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ORIELLE BERRY

There are few better ways to see a city orpart of it than by traversing its water-ways at a leisurely pace.

The waterfront has long been in need of awater taxi where visitors or simply those whowant to make their way from the city centreto the V&A Waterfront, or the other wayround, can sit back, enjoy the scenery and thesounds of the water lapping at the sides oftheir boat and simply hop on and off, as istheir wont.

Last week, a 20-year plan was finallyrealised when the marina lock and waterwaywas officially opened and a happy band ofjournalists and officials became the firstgroup to test drive or rather float on thecanal, experiencing the rather dramaticopening and closing of the lock and takingthe trip from the waterfront to the final pointof disembarkation next to the ConventionCentre.

The V&A Waterfront and the city centrehave been separated, if not by road then bywater, even prior to the reclamation of theforeshore in 1940.

Planning was actually put into place forthe linking of these two vital parts of the cityin 1988 when the V&A first opened.

But as many projects where suchimmense technical and financial logistics areinvolved, it took a lot longer than anticipated.Small wonder then that several contractingteams were hauled on board to map out thelock and design – which included the con-struction of massive lock gates, floating fend-ers, hydraulics and two lifting bridges.

But the final result of the Marina Lockconsists of an impressive engineering feat:the large steel gates of the lock provide thelink between the tidal waters of the water-front and the canal.

Once ferries enter the lock it is pumpeddown to the level of the water in the harbour,

enabling a smooth transition into and out ofthe docking point at the Two Oceans Aquar-ium.

The boat passes exclusive apartments thatmost cannot afford but can now ogle at, pastthe One & Only Hotel and its adjacent apart-ments, set right on the canal amid a plethoraof greenery and finally, one catches a glimpseof the city centre’s skyscrapers as the boatchugs into the city centre dock, next to theWestin Grand Hotel.

Starting last week, two water taxis nowoperate daily from 8am to 4pm – leaving thecity docking point every hour and the V&Adocking point every half hour.

If you’re taking the trip from town, the fer-ries pass under the foreshore freeway bridgesand pass the Roggebaai canal.

There will be a ferry stop at the City LodgeHotel after which the ferries continue alongthe Gateway Canal where you can view theimposing Amsterdam Ramparts. They thencontinue their gentle pace into the MarinaCanal, proceed under the two lifting bridgesand finally dock at the aquarium.

Steven Bentley, the harbour master of theV&A, commented prior to boarding the taxisthat the canals surrounding the waterfrontcan be regarded as a great green lung.

To this end the change of water volumethat occurs every three days will allow sea lifeand vegetation to continue thriving below sealevel.

The 1 985 metre canal will take approxi-mately 15 minutes to traverse, taking intoconsideration the closing of the gates, theflooding of the lock and the docking and sub-sequent disembarkation.

Prior to the introduction of the taxis, thecanal was used for dragon boat racing, (twobrightly coloured boats passed us as we werechugging along).

With the introduction of the taxis, at a costof R20 a trip for an adult and R10 for a childunder 12, the canal will now be able to

enjoyed by more Capetonians.As David Green, the CEO of the V&A

Waterfront commented about the City’s firstnavigable canal lock: “It’s a canal to be usedand to be used by all. If it’s not being enjoyedthere’s something wrong with my team.”

And as if those who had been privy to thefirst trip did not already know, he pointed out:“This is not only an operational taxi, this isentertainment – and this is exactly what theV&A is all about – providing world classentertainment.”

3CapeTownerThursday June 11 2009NEWS

Kgomotso receives her R10 000 cheque from our Metropolitan Cover2go Promoter and Shoprite Mokopane’s Store Manager.

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“I’m investing this for my child,” says winning educator, Kgomotso!

Kgomotso Makgalwa is the deserving winner of our April Metropolitan Cover2go Cashback Funeral Policy “Lucky Draw” and she takes home R10 000 in cash!

“I can’t believe it - I’ve never had so much money before,” says this 29-year old educator from Mahwelereng in Limpopo. How will she spend her prize? “ I’m going to invest it for my daughter,” she says. “She’s only 18 months old but it will make a big difference to her future.” Spoken with the wisdom of a true teacher!

But Kgomotso has already made a big difference to her child’s future! By taking out a Cashback Funeral Policy, she gets R10 000 cover for the next 5 years, in case

of her death, and R2 000 free cover for her child. All for only R49.99 a month! And there’s more! If Kgomotso pays all her monthly premiums and is still living after 5 years, she gets ALL of her premiums back in cash - an amount of R3 000 to spend as she likes!

You don’t have to be as smart as a teacher to start a Cashback Funeral Policy. Just visit a Shoprite store and buy a Starter Pack, which has a Policy Card inside. Take this (and your ID) to any Shoprite Money Market counter and pay the first monthly premium to start your policy. Everything you need to know is inside the Starter Pack. ”It’s very easy to understand,” says our teacher!

It’s also easy to win R10 000! Don’t forget to enter the SMS competition when you buy your Starter Pack. There’s another R10 000 up for grabs! It could be yours!

For more information, call the Metropolitan Cover2go Call Centre at Sharecall 0860 2683 7246 or look out for a Cover2go Promoter in selected Shoprite stores.

Travelling along the waterways from town to the V&A

■ Guests board theShosholoza whichtraversed the newlyopened canal to thecity centre.

■ The firstlock gateopens.

What’s OnIslam expo at CTICC

The Muslim Students’ Association presents IslamExpo SA 2009, From Slavery to Citizenship, in part-nership with the Department of Arts and Culture,The Muslim Judicial Council, The City of CapeTown and Exhibition Islam UK, at the Cape TownInternational Convention Centre, from ThursdayJune 11 to Sunday June 14, from 10am to 9pm. Theexpo is a showcase for the rich cultural and histor-ical heritage of Muslims in the city and the rest ofthe world. A comedian will entertain visitors withhis stand-up comedy show on from 10am. Entry feefor adults is R20, children, schoolchildren, studentsand pensioners enter free. Contact Fatima on 082 0663353 or email Fatima@itheko.com for details.

Call for IYDE entries

Entries for the The British Council’s InternationalYoung Design Entrepreneur (IYDE) award close onSunday June 12. Previous winners include HeathNash of Cape Town, whose innovative lightingdesigns made from recycled goods won him a trip tothe UK to meet top designers. The top three appli-cants will be chosen by a panel of South Africanjudges from the creative field. Then the public willbe able to vote online for the IYDY winner for 2009.The winner will join nine other finalists visitingLondon, Glasgow and Belfast in September.

If you are a business-minded person who is creating work for others through your own or others’ designs, a South African citizen, fluent inEnglish, and between 25 and 35 years, visit www.britishcouncil.org/africa-za-iydey-2009 to findall the details you need to enter.

Presentation on the life of Janusz Korczak

Champion of the Child: Janusz Korczak, the inspir-ing story of the Polish-Jewish doctor, writer andeducator who devoted his life to the needs and plightof children, regardless of nationality or religion,will be presented by the leading authority on his lifeand works, Dr Avi Tsur, at the Cape Town HolocaustCentre, Albow Centre, Gardens, on Wednesday June17, at 8pm. Dr Tsur will be accompanied by artistand Holocaust survivor, Itzchak Belfer, who wasraised in Dr Korczak’s Jewish Orphanage. This lec-ture is part of a series of events dealing with therights of the child, including an art exhibition, atthe SA National Gallery’s annexe on Youth Day.