NEWS: The Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) will be hoping they can finalise the sale of Newlands Stadium to settle their debts WPRFU owes Dreamworld Investments ZAR250 million after initially borrowing ZAR112 million under Zelt Marais’ presidency to settle debts with Remgro and Investec The WPRFU’s real estate was offered as security for this it was revealed that Dreamworld has called up the bonds which means that property could be sold at auction to the highest bidder the administrator of the Western Province Rugby Football Union said the union is hoping to finalise the sale of Newlands Stadium and they are currently working with Dreamworld to “resolve the situation” “Since I was appointed Administrator we have worked diligently to prevent the foreclosure of Dreamworld,” Jooste said in a statement “The Western Province Rugby Football Union [WPRFU] has secured a buyer who has completed their due diligence and we are currently finalising the legal and contractual aspects of the proposed transaction Dreamworld’s representative has been kept informed of our negotiations with the prospective buyer and has received regular updates on our progress their representative has met with the prospective buyer and is fully aware of the offer under consideration “I want to emphasize that WPRFU remains fully committed to working with Dreamworld to resolve this situation “We are close to finalising this agreement and it would be a significant setback if we are unable to complete this deal.” Rugby’s best of the best, ranked by experts. Check out our list of the Top 100 Men's Rugby Players and let us know what you think!  Get weekly Rugby Updates direct to your inbox All the Rugby365 articles and news you love Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio A quiet war has been raging in Newlands Forest on the slopes of Cape Town’s Devil’s Peak It’s a battle against bark strippers – people who hack into the ancient trees of this precious indigenous woodland to sell their bark for traditional medicine often leaving behind dead or dying giants of the forest This month saw a breakthrough. Following a tip-off, South African National Parks and Sea, Air and Mountain (Seam) rangers conducted a foot patrol along the Woodcutter’s Trail where they heard chanting and chopping sounds — clear signs of illegal activity.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads they found four individuals actively stripping bark: two hacking at the trunks the others stuffing the loot into backpacks and Mountain) K9 unit and swift ranger response an axe and four backpacks bulging with bark The suspects were taken to Claremont SAPS and formally charged While this might seem like a small victory community-driven effort that’s been steadily gaining ground – led Willem Boshoff fell in love with Newlands Forest in 2019. Back then, he assumed SANParks was felling trees for ecological reasons. But when he encountered stripped, ring-barked trees — sometimes completely dead — and spoke to rangers, he learned the truth: this was no management strategy. It was poaching.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “My poor wife had to deal with me walking around in the forest at 10 o’clock at night with a head torch and pepper spray trying to catch these guys,” he recalls With the pandemic came an explosion in bark stripping Boshoff read about urban arborists who deter stripping by painting tree bark He tested the idea in the forest using diluted grey PVA paint “People were stripping all around it but not the painted trees Support flowed in from public donors and groups like the Sugarbird Trust Boshoff and a team began systematically painting trees — starting with mature specimens of Cape beech “The project has been an enormous success,” says Boshoff “Not a single tree we’ve painted has been stripped.” Willem Boshoff says stripped trees subsequently die and are easily blown over “We’re not critical of a practice that has been going on for centuries,” he explains “we are critical about it being done in a completely unsustainable manner.” He notes that the bark from old trees — sometimes 150 years or older — is irreplaceable in six years you’ve got a mature rhino again Table Mountain National Park is unusually vulnerable and it borders a metropole of more than 4.5 million people Bark stripping is low on the prosecution priority list and enforcement is tricky in such dense terrain Community groups like Friends of Table Mountain and Take Back Our Mountains are investing hundreds of thousands of rand in trail maintenance and security initiatives The Sugarbird Trust has installed Snapscan-linked signs for forest donations — one recently yielded R50,000 from a single donor “As users we need to contribute to the park’s upkeep,” says Boshoff The whole ecosystem is a beautiful thing.” The recent arrests show that coordinated enforcement still matters. But it’s the blend of community involvement, creative deterrents, and quiet commitment — like Boshoff’s brushstrokes — that seems to be turning the tide.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads As for Boshoff, his hope is simple: “I want future generations to be able to walk into Newlands Forest, look up at a 200-year-old tree, and marvel at its beauty. I think it’s worth protecting.” DMadvertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Great initiative and so much needed. The mindless use of anything and everything in the peddling of ‘traditional’ and homeopathic medicines should be fought at every level. 99.9% of it is scientifically unresearched and unproven and basic education is urgently needed to terminate the practice. Hats off to Willem Boshoff! Well done! This is the kind of non-violent activism from a thinking caring person…trees for medicinal use should be farmed in a controlled way. Wonderful read. In SA today, almost without exception, when something good, positive, caring happens, when a real difference is made to something that matters deeply but authorities consider it less so, it’s because of one person, or a small group, that just get in with it. They use their position, their resources and stop waiting. If only officials and elected politicians harnessed this goodwill. Absolutely brilliant, thank you and well-done, Willem. A far more respectable contribution to the environment than the ineffectual and infantile cogitations about overhauling the legal system to give nature rights recurring in this publication. ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " The decision clears the way for the union to hold elections and will restores its full voting rights once the process is complete. That process is expected to be completed by June 2025. The decision was taken in acknowledgement of the union’s financial stability following the conclusion of a private equity investment in the commercial arm of the Union. The sale of the Newlands rugby stadium remains to be completed, but the Exco determined that it was a function that the Union could perform. The WPRFU was placed in administration in October 2021 in response to the severe challenges faced by the Union. The decision was taken according to the provisions of clause 29 of the constitution of SARU which require that unions “conduct their business affairs in such a way that, at all times, they are in a sound financial position, comply with the laws of the Republic and adhere to the requirements of good governance”. Under SARU administration, the administrator was tasked to continue with the Union’s process to conclude a private equity deal for the Union, complete the move to the DHL Stadium and manage the sale of the Newlands stadium and other owned properties. The first two responsibilities have been successfully discharged and the proposal relating to the sale of certain properties, including Newlands rugby stadium, would now be the Union’s sole responsibility. “Both the Union and the Stormers (Pty) Ltd commercial entity are now in a stable financial position,” said SARU in a statement. “The Exco determined it would be unreasonable to continue with administration and the administrator was instructed to return control to the member. “The union was placed in administration when it was in a dire financial position and its standards of governance were in disarray. That is no longer the case and to continue with administration was viewed as being unreasonable.” Note: For clarity, the equity transaction and the sale of Newlands and other properties required or require the approval of the Western Province Rugby Football Union clubs. The presented equity deal was approved, however a proposal to sell the properties was rejected by the clubs on 10 June 2024. Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote has made several rotational changes to his starting line-up and included four players... Springbok Sevens head coach Philip Snyman heaped praise on his squad after a commanding weekend of sevens rugby displaye... The Springbok Sevens team saved their best for last to win the final tournament of the season, the HSBC SVNS World Champ... The Springbok Women's Sevens team's hearts were broken with a late defeat against Kenya in their HSBC SVNS Play-off fina... The race for those coveted four semi-final spots of the SA Cup – and with that qualification to the Carling Currie Cup P... The Springboks are planning for a very full international season which can include up to 15 matches – the most in a single season for the men in green and gold since 2007 – which will provide national coach Rassie Erasmus the opportunity to test players and increase the depth at their disposal with the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia in mind, and beyond that. The gloves will be off when the Hollywoodbets Sharks and Emirates Lions clash in Durban on Saturday – the only Vodacom United Rugby Championship game of the weekend – in a repeat of last weekend’s match-up, but this time with silverware up for grabs. Their abilities on attack and sheer-mindedness on defence will stand the Springbok Women’s Sevens team in good stead at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Friday, when the second World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025 tournament kicks off. The road to qualification for the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division kicks off in Mpumalanga on Friday with the start of the second edition of the SA Cup, with 10 provincial sides battling it out for supremacy and the prestigious trophy, and four places at the top table of the oldest provincial competition in the world. There was excitement all around on Wednesday as Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus and SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer drilled into the details of Felix Jones’ role in South African rugby after rejoining the organisation from England earlier this week, while Jones said he was delighted to return. The Springbok Women's Sevens moved up to the second place on the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger log on Saturday, despite a disappointing 17-0 defeat to Kenya in the final of the second tournament at Athlone Stadium on Saturday evening. Losing against Kenya in the final of the second World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger tournament in Cape Town on Saturday evening was a massive disappointment, but Springbok Women's Sevens coach Renfred Dazel said they are still on track for their 2025 ambition – to qualify for next season’s HSBC SVNS. The Hollywoodbets Sharks held their nerve in a hard-fought Vodacom United Rugby Championship derby against the Emirates Lions in Durban on Saturday to consolidate their fourth place on the standings with six regular pool matches remaining and claim the SA Shield for the first time. The Bulls Daisies confirmed their right to host the Women’s Premier Division final on 29 March by claiming a sixth consecutive win in the competition on Saturday, while their main rivals, Sanlam Boland Dames and DHL Western Province, also scored emphatic wins to remain in the race to the title decider. The race for the four places in the Carling Currie Cup Premier Division got off to a cracking start during the opening round of the 2025 SA Cup, with five encounters staged over the weekend. © 2025 SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY | PICTURES © GALLO IMAGES CEO of Western Province Cricket Association to discuss how food vendors are allocated stalls to trade at Newlands Cricket Stadium Lester Kiewit spoke to Gasina Waggie-Isaacs the owner of Curry Café at Newlands Cricket Stadium "My stint came to an abrupt end," Waggie-Isaacs told Kiewit "I was sincerely hoping that I would be relocated to another space RELATED: Curry Café at Newlands Stadium closes after 27 years: 'It's sad for me too' The Western Province Cricket Association says the decision is partly because the space and vendors have fallen victim to upgrades, refurbishments and developments.  Van Zyl also explains that the developments include a media centre, restaurant and café which is going to service the business park throughout the year. Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview. Sections South Africa have made three changes to their side from the one that beat Pakistan by two wickets in the Boxing Day Test match in Centurion Eighteen-year-old fast bowler Kwena Maphaka is set to make his debut in Test cricket at Newlands Cricket Ground on Friday in the New Year’s Test, while all-rounder Wiaan Mulder and experienced spinner Keshav Maharaj also return to the fold. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Opening batter Tony de Zorzi has been ruled out of the Test match having suffered a left thigh strain at SuperSport Park This has forced a rejig in the batting order with Ryan Rickelton who has been batting at first drop in South Africa’s last two matches will be opening the batting for the first time in Test cricket as he did in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Durban at the end of November when he suffered a finger injury Dane Paterson – who took a career-best five haul at SuperSport Park –  and Corbin Bosch – who debuted in the previous Test striking 81 with the bat and taking five wickets with the ball – are the other two players who have missed out on selection “Selection is always a tricky one,” Test captain Temba Bavuma said at Thursday’s pre-match press conference “We can all sit here and select three or four different teams for tomorrow “What helps the guys is that level of safety and security Guys know what their roles are in the team “We are all geared towards the same thing; we all want to win for ourselves, for the team, for the country.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “We understand that whatever decisions are made “A guy like Patto [Paterson] is as experienced as anyone; he’s seen it all but looking at him today he had a smile on his face; he understands that it’s for the betterment of the team.” Proteas captain Temba Bavuma has batted away criticism of South Africa’s journey to the finals of the World Test Championship South Africa head into the Test match at Newlands with their biggest box already ticked: qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final They secured their berth in the final at Lord’s in June later this year after beating Pakistan in the first Test Their accomplishment wasn’t received well globally with former England captain Michael Vaughan saying that South Africa have reached the Test cricket pinnacle “on the back of beating pretty much nobody” Teams have to play six series’ – three home, three away – in a WTC cycle, meaning that they skip two of the nine sides who compete in the red-ball competition. This cycle, the two sides South Africa have avoided are England and Australia, which is outside of South Africa’s control, as the International Cricket Council arranges the fixtures.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Vaughan went on to say that South Africa don’t “warrant being in the WTC final [based on] whom they have played over the last two years”.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads New Zealand are the only team that have beaten the Proteas in this WTC cycle and that was off the back of South Africa sending a severely depleted side to the Kiwi shores Read more: Proteas have navigated a rocky road to the World Test Championship final “We don’t come up with the scheduling,” Bavuma said “We’d love to play a lot more games like the other three countries around the world are there will be more matches that come our way.” “We just do what we can as a team; we’ve tried to play good cricket and through all the good cricket that we’ve played it’s not really for us to really get involved with those negative sentiments being passed by past players “I definitely don’t believe it was an easy ride to get to this point We played against New Zealand with not such a strong team From then onwards we’ve pretty much won all our games “I don’t think that’s an easy feat by any stretch of the imagination. Those are games we won at home and away. We take a lot of pride in what we’ve achieved.”advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Kwena Maphaka will offer South Africa an extra bit of pace in their Test match against Pakistan at Newlands Captain Temba Bavuma has hinted that debutant Maphaka might open the bowling for South Africa alongside Kagiso Rabada When Maphaka makes debut tomorrow he will be South Africa’s youngest Test debutant at 18 and 271 days old, beating former spinner Paul Adams, who made his Test debut in 1995 at 18 and 340 days.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “Kwena’s selection is more potential than anything,” Bavuma said Read more: ‘Heaps of talent’ Rabada says of Maphaka, with the two quicks boasting many similarities  Coach Conrad has shown a tendency to select at least one bowler with express pace “We wanted to go with the extra bit of pace as well that’s where his selection came into it,” Bavuma added “We’re quite excited for Kwena as well. We also considered that we have a series on the line; you want to give an opportunity to a young guy when there’s something on the line. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “Whatever happens from a performance point of view, it will put him in good stead.” Bavuma hinted that Maphaka could have the brand-new cherry in his hands too. “I’m sure he’ll be looking forward to be running in with KG [Kagiso Rabada] over the next five days,” Bavuma said. DM Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka. Huge congrats to Kwena Maphaka! Stubbs and especially Beddingham need to kick on- they need to find form before heading to Lords to ensure we win this championship. Well done to Shukri, Bavuma and Enoch Nkwe along with the CSA ceo Pholetsi Moseki. Very happy for Kwena Maphaka! Happy for Bavumba with his 100 today, and Rickelton looks in great form. Agree on Stubbs and Bedingham. Can anyone tell me when last, if ever, 4 guys from the same school, in this case Rabada, Rickleton, Mulder and now Mphaka all from St Stithians College, played for the SA Cricket test team? I would be very surprised if ever! CAPE TOWN - Firefighters are battling an active fire above Kirstenbosch in Cape Town that was reported just before 4am on Sunday morning SANParks has deployed more than 50 ground firefighters and aerial resources to combat the fire The fire is currently burning in an inaccessible area above the Lady Anne Barnard trail with the possibility of the fire spreading to the back of Table Mountain As a precautionary measure, trails in Newlands and Kirstenbosch area have been closed. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, and further updates will be provided.SANParks urges the public to avoid the affected areas for safety reasons.#SANParks #LiveYourWild Senior communications manager at SANParks, Charles Phalane: "Firefighters have been battling the blaze for several hours in rugged terrain. Ground crews have been unable to access water sources for vehicles and hoses but we have activated aerial support to control the flames. At this stage, no structures are at risk." As a precautionary measure, trails in the Newlands and Kirstenbosch areas have been closed.  Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely. SANParks has urged the public to avoid the affected areas for safety reasons. Lester Kiewit speaks to Gasina Waggie-Isaacs the owner (for 27 years!) of Curry Café at Newlands Stadium Waggie-Isaacs says after 27 years of trading at Newlands Cricket Ground her business closed after revamping work at the stadium "My stint came to an abrupt end," Waggie-Isaacs tells Kiewit "We all know there's lots of revamping and building going on at the stadium and so it's sad for me too," Waggie-Isaacs explains RELATED: Western Province Cricket Association responds to food vendor closures at Newlands Stadium Waggie-Isaacs is inundated by people enquiring about where her curry stall is, which she says saddens her. "Things change and contracts can't run to infinity. But there are certain things we look forward to and there are traditions we look forward to and it was incredibly disappointing that I didn't see you there," says Kiewit. Waggie-Isaacs says she still runs a cooking company, offering and delivering lunches to companies and parties of eight people or more. So, business-wise, she'll keep on running. Shan Masood and Babar Azam have led a surprising fightback against South Africa decreasing their deficit to 208 on day three after two days of exertion at Newlands Cricket Ground Shan Masood (left) of Pakistan celebrates scoring a half-century with teammate Babar Azam of Pakistan on day three of the second Test at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town on 5 January 2025 The Pakistani openers put on a solid 205-run partnership, surpassing the 194 team total they were bowled out for earlier in the day. Masood became the first Pakistani captain to score a century in South Africa, going to stumps on 102 off 166 deliveries with a massive task on his hands to attempt to get a lead for his side.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads was dismissed 15 minutes before the end of play on 81 off 124 deliveries to go with the half-century he made in the first innings — the only one of the innings for his side Babar Azam of Pakistan on day three of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town on 5 January 2025 Shan Masood (captain) of Pakistan on day three of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town on 5 January 2025 At the start of the day, in the first innings, Azam and Mohammad Rizwan took the overnight total of 64 to 118, batting through the first hour of play comfortably.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads But as they have done so far in every innings in the series the Pakistani batters capitulated one after the other Kwena Maphaka of South Africa on day three of the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands Cricket Ground on 5 January 2025 The moment of the day belonged to 18-year-old Kwena Maphaka when he broke the overnight stand by dismissing Pakistan’s best batter but that mattered little to either the crowd at Newlands Cricket Ground or Maphaka himself who celebrated ecstatically at his first Test wicket The delivery angled down the leg side and Azam got a feather pouched by Kyle Verreynne behind the stumps Rizwan decided to take a more attacking approach once his partner had fallen It led to a dismissal that looked poor given the context of the match with his team on 143 for the loss of four wickets His wicket also led to his side’s batting collapse He skipped down the track trying to attack Wiaan Mulder in the process completely losing his shape and chopping the delivery on Pakistan’s batters all fell cheaply from there with the next five wickets going for only 50 more runs Keshav Maharaj picked up two of those wickets with an elite display of control with the odd ball biting sharply out of the wearing Kagiso Rabada of South Africa unleashes a delivery on day three of the second Test against Pakistan at Newlands Cricket Ground on 5 January 2025 South Africa had a massive lead of 421 after bowling Pakistan out for a modest 194 Skipper Temba Bavuma decided to enforce the follow-on but the wickets didn’t tumble as easily in Pakistan’s second dig of the day Openers Masood and Azam batted with more patience and resilience than any of the Pakistani batters have shown throughout the two-match Test tour They made the South African bowlers toil for 46.1 overs before the first wicket fell While the Protea’s bowlers weren’t as disciplined in their lines and lengths as the first Pakistani innings their ill-discipline at the popping crease continued The team bowled 13 no-balls in the first innings and 10 so far in the second “It’s disappointing,” Proteas bowling coach Piet Botha said about the no-ball problem after the match “It’s something that does creep into the game every now and then “We probably started a little bit with that problem in Bangladesh then sorted it out.” South Africa bowled 25 no-balls across the two Tests against Bangladesh in October last year “[It wasn’t] a problem against Sri Lanka, I suppose. We did well and now it’s crept back in,” Botha said. “That’s obviously something we have to pay attention to again and make sure we fix it.”advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Wayward deliveries were nailed by the Pakistani openers on a pitch that played as evenly as a road and offered nothing outside a bit of turn for Maharaj “With the new ball [it’s] a bit challenging, but when you’re settled down and build a partnership, it’s a bit easier,” Azam said after the day’s play.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “Maharaj got some turn and bounce so it’s a bit challenging against spinners if you are settled you can play your normal game.” South Africa are still on top after three days of action in the Mother City but will need to tighten up their discipline on a wicket that is offering little assistance If Masood kicks on and Pakistan pass 450 on day four it could make for an interesting run chase the game plan will be to build pressure through economical spells of bowling to ensure Pakistan don’t gain any further momentum which has brought wickets every day after the hour-mark drinks break will play a big role in determining the direction of the match Our (SA) bowling coach should be fired – all bowlers across all formats are bowling WAY too many wides and no balls 0861 99 00 44    Studio@smile904.fm Several roads in Newlands will be closed today for the Proteas and Pakistan ODI the South African national men’s cricket team will play against the Pakistani national team in the second ODI at Newlands Cricket Ground today This will impact several roads in the vicinity of the stadium Several roads will be closed in Newlands today The cricket clash forms part of a bilateral three-game ODI series between the two countries ”The City of Cape Town is thrilled to host the Proteas and Pakistan for the summer of cricket in our beautiful city,” says the City’s JP Smith Pakistan are currently leading the series 1 – 0 following a win at Boland Park in Paarl earlier this week (on Tuesday) that the Proteas must secure a victory today The Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security Alderman JP Smith says the gates will open at noon and the first ball will be bowled at 2 pm He says spectators will be able to find parking at Groote Schuur High School Groote Schuur High Lower Field and Groote Schuur Primary School “Cape Town has become synonymous with the summer of cricket with Newlands Cricket Ground’s rich history of hosting international cricket since the late 1800s.” residents and motorists that Campground Road will be closed from the corner of Campground and Mariendahl Roads to Palmyra Road from 12:00 until 23:00 that there will be a dedicated drop-off and collection point on the Corner of Palmyra and Campground Roads (just past the Groote Schuur High School field) READ MORE: For more information on this visit The City has welcomed both teams as well as their fans Motorists are being advised that there will be no stopping on the following roads: “The City is working with the event organisers to put measures in place that ensure we can get spectators to and from the stadium safely to experience a memorable cricket spectacle.” the two teams will head back to the Mother City in the New Year for the traditional New Year’s Test at Newlands from 3 January 2025 © Smile904.fm hosted and supported by ImmediaTerms of Use | General Contest Guidelines|Archive|Advertise with us|Privacy Policy|Contact Us Lindsay Norman jokes that she writes with “an empty spice bottle and no steam in the iron”, which is ironic since the title of her book, Khaki Fever is also a slang term for uniform-smitten young girls who had illicit relations with soldiers during World War I “The closest they get to being in bed,” the Newlands author said laughingly of the two romantic leads “is when they are under the bed during a storm.” the flavour would be braai spice because the book is safari-themed and packed full of South African flavours Safari is a recurring theme in Lindsay’s books are set in rural Zimbabwe and were inspired by her work with her NGO Hwange Schools Project “I travel a lot to Zimbabwe because I run a very small NGO with a friend of mine in Matabeleland Most of the reading material donated to the NGO was not relatable to the children “I realised that they don't have many books where they can recognise themselves but those books are about things that are not within their context and it's very important for children to develop a love of reading by reading books that are set in their context so that they can recognise themselves.” Lindsay wrote The Elephants are Coming and Aunt Alice and the Lion which are both centred around a little boy called Themba and his adventures with farming village life and wild animals in Ngamo Village in Zimbabwe They were printed by Penguin Random House and had success with multiple reprints since their 2016 launch Lindsay also wrote an activity book based on Themba’s adventures Writing inspiration struck again last year who has more than 30 years of publishing experience in every sphere of the sector which was published by Jonathan Ball earlier this month fast-paced read that tells the story of twenty-something Alex a socially awkward game guide with no filter “The intricacies of the story just evolved ‘What if a girl pretended to be a guy to get a job as a guide at a game lodge?’”  this starting point only became a small feature in the overall plot in the end “I also knew that I wanted to write a funny book and that was my basis for writing style,” she said.  The book has been billed as a comedy romance but Lindsay is the first to admit that this doesn’t quite fit “It's a difficult book to pin down to any particular genre pacy read full of adventure and drama but low on romance and spice The lack of spice in the book did come up during a discussion with her proofreader and they joked about her possibly writing a spicier sequel called Scarlet Fever or Fifty Shades of Khaki “Maybe if there's a sequel or even a third one but I don't think I'm that kind of author because I can just see myself attempting to write something spicy and just packing up laughing and not being able to get really into it.” Marianne Thamm has toiled as a journalist / writer / satirist / editor / columnist / author for over 30 years She has published widely both locally and internationally It was journalism that chose her and not the other way around Marianne would have preferred plumbing or upholstering and how the family survived tumultuous political currents to hold on to their famous The Avenue Café in the Cape Town suburb of Newlands is theirs to tell For those of us who have lived in Newlands for many years, Mushtaq Bhatkar, Mush or Mr B, and his older brother Abbas, or Abu, have been a constant to generations of residents, just like the mountain or the streams that rush through the suburb in winter.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads those in our neighbourhood for whom Mr B and Abbas have been daily fixtures have been struck by a deep sorrow and an acute awareness of the presence of absence Mush died on that morning shortly before he was to return home to his beloved wife after spending some time in hospital recovering from a fall but far too early for those of us who would visit him Former professors would make their rounds and sit for hours with Mush – he behind the counter His curiosity and knowledge knew no bounds was looking forward to being back in the old rickety swivel chair behind the counter with a prayer and incense to thank the divine for another day he could enjoy when a crowd gathered as Mush was taken from his home above the shop to be buried before sunset it felt as if a unique light had been extinguished You could traverse a universe when you came in for some of the café’s trademark samoosas cheesecake patties or strange imports from the UK (clearly aimed at the sensibilities of many in this wealthy neighbourhood bordering the University of Cape Town and a magical indigenous forest) Mushtaq knew who lived where before the forced removals; he knew the paths to the secret places in the forest; he knew where the rope swing once hung and where the neighbourhood’s children played ever mentioned apartheid or how the family had been affected One afternoon I ran into Pravin Gordhan in the parking lot outside The Avenue Café He had stopped there on his way home to buy some coriander Some days he would wear one with cartoon characters on it and you could tell he was in a playful mood He was a hoarder of things and stocked the café with books He found amazing bargains – a pair of Elvis glasses All the children in this suburb with its private and successful model C schools know the shop The Bhatkar family is suitably discreet and old-fashioned about doing business I could always buy food or necessities “on the book” Brother Abbas, Mushtaq and I would laugh, was “the sweeper” who kept account of who owed what.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Mush’s favourite station was Fine Music Radio It brought a calmness to the shop and Mush would busy himself reading and marvelling at the use of artificial intelligence on WhatsApp For 20 years I tried to catch Mush out by rushing in to ask for something obscure along with the plastic Ninja Turtle motorbikes still in their wrapping and an old Polaroid camera would be the thingymabob you were looking for There are many like you – never in the spotlight but dotted throughout communities all over this country – who leave a quiet and deep I went to greet Abbas and found him behind the counter Mush is still all over in the shop in the ridiculous items he stocked The saints always depart quietly and their works and nourishment grow in private. Rest in peace, fine gentleman. Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un (Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed, to Him we return).advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads May Allah grant Mushtaq Bhatkar the highest place in Jannah. DM This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35. A dear, dear man, a consummate gentleman and someone I would pop in to visit simply for the blessing of his conversation and company long after I lost the taste for biltong. An oak has indeed fallen in Newlands. What a wonderful man. I shopped there often and admired the two brothers, always impeccably dressed. I liked their biltong. I would stop there after a session at Forries for something to nibble on the long drive back to Hout Bay. “He never, ever mentioned apartheid or how the family had been affected.” – thank goodness, who wants to hear about that nonsense! The match forms part of a bilateral three-game ODI series between the two nations. Pakistan currently leads the series 1-0 following a win at Boland Park in Paarl on Tuesday evening and the Proteas need victory on Thursday to avoid defeat in the series. Spectators going to the game can find parking at Groote Schuur High School, Groote Schuur High Lower Field and Groote Schuur Primary School. A dedicated drop-off and collection point has been identified on the Corner of Palmyra and Campground Roads (just past the Groote Schuur High School field). Fans, residents and motorists are reminded that Campground Road will be closed from the corner of Campground and Mariendahl Roads to Palmyra Road from 12:00 until 23:00. The two teams will return to Cape Town again in the New Year for the traditional New Year’s Test at Newlands from 3 January 2025.  Firefighters have successfully contained the Newlands Ravine fire which had extended to the mountain’s front face in Table Mountain National Park including sections that were inaccessible to them SANParks Head of Communications and Spokesperson JP Louw said the Redhill fire was temporarily contained Wednesday afternoon; however three additional flames and a flare-up later occurred Louw further said that fire suppression efforts are continuing even though these fires were put out “The Platteklip Gorge and Kloof corner trails are now open to the public Maclear’s Beacon and Devil’s Peak to Newlands remain closed Tafelberg Road is closed from Platteklip parking towards Devils Peak All trails in Newlands Forest are closed including Rhodes Memorial and Block House,” he added 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. 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