Prince Albert Friend: January 2009
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Sixteen plots put up for sale by the Municipality in Prince Albert’s industrial area on 1 December 2008 were snapped up by buyers that same day. The majority of buyers were local residents, who paid R50.00 per square metre for the plots that ranged in size from just over 500m² to approximately 1000m². Remaining plots were sold to buyers from Johannesburg and Cape Town.
In selling the plots, the Municipality hoped that small industries run in backyards in residential areas would relocate to the town’s industrial area.
A condition of sale was that the plots must be developed as industrial businesses within two years. If not, owners will be obliged to sell them back to the Municipality for the price that they paid. The plot reserved by the Municipality for black empowerment was not sold.
According to Dawid Rossouw, Acting Municipal Manager, monies received from the sale of the plots will cover costs incurred by the Municipality, such as land surveying and provision of basic infrastructure. Based on the success of this sale, the Council is considering putting a further 10 to 15 plots in the industrial area on the market.
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Van ons beste stories het waarskynlik saam met die ouer geslag uitgesterf en is saam met hulle begrawe. Tog het goeie stories behoue gebly - hulle moet net afgestof en met nuwe smaak en kleur vertel word.
Wat daar is wat nog nie vertel is nie? Die storie van ons heinings!
Prince Alberters was altyd bekend as selfversorgende mense. Die groot erwe en waterbeurte getuig daarvan. In die “ou dae” is grense aangedui met kweper- of granaatheinings; pragtig groen in die somer, vol kleurspatsels in die bloeiseltyd – en wat ‘n toegevoegde waarde was die eksotiese vrugte nie!
Ryp granate het jy as kind geëet tot jou hande en tande pers gekleur en gevlek was. Granaat-eet is mos ‘n kuns, amper soos “pick-up-sticks”- waar jy geen stokkie mag roer nie. Met granate is die uitdaging om nie ‘n enkele pit te laat val nie. Probeer dit gerus; dit laat jou só konsentreer, jy vergeet sommer van die lewe se alledaagse beslommernisse.
Kwepertyd kon jy skaars wag dat die wollerigheid van die vrugte se skil verdwyn en die geel die vaalgroen kleur begin verdring, want dan, weet jy, is die vrug reg vir eet! Om die vrug sappiger te maak, is dit gewoonlik op ‘n klip of die sementstoep gekap – stukkie vir stukkie al rondom – totdat dit sag en vlesig was. Met jou tande het jy diep in die heerlike vlesigheid ingebyt en die lewe was salig as jy jou pad oopgeëet het tot by die jellie om die pitte. Dit was lekkerder as vandag se gekoopte lekkernye. Deesdae se kwepers het egter nie meer daardie jellie nie…
Kwepers is natuurlik ook ingemaak en later as bykos geëet. Konfyt is gekook… en steeds was daar ‘n oorvloed kwepers en granate. Genoeg om in die solders te bêre. Die vrugte is met stele so agt tot tien duim lank gepluk, en die soldertrap op gedra. Dit is nie op die soldervloer neergesit nie, nee, die stele is ingesteek tussen die dwarslatte wat die dakkappe aanmekaar gehou het en die dekriet van die dak en daar het dit gehang tot diep in die winter. Die kwepers en granate het gesond verouder en die lekker geur daar op die solder is sekerlik iets wat ‘n hele paar Prince Alberters nog met nostalgie kan onthou. Vir my kan geen parfuum ooit so lekker ruik nie.
Sien u wat ek bedoel, dat ons selfversorgend was? Van die veelsydige kweperheinig is ook die wonderlikste medisyne gepluk… Medisyne wat die stoutste kind kon soet maak; die luiste leerder volpunte in ‘n toets kon laat kry! En het dit nie baie plesier verskaf as die latte weggesteek kon word om jou bas te red nie?
Granaat- en kweperheinings het nooit volgens grenspenne gegroei nie. Soms het hulle meer na die noordekant oorgehel as gevolg van die heersende suidewind; soms eerder na die kant van die eienaar wat dit die beste versorg het.
Nou het die kosbare plante verdwyn en die drade wat hulle vervang het, is net gespan, min of meer, daar waar die heinings was. Verstaan u nou hoekom daar dikwels in ons dorp gestry word oor erfgrense?
Kom versag al die streng drade en hoë mure – kom ons bring die granaat en die kweper weer terug!
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A while ago Barry Meijer invited the Pastrana family of the Lazy Lizard and the rest of us in their extended family to spend three nights at Meijer's Rust, his spectacular farm situated deep in Meiringspoort. We eventually got our act together and scheduled the first night for Tuesday, 13 January.
When Tuesday evening arrived so did we, laden with sleeping bags, bed rolls, sunscreen, tents and an abundance of food. Enthused by the prospect of spending three days and nights at the top of the mountain and away from civilisation, we piled all our stuff into the trailer of a sturdy looking tractor and set off. Forty-five minutes and a bone-jarring ride later, we wished that we had packed more thoughtfully. However, all bumps and bruises were soon forgotten in the excitement of setting up camp. That night, the rain decided to join in the fun.
In the morning a rather bedraggled looking group huddled around the smoking camp fire, steaming mugs in hand while a fine drizzle tried its best to dampen our spirits. No such luck. We had a great morning until noon when something happened that shocked us. Rebekah Swanepoel was walking past a large rock with a cup of tea. Suddenly, she grabbed her leg and started crying. I thought she had just spilt tea on herself, but as she turned around I saw a large splash of blood!
Our two first aid kits came out and all our plasters were used to tightly close a gaping wound about 5 cm long on the back of Rebekah’s calf. We knew straight away that it needed stitches. Rebekah’s two aunts, Terry and Caryn, are trained nurses and decided to do the stitching right there instead of risking further injury riding down in the tractor.
Fortunately, we were able to get hold of the necessary medical supplies and the 'operation' went smoothly and without event. Bekah was very brave despite the pain and now has nine stitches. All of her brothers and cousins assisted with the surgery. As Granddad aptly put it we looked like "a bunch of vultures around a carcass". With all the trauma over we were able to enjoy the rest of the camp and it was a splendid holiday. We went on the adventure hike, swam in some of the beautiful river pools and enjoyed the regal views. It was truly an incredible experience and one to be envied.
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Josh Fodor (right, front) is the latest Prince Alberter to be accepted at the prestigious Cape Academy of Mathematics, Science and Technology (CAMST) in Cape Town. Josh, who is now in Grade 10 and is a graduate of Hoërskool Zwartberg, joined fellow-Prince Alberters Johndry Miljiet, Sharon Abrahams, Shaldine and Shaldo Sass, and Angelo Roberts at CAMST at the start of the new school year. The Western Cape Department of Education established CAMST in 2004 to provide specialised schooling for learners with the potential to excel in maths, science and technology.
It is part of a broader strategy to increase the numbers of learners matriculating in these subjects and help overcome the desperate shortage of much-needed skills in South Africa.
The Government announced recently that we will have to import 35 000 skilled foreigners to address the growing skills crises.
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