturday 3 February and was switched on at about 8am on Thursday 15 February in every affected Karoo town – from Sutherland in the Northern Cape down to Ladismith in the Western Cape Eskom apologised several times for the outage which was caused when the wind and rain damaged the Laingsburg/Touwsrivier 132kV power lines relief efforts swooped into the affected towns with Gift of the Givers providing water and food to affected families and hospitals The provincial government also provided generators and set up power stations where residents could charge devices such as cellphones and laptops Read more in Daily Maverick: Central Karoo towns in critical scramble for water, generators after storms kill power supply  Although there was no confirmed number of people affected by the outage, the provincial social development department said its food relief programme would benefit an estimated 20,000 Daily Maverick visited Ladismith to speak to residents about the outage and what it is like to live under grid failure Many told a similar tale: they assumed it was load shedding on Saturday evening, then thought there was a substation problem on Sunday. Then on Monday, 5 February, they found out about the damaged infrastructure. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Johnie Frieslaar (66) said: “There goes the budget for food.” The pensioner added: “Our food went bad especially our meat…” He had to sell his bakkie to pay the bills Read more in Daily Maverick: Eskom apologises to Karoo residents as power restored after two weeks of grid failure Frieslaar said that when he took it to a local repairman asking only that Frieslaar spread the word Johnie Frieslaar from Nissenville sold one of his vehicles to survive the power outage in Ladismith Frieslaar said: “We needed to go back to our roots.” This included cooking food in three-legged pots over fires A day before the power went out, Freeman and her family slaughtered a pig, but had to throw out the meat when it started to rot in the absence of a fridge. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Freeman sells ice lollies to children to earn extra money for essentials such as electricity From the fridge Freeman pulled out a bag containing insulin She told Daily Maverick that her sister’s child The child stuck to a healthy diet so the family couldn’t figure out why she landed up in hospital Doreen Freeman finds her niece’s insulin in the fridge that had been switched off for 12 days Freeman wondered whether the reason was that the insulin hadn’t been kept at the right temperature told Daily Maverick it was likely that the insulin was to blame It had to be kept at a specific temperature to work effectively As for the impact of the outage on his business, Brak said that while they were lucky to have solar panels, they knew they needed to keep level heads and follow the Eskom updates. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Businesses relied on generators to keep operating While the pharmacy did not have many temperature-regulated products like a butchery Brak said his customers included farmworkers and Sassa recipients who did not have cash for medications because they could not withdraw money from the local banks And there were lessons learnt during the almost two-week outage His staff had to be a bit more patient and compassionate with customers some of whom were not quite themselves after “not being able to have coffee in the morning” Another business owner, Feroj Hossain, told Daily Maverick he used R350 worth of petrol daily to keep his generator going. He lost about R2,000 in frozen food during the outage since he could only keep one freezer and a cooldrink fridge going. The generator had kept his products cool, not cold.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Hossain had taken ownership of the shop on 1 January and business was slow throughout the month “But then this happened.” He had also allowed workers and customers to charge their phones throughout the outage People shop in Ladismith after power was restored a common theme emerged: residents and business owners were proud of the way locals handled themselves during the outage “The people of Ladismith were stellar,” said George Laubscher the Ladismith representative at the Kannaland Residents and Ratepayers Association people would have protested in frustration with some businesses even sending food to vulnerable and elderly people Laubscher said the Kannaland municipality did not communicate effectively with residents That’s the main thing.” Only on 14 February was information on the crisis provided the Ladismith respresentative at the Kannaland Residents and Ratepayers Association they should have taken the lead to keep residents and businesses informed about updates Mayor of Kannaland Jeffrey Donson said that “never have people stood together like this before” This included people storing meat with family members who had access to alternative energy sources as well as shops charging people’s phones for a small fee Donson – a controversial figure in the community and nationally after he was re-elected to office despite a 2004 conviction for raping a 15-year-old girl – spoke to Daily Maverick in his office The Department of Social Development provided food hampers to people “Everyone should have gotten hampers,” he said Kannaland mayor Jeffrey Donson speaks to Daily Maverick generators provided by the Western Cape government “couldn’t keep the hall’s lights on” at the nearby Thusong Centre The generators had been installed so residents could charge phones the Western Cape local government department said that through coordination efforts by the Western Cape Disaster Management Centre they had addressed communication challenges a private service provider had placed a charging station in the Thusong Centre for residents’ use diesel had been provided to old age homes through a private donor while immediate relief to the area had arrived in the form of bottled water During his State of the Province Address on Monday Western Cape premier Alan Winde spoke about the disaster “Citizens were at their most vulnerable and we stepped up thank you.” The province had provided more than 5,000 food parcels to indigent households who lost perishable food “And even though the power is back on we will deliver a further 3,000 food parcels to learners from indigent households,” he added Daily Maverick asked Eskom what it was doing to prevent future disasters and such grid failures Although the media desk confirmed receipt of our query no response was forthcoming by the time of publication This is the second story in a series about Daily Maverick’s recent visit to Ladismith var d=document,w="https://tally.so/widgets/embed.js",v=function(){"undefined"!=typeof Tally?Tally.loadEmbeds():d.querySelectorAll("iframe[data-tally-src]:not([src])").forEach((function(e){e.src=e.dataset.tallySrc}))};if("undefined"!=typeof Tally)v();else if(d.querySelector('script[src="'+w+'"]')==null){var s=d.createElement("script");s.src=w,s.onload=v,s.onerror=v,d.body.appendChild(s);} seems nobody has the balls to give the ANC the proper bashing that they deserve while at the same time lacking the integrity to give the DA the praise that it deserves It took the DA provincial government and the likes of Gift of The Givers to sort out the mess Central government is responsible for the Eskom fiasco that includes the lack of maintenance on the transmission network And let’s not forget that this is an ANC run municipality It was once again the DA provincial government that pulled the municipality’s proverbial chestnuts out of the fire the chestnuts are just proverbial because they have all been stolen by the ANC ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Subscribe to daily business and company news across 19 industries "In support of our acquisitive goals the Group’s strategy is to invest in fishing and complementary sectors of the South African food and agricultural industry which exhibit strong fundamentals growth and where the Group is able to leverage its core competencies and strengths," said Sea Harvest Group CEO He continued that the recent completion of the Viking Fishing and Aquaculture transaction and now the acquisition of Ladismith Cheese is in line with the company's strategic objectives with both these transactions meeting its investment criteria Ladismith Cheese produces and distributes cheese butter and milk powders to the South African retail “Ladismith Cheese exhibits strong fundamentals branded fast moving consumer goods food manufacturer of significant scale in the food and agricultural sector strong national brand and a proven management team In our opinion the dairy sector is expected to experience continued growing demand for cheese and butter in response to consumer dietary changes towards natural fat products,” said Ratheb chairperson of the Group’s majority shareholder “The acquisition of Ladismith Cheese will provide Sea Harvest through its wholly-owned subsidiary company with an ideal platform from which to build on in the dairy sector through the development and acquisition of additional dairy and allied beverage products.” Sea Harvest Group reported revenue of R1.004bn down 5% from the corresponding period in 2017 impacted by the reduction in the total allowable catch (TAC) in South Africa and the delayed start to the prawn fishing season in Australia Gross profit increased by 4% to R367.7m for the period and the gross profit margin improved by 3% to 36.6% benefitting from further efficiency gains across both the fleet and factory operations and an increase in higher margin export sales volumes Ratheb said the group’s key focus for the 6-month period in review was continuing to drive its strategic deliverables of organic and acquisitive growth He stated that the group retains a positive outlook as global demand for high-value sustainable certified wild-caught seafood remains high and this will continue to drive higher margin export growth “We expect to see significant benefit from the complementary nature of the Viking fishing business and our diversification into aquaculture and complementary sectors of the South African food and agricultural sectors.” Choose a topic below and thereafter view all articles on the topic using the "Next >" button or swiping left Choose a topic below and thereafter view all articles on the topic using the "Next >" button or the keyboard right arrow key Situated among the Swartberg mountain range Toringberg and Towerkop is the small town of Ladismith – a fascinating place for many reasons The ostrich feather craze from 1865 to 1870 converted Ladismith into a boom town with 50 000 birds breeding on the Lucerne fields around the town but the feather crash in 1914 brought the district to bankruptcy provided a golden opportunity for the vineyards deciduous fruit and stock farming industries to grow and today Ladismith is known for its excellent fruit and cheese Around 65% of all South Africa’s export apricots originate from here and the area is also famed for its two cheese factories General farming in Ladismith is slowly moving towards the establishment of game and organic farming as interest from farmers local and abroad is increasing Ladismith also has a rich architectural heritage and is unique in the sense that it has its own building style that could better be described as a simplified Georgian design Regency and Rural (Karoo) can also be found says many of the properties she sells in this town have a rich history One of her recent sales includes the Historical Old Post Office with thatched roof right on Route 62 “The Old Post Office was built in the 1800’s and was the first Post Office in Ladismith Although the town around the Post Office changed considerably over the years by some miracle this building remained untouched until it was renovated to a house in 1964 by its previous owners It was sold for the low price of R490 000 because of the massive renovating that was needed” Egan is currently marketing another three exceptional properties in Ladismith This five bedroom and four bathroom home is currently being run as a successful guesthouse It has been fully restored and meticulously maintained beautiful mouldings and charming architectural details including pressed ceilings The home is set amongst a 2712 m2 landscaped rose garden and is being marketed for R2.295 million Egan says one very seldom finds a home with this level of original detail carrying such an affordable price tag “That is why people are attracted to Ladismith – it offers residents the opportunity to live in a home from a bygone era at only a fraction of the price that you would pay for a modern home in the city Ladismith offers an uncomplicated life in a clean and secure environment.” This “Out of Africa” home built exclusively from stone on the outskirts of Ladismith boasts unusual architecture in an outstanding location Egan says the home was designed to include and enjoy special views of one of Ladismith’s landmarks There is an irrigation stream on the North side of the house servicing the surrounding farmers and renders great delight in conjunction with nature as it meanders past the house Depending on the rain fall it could either be just the trickling sound of easy flowing water or a rather large mass of thunder after a rainstorm The stone used for the building of the house is all local and was hand excavated in the mountain koppies surrounding hills and from the remnants of old ruins and even from disused stone kraals from the nearby mission town three years and one month to build the house The inner walls of the home are also constructed from stone except where there are built-in cupboards and tiled areas and window frames are made from sleeper wood The ceilings are Spanish reed with clay to ensure coolness in summer and heat retention in winter The home’s interior includes stones from all over Africa – there are stones from the first missionary at Gross Barmen near Okahandja a piece of an old mill from the Namib Dessert stones from the Nkhoma mountain in Malawi and several stones from elsewhere that were brought as gifts to the builder the open-plan living and dining area is complimented with a huge fireplace and a large farm style kitchen with a cellar apartment with ablution facility underneath that could be used as an entertainment area A built-in braai with mountain views and a beautiful garden complete the picture This Victorian home built in 1892 dates back from the Ostrich era The home was declared a National Monument and includes Victorian features such as Oregon Pine ceilings and floors imported from Canada iron pillars from England and inside Oregon Pine shutters This 400m2 home is also currently being run as guest house and the main house boasts seven bedrooms The Coach house has been tastefully refurbished and has two bedrooms two bathrooms and open plan living and kitchen area The old stables were converted into three garages and the wrap-around veranda offers a magnificent view of Towerkop and the Klein Swartberg Mountains Another special feature of Albert Manor is that every single door in the home has its original locks and keys – not one key has gone missing in 125 years The doors have Porcelain doorknobs and the solid cast iron pillars on the verandah were imported from England The cast iron broekie-lace adds the final touch reflecting an old world charm of the 19th century Egan continues that this home is on sale for R2.6 million “For a large Victorian home that includes these features this price is exceptionally reasonable” Egan concludes that there is a significant increase in the demand for property in the Ladismith area particularly from the Northern parts of the country “Ladismith offers a safe secure environment with good schools and infrastructure Our Municipality is well run by the DA and ANC coalition and properties in the area do not stay on the market for very long as it offers good value for money” “The average prices of property in Ladismith have more than doubled since 2012 are up nearly sevenfold since 2001 and still there is no sign of a slowdown” has acquired local business Ladismith Cheese The deal – for ZAR27m (US$1.9m) – was done through Cape Town-based Sea Harvest’s subsidiary Cape Harvest Food Group and gives the company greater exposure to dairy which it sees a growing category in the country Sea Harvest Group CEO Felix Ratheb said the acquisition of Ladismith Cheese fits in with its “strategic deliverables of organic and acquisitive growth” He added: “In support of our acquisitive goals the group’s strategy is to invest in fishing and complementary sectors of the South African food and agricultural industry which exhibit strong fundamentals growth and where the group is able to leverage its core competencies and strengths.  “Ladismith Cheese exhibits strong fundamentals branded fast moving consumer goods food manufacturer of significant scale in the food and agricultural sector.  the dairy sector is expected to experience continued growing demand for cheese and butter in response to consumer dietary changes towards natural fat products.”  Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis Nominations are now open for the prestigious Just Food Excellence Awards - one of the industry's most recognised programmes celebrating innovation This is your chance to showcase your achievements Don't miss the opportunity to be honoured among the best - submit your nomination today Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network FISHING company Sea Harvest – which for generations has profited from mainly its large hake business –  took a massive plunge when it acquired the Ladismith Cheese business for R527 million in 2018 Some observers contended seafood and dairy would not mix into a tasty profit recipe And judging from the latest annual statements from Sea Harvest further diversification into non-seafood niches are a distinct possibility The report reiterates that the acquisition of Ladismith Cheese was a further step in the execution of the Group’s stated investment strategy of growing through acquisitions in complementary sectors of the South African food and agricultural industry which exhibit strong fundamentals and growth and where the group is able to leverage its core competencies and strengths While it’s almost impossible to predict where Sea Harvest might hunt for new acquisitions it is heartening to know that Ladismith – which initially attracted some scepticism in the investment community In Sea Harvest’s recent report to end December 2020 the Cape Harvest Foods segment – which houses Ladismith as well as Sea Harvest’s factory shops – fared well thanks to increased in-home consumption during the Covid-19 lockdowns Revenue for the segment was up 3% to R1.02 billion with operating profit down to 2% to R94 million (but this was after accounting for R2 million of Covid-19-related expenses) After tax profit from Cape Harvest Foods came in at R68 million – which is roughly the same as the previous year’s figure Considering that around R136 million in bottom line profits has been generated by Cape Harvest Foods the price tag of R527 million for Ladismith is starting to look like a bargain deal Hopefully the next tilt away from the seafood core is equally fruitful for Sea Harvest We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again That’s how many Western Cape municipalities receive clean audits in the Western Cape making it the top province to receive such an outcome The City of Cape Town can brag too — it’s the only metro municipality in South Africa (SA) that received a clean audit In her 164 page  report on local government audit outcomes for the 2022/23 financial year, Auditor General Tsakani Maluleke reported  20 of the  34 municipalities that received clean audits ,  are found in the Western Cape.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Read more: Municipal audit results continue to decline — irregular, wasteful expenditure balloons to R7.4bn the Western Cape has 24 local municipalities five district municipalities and one metro Although the 20 clean audits were a slight decrease from the previous year’s 21 the AG said this “slight regression” underscored previous messages to municipal leadership to intensify controls around compliance The AG’s report said this area was mainly responsible for six municipalities not being able to achieve clean audits Read more: Cape Town and Prince Albert pave the way with clean audits but problems persist in Beaufort West, Laingsburg and Kannaland The  AG’s report highlighted the following positive findings about the Western Cape municipalities:  The two Garden Route municipalities were highlighted for achieving clean audits. “We commend Bitou and Oudtshoorn local municipalities that improved to clean audits due to stable leadership and the implementation and monitoring of credible audit action plans, respectively.”advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Read more: Garden Route council coalitions in flux as politicians cast an eye to 2026 Praise was given to Breede Valley municipality the DA-led municipality did not incur any unauthorised or fruitless and wasteful expenditure — the only municipality to achieve this “We encourage this municipality to take the lead in the province and share with other municipalities its best practices.” Swellendam and Theewaterskloof local municipalities regressed vacancies of the chief financial officer position and within the finance unit led to a breakdown in daily disciplines and Theewaterskloof regressed from a clean audit to an unqualified audit opinion with findings” In Theewaterskloof, that hung council was governed by a coalition of the ANC, Patriotic Alliance (PA) and Good party for the duration of the audit period. Recently, it was taken over by a coalition of the DA, Good, and Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Daily Maverick has consistently reported on the coalition in Knysna (comprising the ANC, PA, and regional party the Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners), making the news for its coalition and service delivery problems, and now, provincial government intervention.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Read more: DA calls for Knysna council to be dissolved and new elections to be held and run by a DA-FF Plus coalition — dropped from a clean audit to a financially unqualified with findings audit opinion In December, Daily Maverick reported that the provincial audit team had written to the Western Cape legislature to inform him of the delays in the audit process for the municipality “Laingsburg Local Municipality received an adverse opinion despite paying R4,06-million to consultants to assist with preparing its financial statements,” read the report In the previous year, the municipality — run by an alliance of the ANC, PA and Karoo Democratic Force — also received an adverse opinion from the AG.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove adsadvertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The report said the municipality “has a long-serving chief financial officer but the combination of a high vacancy rate and lack of skills within the finance unit and a non-functional audit committee for half the year resulted in poor record-keeping and inadequate reviews of the financial statements persisting” The “resulting lack of credible financial statements prevents users from relying on them and affects decision-making on the municipality’s operations and service delivery performance which ultimately has an impact on its residents” Kannaland Mayor Jeffrey Donson in Ladismith in February 2024 Kannaland — the municipality known for its controversial mayor Jeffrey Donson, its trouble in financial governance and debts to the AG and Eskom — had an outstanding audit opinion in this reporting period. Daily Maverick reported in December 2023 Kannaland only submitted its financial statements on 2 October — almost two months later than the required auditing deadline of 31 August The AG’s report closed with a plea that “we urge municipalities to continue to lead by example and to embed a culture of compliance and adherence to ensure that consequences for accountability failures are implemented swiftly especially at the poorly performing municipalities” It said the provincial local government department must devise coordination strategies to address instability in councils ensure critical positions such as those of the chief financial officer are filled promptly and explore options within the law to become more involved in addressing the political instability at poorly performing municipalities “municipal councils and mayors should enhance performance planning and budget monitoring to ensure that the needs of citizens are properly considered and planned for and that resources are fully and optimally used to enable the achievement of service delivery targets” I’d say the obvious but I’m sure the comment would never be allowed to see the light of day Let me just say “*They* know how to run a government… pity we have those other ones in charge and driving the country LADISMITH BUSINESS NEWS - Astron Energy has opened a new petrol service station in Ladismith on the corner of South and King Street.  This event introduces one of the first service stations in the Klein Karoo supplying consumers with Astron Energy fuel is excited that the Astron Energy brand has arrived in the area: "It's exciting for us to be bringing the future of energy to Ladismith and the surrounding towns in the Klein Karoo." says that the company is committed to investing in growth and uplifting local communities like Ladismith Astron Energy is a South African company and the local licensee of the Caltex brand operating more than 850 Caltex service stations across Southern Africa.  Astron Energy fuel contains Quartech – the premium fuel additive technology that keeps your vehicle in great running shape whilst giving better fuel economy than regular fuel There are exciting prizes to be won at Astron Energy in Ladismith during the launch period All you have to do is fill up with fuel worth R150 or more and you could be in line for some of these prizes.  Do your car a favour and treat it to Astron Energy fuel in Ladismith and see what the excitement is all about SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS - Cyclists who have not yet registered for the Ladismith Cheese 7Weekspoort MTB challenge Late entries are available at registration on Friday from 14:00 until 19:30 (Shalom Academy Showgrounds) and on Saturday morning from 05:30 until 07:00 (Amalienstein Packing Shed) Home | South Africa About 150 farmers and their workers from Ladismith in the Little Karoo have received drought and humanitarian assistance South African Water Warriors facilitated the transportation of donations about R70 000 groceries and R15 000 diesel With no decent rain the past seven years in the region Others have dipped into their savings to keep going livestock and crops has been an ongoing battle We had to go look for food for the animals Farmer Gordon Waring says in his 16 years of farming in Ladismith He says the donations are a much-needed reprieve “I think it’s actually fantastic that people come from all over South Africa to help the farmers It’s amazing that they actually care and understand Some people don’t even know where the food comes from but these people are very kind and generous and caring and it’s quite heartwarming.” says taking care of his handful of sheep and pigs is a daily struggle “I represent Zoar Landbou Vereniging and that 16 people I can assure you they are overjoyed because of this and please never ever stop this thing you are busy doing now South African Water Warriors Southern Cape representative says the donations were transported by volunteers from Cape Town their own cost and go out and assist to get this stuff to the farmers they mingle with the farmers just to show that it’s not just food and water we drop off or necessities I think that’s actually the highlight of our outreaches The talk afterward with the farmers.” Anyone interested to help with donations or becoming a volunteer can visit the South African Water Warriors Facebook page Kannaland Mayor Jeffrey Donson has been removed from office following a motion of no confidence on Wednesday during a special council sitting Kannaland is a small municipality in the Western Cape In July, Kannaland had formal actions instituted against it by Western Cape government Local Government MEC Anton Bredell and Finance MEC David Maynier for failing to pass its required 2021/2022 financial budgets four senior officials were arrested on fraud charges Hendrick Barnard (director of corporate services) Nigel Delo (former chief financial officer) McGrandile Makier (human resources manager) and municipal manager Morné Hoogbaard were charged with defrauding the municipality of more than R338-million The Hawks said the four had enriched themselves through “fraudulent appointments in senior positions and the company owned by one of them benefitted while the owner was working for the municipality” But the town’s financial difficulties have been overshadowed by its political situation. In the 2021 local government elections, Kannaland was one of 16 hung councils in the Western Cape. Icosa formed a coalition with the ANC to govern the municipality – which then drew controversy because of Donson’s rape conviction. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Donson’s rape conviction was the main cause of the motion of no confidence Daily Maverick is in possession of a letter to council Speaker Nicolaas Valentyn (ANC)  from a majority of councillors in the council Kannaland Independent Party councillor Rodge Albertus wrote to Valentyn calling for a motion of no confidence in Donson due to the “negative national and international publicity received which directly impacted and still impacts on his fitness as a public representative and figure of the Kannaland municipality and community” Albertus also pointed out that Donson had allegedly neglected to inform the council of the arrest of the four municipal officials which Albertus said had indirectly placed the council at risk of maladministration A special council sitting was held in Calitzdorp on Wednesday and the Oudtshoorn Courant reported there was a heavy police presence outside the town hall, where the council sitting took place. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads After Donson was removed, Valentyn was elected mayor. Deputy Mayor Meshoa was replaced by the ANC’s Leoni Stuurman and Albertus became the council Speaker. DA councillor Aletha Steenkamp replaced Ruiters as the municipality’s representative at the Garden Route District Municipality. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Icosa spokesperson Dawid Kamfer told Daily Maverick the party accepted the motion of no confidence “We’re not going to cry or get nightmares; we accept the results,” he said said when he recently visited Kannaland it was “shocking and scandalous” that there was increased poverty in the area Kamfer said the motions of no confidence against the three Icosa councillors would be discussed at a meeting of the party’s leaders the ANC Western Cape head of communications told Daily Maverick that while the party had asked its Kannaland councillors to break its coalition with Icosa it did not give an instruction to form a new coalition This mandate could only come from the ANC’s national coalition management team Mtsweni said a team led by provincial convenor Lerumo Kalako would be sent to Kannaland to get a better understanding of what happened. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Daily Maverick has managed to obtain court records of Donson’s appeal against his sentence including indecent assault and statutory rape of a 15-year-old girl Donson was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment of which 12 months were conditionally suspended for five years Donson’s rape case dates back to 2004. He was mayor of Kannaland at the time, and married. He was involved with a disco that regularly hosted dances for young people from Ladismith and Calitzdorp.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Donson met a 15-year-old schoolgirl from Calitzdorp it was said that Donson had a “sexual relationship” with the girl The court papers outline “sexual intercourse” between Donson and the girl including in his car and his municipal office The court questioned why Donson and two of his associates all in their late thirties or early forties In the original judgment, the judge found that Donson’s misdeeds were of a serious nature and that a suspended sentence was not suited to the crime.  advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Judge Lee Bozalek upheld the original guilty verdict but sentenced Donson to nine months’ imprisonment on the condition that Donson was not found guilty of the same charge or any misconduct of a sexual nature involving a child during the period of the suspended sentence 8 Charges including sexual assault and statutory rape and the sentence is 18 months 36 000 Teenage girls and younger pregnant a year and now we see why these rapists feel such a sense of impunity It is amazing in a jaw-dropping way that people with convictions for serious crimes can still be employed by local government What message does this send to women and young people Given the poisonous criminal cabal that have been running the show in Kannaland it is clear what locals crooks understand: Go for it For 8 Charges including sexual assault and statutory rape This piece of drivel is worse than an animal and gets away with it Would Lee Bozalek be happy with that sentence if it had been his/her girl-child that was raped No matter how despicable the crimes were it’s now a minor victory to be able to expose this and let the politicians know that the people will use the limited power that they have to be rid of them Now to get the message across to the courts that stiffer sentences are required and although the electorate were well aware of his history Maybe they’ll think a bit more next time Not very different from America … where Republicans are nominating that imbecile clown Trump as their representative … for the next election In the UK they are (only now!) realising that Boris is cloned from Trump And since when is ‘thinking’ a part of the election process think of Zuma and the Woman’s League support You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience and security Emergency services responded to the scene of a rollover crash at Airport Approach IPSS Medical Rescue responded to a single-vehicle accident on the N2 near Dokodweni ejecting the occupants from the back of the vehicle Sadly one occupant succumbed to their injuries Police were involved in a high-speed chase and they collided with the suspects' vehicle in an attempt to stop them Suspects arrested and robbed property recovered A two (2) year old girl locked in her mother’s vehicle on Inhlaba Grove in Waterloo - KZN was freed by Reaction Officers a short while ago (Monday) The infant’s mother contacted Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) at approximately 09:39 She informed the Controller On Duty that she accidentally A 49-year-old woman was arrested on the N1 freeway near Mokopane for driving 180km/h in a 120km/h zone She'll appear in the Mokopane Magistrate's Court today Let's prioritize road safety and respect the law Members of Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) tracked down & arrested a 21 year old female suspect who kidnapped a two (2) week old baby in Durban - KZN yesterday (Sunday) Baby Owami Lonathando Sindani (picture 1) was found safe by Reaction Officers this morning (09:15 Monday) in the vicinity WESTERN CAPE NEWS - The 2017 Ladismith Cheese 7Weekspoort MTB Challenge was won by Durbanville’s David Garrett and Oudtshoorn’s Yolande de Villiers; in a race which saw the women’s champion finish just one minute and thirty five seconds down on the men’s winner.  was held under cloudless skies and cooled by a steady breeze The 2017 race also saw the introduction of a primary schools’ competition in the shortest 29 kilometre distance.  accumulated the most points defeating cross-town rivals Glenwood House thanks to age group victories by Alissa Coetzer and Christiaan Hatting.  Outeniqua thereby got to etch their name on the Ladismith Cheese 7Weekspoort Schools’ MTB Challenge floating trophy and claimed the Giant Revel mountain bike In the main 85 kilometre race Garrett was eager to overturn his run of second positions in the Ladismith Cheese 7Weekspoort MTB Challenge.  His most recent second position had come in the 2016 race Click here for a photo gallery. Heading up the Seweweekspoort Garrett set the pace and with the south easterly breeze swirling into a headwind in the poort there was a lack of willing workers at the front of the group Garrett inadvertently opened up a small gap on Jan-Paul Gerber and de Villiers in the rugged 10 kilometre loop into the Great Karoo but upon reaching the smooth gravel road leading back down the Seweekspoort he sat up again and waited for Gerber and de Villiers.  The trio spent the next forty kilometres working together; with Garrett occasionally upping the pace to keep his companions outside their comfort zone As the leaders approached water point three Garrett made the decisive move.  “Last year Dylan [Rebello] attacked me there so I knew it was a good place to make a move I dropped the others on the second last climb and heard at the top of the last climb that I had a one minute gap.  "Fortunately I had that gap because the new finish is very tough and I would not have wanted to come through there in a group” Garrett reflected.  “After two second positions here I’m happy to have finally won the Ladismith Cheese 7Weekspoort MTB Challenge.” De Villiers and Gerber closed out their Ladismith Cheese 7Weekspoort MTB Challenge races by sprinting for second overall Gerber edged out the women’s champion by a couple of bike lengths.  the wind made it very difficult in the poort and you had to be really careful following wheels,” de Villiers said Upon being asked how she felt about beating the South African Marathon Champion she responded: “I’m humble; and I’m grateful was making her racing comeback after an injury layoff She spent most of the 85 kilometre race distance riding with Aaron Borrill who said that “the leaders got away very early when Robyn [de Groot] and I got caught out by a sandy patch We chased and chased but just could not catch them.” For her part De Groot seemed satisfied with her performance though the result was not the one mountain biking fans expected.  “I rode within myself and when I felt my leg I eased off a bit,” she said.  The main aim for De Groot is now to be fully fit for the Momentum Health Cape Pioneer Trek The men’s and women’s 85 kilometre podiums were completed by Jacobus Barnard and Jenna Borrill respectively Winston Bourbon-Leftley (1:45:31)43 km women1 Jenna Borrill (3:36:08)'We bring you the latest Garden Route MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The Ladismith Cheese 7Weekspoort MTB Challenge cele-brates its fourteenth edition on 30 September it is big on scenery which ensures that riders return year-on-year; drawn by the lure of the majestic Seweweekspoort The event boasts a family friendly atmosphere cultivated by the large number of charity entries donated to the local community by and facilitated by the varied route options to the challenging but breath-takingly beautiful 85km there is a distance for all levels of mountain biker All the distances start at the Lutheran church in Amaliënstein The races all finish at a new venue in Ladismith for the first time in 2017 as the event has outgrown the fields of the Ladismith High School – its traditional finish venue for the first thirteen events The primary route from Amaliënstein to Ladismith which all the race distances follow takes in the orchards of the lush Hoeko Valley and the winding passes through the foothills of the Klein Swartberg Mountains – in the shadow of To-werkop and Seweweekspoort mountain peaks.  the route includes the area's most striking feature The route makes the gradual ascent from the Little Karoo to the Great Karoo through the Seweekspoort where highway men and cattle rustlers once evaded the police in the yore Once in the Great Karoo a 10km loop spreads out the field before the riders descend back to the Little Karoo through the poort to Amaliënstein From Amaliënstein the longer distances join the 29km route as they too make their way to Ladismith For the 2017 edition of the Ladismith Cheese 7Weekspoort MTB Challenge Dryland Event Management have introduced a schools' race too This competition allows schools to enter teams of five riders in Nipper (8-10) Sprogs (11-12) and Sub Junior (13-14) age categories wherein the team with the best combined time will be declared the victors It is hoped that this new race within the race will help foster a lifelong love of mountain biking in the young riders taking part and introduce them to some of the most beautiful areas in the country 'We bring you the latest Garden Route, Karoo, Hessequa news' Jaco Booyens and SAOTA Restore Buffelsdrift FarmFeb 18, 2021 3:39 pm EST by Graham WoodJaco Booyens and SAOTA restored Buffelsdrift an award-winning farm located west of Ladismith in the arid Klein Karoo region of South Africa The restoration recently won the gold medal at the seventh edition of the international Domus Restoration and Conservation Award in Italy The restoration involved a cluster of Cape buildings in a valley beneath the Swartberg mountain range consisting of the main house and two barns Other structures on the property include a contemporary shed noted that while minor additions and modern alterations had been made to the buildings considering' and that the barns were 'fundamentally untouched.' In the main house evidence of earlier refurbishments in the 1970s was stripped out while a modern kitchen and bathrooms were inserted in an adaptive approach to conservation A new pump house was added near the dam wall on the property Its design and construction were an experiment in contemporary architecture using the same materials and techniques as the heritage buildings The landscaping around the house took the form of a series of low terraces The front section of the house consists of a central living room with a bedroom on each side While the front section had yellowwood beams and ceilings A lean-to section with a fireplace had been added in one of the elbows of the T using sundried bricks -1===document.cookie.indexOf("jvv=1")&&((adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).requestNonPersonalizedAds=1);(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});Photography: Adam Letch Phone +27(0)827066959 Website rysmierberg.com Category Architects a place of fresh air and pleasures authentic and Wi-Fi-free the Little Karoo is a 290km strip of semi-desert that trims the edge of the vast wilderness of the Great Karoo Wedged between the Swartberg mountain range to the north and the Langeberg range to the south the Klein Karoo is home to dust-bowl towns dramatic mountain passes and mile upon mile of empty veld Imagine the Australian outback at a two-hour clip from London combined with the artistic bohemia of New York's Hudson Valley - but with cheetahs and lions thrown in - and you have something of the strange and fascinating charm of the place off-map allure that has worked its magic on creative city dwellers who have trickled here to set up home in the Little Karoo's Dutch gabled houses converting farmsteads into galleries and design studios creating gem-like guesthouses and rentable homes that are a lesson in effortless style and soul-powering substance in the absolute middle of nowhere Route 62 unspools across the heart of the Little Karoo rising and falling through hills and valleys like a cardiogram This road and the secrets it unfolds remain hidden from the tourist hordes that race up and down the coastal Garden Route passing under an archway blasted through rock and out into the treeless plains a sleek restaurant and small hotel set in a garden of giant cacti tin-roofed outbuildings contain just eight rooms with a Scandi-African feel: beds are pale-wood four-posters with added zip provided by striped rugs and colourful cushions The star here is the bistro in the 1910 barn where tables are set inside a glass-box extension and the vibe is contemporary without any attitude talking guests through the ambitious menu - pecan-nut soufflé with onion butter Karoo-style ravioli with lamb and feta - and takes pride in the wine list recommending local vineyards including Kleinkloof Kranskop and Arendsig: unfamiliar names but staggeringly delicious wines I scribble them down as if I were being given secret wartime codes a private wildlife reserve almost the size of Singapore For first timers or those who want safari within easy range of the city there are relatively few animals for the size of the place - not quite needles in a haystack but the guides have their work cut out - yet in the space of two days we count off the Big Five The gradual reintroduction of tawny and white lion elephant and antelope to this undulating landscape of dry riverbeds and succulent scrub means that resident scientists can monitor the balance between habitat and wildlife a half-circle of suites under canvas renovated in September 2014 The camp sits below an amphitheatre of rock where black eagles and baboons visit daily My trim tent has a leather-tiled seating nook an outdoor shower and the sound of doves canoodling under the eaves the game restrictions bring unexpected advantages: we can jump out of the vehicle to track elephants on foot or seek out a family of cheetahs napping under an acacia without having to worry about becoming lunch for a passing lion but on territory this vast the intrusion of technology is worth it One morning we watch a pair of white lions walking through the sunrise Zebras at SanbonaDavid CrookesShafts of dawn light creep over the Swartberg range falling upon Prince Albert's fig farms and olive groves where rococo chandeliers are created from bottle tops and coloured plastic Such is its far-reaching success that two of its chandeliers hang in the White House tells me: 'Repurposing things is an essential part of Southern African culture.' In the Little Karoo making a virtue of limitation is an art form I am staying at Bobbejaansberg a dream of a house sitting in splendid isolation at the foot of the Lemoenshoek mountains the sight of which forms a backdrop to the many terraces walkways and panoramic windows of this lateral Up to eight people can rent the property for a week or a weekend - though one woman came alone cancelled all her other plans for the fortnight and stayed put It's that sort of place: just you and nature The interiors are the work of designer Gregory Mellor brass bathtubs and rugs echo the colour of the surrounding fynbos where olive and sage green and the occasional burst of pale yellow - as emphatic as a blonde in a room full of brunettes - are the governing tones a lap pool bordered by lavender and a million places to sit in cushiony bliss four-bedroom retreat - the creation of Lynn and Sibley McAdam owners of Cape Town interiors shop Block and Chisel - sits above a stream in the crease of a steep valley the stylish house blends with the mountains and surrounding bush a protected wilderness where guests can hike and bike the animals come to you: as the sun slides behind the Wolverfontein peaks I watch a red hartebeest pad down the hill to drink in the stream It's a panorama best enjoyed from the shaded deck preferably while supper cooks on the braai and you're feeling pink and squeaky clean from a bath taken in the outdoor tub The furnishings are a stylish Provençal-Karoo mash-up: pillowy beds antique dressers and sun-bleached animal bones is a country idyll of three minimally furnished self-catering houses hammock-hung stoep and wood burner for winter and a larger converted schoolhouse for families This is the Huckleberry Finn dream of Colin and Bronwyn Lumb a preposterously handsome Cape Town couple - he's a former lecturer in philosophy she's a graphic designer and ex-model who Trailed by her two sons and Jock the Jack Russell Bronwyn comes to say hello while I am sitting with the room fan blowing into my face She's sympathetic: 'I always say guests should go and jump in the river the moment they arrive.' The clay-green Gamka River and there are kayaks and paddleboards and a private pebble beach I heed her advice and spend the afternoon sunbathing and splashing in the deliciously cool water As I cook dinner later it dawns on me that this place - and the Little Karoo itself - is an exercise in paring back to essentials a couple of friendly dogs to lope alongside you on walks a glorious kayak ride into the heart of the valley and a bookcase full of Raymond Carver a three-bedroom guesthouse run by Tinie Bekker Reached down a bone-jangling road that winds through the Jurassic landscape of the Red Hills Boesmanskop dates from 1759 when Bekker's forefathers established a farm in the fertile Kruisrivier valley but the house has an antique elegance that belies its rustic purpose My bedroom has a distinctly French elegance in its plaster walls with its vine-shaded terrace for breakfast the refined drawing room is furnished with zebra-skin rugs Regency chairs and a Boer camp-bed serving as a coffee table Diesel and Crème dinerDavid CrookesFor a sense of Little Karoo life I drop by the nearby gallery of photographer Roger Young capture the feeling of the place: isolation expressed in a moonscape of hills in the lined features of the characters that populate this landscape 'The word Karoo is derived from the Khoikhoi for dry and hard,' he reminds me charming rooms in dinky outbuildings are furnished with brass bedsteads and rose-print cushions and face onto a small pool 'It takes time for people to understand what Prince Albert is all about,' says the owner What is it about artists and the Little Karoo it's cheaper to live in the country than the city,' Phillips says 'There's also something about the light here the immensity of the landscape.' Jackie Burger the former editor of Elle South Africa and a Prince Albert homeowner credits the 'painterly skies at dawn and dusk the stars bright against an expansive night sky' (At the very least the place makes poets of its residents.) At sunrise the next morning I climb the koppie (hill) behind the town Shafts of dawn light creep over the Swartberg range the proud silhouette of the church bell tower all signs of civilisation tail off as the wilderness reasserts itself into empty plains and monumental hills: an equation of space to sky that invites existential shivers It's a scene emblematic of the Little Karoo: a pioneer place of true grit and hard living counteracted by havens of verdant beauty dogs bark and a cool wind rushes towards me I watch until the light coalesces into brightness Mariko JesseThis feature was published in Condé Nast Traveller September 2015 To get connected to one of our most trusted tour operators to help you plan and book a trip to South Africa, or to see an itinerary curated by our editors, email besttrips@condenast.co.uk Read our feature on more of the best winter sun destinations Newsmakers Kidnappers in Lagos reportedly abducted a retired Air Force officer Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Sikiru Oladimeji Smith Reports say AVM Smith was abducted by masked gunmen According to a panic audio released by his driver Smith was abducted from a working site in Ajah and forcefully husked away via a boat that sailed towards the Ikorodu area of the state Smith is a retired Chief of Communications Officer at the Nigerian Ministry of Defense Prior to his pre-retirement position as AVM Chief of Communications Smith was Commander 401 of The Aircraft Maintenance Depot and Chief of Logistics at The Nigerian Air Force He is also Author of non-fiction book Civil Militia and Nigeria’s National security Smith has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of his company He has a Honorary Doctorate Degree in Defense and Strategic Studies NewsmakersNG is a general interest online news medium published by Chief Detective Communications Ltd Established in 2016 by a team of multiple awards-winning Nigerian journalists it provides information for an educated audience and it has no political or religious affiliation Kindly donate in support of the growth of NewsmakersNG: