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www.wafflehouse.co.za Pauline Lee (le�) and Doreen Gaze (Right) “Waffle House has been serving wholesome, freshly made Belgian waffles since 1991. Pauline and her team believe that food should be fresh, wholesome, nourishing, as well as delicious. Great care is taken in the preparation of your food; this includes the use of whole foods and quality ingredients in our recipes. To make your food just that bit more special, they try to use organically grown vegetables and salad produce whenever possible; avoiding foods that contain additives, preservatives and colourants. The aim? To make their delectable waffles to their customers’ high standards!” Where did it all start and what are the highlights of your journey up to now. The birth of the Waffle House in Ramsgate, South Africa dates back to 1957. It was the start of an exci�ng journey for John and Doreen Gaze. They opened the restaurant of their dreams, known at the �me as the Tea House of the Blue Lagoon, with no idea they were crea�ng the famous South Coast landmark that stands today. 52

John and Doreen leased out the What makes Waffle House special and premises for a 15-year period before different compared to the various taking it back in 1991 and renaming it other ea�ng establishments? The Waffle House. This was in line with the two Waffle House restaurants their We aim to consistently offer fresh food eldest son had opened in the UK, the prepared and served by posi�ve people in first of which was in Norwich in 1976. a relaxing environment. We have been So, when they decided to open the same serving wholesome, freshly made Belgian style of restaurant at the old Tea House waffles since 1991. We believe that food of the Blue Lagoon, they never looked should be fresh, nourishing, as well as back again. delicious. Great care is taken in the prepara�on of our food. This includes the Pauline Lee is the Managing Partner of use of whole foods and quality ingredients the The Waffle House. She has been in our recipes. To make your food just that involved behind the scenes in the bit more special, we try to use organically business for more than 20 years, but grown vegetables and salad produce took on this managing responsibility 12 whenever possible, avoiding foods that years ago when Doreen’s son, Ken Gaze, contain addi�ves, preserva�ves, and le� the company. At that �me Pauline colourants. and Doreen’s eldest son, Brian Gaze, We’re so ‘mad’ about fresh produce we took over Ken’s share of the business. acutally started our own organic vegetable So Pauline, Brian and Doreen are the and free range chicken farm, Nemvelo, owners. four years ago to make sure we have a regular supply. Nemvelo Farm is now Pauline has been running businesses supplying other local restaurants as well. since she le� school, her first being a catering and bakery business. However, Our authen�c Belgian waffles are made she became involved in training and with yeast instead of baking powder. The development in 1992, specializing in mixture takes longer, with more effort to customer service and leadership skills, create, but it’s worth it in the end. and trained companies all over South Customers who are adventurous with Africa. During this �me she lived on the their food find the variety of savoury and South Coast and travelled weekly to her sweet toppings fascina�ng . . . ‘Chicken clients around the country. The Waffle curry on a waffle? – no way!’ is the kind of House became a client of hers back in conversa�on you o�en hear as people the late 90’s and that’s when this long look at the menu. standing rela�onship began. Pauline has con�nued to focus on training the staff We are very fortunate to be situated in a over the years and has developed many very unique and relaxing environment on of the long standing staff into senior the banks of the iBilanhlolo river, with just leadership roles. a short walk through the Tanglewood Resonance Garden to the Ramsgate Main Pauline is adamant that teamwork is the Beach. key to the business success. She is very proud to be associated with this amazing However, a wonderful place and good family of entrepreneurs and looks food is not enough. Our staff are definitely forward to seeing what the future holds our biggest asset. Their smile and warm for the whole team. welcome, to new customers and regulars alike, is so special. We o�en have three Today, the Waffle House is one of the genera�ons of family visi�ng in a group, busiest restaurants on the South Coast, and they have all been coming to The specialising in good food and always Waffle House for many years crea�ng aiming to give good service to its their own individual memories. And many customers. It is very popular amongst of them have known the same waiters locals and visitors alike. since their very first visit. This kind of consistency is really important to us. 53

Besides the delectable waffles, what are We are less than 50 meters away from the other main lines of food that people the Ramsgate Main Beach where you can can enjoy at your establishment? enjoy paddle boat rides on the lagoon. People can also take a stroll through the At The Waffle House Ramsgate, we don’t Tanglewood Resonance Garden, where just serve a waffle with syrup, we have visitors can enjoy the strange experience turned our waffles into a meal. We offer of the resonance circle - how cool! Next interes�ng salads and for those who door to The Waffle House is the Cra� aren’t into waffles, they can subs�tute Shop where they sell indigenous cra�s the waffle with brown rice or basma� and accessories. The Waffle House also rice. To ensure everyone can enjoy our has a play area for kids to enjoy while meals, even if they have an allergy, a food they wait for their waffles. intolerance or other special dietary need, we offer all sorts of alterna�ves including And as previously men�oned we now gluten, dairy and egg-free op�ons as well have The Deli where visitors can browse as vegan op�ons. and buy some wonderful healthy products. Also, at our new Deli we sell fresh organic produce to the public, from our very own Nemvelo farm (Nemvelo means Nature). Our Deli also supplies a selec�on of ingredients and prepared meals from our menu; so our slogan ‘from our kitchen to yours’ is exactly what you will find in the Deli. Falafel Waffle Waffle House is much more than a restaurant. What can people enjoy when they visit the Waffle House? 54

The lockdown due to Covid-19 has However, we are also in the process of wreaked havoc in the restaurant developing The Deli brand further, the idea business. How did the Waffle House being to offer authen�c products made from contend with these challenges? whole foods, no added preserva�ves that are as far as possible organic and free range. We Tradi�onally we never used to do have created our own labels showing takeaways, because our original waffle ingredients and are excited to share these recipe was not suitable for takeaway. new developments with the public. However, during lockdown we had to We are also collabora�ng with other come up with innova�ve ways of suppliers who share our passion for surviving and keeping our staff organically grown and produced whole foods. employed. So the first thing we did So, customers can already try out some of was create a new waffle recipe suited these new offerings in The Deli including to takeaway. We then adjusted our meusli, granola, farm bu�er, non-GMO menu and created our own unique stoneground flours, a range of cheeses, a packaging to cater for takeaways. This range of locally made Kombucha (a has worked well so far. fermented, lightly effervescent, sweetened black or green tea drink), organic cage-free Secondly, we opened The Deli so that eggs from Farmer Eddie, and much more. customers can do their food shopping while they wait. They can also buy all WaffleHouse.Ramsgate the components of a regular Waffle @wafflehouseza House meal and construct it in their The Waffle House-Ramsgate Margate KwaZulu Natal own home instead. For example, they https://wafflehouse.co.za/ can buy frozen waffles, organic bananas, homemade caramel sauce and a tub of ice cream and make a Banoffee waffle at home! We also have a range of our frozen savoury op�ons like our famous chicken curry, chicken a la king, Bobo�e, etc. So, there are now no excuses not to enjoy a favourite Waffle House meal at home! In terms of protec�ng our staff and customers against COVID, we have been very strict at following the recommended protocols and s�ll record customers’ names, contact details and temperatures. Everyone must s�ll wear a mask and sani�se before entering the restaurant. We also removed a number of tables in order to comply with social distancing regula�ons. And staff have been trained to create a safe environment for everyone at The Waffle House. Going forward, have you got plans that we should look forward to? To be honest, a�er Covid, we will all be happy to simply maintain a slow and gentle path for a while! 55

Timothy Nair A Tribute to a Great Man Over �me, pes�lences have come to rob us of great men and women – people who have enriched us with their lives. At �mes like these, we look back and marvel at how great these pillars in society were – in our hearts, our minds and society. Tim Nair was such a man. TTim Nair has started a new journey. Tim was promoted to eternal rest with his Lord in March this year. The void that he le� behind is impossible to fill. Tim is remembered in the business community as the owner of Mister Cool, House of Air Condi�oning, and Simunye, House of Clutch and Brake. Tim Nair, one of the most respected businessmen on the South Coast, gave up his fight in this life on 22 March this year. In business circles, he was o�en referred to as “Mr Cool”. At home he was a husband, father, grandfather and uncle. He leaves behind a great legacy. Tim was eminently qualified to lead his company; and Tim was well respected as a businessman, boss and not because he was the owner of Mister Cool or family man. He was a devoted husband and father. because of his law degree or MBA, but because he He loved the Lord and his church. In a fi�ng farewell, was internally configured for discipline and hard work albeit during the covid lockdown, Tim was laid to rest that would see him take sole ownership of Mister at the Norwegian Se�ler’s Church which he had Cool, the company that was formed when he and a�ended. Tim leaves behind his wife, Mumsie, and 4 some of his colleagues bought out Shamus Rennie in children - Mervin, Melissa, Quinton and Caylan and 1993. 3 grandchildren. Tim was born and raised in Port Shepstone, he Jason Russel, who served the company for many completed his schooling at Port Shepstone years, is currently giving oversight to the business; Secondary School. He went on to run his father’s and the company con�nues to serve its customers business, Nair’s Fruiterers; and also ran his father’s with the high standards which the company has commercial deep sea fishing boat. become known for. He went on to complete his BProc degree; and later, In this brief tribute, we take a glimpse of Tim’s life his MBA. through the eyes of people who knew him and associated with him at different levels of associa�on. Tim was an astute businessman; commi�ed and dedicated to growing his business. Mister Cool, Perhaps, it is a lesson that we learn, that a legacy of under his direc�on, had become a leading air love, integrity and selflessness amongst the other condi�oning company on the South Coast. He later good quali�es, displayed in the life of Tim Nair and opened a second company, Simunye Brake and now le� with his family and employees are worth Clutch. much more than the material wealth that one would leave behind. But mostly, that he loved the Lord Of the many great quali�es that defined him, one Jesus Christ who he served. thing that stood out was his love for his employees, his pa�ence towards their shortcomings and Yes, Tim lives! willingness to give them a second chance. Many of them regarded him as more of a father than a boss. 56

A Tribute from Jason Russel Mr. Timothy Nair I consider being asked to write a tribute to Tim Nair a great honour, as he was a man that had a great impact on my life and the lives of all the people who have walked through Mister Cool’s door’s. And when you walked through those doors, it didn’t ma�er what your sta�on in life was, Tim would always speak to you He treated everyone with the same respect and dignity, rich or poor. Tim would always say that God has blessed him, so that he could bless others. And this is true when it came to him and Mister Cool Aircondi�oning, which has through 28 years of business, put food on the tables of its employees and families, and a roof over their heads. Tim would o�en work seven days a week to make sure Mister Cool would meet its obliga�ons to its employees and clients, and this would mean that he would sacrifice �me with his family, whom he loved so much. We will always be thankful to the Nair family for the �me they gave up with Tim. On behalf of all the employees of Mister Cool, I pay tribute to Tim for the sacrifices he made, the dedica�on he had to the Company and employees, and the guidance he gave to many of us. We all miss you, and will take what you have taught us to make ourselves be�er people. On a personal note, Tim was my mentor, my boss and ul�mately my friend; and I am forever thankful that he was, and is in many ways s�ll a part of my life. God bless Tim, and God bless Tim’s family. Jason Russell Mister Cool Aircondi�oning. 57

A Tribute from Vijay Naidoo Tim Nair, who established himself and his company Mister Cool, as one of the premier and trusted service providers in the hea�ng, ven�la�on and air condi�oning (HVAC) sector, will be remembered fondly by his business colleagues on the South Coast. He grew this business to become a first choice supplier to both domes�c and industrial customers through a focus on service quality and compe��ve pricing. My engagement with Tim came mainly through his membership of business representa�ve organiza�ons he was a member of, and he displayed a keen sense of the importance of strong rela�onships between all par�cipants in the local business sector, to ensure that their combined voice could engender posi�ve change in the trading environment for all. He was generous with his �me and support, par�cularly where it involved new business support and development. He was also always looking for ways to broaden his own skills and knowledge, and lent faithful support to the many events we organized. His voice and contribu�on to the local business sector will be sorely missed. Vijay Naidoo CEO, Port Shepstone Business Forum 58

Hibiscus Retirement Villages It’s where senior citizens get a new lease of life! There comes a time when one has to think about enjoying life. After the years of toil and the routine of work, where pressure is relentless, when you are 'owned' by your boss of your company and you have served your time, you feel that you owe it to yourself and your spouse to take some quality time to enjoy the better side of life. That’s when it’s time to talk about Hibiscus Retirement Villages. This ‘hidden’ gem in our communities set a standard that is hard to beat, giving our senior citizens a first class lifestyle while being quite affordable. Ivan Naidoo talks to Andrew Crooks, CEO of Hibiscus Retirement Villages. I want to get to know Margate Re�rement The other reason, I think, is the easy access Village a bit be�er. Many people may not to the many facili�es on the coastline. know that Hibiscus Re�rement Villages are Par�cularly with COVID, I think people made up of 4 villages and a Frail Care prefer to stay away from crowds of people. Centre. The lower South Coast is the home They want to feel safe. to some of the be�er re�rement villages, with the Hibiscus Re�rement Villages flying We've certainly seen an uptake, not just in the flag high! For some reason or the other our re�rement villages, but you've probably people gravitate down to this side of the heard from others in the estate agency country to re�re. Why is that so? businesses, where people wanted to move to quieter environments. So, I think those I think the weather has got a lot to do with are really a�rac�ve proposi�ons for the it. The way of life down here is very relaxed. coast and for re�rement villages along this Your ameni�es are generally close to home coastline. and I think it's just out of the hustle and bustle. Those, to me, are probably the three primary reasons for re�ring down here. 59

What about the economics of living down When COVID struck, we encouraged people here? With regard to re�rement, are our to get onto WhatsApp. A lot of folk would living costs lower than, say, Jo’burg? come to me and say, that they don't know what Whatsapp is on their phone. I think that's possibly true. It also depends Meanwhile they’ve been using WhatsApp all on the setup of the par�cular organiza�on. the �me! So typically there's two primary avenues of moving into re�rement. One is a sec�onal More and more people are looking to �tle basis where you obviously pay a levy for connect with their families and also work maintenance and things like that. And opportuni�es through the internet, Ne�lix, whatever you get when your estate sells and all those things. This is why we are your property at that �me is the return you inves�ng in communica�on technology. get. Within the Life Right ownership model, are The other model is the “Life Right’ where there different packages that re�rees can you pay a monthly levy to cover the cost of choose? running the village, security, maintenance, the garden services, etc. The co�age you As soon as you sign up you get everything. move into is a remodeled co�age. So we Over and above that, the facili�es and the bring it to an almost new condi�on. So services that we provide includes for you're ge�ng value for money at your example, bus services from our villages. We purchase level, and then it's carefree living take people to the doctors or hospitals in a for the remainder of your life while you're certain radius. There’s a nominal charge if here. You are looked a�er, your co�age is it's to Durban or to Pietermaritzburg or looked a�er, the ameni�es and facili�es that somewhere special. But the standard service we have here are all available to you. Frail is part of the levy. care is available to you. So the whole peace of mind aspect is just fantas�c. We have a clinic at each village with a doctor in a�endance twice a week. Otherwise we We are a non-profit organiza�on. So there have a fully resourced Frail Care center with are some other peer groups that are for- nurses and the senior matron who actually profits re�rement villages and obviously does these runs to the clinics for primary they have to keep their shareholders happy healthcare. So you pop down to your clinic with returns and dividends and things like and then get your stuff done. And if there's that. With us, if there are any surpluses an emergency in the co�age, the carers will from the sale of our resellable life rights, this nurse them down at the co�age. And that’s gets plowed back into our villages. So we're all part of what's in your monthly levy. constantly upgrading our facili�es. For example, as we speak, we are busy pu�ng in About security. When I got here to Margate fiber into our Margate and Ramsgate Village we had no camera coverage on our villages. So by the end of the year all the perimeter. We now have almost a hundred co�ages will be fiber enabled. percent camera coverage. Ramsgate Village has a hundred percent camera coverage and It seems that your Re�rees are very Umdoni Village has about 70% camera technologically savy! coverage. It's strange and actually quite funny. When I And apart from that camera coverage, we got here everything was done in hardcopy. have24/7 security, gatehouse security and So if the Chief Execu�ve sent out a post, it guards patrolling. There’s laundry services would go into postboxes and people can onsite and there is a charge for the amount pick up their hard copy. That obviously costs of laundry you do. We have a kitchen that a lot of money. So I then started pu�ng serves meals. There's a price for meals that stuff out on emails with an exercise to find can be delivered to your co�age and that's out who was on email. And surprisingly, we over and above your levy. found that, I think, in this village, about 40 to 50% of the people were already on email. So we halved our costs there. In our new village, everybody is using emails as the only means of communica�on. 60

Are the meals coming in at full restaurant What about the entertainment and prices? ac�vi�es for the residents? No. Being a nonprofit organiza�on, we strive That's fantas�c. We are very proud of our to break even, or at least recover our costs villages. They are top class. But what I so the meals are very well priced. found different in our villages is the sense of community and ac�vi�es in our villages. But if they chose to make the meals in their Between Umdoni, Margate Woodlands, own co�age, is that fine? there are about 40 different ac�vi�es. This includes bowls, indoor bowls, badminton, Yes, we encourage that. We encourage table tennis, yoga, art classes, choir groups, independent living for as long and as far as poker, rummy club, bridge groups, cooking possible. groups, caravanning clubs, etc. So, the route is to come into the co�age is: We recently had a quiz night and everybody be as independent as you can be. If you find had great fun. When I told the organizer yourself becoming slightly frail then you can that we should have these more o�en, he get a part-�me care in. And if you can afford took out the schedule of ac�vi�es and said it then you can get full-�me carers in. that there was no space to have these more o�en. That’s how busy we are! The next �er is assisted living, where we provide the meals and do the laundry and One of the chairmen in the Woodlands serve your meals in a nice dining room and Village said to me that he comes from the there is also a cleaner that comes in once a corporate world and he has never been as day to just clean your room, This is for semi- busy as he is now… but in a good way. independent living. Each village has a residents’ ac�vi�es And then if you move beyond commi�ee (RAC) which is made up of that, you get into full frail care, residents elected by their peers. We provide which is 24/7 nursing care, et them with office space. They run those 40 cetera. So theres a whole range ac�vi�es. of op�ons you have to choose from as you go through lifes Being in these commi�ees give them a journey. sense of purpose – a reason to wake up in the mornings. One of our residents who moved in, took over the chairmanship of one of our RAC’s; and he told me that this is like a new birth for him! And he’s 84! All the conveners of the different ac�vi�es report to the RAC. These are all unpaid roles – they do it out of love and enjoyment. 61

If your residents wanted to s�ll con�nue We have some very affluent folk. However, with their enterprise, whether it's online or we have a culture here where you don’t have whatever, do you provide for it? to keep up with the Jones’. Our model levels out much of the financial gap. In fact, we encourage it. We encourage folks to keep ac�ve. It's about giving people a Our levies are very affordable and it covers sense of purpose. And some of them have a the maintenance, security, etc. real need to actually generate some addi�onal income. Our life rights range from R450 000 to about R2,2 million – that’s for our new 3- The buildings are one thing, but the sense of bedroom co�age and there is a R3,500 being home and being in your community is monthly levy . An equivalent co�age in what they come here to live for. I am proud another re�rement village, a few kilometers of our infrastructure but the sense of away, is going for R5 million. We are not community is unbeatable. My dad went there to make a killing in property sales – we through a couple of re�rement villages and are not in the property sales business. We they did not have any of the ac�vity and are in the business of providing peace of community that our villages have. It's mind, comfort care and ac�vi�es in our extremely special. villages. Is there a mix of people in your villages? So, if one were to secure a place at the village by buying life rights; but passes away There’s a good couple of mixes! There is the a month later, what happens to the life racial mix, the cultural mix and the financial rights? mix. In our life, rights model, your estate gets Our target market is not high-end re�rement what you paid - there's no deduc�on. But living It’s a re�rement village – not a there is no growth on it either. We give you lifestyle village. Our villages offer you a the full one hundred percent back. number of different lifestyles but we don’t force a lifestyle. 62

What is the size of the villages? Give me a li�le bit about your corporate background. There is about 520 at the Margate village which includes the flats, Ranmsgate has I'm an accountant by profession. I joined the about 60, Umdoni has about 380 co�ages De Beers mining group of companies and and Widenham will be just over 600 was posted to a mine in Namaqualand co�ages when we are complete but right where I spent 8 wonderful years. I started in now we have about 280 occupied. We are audit services and progressed to a financial selling Widenham in phases. management role. It was a broad role and I just loved it. My two youngest were born on The developments are funded in-house. The the mine. I then moved to a mine in the Free previous Chief Execu�ve who was State where I served as financial manager. I instrumental in establishing the Umdoni was then transferred to De Beers Head village is now re�red but we appointed him Office where for 6 years I was involved in as the project manager for the Widenham the De Beers Group restructuring. project. He has a full professional team - quan�ty surveyor, consul�ng engineer, I was then put into the CFO-type role – professional builder, building company, which means that I was back in accoun�ng. consul�ng electrical engineers, et cetera, I then started looking around for other working under him as a project team. opportuni�es. I then joined Deloi�es Consul�ng in their strategy business as an When you arrived here in 2018, you associate director. I had the opportunity to obviously came here with your plans and work with a lot of blue chip companies on your ideas. What are some of the strategies, opera�onal excellence, etc. It was benchmarks of your tenure so far? very rewarding; but long long hours and hard work. I then joined the Aveng/ When I came here, it blew my expecta�ons Grinaker/LTA Group for four years. These out of the window. We have a large were the challenging years – not rewarding workforce - of 150 permanent staff with for various reasons. many contract staff; probably 350 in total staff across our villages. The corporate Then this job came across my desk. I didn't governance side was not foreign to me and I have much of an idea about the industry, work with a team which is fantas�c. except my dad had been through this sort of pathway of re�rement village and eventually The greatest reward is the reward you get frail care. And then I made the short list for a when you see the light in people’s faces. I second interview, got to see more of what come from a corporate background where happened in the village and speak to some you would work your bu� off to sa�sfy of the residents. I got the job and here I am. some shareholder that sits in Malaysia or the It's a huge responsibility, but it is fantas�c UK or in the Bahamas. Here, the returns are and very rewarding. to the villages and the residents. It's just the warmest feeling. 63

I certainly didn't expect COVID. It was Andrew Crooks something that I didn't think I'd have to deal with in my life�me. And then there's been Chief Executive other things I've had to deal with, you know, you sort of prepare mentally for taking on a role like this and whatever could come your way. If I had to write a book about it, people would say, \"you're talking absolute garbage\", but it's from residents figh�ng over avo trees to dealing with people who are suicidal. There are some really fantas�c characters here. In Maslow’s hierarchy, they are close to the pinnacle of self-awareness and self- actualiza�on because they actually don't care about what people think about them, what they wear, what car they drive, etc. They just want to live life to the fullest. We have some wonderful characters. Some are like naughty children some�mes, but they are just living life to the fullest. To achieve these things, you obviously have a great team behind you. Tell me a li�le about them. Working in a largish, nonprofit organiza�on we have a variety of people in different roles. I've got a fantas�c team. Our staff turnover is quite low. They are passionate about what they're doing and they certainly know what they're doing. I got goosebumps when I saw how COVID had brought out amazing quali�es in our staff. They went out of their way, at great sacrifice to their own families and well-being to take care of the residents. 64

There’s a new Lion leading the Pride! Interview with Sandra Lemmer, newly inducted Ramsgate Lion’s President After a few years in the Ramsgate Lion pride, Sandra Lemmer took over the reins this lionistic year. With big shœs to fill and a vision for getting things done, Frontline spoke to the lady in charge on what we could expect during her tenure. Sandra, tell us about the Lions. What is There are 5 pillars of our service to the the organisa�on all about – it’s communi�es, namely Hunger objec�ves, its vision, the people that Allevia�on, Diabetes, Childhood Cancer, give their �me to the organisa�on. And Eye Sight and Environment. There is how did its name come about? strength in numbers and with the right people, so much more can be Lions Club Interna�onal was founded accomplished. 104 years ago by a visionary named Melvin Jones in America. He saw a need In my opinion a Lion stands for for the more privileged to help their professionalism, honesty, commitment communi�es in difficult �mes. His and compassion. A lion is a powerful vision has spread throughout the globe creature that is brave and strong and and we now have over 1,4 million works best in a pack, so the acronym is members organized in 45000 clubs very fi�ng as Lions also stands for serving communi�es in all corners of the Liberty, Intelligence, Our Na�on’s Earth. Safety. 65

Tell us about the current team that What did the Ramsgate Lions achieve in makes up the Ramsgate Lions. recent years? We have such varied personali�es in our There are too many things to men�on, club, but all of them have one thing in but the two most significant ongoing common: Their dedica�on to reach out projects with an immediate effect on to people in need to make their lives a people’s lives were, that we have been li�le be�er. Rob Henry, who does able to service thousands of people with monthly free diabetes tes�ng at our our feeding scheme and Brightsight. We market and Hibiscus Mall is our oldest try to concentrate our efforts on the member. elderly as they have no other means of earning more income. In recent months His wife Jenny Henry is our efficient we have seen the trend where the secretary and her por�olio also includes younger genera�on is also struggling to Brightsight where we supply glasses make ends meet, and we have had more free of charge to deserving members of requests for food parcels than we can our community. Warren and Michelle supply. It is not easy to have to turn Theron have been members for years; somebody down because there isn’t any Warren just recently received his 35 food le�. year diamond pin. They are always there to help where needed. Then the hundreds of glasses that we have supplied to people who are now Then we have Vernon Maddison who able to see properly ,have also made a runs our bar and loves to sing. considerable difference in people’s lives. Vanessa Richardson and I were inducted What are your plans for your term of on the same day. She is the immediate office? Past President and has taken over as Zone Chairlady from this year, plus she I would simply like to generate enough runs with the environmental por�olio funds so that all of our projects can and is our treasurer. She is our voice of carry on, without us having to worry reason and a workhorse. Our latest about whether we can afford them or edi�on to the team is Debbie Van not. Apart from our ongoing projects we Rensburg. Her vetkoek and mince have have iden�fied various projects where become legendary and people come to we would like to help. our weekly market just for that. There are two baby homes that need Wai�ng in the wings is Carla Sinclair. assistance, a soup kitchen where we She will be inducted into the pride as supply gas and food, our community soon as it is possible to celebrate again - gardens that need seedlings and once the Covid restric�ons allow it. equipment, seven schools that need educa�onal toys and books or basic And last, but not least, Roland Lemmer, needs like water tanks or repairs to the my be�er half, the person everyone buildings. Our own clubhouse needs a turns to, to get things done. He is also in new roof. charge for the Hunger Allevia�on project, PR and Media. But, first and foremost I would like to ensure that the members of our club The Ramsgate Lions are one amongst remain happy in service and to recruit many chapters of the Lions on the new members to help us serve more South Coast and beyond. Do the people. various groups get to work together on certain projects? How would you like the public to respond to your programme? Yes, we reach out to all service organisa�ons and have a close bond We are an NPO with PBO status. If especially with Port Shepstone Lions businesses and private persons would and Uvongo Rotary. like to support us with dona�ons in cash or kind, it is tax deductable. 100% of all 66

dona�ons go back into the community. What would you like to see change in The admin costs are covered by the our country? Sure, there are many members ourselves. We pay a monthly things that need fixing. But give us fee of R 100,00 per person to be able to the big 3 – with a brief, 1-paragraph cover these costs. explana�on. Do the Lions collaborate on projects Job crea�on – I wish companies would with other similar-minded offer appren�ceships to school leavers organisa�ons? so that the young genera�on stand a chance to make a life for themselves Rotary and Ramsgate Lions work instead of turning to crime. together a few days at a �me for the yearly medical clinic, where we use our Doing away with child grants – these eye tes�ng equipment and offer free grants only encourage young girls to diabetes tes�ng for the public. have baby a�er baby with no means to When Port Shepstone Lions held their take care of them properly. annual Lion’s Show we always sent a con�ngent of Ramsgate Lions to help Corrup�on! – No country can prosper if with their bar. It’s too early to go into tax payer’s money is being stolen detail, but there are great things in instead of being ploughed back into planning. infrastructure, maintenance of our energy supply, medical facili�es, schools If I gave you the opportunity to state etc. How are we ever going to a�ract your wish-list for the organisa�on for more businesses to open up to reduce this term, what would you wish for? unemployment, hunger and poverty otherwise? I would wish for more certain �mes so that our financial planning weren’t so reliant on the whims of government regula�ons. 67

Lake Eland Lake Eland Game Reserve is set in the magnificent Oribi Gorge, perfect for day visitors, a family holiday, team building or romantic getaway. A large lake shaped like the eland common in bushman paintings gives the reserve its name “Lake Eland” in honour of this magnificent antelope and its symbolic meaning to the San. This natural landscape is truly a place of peace and tranquility and can be found just a quick 40 minute drive from Port Shepstone, South 68

Where did it all start. The vision As for introducing new species, we were so for Lake eland and how the excited to welcome a few new friends to the opportunity was seized. reserve last year. We added a few Springbuck and Red Hartebeest to the reserve. The herd This impressive Lake Eland Game Reserve, is not spo�ed easily as they are not used to situated in the Oribi Gorge area, along the the cars and guests on the reserve. We spectacular forest-cloaked ravine of the usually find them on hills and valley’s where Mzimkulwana River, west of Port Shepstone, one cannot reach by car. Who knows what is owned by Brothers Trevor & Eric else the future has in store for Lake Eland! Dunstone and was opened in 2003. The brothers, who were busy with their farming ac�vi�es in the Oribi Gorge area, saw a great opportunity for a Game Reserve as they had a love for wildlife and wanted to share the beauty of the Oribi Gorge with others. They started planning. Soon therea�er they began building and then opened Lake Eland to the public. They built the famous “longest Zipline in SA” in 2011, and Lake Eland Ziplines are celebra�ng their 10th birthday this year! Tell us about the size of the reserve and the animals that you have on it. Also, do you plan to introduce any new species in the future? Lake Eland is home to so many wildlife The Gorge – the views, the suspension species. Take a drive through the reserve bridge and the Zipline – make for the most and you will most definitely spot Zebra’s, spectacular views and outdoor experience in Blue Wildebeest, Blesbok, Impala and if you the country. Are these enjoying good support? are lucky our beau�ful Giraffes and big Elands as well. With the reserve being 5000- Yes! Lake Eland is such a blessed reserve. It acres (+-2000Ha) in size, there is a lot of is amazing to see guests visi�ng our facili�es land we cannot reach by car and our guests and really enjoying themselves, family �me do not travel off the trails. Although these and apprecia�ng the Gorge, animals, species are the most seen, there is so much landscapes, birdlife, and views. There is a more! Aardvark, African Wildcat, Bushbuck, saying that goes: “Even if man lets nature Bushpig, Chacma Baboon, Common & Grey down, nature will never disappoint”. Duiker, Clawless O�er, Common Reedbuck, Gent, Jackal, Kudu, Mongoose, Mountain This is proving to be true here on Lake Eland Reedbuck, Nyala, Waterbuck and Warthogs as we have guests always returning for a bit also call Lake Eland home. more of the beau�ful Oribi Gorge. It is not just the holiday season guests suppor�ng Of course we are proud to have our Oribi and enjoying the reserve, but our local and Sanctuary as well, as the Oribi is known as return guests that make Lake Eland a an endangered species. The Oribi Gorge success. community have a big role in looking a�er this species. Keep an eye out for these special antelope on your next visit. A few facts on the Oribi: Oribi can reach 1,15m in length and 12 – 22 We love to welcome back our campers, kg in mass. fishermen, chalet couples and see our locals visi�ng for a Sunday lunch or bike ride. Our Females are slightly larger than the males. amazing pensioners support us during the week and many South Coast families spend Oribi have yellowish or reddish-brown silky their weekends here with us catching up on coats on the back. The chin, throat, breast, family �me, enjoying the sunset and board belly and rump are white coloured. Unlike games instead of the telly at home. From our other antelope, Oribi have crescent-shaped local support to our one-day visit holiday white fur above their eyes. traveller, we appreciate them all. 69

Lake Eland has become synonymous Lake Eland is also a very popular with inland tourism on the Lower wedding venue. What can wedding South Coast. You have obviously had planners expect when they choose some well-known or famous people that Lake Eland? have visited your establishment. Can you tell us a li�le about this? We have had some of the most beau�ful weddings here at Lake Eland and there It’s true, we have been fortunate to are many more to come. Our event welcome a few famous faces! Let’s just register has grown a lot over the past 2 say that you should not be surprised years and so has our venue. We have when you see Bok van Blerk daring our made changes to the Oribi hall over the Extreme Zipline or catching a fish at the past year and the wedding recep�ons Lake on his show. I remember how held here are absolutely stunning and friendly Steve Hofmeyr was when special. With a department whose main checking out, thanking us for a nice stay. focus is on weddings and wedding planners, couples can expect a Please follow the super exci�ng SABC 3 professional planning period leading up to TV show “The Longest Date” hosted by the special day. However, we believe that Christopher Ja�ha. Not only did they visit it is our personal approach that makes our Lake Eland for a few adventure ac�vi�es weddings a big success. Lake Eland will but the whole South Coast! We cannot never tell you how your wedding should wait to view this proud SA TV show be. We always try to create your dream star�ng 26 July 2021. wedding, this is what makes us different. Lake Eland is home to several outdoor events. Tell us about these events and how your team works to organise and make this happen. Lake Eland is an outdoor ac�vity company! We love to see families riding bikes outside or going for hikes, so we try to embrace an ac�ve outdoor lifestyle. We have a great team of employees working together to make our event days special, each doing their part as best they can. The local community also plays a big part in this. Events like the Booby Run, Run for Rare, the Annual Mountain Bike Compe��on are all hosted with the community in the area and we are grateful to be a part of these special events. This year Lake Eland is planning a Barbel Fishing Compe��on in November and we are so excited to host this event for the 1st �me. There will be a great prize up for grabs and we just know that our fishing lovers will enjoy this a lot. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for more informa�on about this outdoor event. 70

I would expect that Covid-19 has impacted the business side of your opera�ons to some degree. Can I ask how you are coping and what measures you have put in place to manage the lockdown? Like any other business and especially in tourism, Covid-19 did have a big impact on Lake Eland. Like everyone else we had to make big changes and be sure to operate by the new rules. Our system allows us to view exactly how many guests enter the reserve, so we can control these numbers as need be. We have sani�zer available all over the public areas on the reserve and do expect all guests and staff to wear their masks. Lake Eland is blessed purely by the size and outdoor venues we have. This allows a much safer space for our staff and guest in comparison to closed venues like hotels and indoor restaurants. S�ll, we try to do our part in the pandemic. Posters are up to remind staff and guests to sani�ze, wash their hands, keep a safe distance and to wear their masks. Our staff are scanned every morning and checked for any symptoms. It’s been a strange �me for everyone, and we appreciate our guests that are s�ll suppor�ng Lake Eland Game Reserve. They have kept us going and we are very thankful. Are there any forthcoming a�rac�ons that we should expect at Lake Eland? Yes, we are planning a few exci�ng events and ac�vi�es. Follow us on Facebook to view all upcoming events and happenings. We are especially excited about our Barbel Fishing compe��on and our Wedding Expo in November. We also have the Booby Run’s coming up on the 10th of July and 18th of September. Lake Eland always has a celebra�on event around the corner! # Live.Love.LakeEland 71

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FAT1MAM00LLA Dynamic leadership producing results for incubatorFa�ma Moolla joined SmartXchange in 2015 as Fcentre manager at the newly established branch in Fa�ma admits that this job comes with challenges whilst the opportuni�es encourage her to persevere. Port Shepstone. This branch was a game-changer for The accessibility of cheap, reliable internet the organisa�on as its reach was expanded away connec�vity is a major challenge in township and from an urban area to a small town. Fa�ma’s dynamic rural areas as we strive to build communi�es and leadership produced amazing results as the Port socie�es that can prosper through fair and equitable Shepstone incubator grew beyond expecta�ons and access to informa�on, data and resources. exceeded its three-year targets within the first year. The incubator has received local recogni�on by The incuba�on of a company that provides internet winning the Port Shepstone Mayoral Award twice connec�vity to township and rural areas using the since incep�on and contributed to the overall concept of Television White Spaces (TVWS) provided recogni�on of SmartXchange as a provincial and much excitement. This technology means that na�onal leader in the incuba�on ecosystem. previously disadvantaged and inaccessible communi�es have an opportunity to digi�se their Fa�ma’s agility ensures that the SmartXchange’s products and services while the democra�sa�on of support services are professionally executed by her technology and enabling the transfer of knowledge is team, which presents them with many opportuni�es contributed to. to interact with aspirant entrepreneurs and innovators. The era of digi�sa�on and the shi� With her experience in se�ng up the Port Shepstone toward 4IR technologies has created opportuni�es SmartXchange Incubator, Fa�ma was given the for the development of innova�ve solu�ons that opportunity to lead the establishment of the Living address challenges and provide solu�ons that are Labs, funded by the Na�onal Technology Innova�on effec�ve and ‘SMART’. These solu�ons include all Agency (TIA), in the KwaMashu Digital Hub. spheres of human ac�vi�es so that socie�es can benefit from improved processes, products and Fa�ma says that the Digital Hub in KwaMashu has services. created a strategic link to the township economy and that her team is now working on co-crea�on projects Fa�ma says that working at SmartXchange and being with their stakeholders and township communi�es to part of the entrepreneurial journey, suppor�ng and address the challenges faced by a lack of digi�sa�on contribu�ng towards the success of a small business of local businesses. They are also addressing or the development of an innova�on has rewards problems around domes�c and industrial waste, that are far beyond any expecta�on. This is an crime and the lack of technology in early childhood ecosystem that is constantly evolving, providing centres. opportuni�es to interact with people and communi�es and ul�mately suppor�ng new Fa�ma says that all their cocrea�on projects are developments that will lead to the growth and focused on the integra�on of youth, women and sustainability of previously marginalised sectors of people with physical challenges as the economic society. empowerment opportuni�es, within these groups, is miniscule when compared to the demands and “I get super excited as I see the growth and expecta�ons of these groupings. These engagements development of our startups during our mentoring invariably result in measurable outcomes and and business development sessions. I am proud to impac�ul results within the communi�es. announce that four innova�ons, which are currently being commercialised, were developed at Port Shepstone: Innovate Logis�cs – an op�misa�on of delivery loads; Eazi Health ID – a 360-degree \"I get super excited as I see the growth and medical app that manages pa�ents’ records, development of our startups during our mentoring bookings, referrals etc.; Smart Bee Hive Management and business development sessions.\" – uses technology to manage the ‘well-being’ and harves�ng of a beehive and SA Smart Film Art – a 76

DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP PRODUCING RESULTS An incubator like SmartXchange can be regarded as a repository of resources and informa�on that will enable small business to grow and innova�ons to develop as we provide the founda�on and enabling resources for idea�on, development, commercializa�on and growth. “I am blessed to be part of an organisa�on that is constantly evolving. My opportuni�es to learn and grow have increased exponen�ally as we embrace the 4IR and my passion to explore new opportuni�es for our SMMEs o�en keeps we awake, to enable my dreams of growing both rural and township economies to become a reality,” concluded Fa�ma. 77

“I’m sitting on the Fence... and here are my Reasons.” My take on the South African Economy by Vijay Naidoo Editor’s Note: Something’s ro�en in the state of Denmark, so they say. Well, when it comes to South Africa, something’s ro�en here too. We probably will give Denmark a run for its money! In this ar�cle, Vijay Naidoo, ex-President of the South Coast Chamber of Commerce and Industry and current CEO of the Port Shepstone Business Forum, shoots from the hip. And by Jove! It seems that’s he’s hit the target. Disagree if you may. But methinks that the majority will agree with his sen�ments. For the record, this ar�cle was penned before the riots of early- July 2021. That series of orchestrated mayhem is therefore not men�oned in this ar�cle. II came across a wonderful quote by Michael Jordaan Deloi�es, to refresh your memories, audited the ex CEO of FNB in the Business Times recently: he Steinhoff Group for nearly 20 years, having no said that, though there is a lot in SA that brings him reserva�ons in signing off their financials year a�er down, he remains an op�mist by nature. Even though year while Marcus Jooste and his musketeers pessimists are right much of the �me, op�mists have more fun! fashioned one of the biggest corporate meltdowns this country has seen. For my part, I am si�ng on the fence currently. KPMG similarly, signed off the accounts of VBS Bank while it was brazenly looted, not to men�on their Show of hands: how many of you are professionals? cosy rela�onships with many Gupta en��es involved Business owners? Re�red? Accountants? in the state capture saga. Now in the face of all this bad press, what does the IRBA do? It appoints as its One of the most striking illustra�ons of how out of CEO, the director of Tongaat Hullets. who was Chair touch corporate South Africa has become, or to what of its Audit commi�ee, one Ms Jenita John. extent ethical considera�ons have been shunted to the bo�om of the list, is the recent debacle at the To refresh your memory (again), Tongaat had just a IRBA – Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors. couple of years ago admi�ed to massively massaging The IRBA is the body that oversees audit firms in SA, its financial statements over a period of 10-12 years- and they have been taken to task, to put it mildly, for which led to massive destruc�on in its value, and allowing the likes of KPMG and Deloi�es to be at the almost led to its collapse. And the person whom the forefront of destroying virtually all the credibility of board entrusts to ensure something like this does the audi�ng profession. NOT happen, is deemed as a suitable candidate to oversee the audit profession?….. go figure. 78

Some of what I’m going to say may sound parochial, approach things on an all or nothing basis, hoping and against the push for transforma�on of the that those who are excluded will catch up in �me- economy and the en�re RET movement. I have only to find we have condemned them to the scrap always maintained that it is a bridge too far to try heap. So what if thousands of people prefer to fill in and achieve ‘credible’ transforma�on, in the face of hard forms- in triplicate if need be- allow them to the myriad of structural, social, and moral issues the access government services the way they feel country as a whole face. There needs to be a comfortable? We are also petrified that the rest of measured approach that deals with issues in a step- the world will look down on us if we adopt less-hi- by step way, to create the environment for real tech solu�ons to some of our problems. I do not economic growth and progress. believe that 4IR is going to allow us to leapfrog into a new dimension. I am not, for one moment, saying that the previously disadvantaged (read Black) person needs to be 3There is a growing culture of dependency, confined to the margins of the economy, or that especially amongst the youth, that needs to be ini�a�ves like the Black Industrialist Programme be broken. While the social grant safety net provides abandoned. We need to build on the strengths of our vital support to millions, I also believe that a proper society, and try and fix the weaknesses. No amount audit of all grant beneficiaries will root out many who of money is going to be able to replicate the do not qualify, and free up billions for use in other condi�ons (apartheid, import replacement policies, parts of the budget. tariffs) that enabled the Ruperts and the Oppenheimers or Sampsons to become industrialists. 4The en�re procurement process from government Black businesses need to be supported and nurtured needs to be overhauled. The structure of the current so that they can grow into becoming industrialists. system was premised on making it invincible to corrup�on, but clearly 15 or more years of the There is a growing culture of dependency, current system has not worked at any level of especially amongst the youth, government. Open tendering was meant to ensure that needs to be broken. the government pays the least for its purchases, but this has never happened. For example, forcing So let’s start with what I think is impeding municipali�es to procure as close to where they are economic growth and development in the going to use the product/service will inject money country. into the local economy, the same with na�onal government spending. With some effort, 1 The ruling class has become distant from the procurement can support the locality that the masses. So the say, 5000 people that occupy the top spending is intended for. We were horrified that all Na�onal, Provincial and local posi�ons of power the DOE spending on Covid for local schools was don’t really care for the masses in any real aspect. managed by the Coega Dev Agency-virtually nothing There is a disjoint between their lives (think the blue was spent on local suppliers. Again, because the light brigades in even at the smallest impoverished system supports the efforts of those intent on rent- municipali�es). The problem here, is that as one lot seeking or corrup�on, there is li�le poli�cal will to move out to re�re on their pensions, there is already revise it (see i above). There just appears to also be a the next lot wai�ng to come in for their ‘turn’. This simple laziness in SCM departments to make the cycle needs to be broken-and it will only be broken if li�le effort to iden�fy local suppliers-across the the direct perks and benefits of poli�cal office are board so good ini�a�ves like the 30% set aside on severely reduced, and the indirect ones (rent-seeking, local procurement never happen. tender manipula�on) are eliminated. It has essentially added cost and no 2As a country, we need to decide where we want to value to our government operations. be developmentally. There is this percep�on that we need to doing everything to become first-world but 5Government needs to bring its services closer to we are pulling ourselves apart because we are using the people. Forcing people travel into towns to first world governance systems to manage parts of access services is grossly unjust, because it o�en the country that are third world. Think e- needs mul�ple trips due to the incompetence and government: wonderful if you live in Sandton and inefficiency in government departments. If they can have fibre, not so much in the deep rural areas, do it for the elec�ons - se�ng up 28000 vo�ng where you don’t even have a cell signal. So we sta�ons so that nobody is disenfranchised - they can take services to the people. A few years ago, Home 79

Affairs rolled out mobile offices on trucks that went 2Agro-processing. Finding a way to develop small into communi�es. They had satellite dishes on them farmers. For example, the small farmer that has to enable them to access files etc. What became of surplus maize for his use - provide him with a manual them? Thousands of people are excluded from mill/grinding machine to enable him to produce accessing business funding (agricultural grants, mealie-meal that he could sell in his community. On a training) because they have just not had access to slightly larger scale, organize a group of them into a the informa�on. What happened to the thousands of co-op and provide them with bigger equipment. This MPCC’s (?)that were supposed to be internet is exactly how the massive co-ops (SenWes, KWV) equipped for free community use? came about. Then there is the travesty of not giving black farmers �tle to their res�tuted land. What 6The devolved model of government is not working lunacy informs this decision? There are farmers who – Na�onal-Province-District-Local. All it has done is have farmed their land for 20 years that have not mul�plied the opportuni�es for malfeasance, and been given their deeds. Title will give them financing made it difficult for consequence management. It has op�ons they do not currently have; and dignity of essen�ally added cost and no value to our ownership. government opera�ons. Serious poli�cal will is needed to address this issue. Ugu is a typical 3Small Business Support. What are the likes of SEDA example. But again the system underpins all that is and SEFA and the Dept. of Small Business ugly and bad in our system, and changes are going to Development really doing? I was part of a be hard to implement. programme led by UKZN last year that mentored small rural and township businesses. Almost without 7African Con�nental Free Trade Agreement: where is excep�on, none of them had received any funding or the infrastructure to underpin and support it? It s�ll support from any of these en��es. Yet, amongst the cost more, 25 years a�er we started expor�ng 10 businesses, the funding ‘ask’ was less than R1m. containers to Europe. Look at the recent crisis at the These were businesses run by young people, land borders we have just experienced. Of course, commi�ed to their communi�es and their families, the ins�tu�onal underpinnings are all much further making a real impact with what they were doing. We advanced - the Head Office, senior staff – all the need to find a way to get funding to small business as stuff that adds cost, but take a long �me, if ever, to efficiently and quickly as possible. Rather give 10 add value. And what of the financial infrastructure - small businesses R10000,00 than one, a R100000,00 the export finance, and the like, that are the lifeblood of interna�onal trade. So great the idea and concept, We cannot be spending R2bn/year on VIP but let’s see the execu�on protection for our politicians. ... These are some of the steps and opportuni�es 4We need to be crea�ng businesses that create jobs. Just facilita�ng a change of ownership for the I see: purposes of transforma�on is not going to help the country. Yes the stats look a bit be�er, but what has 1 The opportuni�es in township and rural economies it really contributed to the broader economy. is vast and real. A simple one is municipal services Beneficiaries need to be monitored and encouraged like verge cu�ng or waste removal. Why should they to use their new businesses to leverage expansion in maintain a depot, or send staff from a central that business, or new businesses. Passive investment loca�on when work can be outsourced to locals with to transfer wealth won’t do it. a bit of effort. The other is procurement -toilet paper 5Government needs to be roo�ng out waste, for the local library and schools - find or develop inefficiency and corrup�on. We cannot be spending local suppliers. These low-tech manufacturing R2bn/year on VIP protec�on for our poli�cians. We opportuni�es abound. All they take is a bit of effort cannot be spending R430m on sani�sing schools in on the part of the SCM departments - and a Gauteng and the MEC says it’s the first he’s hearing willingness to forsake that ‘backhander’ from a about it. The less said about the PPE tenders the favourite supplier. Upskilling or upgrading exis�ng township businesses- Dunlop has done some be�er, and we are all holding our breath on the wonderful work with containerised fitment centres vaccines. for emerging entrepreneurs in this field. What 6The country has in my view, reached the thin edge funding opportuni�es there are, are riddled with of the wedge. Covid has provided a great excuse for corrup�on and nepo�sm. I have been approached all the ills we are experiencing, the reality is, it was numerous �mes with this complaint, that if you are just the final �pping point. We need a new kind of not related to the local Councillor, you can forget leadership, a new kind of morality, a new approach to how we interact with government and the world at about applying for funding for your small business (i large. 80 above again-we need a new moral code)

Coastal Laundromat: Keeping you Clean, No Matter What! Coastal Laundromat, situated next to the Fever near the traffic lights at the entrance to Port Shepstone, is one of those businesses that really come to the fore in �mes of water crises! And of water crises we have had no shortage. Even in ‘normal’ �mes, their laundry services play a cri�cal role in doing the laundry of many ins�tu�ons, holiday establishments and domes�c households. Over the past six years, Trevlin and Trisanne have worked hard to build Coastal Laundromat into a busy and successful business. They now set their sights on the next phase of the business and it can only get be�er! We get to talk to Trevlin about his foray into the laundry business and his vision for the future. Trevlin and Trisanne Subroyen with children, Trizlin, Tianna, Tylin and Tymia 81

Coastal Laundromat has had a long and I had no idea what the laundry business was rich history. Where did it all start and what about when I started. It was only a year are the highlights of your journey up to now. later, when I had done a few es�ma�ons, that I realised that the laundry business, at Coastal Laundromat was started over 35 that �me, had almost a R40 million annual years ago – in 1986! A�er a few years of turnover on the South Coast. existence, the business was sold to Gavin Jepson, who is a well-known Rotarian. Since those days, we have grown Together with his wife, they ran the business tremendously. The Lord has opened doors for a good few years un�l they moved to the even when there was no door! current premises. A�er 8 years of them running the business from this place, I Another story. My landlord once saw me purchased the business from them. That working late – it was about midnight. He was in 2016. asked me what I needed to make the work go a bit faster. Another washing machine is The business was not the way it is now. It what I needed. Well, he had my banking was making a small profit. The business details because he had been using my used to work half-a-day on Saturday and services. Shortly therea�er, I saw that he was closed on Sundays and public holidays. had put in R50 000 into my account! My wife and I literally used to fall off to I called and asked him why he had done that. sleep on some days. We would get one or I may not have had liquid cash but I did have two customers a day. We had 3 staff at that some monies that were due to come in. He �me. told me not to worry but to get that machine and get my business up and running. He We then decided to do some cold calling. gave me some excellent repayment terms. We got our business profile done and we Not only is he a great landlord, he and I are went to every single contact that we knew good friends. and that is how we started growing this business. We also set our minds to build our How many machines and staff do you reputa�on. have at the moment? I remember one �me that I did not sleep for I have 6 industrial 3-phase machines and 5 nights in a row. I used to be working here seven domes�c machines. I have 4 full-�me with my staff. We needed to keep our staff working on the produc�on side and we clients happy and meet our deadlines. also use casuals when necessary. The staff are extremely commi�ed. We work So what was it about this business that staggered shi�s and even on weekends and made you take the plunge? public holidays. We treat our staff as family. It’s a strange story. It was definitely a Since you took over 5 years ago, various miracle. When we bought this business, we events like Covid-19 and the water crisis were in the process of selling our house in have come about. How did you weather Shelly Beach. While that was taking place, the storm? this business appeared on Gumtree. Ever since the water crisis, and it was severe, I was amongst many others who were I have been greatly blessed because except interested but I believe that God was on my for 2 days, I have had a constant supply of side. I found favour with the business water. There were �mes when this sec�on broker. For the very first �me in his was the only place with water when the business, he offered us the business without whole of Port Shepstone didn’t. us having the money in hand. He told us that we could a�end to the payment when This actually worked in our favour. Some the sale of our house was finalised. He even months we made 5 �mes the normal covered the various costs that went with the turnover just because we had water when business transfer. He trusted us; and others didn’t. without a wri�en agreement in place! That, I am convinced, is the hand of God! 82

With Covid-19, we did take a bit of a knock We also offer free collec�on and delivery in because the hospitality industry had closed. and around Port Shepstone. We even We didn’t have the walk-in trade. It actually provide this service for the route to Margate cost us more to stay open. But we had to as we have to go there. stay open to serve our clients. The doctors’ rooms and hospitals needed us. We also offer a 15% discount to healthcare workers as our contribu�on to the good At some �me, we were the only laundry work they are doing. company that was opened during the lockdown. We had le�ers from some of the Who are your main clients? doctors to stay open to provide them with this service. We have customers all the way from Margate. We do several hotels, B&B’s, and We have two shi�s and even engage casuals the medical profession – far too many to to cope with high pressure �mes. men�on. We have proven that we can do their laundry at a be�er cost than they can Have you introduced any new changes to the do it in-house. business since you took over? Our cost advantage is that because of the We started upselling. We used to outsource volumes we do, our cost is spread over many dry cleaning. Now we do it in-house. Not customers. only did it save our customers, it was also financially beneficial to us as well. We What are your future plans for the business? passed on the savings to our customers. At the moment, we do twice as much dry I’m planning to service the medical industry, cleaning than we were doing previously. especially with Covid, so that I can take advantage of that opportunity. We have We therea�er started doing rug cleaning. It only tapped into a few percent of a large is not our core business and may not laundry services market. It is certainly an generate too much of revenue but is does opportunity for me to grow this business. contribute to our core business. We have various op�ons available to We also do a lot of the washing for the expand, but we will take those opportuni�es Somalian and Ethiopian businessmen who as they come. spend a lot of �me at their businesses and have li�le �me for the chores. 83

Ramsgate Lions In The Spotlight 84

Lions serve. It’s that simple, and it has been since Lions are extremely proud that 100% of all dona�ons they first began in 1917. The Lion clubs are places go back into the community. The support is given where individuals join together to give their valuable without prejudice and is not a�ached to condi�ons �me and effort to improving their communi�es, and such as race, gender, age, poli�cal or religious beliefs. Lthe world. Ramsgate Lions Each Lion club is its own en�ty but works under the umbrella of Lions Interna�onal with the same code of The Lions Ramsgate club was founded 35 years ago ethics. The goal is to reach out to the community by Phil Theron; and his son Warren is presently the and facilitate projects to be�er the lives of longest serving member in the club. individuals. The Lion heart The individual human resources and finances of a club decide the number of projects that can be The real poten�al and strength of the Ramsgate Club undertaken. is not a ques�on of numbers. The real power has been developed and based on the different Lions charge their members a yearly fee which is personali�es of the members, and their educa�onal used to cover the administra�on costs. No salaries background, paired with their experience. Everybody are paid and every member has to cover their own has a special gi� and ability. We respect and honour expenses. All Lions do the work in their private �me. our members for who and what they are, and their Every Lions club has to generate funds in order to valuable and important assets they bring into the cover the club costs for rent, water and electricity. club. All club members have to be in agreement about induc�ng a new member. There is no The cons�tu�on of Lions defines that no Lion can compe��on or the expecta�on of being more use their membership in order to generate income or important or more recognized than the other. business and they cannot charge for any work they do as a Lion. Your religious, poli�cal or any other orienta�on or beliefs have no place in the organisa�on. The only The club structure consists of members, the service focus is on how we can do the best in serving the project directors and a club president. community. Several monthly reports have to be provided by the The educa�onal background of our members ranges club president to the head office for informa�on and from home execu�ves, employees, a bankers, and control purposes. The club gets audited once a year business owners to a former general manager of one and transparency is paramount. of the worldwide biggest companies. The age of our member’s range between 46 and 81 years old. You can see the Ramsgate Lions on the website e-clubhouse.org 85

An example of how Ramsgate LIONS work: Hunger Alleviation project: The Hibiscus Mall and Pick ‘n Pay Margate have granted permission for Ramsgate Lions to collect food on their premises every last Saturday of the month. The club sets up tables, brochures, a dona�on box and banners; and hand out li�le slips with sugges�ons of non-perishable food items that shoppers could buy and donate. It takes 6 people, from 9am to 2pm; 2 at each entrance to the mall and two at Pick ‘n Pay to facilitate this process. Once the food is collected, it gets moved to the project director’s home and is listed in an inventory which reflects the items, quan�ty and value. A�er the inventory, the food parcels are packed for the families who need support. If not enough food is collected the donated money is used to increase the quan�ty. The delivery of the food parcels starts on Sunday at around 7am and ends at around 11am. The average hours spent on one of the food collec�on Saturdays adds up to 42 man-hours. The cost for using a private vehicle for the delivery of the food parcels is covered by the project director. The involvement in charity work is a brilliant Generating funds: opportunity to develop remarkable character strengths. The variety of experiences during the hours of doing In order to support people in need in our community, the food collec�on ranges from extremely friendly the Lions have to generate the much needed funds support to aggressive and disrespec�ul behaviour, through dona�ons and projects which enable the verbal a�acks and derogatory remarks from the club to earn money. We believe that working public. together construc�vely must always be beneficial for both sides. For months the hunger allevia�on program has been drama�cally affected by the constant price increases In March 2021 the Ramsgate Lions decided to give on food products and the financial strain on the the experienced and reliable organizer of the South popula�on, which reduces their ability to support. Coast Car Boot Sale and Cra�er’s Market, Lorraine The volume of donated food is constantly shrinking. Bruigdom, the area in front of the club house to run her market every Saturday from 8 am to 1 pm. This Another difficult experience is that con ar�sts try to created the opportunity for up to 35 traders to take advantage of the charity organisa�on. Before we establish themselves with their products or service, offer to help, we meet those who have requested as a source of income for themselves in difficult support and have an in-depth conversa�on with �mes. them. These mee�ngs usually take place a�er work and involve on average two Lions. We have to take The Lions sell coffee, tea, cakes and also food like their age, health condi�on and life circumstances into vetkoek and burgers. considera�on, because we have a wai�ng list of people needing support. Because of the limited In order to a�ract visitors to the car boot sale and resources, constant support must be the absolute guests for the Lions club house the organizer and the excep�on, and is only acceptable in cases of old or Lions joined forces and organized various events, like sick community members, who have no income or the vintage car exhibi�on, the beach buggy other support. exhibi�on, old-�mer cars, art exhibi�ons in coopera�on with the Art by the sea group and more. Since the project started, we have witnessed a The involvement in charity work is a brilliant constant growth and very posi�ve reac�ons by the opportunity to develop remarkable community. character strengths. 86

In addi�on, further exhibi�ons with a specific theme The strongest heart has the most scars (e.g. dri�wood art, decora�on etc.) are planned as a base for more social interac�on within the As an ac�ve Lion you are consistently confronted community, and as further support of the exis�ng with difficult life situa�ons, because people reach out structures. to us when they have hit rock bo�om. We are always challenged, when most of their resources for help are In the nearby future the diabetes tes�ng will take exhausted, and they don’t know where to go place every second month at the club house. anymore. Giving and helping is not a simple task, because the people in need are very o�en ashamed, The hall can be hired, and we have a fully licensed helpless, afraid and insecure. bar which is available for any event. Some�mes the Lions become emo�onally challenged Activities for raising funds: through the life situa�ons and circumstances of people they are confronted with, and the limited The Ramsgate Lions host beetle drives and quiz resources we have available to help them. nights, where they cook and serve food for up to 50 people, in order to generate income for covering the We treat our community members with respect and administra�on costs (rent, electricity and water), and try to give them back their dignity. In our work, we raise addi�onal money for charity work. are some�mes rewarded with a whispered “Thank you”, shiny eyes, a smile, a hug, trust, respect, a single Donated items like books, clothes and kitchen ware tear and apprecia�on. are sold on ”jumble sale” days in the club house, and more sophis�cated items are sold on social media These are the days when I am proud to be a Lion pla�orms or on bid or buy to generate a higher under Lions. turnover. Roland Lemmer Public relations Ramsgate Lions have a Facebook page and all relevant informa�on and invita�ons are posted onto it. It reaches up to 8000 viewers per post and the numbers are increasing constantly. Per month, up to 25000 people are following the Lion’s work and they are informed �meously. The Lions ac�vi�es and events are also covered with photos and informa�ve write ups by the local newspaper, The South Coast Herald. Vicky Wentzel, the owner of Wozani Africa (organizer biker week in Margate) supports all Lions posts, through links on her own impressive network, which reaches out to several hundred thousand people. The inten�on to create and build up a network with businesses is a difficult task, because of the belief that Ramsgate Lions want something from them for and do absolutely nothing in return. That is not the case. We would like to present supporters on and through our pla�orm, for recogni�on and business growth. Lions are extremely proud that 100% of all donations go back into the community. 87

RRealty1 is the exclusive South African property and real estate company. Established in 1961, the group has expanded na�onally over the years to offer an extensive range of real estate and related services. Con�nuous growth and system developments ensure that Realty 1 offers clients world-class services. Over 200 branches throughout South Africa and Spain, Realty1 has established a formidable presence in Southern African residen�al property sales and rentals, property development projects, agriculture, commercial, business and industrial proper�es. Realty1, Uvongo, is owned by brothers Alan and Kenny Lee. Both have been in the real estate game for ages. In this topsy-turvy economy, they have had their ‘moments’ like the rest of the business sector but have come through the storm, ready and eager to serve their clients. Frontline gets to talk to Alan Lee about Realty1 and the property industry in general. 88

Where did Alan and Kenny Lee come from? I completed my ar�cles in Gauteng with the Give us a glimpse into your history that accoun�ng firm Pim Goldby then moved brought both of you to the KZN South Coast. over to a subsidiary of Group 5 as a Site/ Admin Manager on one of their main road Kenny and I were both born in KZN, projects in the Karoo. I joined the family a�ended primary schools in Durban North business shortly a�er my mom and dad had and later at Kloof. Our family later relocated acquired the original Uvongo Estate Agency. to Gauteng where we se�led at Kyalami I took over the property sales side of the Smallholdings. We had sand roads at that business while my mom and dad a�ended to �me! A�er comple�ng out schooling at the banking division. Hydepark High, we both joined accoun�ng firms to complete our ar�cles while studying The real estate industry is largely subject to night classes at Wits. The early days at economic trends. With Covid-19, what is the Kyalami were most enjoyable as we were economic currently like with respect to the real introduced to the horsey world! We both estate business? succeeded to obtain our Transvaal colours for show jumping and Even�ng. Kenny won Covid-19 had definitely had a dampening the coveted �tle as South African Junior effect on the market, especially when we Equestrian rider of the year! Back to the were on level 5 – which made it impossible accoun�ng background; it seemed that both to sell exis�ng proper�es. Our offices were of us were well suited to the property locked and we were not allowed to take industry. clients out. How did Realty 1 Come about? However, there were a few sales conducted over the internet where property had been Realty 1 was born in 1961 out of the videoed or when we had very good amalgama�on of 5 na�onal real estate photographs; but these were too few to companies in South Africa. Our opera�on men�on specifically. on the KZN South Coast was the company of choice. We were then trading as Now, at level 3 and 4 it is easier, although Uvongo Estate Agency which was purchased clients have to follow us in their own by my father from the founders a good few vehicles. Access to proper�es is limited to 2 years earlier. persons, and all the covid protocols have to be adhered to. Verbal communica�on When the amalgama�on took place, a between prospec�ve buyers and the agent na�onal bank had purchased a small stake in are of paramount importance in this the 5 companies and funded the name business, so you can you imagine how change of our over 200 branches. (These difficult this is with both par�es travelling in were the days when building socie�es separate cars! existed!) Overnight Realty1 became one of the largest real estate companies in the There is a pent-up demand for proper�es, as country! we had experienced when we dropped to Level 2 and were able to communicate more You both have a background in the freely. Property sales then reached an all- financial field. What made you get �me high – the highest we had achieved in into real estate? years! It was mostly taking advantage of the Let’s hope that we can get the vaccina�ons opportunity to get into the family business. rolled out, control covid the best we can and try to get back to as normal as possible. It is, Kenny completed his ar�cles with the a�er all, hard to beat the South Coast for a accoun�ng firm Deloi�es (Gauteng) as well good lifestyle and well-priced coastal as obtaining his BCom accoun�ng degree at proper�es. UNISA at the same �me. He therea�er joined Nestlè; and a short �me later he Is it difficult to get a bond during this joined the family business. �me? And how do pre-approved bonds work? 89

Bonds are freely available to salaried employees, especially those working in government departments. In certain cases, bonds of 110% have been granted which will almost cover the combined transfer and bond costs. Bond originators have helped the real estate industry tremendously as they have been able to collate all the informa�on needed by the banks quickly and efficiently so that the bonds can be processed. They also provide a service to clients to get a preapproval so that a poten�al buyer of a home is considered, for all intents and purposes, to be a ‘cash buyer’. For those clients that are self-employed, a Realty1 has a track record of sa�sfied customers. What are the benchmark bond-originator is a must. Ge�ng a bond is service standards to achieve this? a lengthy and �me-consuming process and the originator will have to package the We must be doing something right, having won the “Best Agency Award” four �mes in applica�on which can run into many, many the Annual South Coast Herald “Best of the pages of informa�on received – company South Coast” Awards. details, audited accounts, future projec�ons, banking details, signed future contracts, etc. In your opinion, is it easier to buy exis�ng In addi�on, Realty1 was the first local property or is it be�er to buy land and company to register over R1 billion worth of build? What are the pros and cons? real estate sales in the area. For me, there is only one way to go; and that Our sales team has decades of combined is to buy an exis�ng home. At the moment, experience in the local real estate market; stock is available. We are selling homes and and all having completed the required NQF4 apartments at about 60% of their courses in real estate. All the agents have replacement value, i.e. if you could get a valid Fidelity Fund cer�ficates and are up to stand for free, you would not be able to date with the ongoing Estates Agency Board build a home for what you could get it on COP program. the open market. Buyers from the Reef and Durban are Some of our agents have been with us for 25 flocking to the coast and snapping up the years! bargain buys. Our offices are centrally located in Uvongo Should the buyer only qualify for, say, a and we are open 7 days a week; with a duty R750 000 bond, he may be forced to get agent available daily which makes us very into a ‘plot and build’ contract, as homes in accessible to walk in customers. this range are few and far between. Unfortunately, this is an expensive op�on We also have very prominent window but may be the only op�on available in such displays which feature our top lis�ngs as a situa�on. well as our sole agency lis�ngs – a showcase to the South Coast. The proper�es are also With regard to flats and townhouses, the featured online on several web portals same applies. There have been hardly any including www.property24.com, developments in the last 10 years and www.realty1.co.za, therefore the prices of exis�ng flats and www.sahometraders.co.za and on Facebook; townhouses are steadily increasing. Realty1SouthCoast.KZN. We specialise in the sale of houses, sec�onal �le flats, estate living complexes as well as commercial buildings and developments from the sale of the vacant land to the sale of the finished building. 90

To list a few of the developments that we completed together with the development teams: Shelly Centre Phase 1 and 2, Indigo Bay, Portofino, Topango, Summer Place, Malibu, Lucien Sands, Tuscany Grove, Nau�lus, Ayton Manor, the site where the new Shelly Hospital stands right now ... and many, many more We are here to stay! Many people choose to re�re or relocate to the South Coast for various reasons. What is a�rac�ng them here? Firstly, it is the weather. We must surely have the best climate in the country! Not forge�ng the beach and the sea! Everyone wishes to holiday or re�re near the sea or water. We must also have the best beaches in South Africa with a vast choice and easy access. There is so much to offer on the coast with numerous golf courses, spor�ng facili�es, ski boat charters and places to wine and dine - which includes the brand name ea�ng places as well as the numerous family-run restaurants and pubs. Of course, don’t discount the friendly and helpful locals which are our most important asset! Add to this the bargain prices of real estate... No wonder people have been flocking to the South Coast! What do you predict for the future of the KZN South Coast property market? Does it look promising? I can only see a bright future for our South Coast. We have weathered the storm that had a dampening effect on the whole country and are now raring to go and meet new challenges. We can’t wait for developers to return. We desperately need new town houses, complexes and reasonably priced homes. With the airport again in opera�on and progress on the new highway linking Port Edward to East London, we predict a mini- boom on the horizon. We foresee expanding our sales force and look forward to interviewing prospec�ve agents to join our winning team! 91

The Flip Side of Sean Thorncroft Vital New U If you give your body the correct nutrients and tools, it will do its own healing! With this philosophy in mind, Sean Thorncroft tells us of the range of nutritional supplements that he markets to help your body get into balance. Let us talk about your nutri�onal There is also a potent immune boos�ng Supplements. How do you do that? supplement with a broad spectrum of carotenoids. This par�cular product was the I am an independent promoter linked with a subject of independent tes�ng by the USDA company that was established in 1958. The and was proven to boost your immune company has been in South Africa for 50 system by 37% in just 20 days! There are not years this year. The head office is based in many other products on the market that can the USA and they are currently in about 50 boast that potency. countries around the world, South Africa included. The supplements that they design They also do human clinical trials, with and manufacture are all made from organic, results published in peer reviewed, vine ripened food. They take the key interna�onal medical and nutri�on journals. nutrients of the food and put that into a concentrated supplement form to allow our bodies to get the op�mum nutrients that it needs. So, you are saying that these products are not synthe�c but natural. Is it equal to ea�ng healthy food? ‘Natural’ is also a bit of a loose term! “Natural” vitamin E is o�en derived from crude oil, which is a natural product. I do not want to put crude oil in my body! Our vitamin E is derived from wheatgerm oil and has all eight of the vitamin E tocopherols and tocotrienols, not just the alpha tocopherol that most products have. As a result, you have a much be�er effect. And the Omega-3, for instance, is sourced from wild caught salmon, tuna, and sardines from the cold Arc�c waters. Every batch is tested for over two hundred known contaminants with a detectable rate of 0. So, we have an ultra-pure source of omega-3. 92

So, you are saying that the meal supplements, depending on what you take, would prevent cancer and other things? No, we never make those sorts of claims! Supplements cannot treat or prevent a medical disease. But if you give your body the correct nutrients and tools, it will do its own healing. We have countless tes�monies of results of improvement in chronic health condi�ons. I have been able to reverse my own arthri�s through nutri�on. Yes, it did not prevent me from coming down with coronavirus, but it did prevent me from being hospitalised and assisted my wife and I with a speedy recovery. How do people contact you if they have got nutri�on-related challenges? I am quite happy to meet with people on the South Coast - 1 on 1 and via Zoom. I can counsel with people and groups anywhere to do nutri�onal workshops! My contact details are on this page, and I would love to hear from them. I must add a disclaimer. I am not a qualified die��an or medical doctor. I therefore can consult with you, coach you on lifestyle and diet changes, but should I detect any medical condi�on that needs more a�en�on, I will refer you to the correctly qualified person. 93

Getting you Fixed Up Mr Werner de Beer and his team of medical orthotists and prosthestists, give a whole new meaning to ‘fix you up’. If you are old enough to remember ‘Six Million Dollar Man’, a science fiction television series, running from 1973 to 1978, about a former astronaut, USAF Colonel Steve Austin, then this article may take on a different meaning to you. After a NASA test flight accident, Austin is rebuilt with superhuman strength, speed, and vision due to bionic implants and is employed as a secret agent by his government. The age of cyborgs has arrived! One of the people that you do not want to visit for professional reasons is an ortho�st/ prosthe�st. That would mean that you need an ar�ficial limb or a brace here or there. But when you need them, .... man, you need them. Mr Werner de Beer and his group of ortho�sts/prosthe�sts have been ‘fixing’ people for well over a decade, covering the KZN South Coast. The KZN South Coast from Port Shepstone to Margate is fast becoming a premium medical des�na�on. With the applica�on of world standards and access to the best medical prac��oners in the country and beyond, the South Coast had transformed itself into a perfect medical tourism des�na�on. If the idea of medical tourism is new to you, it really means that you leave your hometown and go to another loca�on where you can get be�er medical treatment than you can get at home. And if you have lived on the KZN South Coast, we are sure to take a gold medal in that field, with our new, up-to-date hospitals and medical centres. Working closely with the local private hospitals and medical specialists, Mr De Beer and his team give people the ‘last mile’ a�en�on they need to get their bodies to func�on as op�mally they can through their scien�fic, yet crea�ve, work. We get to speak to Sean Thorncro�, who is the anchor-man in Mr De Beer’s Port Shepstone offices, strategically located in Bazley Street, within 100 meters of the Hibiscus Hospital. 94

In speaking to you, tell me the �tle that you With the tradi�onal prosthesis, that was not hold and what it means? possible. With the new processors, the knees can lock, and the pa�ent can go up I am qualified as a medical ortho�st and and down the stairs. The same with si�ng prosthe�st who deals with anything thing down. With the processor they can literally that assists the body – neck collars, spinal sit at an angle. The trouble, of course, is the braces, compression stockings, arm slings, cost which gives a whole new meaning to inner soles (foot ortho�cs) and crutches fall ‘cos�ng an arm and a leg’. A complete under that banner. If you do a really good microprocessor prosthesis for an above- job and lose an arm or a leg, we do the knee replacement costs upwards of a Million replacement of that with a prosthesis. Rands– and virtually no medical aid will pay External prosthe�cs differ from the hip and for that. knee replacements. Internal prosthe�cs are a different game, and we are not involved in We have come a long way from the tradi�onal that except as a support for post-surgery of prosthesis, and it seems that we are heading a hip or knee replacement, but we do not in the direc�on of using brain signals to control actually manufacture those items. We do movements – like Elon Musk is looking to design and manufacture prosthe�c limbs, achieve through Neuralink. Where are we on both legs and arms. this advancement? When you see the movies, you see people The research is being done presently and is with bionic limbs. Is that a far-fetched ongoing. That will come in later; but it all idea? Where are we now with bionics? comes down to money. Unless you have an excep�onally good insurance, few medical It is very much alive now. We have now got aids will cover these things. hands which can have individual finger movements. When I was studying about 30 In Germany, UK and the USA, war veterans years ago, we had them then, but it was get bionic prosthe�cs as a standard issue if mostly the thumb and the forefinger they return from war with their limbs movement – more like a pincer ac�on and missing. Or Saudi Arabia for instance. They wrist movement – which could rotate 360 have a lot of money there so prosthesis is degrees. We were told then that we would standard. one day have individual finger movement. Well, the future is now here. In South Africa, people who have lost their limbs; and if they are not covered by medical Interes�ngly enough, through robo�cs in the aid or insurance or have the money, will movies we have improved our technology. have to go to the provincial hospital. There We now have hands with individual finger is about a 3-year wai�ng list for them to get movements. They are developing them with sensors at the finger�ps so that one could ‘feel’ hot, cold, sharp, etc. and the grip can be regulated for strength. Same with the knees. We have microprocessors that will assist as the pa�ent gets up; and if he wants to run, when he takes about 2 steps then the microprocessor picks up that there is a gait change and loosens the joint to make it more freely moveable. If the pa�ent is going upstairs, then the microprocessor will pick that up and it will solidify the knee so that they can move as we do. We take it for granted when we walk up stairs. Our knees bend and when we place our feet on the step, and then there is the downward force that allows us to go up.

What is your normal scope of work? I mostly work with ortho�cs. My office is limited with space and equipment, so I do not ordinarily get involved in the bigger prosthe�cs manufacture. That happens in our Margate office where we have a bigger lab, walking room and the en�re set-up is there. I work a lot with the Hibiscus Hospital and Shelly Beach Hospitals. I supply crutches, walking frames, spinal braces, specialised knee braces, compression stockings, inner soles for people with flat feet or other debilita�ng foot condi�ons. To the amputees that come in, I can make minor adjustments, tweak the alignments, etc. But the biggest work I refer through to our Margate office. So, your normal client base, is it the older people or younger people? I have pa�ents ranging from a couple of days old, to those in their 90’s. If you have an orthopaedic type of injury or condi�on (club feet, scoliosis etc), then you will probably visit me at some stage. The South Coast is a haven for people who want to re�re; so, they come here from other parts of the country. The quality of medical support is obviously an important considera�on for them. Is this your experience as well? To a certain extent, yes. Because of our varied medical specialists at Margate, Port Shepstone, and Shelly Beach in a hub, we have a huge feeding area. For a rela�vely small area, we have many specialists.

When I arrived here 15 years ago, it was one The normal popula�on does not interface private prac�ce on the coast. We are s�ll with you unless something bad happens – one private prac�ce, but we have now they really want to avoid you as much as expanded to two branches and five qualified possible! But life happens and they do get people. Whereas when I first arrived, I was I their sprains and strains amongst other was the only other qualified person. things. In these cases, do they come directly to you, or do they have to get to How do you keep pace with the new you via the process of doctors and technology in this field? surgeons; because if they are not medical aid members and they have got to pay All qualified medical people, from doctors, cash, they do not want to pay for the physiotherapists etc, must do every year services that they can self-diagnose. what they call con�nual professional Is that door open? development. So, we got to get a certain number of points every year, which means Yes, it is. I am not supposed to diagnose an we have got to stay up to date. Earning issue. But if you come to me and you slipped points includes online seminars, conven�ons and there is a swelling on your ankle, I can etc. probably assist and refer you to a specific Recently, I a�ended a live mee�ng where we specialist if needs be. I cannot tell you if you had a couple of reps and a couple of have a fracture. For that you would have to orthopaedic surgeons talking about the go to your GP who will order X-rays to latest developments. We o�en have the confirm if there is a fracture or not. But I can supply companies will put on a supply you with crutches and I can supply demonstra�on of what the latest bracing is you with a brace dependent on what I have or compression therapy, and we will a�end visually seen and a�er asking you 10 million those mee�ngs. Through this we get to ques�ons. What happened? How did it update our knowledge. happen? Where is the pain? How much All medical prac��oners also must be pain? etc. And then I can work out what is registered with the Health Insurance Council the best kind of brace to supply you, to of South Africa (HPCSA). stabilise you, which you can use for a period un�l healing occurs. 97

You probably enjoy a great rela�onship with the medical fraternity. How do you do you work with the other medical ins�tu�ons? We work closely with the other members of the medical rehab team. This includes hospital staff members, doctors, physios, occupa�onal therapists etc. Our work begins shortly a�er an injury or surgery, a�er the pa�ent has seen a doctor. What more would you like to share with the public about your profession? People need to listen to their bodies. O�en, a problem in one area may be caused by a problem in another area. A back problem, for instance, may be the result of an accident with your legs that could have happened when you were a child. Your feet are the founda�on of the body. If we can take care of a lot of issues in the foot/ ankle area, then that could take care of knee issues and so on. There is also the aspect of nutri�onal deficiencies. A significant number of the people I see have problems that could be the result of nutri�onal deficiencies. So, say the old lady who says that she fell and broke her hip. It could well be that she broke her hip and then fell - because she is osteoporo�c, and she had not been on calcium supplements from the �me that she was a teenager. This results in huge expense, because to have a hip replaced these days, you are looking at significant cost, not just treatment, but also pain and suffering. 98

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