31 The Sanctuary, off Pollsmoor Road. Kirstenhof, 7945
Tel +27 (021) 7011397
Fax +27 (021) 7011399

Acting Regional Manager: Sharon Bosma
Regional Chairman: Rudy Schats

Please note Western Cape staff's e-mail address changes:
Sharon Bosma - sharon@wessa.co.za
Charmaine Anderson - charmaine@wessa.co.za
Patrick Dowling - patrick@wessa.co.za
Philippa Huntly - philippa@wessa.co.za
Andrea Gordon - andrea@wessa.co.za
Roshan Stanford - roshan@wessa.co.za
Accounts department - accounts@wessa.co.za

Steve Du Toit - steve@wessa.co.za
Shagon Carelse - shagon@wessa.co.za

Tel: 044 874 7097
Fax: 044 874 6119
Fax to e-mail address: 088 044 874 6119
31 Progress Street, George, 6530

Lorraine McGibbon - lorraine@wessa.co.za

Wildlife & Environment Society of South Africa, Western Cape (George office)
Incorporating Garden Route Environmental Education Network
Outeniqua Nature Reserve
Witfontein State Forest
GEORGE
6529
Tel/Fax 044-8707 038
wessasc@mweb.co.za
Office premises kindly provided by CapeNature

THE CAPE ENVIRONMENT NEWSLETTER

Download the LATEST Cape Environment newsletter volume 2/08 (248kb)

Cape Environment newsletter vol 1/08 (331kb)

NEWS

Truck drivers take heed!
2008-07-31
by Marguerite Lombard (Paarl Post)

THE new gantries on the Bain's Kloof Pass will soon make it more difficult for truck drivers to use the roads as a short-cut.

The gantries will be placed at the northern end of Eerste Tol and near the Calabash Restaurant which will provide a physical restriction for the trucks.

Sieg Kröger of the Friends of Bain's Kloof explains that trucks have caused extensive damage to bridges and stonework. Current restoration work on the pass will be completed by the end of August.

“Work on the Darling, Borcherds and Breda Bridges is almost done, and some 150 stones are being retrieved to be used as kerb stones. These stones will not be painted white as they have been in the past.

“Our aim is to preserve Bain's Kloof Pass and keep it as Andrew Geddes Bain built it in 1853. The road was tarred and widened slightly in 1934, but it is still on its original base.”

Roads signs clearly indicate that the pass cannot be used by vehicles heavier than 5 tons, or by trucks that exceed the height restriction of 3,8 metres or a length of 22 metres.

There is a very good reason for this, explains Kröger. “Truck drivers don't realise that a truck of more than 22 metres will not be able to navigate Breda's Bend and a truck higher than 3,8 metres will not be able to pass under Dacre's Pulpit.”

Many trucks and double-decker buses then try to pass under Dacre's Pulpit by deflating their tyres, but more often than not, they do get stuck.

The only solution then is to reverse more than 800 m to a point where they can turn around.

This is no easy task, and most drivers lack the skills to negotiate the narrow and twisting road. Tow trucks then have to be called in to do the work for them.

In the past trucks have lost their entire load trying to negotiate the narrow bends.

The present gantries, one at Bovlei Winery and the other at the Darling Bridge, are not working, with many of the chains that should warn drivers of the height restriction, are missing.

Signage to control the movement of traffic through the pass will also be upgraded.

Additional signs to indicate places of historic importance will also be added to the pass.

Sandra Steytler, also a member of the Friends of Bain's Kloof, points out that the pass is not only of historical value, but also passes through the Cape Floral World Heritage Site.

Bain's Kloof contains several scarce plant species - such as the spider orchid, which are endemic to the area and cannot be found anywhere else in the world, as well as a number of highly endangered fynbos species.

For this reason it is very important to rid the mountain of alien vegetation. Wattle trees in particular are providing source seed on both sides of the watershed.

Littering and especially broken glass are also causing problems at picnic sites.

Farewell to Maureen Ngubane

On 30 June we said a sad farewell to Maureen Ngubane, our receptionist who had been working at our Kirstenhof office for the last three years. Maureen's happy and helpful voice was known and appreciated by many who have contacted us over this time. Since the closure of our little WESSA shop the need for a full time receptionist has diminished and various job descriptions are being combined as part of restructuring. We thank Maureen for all her help and service.

Jane Goodall Fundraising breakfast
The Jane Goodall Fundraising breakfast was held at the Silvertree restaurant in Kirstenbosch on 8 July with 150 people in attendance.  The event was a huge success and highlighted the need to raise awareness for all living creatures on our planet. See our next Cape Environment newsletter in August for more information on this event.

Sharon Bosma and Jane Goodall.	Guests at the restaurant, enjoying their breakfast while viewing Jenny Trethowan's (Baboon Matters) slideshow

Western Cape Region's 60th AGM
The Western Cape Region's 60th AGM was celebrated on Thursday 26 June at the Pinelands Town Hall. We thank our sponsors, Simonsvlei Wines, Forms Xpress, Friends of Tokai Forest, Greenprint magazine and City of Cape Town for their generous donations and support. More information and details of the Award nominees will feature in our next Cape Environment newsletter.

John Green, WESSA President, cutting the cake, celebrating our 60th AGM	Matthew Dowling assisting with the catering arrangements for our 60th AGM.
Guests at the AGM.

A very sad farewell was held at the regional office on Tuesday 1 July. Staff said goodbye to Les, our loyal and hardworking volunteer. Les kept our garden in shape for over twenty years and has done a phenomenal job!

Energy Week:
Students from various High schools were treated to a day of fun filled environmental education with Patrick Dowling. The groups visited the Sustainability Institute at Lynedoch in Stellenbosch . The Centre includes energy efficient buildings, water recycling, composting, plant nursery, gas production and research projects.

Start Of A New Learning Curve For Wessa

April 2008 saw the launch of the first WESSA Western Cape  Environmental Learnership Programme.

For those not familiar with or trying to resist the complexities of the new education and training system in South Africa, strewn as it is with strange terms like outcomes, NQF, SAQA, assessment standards, portfolios of evidence and suchlike, a learnership is qualification at a certain level and is  usually pitched at people in employment or seeking it.

After getting generous help from WWF, staff at WESSA national office managed, with the endurance and forebearance of martyrs, to develop a comprehensive, fully accredited, level five course for would-be environmental educators.

WESSA / Friends workshop:
The Friends workshop was an exciting, hands-on occasion. A worm workshop was presented by Patrick Dowling and various environmental and administration issues were raised by the groups. An assortment of books, posters, loppers and axe handles (donations and project remnants) were distributed. The next Friends workshop will be held at the Bracken Nature Reserve on Saturday 9 August.  

TO CONTACT THE BRANCH IN YOUR AREA:

Knysna Branch: Ian Withers (Chairperson)
Tel: 044 532 7732, Fax: 044 532 7763
P.O. Box 1204 , Knysna, 6570
kep@pixie.co.za

Plettenberg Bay: Godfrey Bass (Chairperson)
Plettenberg Bay: Godfrey Bass
Tel/Fax: 044 533 3695
P.O.Box 254
George
6539
bassplet@mweb.co.za

Hottentots Holland Branch: Freya Brett (Chairperson)
Tel: 021 851 6951
mweec@telkomsa.net
Resource Centre: 852 8831

George/Sedgefield:   Alan Cook (Chairperson)
PO Box 9099
George
6530
wessageorge@isat.co.za

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