Meet a local What is your name and where do you live? My name is Uli Rietmann and my town is Kleinmond. What makes your town so special? Kleinmond’s tranquility, the hiking trails, the sea, the ease of living, great police station, great post office, great garage (ST Motors), the Blau Bakkie, great coffee at La Pause, and many other friendly shops. Yes, I often refer to Kleinmond as second in the queue after Paradise. What would you like to change in the area? My perception is that the DA-run Overstrand municipality is slowly but surely strangling the economic climate of this town. It is as if we, the people of Kleinmond, are being milked dry. This decreases the spending power of households and in turn reflects negatively in the turno- Uli Rietmann is retired, lives in Kleinmond and lea rned the ver of the many shops. There art of oil painting which he loves to do. is a saying, and I quote “Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.”. This sim- which I produce large quantities of mainly ply put is that amongst others and for ex- tomatoes, beans, spinach and herbs. I use ample, the closure of Karweiderskraal my computer daily to keep abreast of fidumping site and the proposed increase nancial happenings and news events. Corin the monthly tariffs for refuse removal responding with my friends and family is is the result of lack of planning and now a most rewarding activity. it becomes an emergency on the part of Who would you like to invite to dinthe rate payers. I would like to see that eve- ner and why? ry ratepayer become a member of the Rate I’d love to have Tony Ehrenreich and Payers Association. Marius Fransman share a chop and a drop If you did not live here, where would with me. They can chat away, I’ll listen you like to live? patiently. I’ll ask them why they consistI have visited virtually every habitable ently criticise any positive action by the town from Plettenberg Bay to Lamberts Western Cape provincial government, Bay and the most “plusses” and the least why are they always in the “destructive “minusses” can be attributed to Klein- competition mode!” So far I’ve not heard mond. The countryside of Devon and a single positive proposal or action from Cornwall in England appeals to me and if them. I could afford it why not half a year in What is the best advice you’ve ever Kleinmond and the other half in England. been given, and what advice can you What kind of work do you do and why give to others? do you enjoy it? My dad always used to say: “Discipline I simply love working at my retire- equals freedom and freedom equals disciment – doing nothing! Not quite true. I dis- pline”. This simply means that you will covered painting with oils here in Klein- never have freedom without discipline. If mond – that keeps me busy. My garage- we all adhere to the ten commandments cum-studio is full of paintings and I have we will all enjoy complete freedom. This been able to sell a few. I walk (hike) and is also my advice to others – be disciplined cycle a lot. Gardening is also close to my in your everyday life and that will include heart and I have a small veggie garden on stopping at a stop street!
Wat is jou naam en waar woon jy? Zelda Botma. Ek woon in Bettysbaai. Wat maak jou dorp en omgewing spesiaal? Ek hou van die ongerepte natuurskoon en veral die reuk van Bettysbaai. Toe ek die eerste keer baie jare gelede hier gekom het, het ek verlief geraak op die vars see- en fynbosreuke. Ek onthou dit was ’n April-vakansie en toe ek uit die kar klim het ek onmiddellik gedink: “Dít is waar ek wil aftree en eendag wil doodgaan.” Ek het 50 jaar in Pretoria gewoon voordat ek my erf in Sunnyseas gekoop het en my huis gebou het. Ek woon nou al 12 jaar hier en is baie geheg aan die omgewing. Ek swem feitelik elke dag, selfs dwarsdeur die winter, en ek gaan stap elke dag met my honde. Hier is pragtige strande en elkeen is anders. Saans is daar die helder sterrehemel van Bettysbaai. En dan woon hier ook nog die interessantste mense – baie van my vriende is ware sielsgenote. Wat sou jy graag aan jou omgewing wou verander? Die huise wat mense hier bou. Die meeste is stadshuise en nie strandhuise nie – hulle pas glad nie hier in nie en ontsier net die omgewing. Bettysbaai is ’n ‘conservation village’ en die huise weerspieël nie die eiesoortige karakter van Bettysbaai nie. Ek wens daar was strenger bouregulasies soos op Paternoster of Cape St Francis. As jy nie hier gewoon het nie, waar sou jy graag wou woon? Nêrens anders nie! Maar as ek sou moés… miskien Prins Albert. Watter soort werk doen jy en hoekom geniet jy dit? Ek is ’n afgetrede kleuteronderwyseres en werk al die afgelope 34 jaar by markte vir ’n aanvullende inkomste. Ek het nog altyd van naaldwerk en appliekwerk gehou, en maak gebruiksartikels soos waslappe en vadoeke wat ek by markte vanaf Somerset-Wes tot by Hermanus verkoop. Dit Zel da Botma beteken dat ek dikwels
nagte deur moet werk en ek is elke naweek by ’n mark. Ek wens soms ek het meer tyd gehad vir my ander belange soos die botaniese vereniging, die voëlklub en fietsry. Ek is ook ’n groot leser. [Zelda se huis is propvol boekrakke.] Wie sal jy graag vir ete wil nooi en hoekom? Vir Madiba. En dan sal ek my kinders ook nooi sodat hulle hom ook kan ontmoet. Ek het ’n groot bewondering vir Madiba – sy leierskap, integriteit en die mensliewendheid wat hy uitstraal. Wat is die beste raad wat jy nog ooit ontvang het en watter raad sal jy aan ander gee? Die beste raad wat ek ooit ontvang het was van my vriendin Elize Grey wat gesê het: “Make moments matter.” My raad aan ander is altyd om begrip en respek vir jou medemens te hê. Om die mooi in die lewe raak te sien. En om elke vandag en môre toe te vertrou aan die Een wat die ewigheid in Sy hand hou.
If you know of an interesting person in the Overstrand/Overberg area, please send us their details, and they can become the next Meet A Local. Send details to janine@hermanustimes.co.za.
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