Flock Competition

The National Angora Flock Competition was held this year in Aberdeen, combining with the regular annual flock competition held in the town.

The day started early (perhaps too early for some of those who had been partying at the Zegna awards the night before!), and a team of ladies from Aberdeen Publicity were on hand ready to serve their  sizzling breakfasts.

A huge marquee had been erected in the middle of the showgrounds, and Clive Kombani and his team from the Municipality had spent many weeks preparing and repairing, in order to get everything ready for this special event. Tractors and bakkies were on display, and there was a small selection of stalls to browse in the hall. Aalwynhof sold boerewors rolls, the ladies from the AP Kerk served their usual delicious pancakes, and the team from the NGK served a tasty potjiekos lunch.  Burgers and biltong were also available - no-one could go away hungry!

A great attraction in the marquee was a small flock of hand-reared kids, whose fleeces had been dyed the most delightful pastel shades using food colouring. A bottle was available for young children to feed the kids, which proved very popular with both the kids and the children.

The main focus of the day was obviously the Angora Competition. The judges complimented the entrants on the high quality of the stock exhibited in all four categories. Some outstanding results were achieved by in particular Barries Snijman in the Veld Groomed section, Jannie Nel in the Groomed category, and A Mapoe for the Emerging Farmers.

Snijman dominated the awards for best veld groomed flock, and two of his ewes were placed first and second in the individual  category. Best Conformation in this section was awarded to C Lategan, and JP Bezuidenhout won the award for best fleece. The prizes in this category were sponsored by Samil.

In the Groomed section, sponsored by BKB,  Jannie Nel scooped the prizes for best flock, best individual ewe (1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place), as well as best conformation. The best fleece was awarded to Roelfie van der Merwe.

The Veld group was sponsored by CMV, and in this section Hantie Marx won best flock, best fleece, and third best ewe. Dickie Ogilvie was awarded first and second places in the best individual ewe section, and second best flock. Best conformation went to Dirk van Schalkwyk.

Landbank sponsored the prizes for the Emerging Farmers section. The outstanding winner in this section was A Mapoe, who almost swept the board. His ewes won best flock, all three placings for individual ewes, and best conformation. S Grootboom won the award for best fleece.

The day was rounded off with a very successful steak supper and dance at the Aberdeen Club, attended by over a hundred guests. Those with any energy left danced the night away!

 

Ermenegildo Zegna Awards

The prestigious Ermenegildo Zegna  Awards banquet was held at the Aberdeen Club last Thursday evening.

Months of planning and preparations came together, and the hall was transformed into an elegant and stylish venue. The décor reflected the Karoo, with simple but very effective table decorations, all coordinated by the talented and artistic Lana Olivier. A sumptuous meal, prepared by the expert catering team of David Millar, Colleen Ogilvie, and Toessie Slabbert, was enjoyed by all. The main course naturally featured local Karoo lamb, beautifully cooked so that it just fell off the bone.

Entertainment was provided by the very professional Glen Webster from PE, who performed many well-known classics.

The guest of honour for the evening was Alberto Candellero, the Market Head for South America and South Africa of Ermenegildo Zegna. Candellero, an Italian, is currently based in São Paulo, Brazil, and this was the first time he had visited the Karoo. Ermengildo Zegna is a world-renowned Italian company specializing in fine textiles and garments. The company is one of the largest users worldwide of finest quality South African kid mohair, and as such has sponsored the trophy, since 1970, to the farmer who produces the best  bale of summer kid mohair. Judging is based on a sample pulled from the submitted bale, and considers fineness, length, micron, clean yield and freeness from kemp.  South Africa is proud to be the only country to receive sponsorship from the company, thanks to the superior quality of the mohair produced here.

Deon Saayman, general manager of Mohair South Africa, was the MC for the evening. After the official welcome and prayer, starters were enjoyed, and then a short dvd about the sponsors was shown. Alberto Candellero then spoke, with a very creditable Afrikaans introduction which delighted all! He commented on the wonderfully scenic drive from PE, and the gracious hospitality he had experienced. He explained that the aim of the competition is to encourage growers to reach the best possible quality, and stressed the importance of attending to detail throughout the production process. He reiterated that the South African mohair is the best in the world – this remark was greeted with enthusiastic applause! He congratulated all ten finalists on the excellent quality of their product.

Deon Saayman then took over again to announce the winners, remarking how close the competition had been this year, with only 0.9% between the top three finalists. Proceedings were interrupted just after the tenth place was announced, when the power went off! Fortunately there were small candles on the table, so the hall was not in total darkness. Aberdeen’s senior administrator, Clive Kombani, who was a guest at the function, was immediately on the phone, and was most relieved to discover that is was an Eskom problem and not a municipality problem! The Jordaan family, owners of Tuin Kafee situated just across the road, came to the rescue, bringing across their generator and packs of candles and matches. This was a great example of one of the huge advantages of being in a small town where everyone is so willing to help out when there is a problem.

The programme was rearranged slightly and the main course was then served, before the awards ceremony was resumed with low lighting and generator-powered sound. Candellero later remarked how he enjoyed the romantic Italian-style candlelit dinner!

The winner of the award for 2011 was Piet Viljoen of the farm Kleinpoort, with a grand total of 92.17%. In second place was Paul Michau from Cradock, with Billy Colbourne and Sons in third place. The remaining seven finalists, in order from fourth to tenth, were Jan Lategan, Snyberg Boerdery, A B Hobson and Son CC, J L Retief & Seun, A C Fitzhenry and Son, B T Henderson, and Vleikuil Boerdery

 

Many congratulations were received by the Aberdeen hosts, and the function has certainly contributed to putting Aberdeen on the map. Chairman of the Farmers’ Association Dirk van Schalkwyk, the Aberdeen Club, and all who were involved, are to be congratulated on a memorable evening.

A guest examines a sample from the winning bale of mohair

 

Piet Viljoen and his wife Petru proudly show off the Ermenegildo Zegna trophy

 

The Karoo-themed table settings

 

Anlé Marais and Lindsay Humphreys of Mohair South Africa wearing mohair dresses from a range designed by students of Mode Gakuen University in Nagoya, Japan

 

The ten finalists with Alberto Candellero of Ermenegildo Zegna

Fltr Jan Lategan, Werner Ferreira, Blaire Henderson, Paul Michau, Sean Hobson, Piet Viljoen, Charles Fitzhenry, Alberto Candellero of Zegna, Frans Retief, Billy Colbourne, Louw Retief, Barries Snijman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bookclub

 

Nine members of Aberdeen Book Club were treated to a visit to a farm last week, which was greatly enjoyed by all.

The day was hosted by Theresa van der Merwe, on the farm Badsfontein. Theresa’s husband Henry’s family have been farming in the Camdeboo Conservancy area for many years, and Theresa has grown to love the life of a farmer’s wife. They farm dorpers, merinos, boer goats and angoras, many of which lined the road almost as a welcoming committee!

The 30 minute trip from Aberdeen was a delight, with the road in good condition, and beautiful scenery all around. From the van der Merwe’s farm mountains can be seen in two directions, often snow-covered in the winter. What a wonderland that must be!

The meeting was held on the lawn outside the house, and after the usual sharing and report-backs on books, a delicious brunch was served. The relaxing peace and tranquillity were much appreciated by all the ladies, and everyone was sorry when it was time to go home.

The ladies of the Aberdeen Book Club enjoying the tranquillity of an African farm

 

Thembalesizwe educare debs

The tiny tots of the crèche Thembalesizwe Educare Centre had a ball on Sunday when they held their Debutantes’ Dance at the local hall which was filled to capacity with eager parents, grandparents and children.

The crèche, which caters for 91 children between the ages of two and four and a half, is managing to do great things with very few resources. Principal Cynthia Mkoko has two teachers only to assist her, as well as a cook/cleaner and a gardener/handyman, yet manages to give the children individual care and love. Parents are only asked for R10 per month per child, but many do not even pay this, which causes huge problems for the staff. The crèche does receive some funding from Social Development for nutrition and educational toys, but this has been cut to subsidise only sixty children.

 Last year they had a robbery when all the toys, as well as food, were taken, and they are still trying to recover from this. The crèche desperately needs some secure fencing, as all their outdoor equipment has also been broken or vandalized in the afternoons or evenings when there is no one there. It is situated on the main road into the township, and there is too a very real danger of the children running out into the street.

The little Debutantes managed to raise the grand sum of R5515 between them, which is a magnificent effort. First prize went to Asiphe Nonnies, who raised R600, mostly from walking the streets collecting donations. Lisakhanya Mbi came second with R500, and Amahle Skosana third with R300. The function on Sunday also brought in another R800, and Mkoko is thrilled with this response from the community. The first two princesses each received a children’s laptop! Entertainment was provided by three of the little girls, who sang individually, with beautiful clear voices.

The money raised will be put towards the children’s graduation ceremony, which is taking place next Sunday. Mkoko is still trying to find a venue, as they cannot afford the R600 charged by the Municipality for the Thembalesizwe hall.

 

 

 

Potjiekos competition

On Saturday 12^th November the well-known Aberdeen restaurant Moer Toe will be hosting a fun-filled day, the highlight of which will be a potjiekos competition. Each pair of cooks will be expected to cook enough food for six people, with a main course and two side dishes, which must also be cooked in potjies. Stalls for those competing will be available from 12 noon, with judging for the raw ingredients starting at 1pm. Entries close at 5pm on Friday, and the cost is R50 per pair. Some of the competitors will be selling off some of their creations, and Moer Toe itself will also be preparing a huge delicious lamb pot. The proceedings will start for the public at 2pm, with a fashion show, arm wrestling, boeresports, stalls and a children’s programme to keep everyone entertained and busy.

The new owner of Moer Toe is Mariette Eyssen, who is known to many residents from her time at the Aberdeen branch of Standard Bank. Mariette has also taken over the Lemon and Lime coffee shop as from the beginning of July, and has big plans for the two businesses.

Lemon and Lime has mostly remained unchanged – as Mariette says, why change a winning formula! Customers can be assured that they will still receive the same level of personal service from the staff, The menu will be updated regularly, with a bigger variety of light lunches, but the favourite items will still of course feature on the menu. Mariette has enlarged the kitchen area, to give the staff a more spacious area to work in what after all is the heart of any catering business. She is thinking of introducing a light cooked “lunch of the day”, if there is sufficient demand, which could include meals such as chicken-a-la-king and sweet-and-sour pork, particularly to cater for folk on their own who would appreciate an inexpensive cooked meal. These would also be available as take-aways, and could be delivered if required.

Platters for special occasions are also available on order, either to take away or as part of a celebration on the premises. Mariette will also try to accommodate special requests for birthday teas and other celebrations or meetings in the garden. Exciting new items such as freshly baked breads and a selection of muffins will be added to the menu soon. A restaurant licence has been applied for, so that customers can enjoy a glass of wine or beer with their meals.

As from next week, Lemon and Lime will no longer be open in the evenings, but Moer Toe will be expanding its menu and will open from Monday till Saturday from 5pm until late. Mariette is also planning to make Moer Toe into more of a family venue, with swings for children in the garden, and she has already set aside a room where they can watch DVDs and play safely.  Sports events will be continued to be screened in the bar area.

Moer Toe will also be open during the day on Saturdays, from 11am until late, and on Sundays from 11am until 3pm. Another new venture will be Sunday lunches, with the choice of two main courses at a reasonable price. Mariette plans to publicise the menu for the month, on her website and at the shop, so that people can book in advance for their favourites. Patrons can currently keep abreast of happenings by friending Mariette on facebook, where she posts the latest news.

Flexibility is a key ingredient for a successful business in a small town, and Mariette is very willing to accommodate any unusual requests. Recently Mariette opened Moertoe on a Saturday morning to serve a group of 15 bikers from Graaff-Reinet on a breakfast run, which was most successful.

Residents of Aberdeen are looking forward with interest to all these changes – as one Lemon and Lime regular was heard to say, “As long as the lemon meringue pie is still available there I’m happy”!

Mariette Eyssen in the Red Room at MoerToe

 

Offroad Riding Course

Nine riders, including a rather delicate looking but surprisingly tough young lady, took part in the recent off-road riding course run by Country Trax.

The course was held on Wynberg farm, home of Derick van Rensburg, who together with Marchant Maasdorp from George provided the instruction for the day.

Annelle de Klerk from Pretoria, who is currently working on contract in Cradock, was the sole female rider. She joined the course to improve her riding skills, particularly in the areas of balance and manoeuvering in tight places. De Klerk very much enjoyed the day, and despite falling many times, she felt she had gained tremendously from the experience. “I learnt many things I didn’t know about the clothing worn while riding” she said. “Socks with vertical ribbing should be worn on long trips to help the circulation, especially important on long drives. I also did not realize that thermal underwear should also be worn in summer, to absorb sweat and keep the body cool”. De Klerk, who has only been riding for just over a year, had found that being short gave her problems when the bike reached a certain angle, and she was very pleased to learn how to overcome this problem.

Derick van Rensburg will be joining other instructors on an annual refresher course in De Rust early in January, and after this hopes to be able to host another course later in the summer.

Ignes Verwey follows instructor Marchant Maasdorp around the cones

 

The happy but tired group of off-road riders after the course

Back fltr

Jason du Preez, Schaun Flesch, Marchant Maasdorp and Derick van Rensburg (instructors), Johan Botha, Mark van Rensburg (assistant), Koos Jordaan, Ignes Verwey

Front fltr Gareth van Rooyen, Kevin van Wyk, Richard Weppelman

Annelle de Klerk sits on the bike

 

Luxolo Prizegiving

Only the weather failed to perform at the Luxolo Intermediate School’s prizegiving last week. It was the hottest day so far this year, with a temperature of 38°, and added to this was a gusting wind of 65 km/h!

As the school has no hall, the prizegiving was held in an enclosed area of the grounds, between two blocks of the school, with the children sheltered from the sun in a huge open-sided marquee. The dust was swirling everywhere, and there were many times when the wind blew particularly strongly that the children thought that the marquee was going to blow over, and there was much shrieking and running away. However it held firm, and due to the frequent watering of the ground the dust problem was kept under control.

The main events and speakers of the morning were interspersed with delightful entertainment items performed by pupils from the school. The very talented choir were on top form, and the two dance groups gave spirited performances. Fifteen girls from grades six to nine form the Cultural Dance group, and move with fluidity and grace. The twenty boys in the  gumboot dance group showed coordination and massive amounts of energy!

Speakers for the day were Mrs S Nqipha, chairperson of the SGB, who gave many words of encouragement to the children. Siphosethu Rabe, a girl from grade nine, gave an eloquent speech of farewell from the grade nine learners.

The main speaker was the principal, Mr Jan Mathiale, who spoke at length to the parents about the importance of reading. He encouraged the parents to buy books for their children rather than cellphones, stressing that reading is the gateway to education. He also urged them to encourage their children to read with understanding, and to learn from what they read.

Throughout the speeches Mr Lumkile May provided a fluent interpretation from isiXhosa into Afrikaans, which was appreciated by many of the parents.

Learners from each class in turn came forward to receive their diplomas, which had been designed with originality by teacher Christo Frazenburg. Special awards were also given to the winners of the recently held Miss Luxolo and Mr Personality competiton, as well as to those who had achieved on the sports field. Sportsman of the Year was shared between Thabiso Sota and Phindile Mnyanda, who is only 13 years old, but plays at U15 level. Sportsgirl of the year was **************  The top pupil in Grade Nine was awarded to Anita Sijadu, who received a trophy donated by ABSA

The top G9 learners

Fltr back Delanou Baadtjies, Floyd Jacobs, Thabiso Sota, Pheliswa Tinus, Mrs Jeanette Tinus

Front fltr Anita Sijadu, Siphosethu Rabe, Nosipho Nontyilana, Sivenathi Nkohla, Mornalize Pietersen

 

2. Miss Luxolo and Mr Personality winners

Back Nadia Job (1^st runner up) Miss Luxolo Esmerelda Plaatjies, 2^nd runner up Chantel Cedras

Front 1^st runner up Mr Personality Siphosethu Tinus 2^nd runner up Altonio Minnie

Teachers Ms Nonnies and Mrs Mafilika

 

3.       Sports stars *********** Thabiso Sota and Phindile Mnyanda with teacher Christo Frazenburg

 

 

 

4.       The cultural dancers

 

 

5.       Top grade 9 learner Anita Sijadu with principal Jan Mathiale

 

6.       The choir with some of the cultural dancers

 

 

7.       The energetic gumboot dancers

 

 

Kamdebo Primary Prizegiving

Parents and pupils of Kamdebo Primary School crammed the hall of the Lotusville Congregational Church last Tuesday evening for the annual prizegiving ceremony. The hall stage was beautifully decorated in the school colours of yellow and blue, and there was not a seat to spare in the hall, with many people standing at the back and along the sides. Masters of ceremony Ordelia Green and Christopher de Jager were fluent and articulate, and kept the proceedings moving at a brisk pace.

After the opening prayer and welcome, Henry Jantjies led the whole audience in a very rousing rendition of the school song, which all sang with great enthusiasm.

The guest speaker was Jannie Säfers, who is a past teacher of the school. Säfers began his speech with an amusing anecdote stressing the importance of knowing the full picture when considering a question.  He had the children’s full attention for this, and their (unexpected) participation in answering a question asked in the story. His message centred around the importance of the educational journey, starting from enrollment in grade R and ending at tertiary level. He shared some inspirational words from the psychiatrist Dr John Demartini, who due to learning problems at the beginning of his school career had been told he would never be able to achieve anything academically. After dropping out of school at the age of fourteen, Demartini eventually, through the intervention of others, went on to achieve his doctorate, and never gave up. Säfers urged the children and parents to make wise choices, that will bring pride to the school, making the most of the opportunities offered. Säfers was presented with a framed certificate in recognition of his contribution to the school over a period of eighteen years. 

 

The entertainment continued after this, with a wonderful haka performed by the grade 1a learners. The aggressive body movements and chanting were very impressive from such tiny figures!

A moving dance was then performed by the United Christian Student group, moving effortlessly and gracefully to a spiritual song.

The highlight of the evening was of course the presentation of certificates to the top achievers.  Over 160 learners received certificates for achievement, some for as many as nine different subjects.  The top learner in each class also received a medal and certificate – these were presented by Amir Sajad representing Lotusville Cash and Carry, who were one of the main sponsors of the evening.

The audience once again followed Henry Jantjies in a powerful and heartfelt rendition of the national anthem.

Head girl Santhia Klaasen then thanked the guest speaker, and gave gifts to Säfers and his wife.

 In his speech, principal Willem Säfers placed tremendous emphasis on the important role that parents play in their children’s lives. He stressed that parents have both the privilege and responsibility to be actively involved in their children’s education, and should be in regular contact with the school and teachers. Parents are the most important teachers for their children, and they should set the right example.

The special awards followed, with ten learners receiving recognition for success in the reading competition held earlier in the year at Luxolo. The top maths achiever in each of grade 6 and grade 7 also received certificates. The final trophy, for the best academic achievement in grade 7, was awarded to Jonicka Jansen, who received subject awards for a grand total of eight subjects.

The graceful dancers from the VCS

Grade 1a’s aggressive haka

Henry Jantjies leads the school song

Maths top achievers  Zuretha Tenteni (g7) and Alloreece Deysel (g6)

The pupils who excelled in the reading competition

Head girl Santhis Klaasen with guest speaker Jannie Säfers and his wife

The top pupils from each class

Top student Jonicka Jansen with guest speaker Jannie Säfers

Principal Willem Säfers with Jannie Säfers

 

HOSTEL FOR ABERDEEN

The hostel ‘t Kriegershoekje in Aberdeen was opened recently by visitors from Holland Dr Eric Wolff and Dr Marion de Bruïne.

The hostel, situated in Cathcart Street, is the brainchild of Arpana and Bert Schade, from Kriegershoek, a private nature reserve outside Aberdeen. The farm children from Kriegershoek all attend school in Aberdeen, with the majority being accommodated in the Aberdeen Primary School’s hostel. However a problem common to all farm children is that there is no hostel for the children once they reach secondary school level. At present these children have to stay in the townships with family or friends, which is not always ideal.

In 2009 Schade bought the property in Cathcart Street, and in 2010 the first two Kriegershoek children moved into the small cottage at the back, with housemother Joyce Ludick. As the children on their farm progressed through primary school, Bert and Arpana realised that more accommodation would be needed, and so work started to renovate the main house. They are very grateful to Arno Romijn, who has carried out the restoration work at cost.

As from January 2012, the hostel will be ready for occupation, with space for between fourteen and twenty children. It will be open to all farm children of secondary school age, but Schade stresses that it will only be for farm children.

The hostel will be run under the auspices of the Arpana Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by the Schades, which has the welfare of children as one of its core aims. Eric Wollf and Marion de Bruïne are long-standing members of the Foundation, and have known the Schades for many years – Eric was at school with Bert. Due to their very generous donation, the hostel will be able to be equipped with new beds, furniture and other necessary equipment.

Children staying in the hostel will be carefully supervised, and will be expected to help in the house and garden. The parents will be expected to pay for the children’s food, but the accommodation costs will be covered by the Foundation. There will be a strict code of behaviour, and rules for both the children and their parents, as the Schades feel that the parents must be fully involved in their children’s schooling.

Guests at the opening included Kerneels Kamfer from Aberdeen Secondary School and Jan Mathiale from Luxolo Intermediate School. Because of its intermediate school status, Luxolo has pupils in grades eight and nine, who then move to Aberdeen Secondary – it is these pupils who will be able to apply for the hostel. Both men were very excited about the possibility of a safe and well-supervised place for their learners. “Many children drop out of school because they don’t have anywhere to stay, so this will be wonderful for our community” said Mathiale. Kamfer agreed, adding  that he really appreciated the  investment in our area and for the children of Aberdeen.

Anyone who is interested in applying for a place at the hostel can contact the Schades on 072 993 7140 or Joyce Ludick on 083 722 4734

Guests at the opening of ‘t Kriegershoekje hostel in Cathcart St

Fltr  Jan Mathiale. Joyce Ludick, Bert Schade, Eric Wollf,Arno Romijn, Arpana Schade, Marion de Bruïn, Kerneels Kamfer

Bert Schade, Marion de Bruïn and Arpana Schade celebrate the opening of the new hostel

 

Garden club at Rietvlei Roses

Last week the intrepid ladies and gents of the Aberdeen Garden Club sallied forth in a minibus to Rietvlei rose farm, some 20km outside Graaff-Reinet. The members, many of them avid aspiring rose growers, have not stopped enthusing about the visit since!

The farm is owned by Lyell van Rensburg and her husband Richardt, and they also farm sheep and cattle. The beautifully restored Cape Dutch farmhouse, built in 1817, is now a national monument, and the ladies were enthralled with the fine furniture and detail in the house. The house had been empty for 22 years when the van Rensburgs moved in, and the members could only stand in awe of all the work that had been involved in the renovations. Of particular interest was the original fireplace, which has been restored, which had been built using parts of an oxwagon.

Lyell is famous for her roses, and this year won the Landbou Weekblad Sanlam Woman Entrepreneur of the Year award at a prestigious dinner in the Cape. She was more than happy to share her rose-growing tips with the members, and her advice on growing in the Karoo was particularly invaluable for those new to the area.

The weather was perfect for the outing, and the members enjoyed exploring the different areas.  There are approximately 10 000 rose bushes on the farm: 8 000 in greenhouses and a further 2 000 around the house. A wonderful display of perfect white iceberg roses fronts the farmhouse, and indeed the rose theme even carried through to the serviettes at tea time!

Many of the ladies purchased bunches of roses at a very reasonable price, which were carefully nurtured on the way home. All in all a most enjoyable outing, and several of the ladies are looking forward to increased crops in their own gardens as a result of what they have learned.

The members of Aberdeen Garden Club at Rietvlei rose farm

 

 

Fundraisers

A group from the church Rebuilders of the Faith in Christ Jesus are holding a function in December, with the aim of raising funds for underprivileged children.

A concert and dance for young people is going to be held on Saturday 10^th December at Aberdeen Secondary School, where youngsters can enjoy a fun evening of music. Cooldrinks and snacks will be available, as well as a meal at a very reasonable price. Entry to the dance costs R10 only.

The church’s aim is to help make needy children feel special at Christmas, and to be able to give small gifts to children who would normally not receive any presents.

The Jonas family would be very grateful for any donations in kind or of money, in order to help raise funds. Debrahlin Jonas can be contacted on 076 658 7123

Debrahlin Jonas and Melanie Frolick are visiting local businesses to ask for sponsorship for a Christmas treat for underprivileged children.

 

Farm incident

Fiona and Robert Hobson feel lucky to be alive this week. Last Thursday afternoon they were held up at gunpoint on their farm Swartriviersdrift in the Kliplaat area by three young coloured men, and spent three and a half hours tied up while the men ransacked their house.

On the morning of the attack, two young coloured men had come to the farm ostensibly looking for work, to be told there was none. At 4pm that afternoon the two men, with an accomplice, returned, armed with a small gun and knives, and entered the farm house. Robert was then tied up with rope that the men had brought with them, and left lying on his bed, while Fiona was ordered to open the safe. She was then bound up tightly with telephone cord, and the couple had pillowcases placed over their heads so that they could not see. One man stayed on guard with them all the time, and the other two proceeded to search the house for valuables.

According to Fiona Hobson, the men were initially very tense and jittery, and she was quite convinced that they would not come out of the afternoon alive. The Hobsons at first tried to encourage the men to leave quickly, but then realized that they were waiting until it was dark to flee. They then tried to calm the attackers by talking quietly to them, and prayed aloud for help and guidance. This approach seems to have worked, and Fiona said that she felt very grateful that the men had not actually harmed them, and appeared to in fact to be merciful. “My husband, who has a bad back, was getting very uncomfortable lying on his side” she said. “Instead of ignoring him or hurting him further, the men helped him to turn onto his other side”. She commented that the men appeared to be well-educated, and although they spoke Afrikaans amongst themselves, they talked to the Hobsons in fluent English. When she asked them why they were ruining their lives with crime, they gave the common excuse of not being able to get jobs, and being hungry.

Fiona was also extremely thankful that their children are grown up, and that there were no little children at home to be traumatized by the event. “This is what we dreaded all the years that our children were growing up on the farm, that they would be subjected to a terrible experience like this” she confided. “This was truly a miracle, that we are unharmed.  ” The Advertiser was very impressed with Fiona’s calmness, and she seemed very much in control, despite their horrific ordeal.

On Friday the Hobsons’ bakkie was found abandoned near the old quarry, just outside Aberdeen. It would seem as though the men had fled in a hurry, as nearly all the stolen goods were found, still in the bakkie. The couple’s gun, which was taken from their safe, was found on the road next to the bakkie. Their cameras, laptop and cash were recovered, but not their cellphones.

The Hobsons were full of praise for the police. “On Thursday night the police poured in from all over – they were awesome” commented Fiona. “They have worked non-stop, and nothing has been too much trouble.” Apparently on Friday a farm worker had reported two men snooping around a neighbouring farm house (which is unoccupied), and the police arrived very quickly to arrest them – however these were older men, and not those involved in the robbery at the Hobsons’ house. They were very impressed with the police’s vigilance and quick reaction to this possible threat.

 

Aberdeen Primary’s Dazzling  Debs

Last Thursday Aberdeen Primary held there annual Debs Ball, and what a glittering function it was. The library hall was transformed with imaginative and creative drapes, and the 48 learners involved were dressed to kill.

The girls’ dresses ranged from simply stylish to wonderfully sophisticated, with one local dressmaker being responsible for no less than six of the stunning creations. Zelda Finnis of Lotusville really excelled herself, and showed her versatility in the completely different styles of the dresses, designed to suit the individual girls.

The organization of the evening fell to the ever-competent Lydia Koopman, Janaine Saaiman and Daniel “Fearless” Pieterse, and the smooth running of the function reflected their hard work and enthusiasm. Pieterse, who is the class teacher for grade seven, was a confident and charming MC, and his knowledge of and dedication to the individual pupils was clear to see. Saaiman and Koopman worked tirelessly behind the scenes, making last-minute adjustments to dresses, and showing love and encouragement to even the shyest girls. The nineteen boys were not to be outdone, and looked most handsome and debonair in their dark green sashes.

Some imaginative choreography saw the couples (and in some cases triples) glide around the dance floor with ease, and the many parents and children who were present were entranced at the beautiful display.

 Live music was provided by the jazz band La Petit from Graaff-Reinet. This group, comprising Archie Pienaar on keyboard, Dozza Maarman on guitar, with saxophonist Villa Louther, first performed together in 2004 on Morning Live on SABC2, and has since played at many local functions and festivals. In 2006 they were voted the best jazz band in the Cacadu region – and their performance at this event certainly lived up to expectations.

The main purpose of the debs is to raise money for their end of year tour to Oudtshoorn. To this end, each child in grade 7 had been challenged to raise at least R500.All the children achieved this, with many bringing in amounts greatly in excess of their target. A grand total of over R27000 was raised, which is a magnificent achievement.

The highlight of the evening was of course the announcement of the winning debutantes, but before the winners were announced, each child was called up to receive a small gift. This was very thoughtfully chosen – a toiletry bag for the trip, filled with useful items.

 In third place, Doneve Noni was the second princess, winning for her efforts a DVD player. Second place, first princess, went to Chrizelia Jack, who won a microwave oven. Debutante of the year was Kaylane Kombani, who raised a whopping R4000, a wonderful total. Her prize was a flat screen television.

The prizes, with a total value of about R4000, were all donated by Albert Nel of Die Huis Vriend in Graaff-Reinet. When asked how he had become involved in sponsoring a school in Aberdeen, Nel explained that he had over 200 customers in Aberdeen, and he firmly believed in giving back to a community that supports his business. He had approached Lydia koopman and asked how he could help the school, and she suggested sponsorship of prizes for the debs, never dreaming that the donation would be so generous.

The organizers would like to thank the parents of the school for their generous support, the educators who helped the learners, the members of the school governing body and community, and not least, the sponsors for their generosity.

  Alfie Pienaar and members 0f La Petit who entertained the audience

 The boys in their smart outfits

 Zelda Finnis with the seven girls whose stunning dresses she made

Well dressed young friends

 Janaine Saaiman with some of the beautiful young ladies

 Albie Nel and Katriena Frolick of Die Huis Vriend with the winning debs