FRE

E Edition 18 | Thursday, 13 March 2014Tel: 083 774 2383

Published: bi-weekly

Born to be wild

Brazil defeatedpage 3

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UNITED STATES

TIGHTENS NOOSE ON

IVORY TRADESee page 3

POTENT NEW HIV ANTIBODIES DISCOVEREDThe SA Cabinet has welcomed the announcement made by the CAPRISA Consortium on the dis-covery of potent new HIV antibod-ies. The research centres on how a KwaZulu-Natal woman’s body responded to her HIV infection by making potent antibodies.

The study, published in the pres-tigious scientific journal “Nature” describes how the research team found and identified these antibod-ies in the woman’s blood and then

cloned the antibodies in the labora-tory.

The cloned antibodies were then used in a series of experiments in the laboratory to elucidate the pathway followed by the woman’s immune system to make these po-tent antibodies. The new insights gained from this KwaZulu-Natal woman into immune responses against HIV bring hope for future HIV prevention and treatment strat-egies. Continued on page 2.

ESKOM DECLARES EMERGENCYEskom has declared a power emer-gency, with the company saying that load shedding will take place.

“The power system is very tight. This risk has increased significantly due to the heavy rains over the last few days and an increase in technical problems experienced at some of Eskom’s power stations,” said Eskom. Eskom declared the emergency on Thursday 6th March and warned of on-going power cuts. Unlike in previous power emergen-cies declared in the last two weeks,

Eskom was forced to impose black-outs on urban areas. This is the

fourth energy emergency declared in just as many months and “it’s the worst one so far,” according to an Eskom official, who asked not to be named. Eskom imposed rolling blackouts for the first time since 2008 last Thursday, forcing rail net-works and banks to switch to emer-gency generators after heavy rains soaked power station coal supplies. Generators roared into life in Jo-hannesburg’s Sandton financial district and the Gautrain rail link be-tween Johannesburg and Pretoria switched to emergency power, the operator said. Continued on page 2

2 The Bushveld Times THURSDAY, 13 MARCH 2014

Andri GodrichPeter CumberlegeKaren TilneyKos CoronaiosChris MartinPetro PretoriusElizabeth CombrinkAndries v/d WaltPeter BurroughesThe Marketing CompPrinters

EditorBusinessLifestyleAstronomyPhotographyHorticulturalistLife StyleMotoringMotoringGraphic DesignPaarl Media

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From the desk of the Editor

People who would like to help can contact The Rhino Orphanage via pete@theazaleagroup.com or can make a do-nation directly into the below account;Account Name: Legend Rhino Orphan-ageBank: First National BankBranch: MokopaneCode: 260248Account Number: 62366479171

The origin of phrases-Read the riot act-

Continued from page 1. Eskom is battling to keep SA’s economy powered up as it races to construct new plants amid rising demand. Eskom is building three new coal-fired stations, which will see the country’s generation and transmis-sion capacity jump by another 17

000 megawatts from an average 40 000 MW.

One of the biggest coal fired power plants, Medupi, was supposed to have come on stream by the end of last year, but is now running behind schedule due to contractor bun-

gling and labour dis-putes. Heavily depen-dent on coal, South Africa is also looking at expanding nuclear energy production and venturing into shale gas. SANews

Eskom declares emergencySANParks has revised the opening dates of a number of restaurants within Kruger National Park. They announced last year that it would close some restaurants temporar-ily for renovations in preparation for the new operators who will take over the restaurants from March.

The revised schedule of planned opening dates is outlined below:Lower Sabie: between March 13 and 20. Satara: between April 14 and 21. Pretoriuskop: between April 10 and 17.

During refurbishment, a ‘bush kitchen’ will offer a limited menu at Satara, while boerewors rolls and pap and wors will be offered at the shop at Pretoriuskop. The Olifants and Letaba restaurants are still operational under the man-agement of the previous operators and refurbishment is expected to commence on April 23, following the opening of the Satara restau-rant. The Skukuza main restaurant is also still operational and a major refurbishment is scheduled to take place from the end of July until the end of September. An alternative dining offering for Skukuza during the refurbishment is anticipated but will be confirmed closer to the time.

“We apologise for the inconve-nience that this may cause and will gladly assist in amending current bookings should these closures cause any difficulty,” SANParks said in a statement.

Kruger restaurant closures

To scold or admonish severely

In 18th-century England, the Riot Act was a real document, and it was often recited aloud to angry mobs. Instituted in 1715, the Riot Act gave the British government the authority to label any group of more than 12 people a threat to the peace. In those circumstances, a public official would read a small

portion of the Riot Act and order the people to “disperse themselves, and peaceably depart to their habitations.” Anyone that remained af-ter one hour was subject to arrest or removal by force.

Airlink has revised the schedule for its planned flights from Skukuza Airport in the Kruger National Park to Cape Town and Johannesburg to allow time for morning game drives. The airline says the chang-es follow engagement with lodge operators as well as tour operators and travel agents.

The Skukuza-Cape Town flight will leave at 11h30 and the Skukuza-Johannesburg flight will depart at 13h30. Guests connecting on to early-evening intercontinental long-haul departures would be able to spend more time in the bush and less time in transit in airport depar-ture lounges, Airlink said in a state-ment. Airlink will operate flights between Skukuza and Cape Town and Johannesburg from Monday, 2 June.

Airlink revises Skukuza flights

Continued from page 1. This dis-covery is no means a cure for HIV/AIDS and government therefore calls on South Africans to continue to have themselves tested for HIV or to stick to the antiretroviral treat-ment that is being offered to people who test positive.

Potent new HIV antibodies discoveredTokyo -

Japan’s super-speedy bullet train is to offer pas-sengers a chance to

soothe their tired feet as they zip through the countryside, in a carriage equipped with foot-

baths.

JR East will launch the service in July, with one carriage on the

“shinkansen” bullet train having two 2.4-metre-long tubs facing win-dows. Bathing is a ritualised and highly-prized activity in Japan and the footbaths are intended as plac-

es for passengers to relax rather than to clean their feet.

The train, named Toreiyu - a rather tortured combination of the Eng-lish “train”, the French “soleil” and

“yu”, the Japanese word for hot water - will also have a car with a bar counter and tatami-mat flooring with tables made from cherrywood. Sapa-AFP

Come on Gautrain!!

A federal study of sea otters in Prince William Sound, Alaska, where the Exxon Valdez super tanker spilled around 30,000,000

gallons of oil about 25 years ago has concluded that the otters have returned to pre-spill numbers. And it just took a quarter century...

According to the study one of the reasons why it took so long is because the sea ot-

ters feed on clams and oil from the spill remained in sediment at the bottom of the water for years after

the spill. Sea otters rely on their thick fur to survive in cold water. Fur covered by oil loses its insulat-ing value. A sea otter with oiled fur must groom itself, which leads to the ingestion of oil and causes oth-er problems, including time taken away for feeding.

At the time of the Exxon Valdez spill, emergency responders re-covered nearly 1,000 sea otter car-

casses from the entire spill area, with estimates for the total number of immediate otter deaths going up to around 3,000.

Even a decade after the spill sea otters weren’t returning to the ar-eas hit the hardest by the disas-ter. According to the study, things started to get better after 2007, and it’s only in 2009 that many areas of western Prince William Sound were back to sea otter population of levels that compared to pre-spill population. Reuters

It took a quarter century...

Six tonnes of confiscated ivory were destroyed by the authorities in China, last Monday, in an effort to combat the illegal trade in ele-phant tusks. The seized ivory was fed into crushing machines in the southern city of Dongguan, in what was described as the first public destruction of ivory in China.

According to the Convention on the International Trade in Endan-gered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES), elephant poaching in Af-rica could lead to local extinctions if the present killing rates continue. The situation is particularly acute in Central Africa, where the estimated poaching rates are twice the conti-nental average.

UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Achim Steiner said, “We congratulate China and the State Forestry Administration on this milestone event. The largest re-maining land mammal on the planet is facing one of the greatest crises to hit the species in decades. The latest CITES data estimates that

some 47,000 animals were killed in Africa in 2011 and 2012.”Secretary-General of CITES John E. Scanlon, speaking at the event, said, “Despite considerable efforts to combat wildlife crime, it contin-ues to be a problem worldwide.

Illegal trade in elephant ivory is having a devastating impact on the African elephant, and it also poses a threat to people and their liveli-hoods - it must stop. China, and the entire international community, are determined to end this illicit trade.”The Elephants in the Dust report - produced by UNEP, CITES, the In-ternational Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network (TRAF-FIC) - says that the illegal ivory trade has tripled since 1998. SAPA

China destroys 6 tons of ivory

The largest remaining land mammal on the planet is facing the

greatest crises

Education MEC Reginah Mhaule opened the 24-classroom Izim-bali Combined Boarding School in Amsterdam las week. “The board-ing school is aimed at phasing out multi-grade schools and unsafe schools in order to ensure that learners from rural communities, including farms, are able to access the quality education they deserve,” said MEC Mhaule. According to MEC Mhaule, the school will cater for 456 pupils from the following primary schools: Broadholm, Ida-lia, Nongena, Samlee, Thokomala, Westoe, Zandspruit, Riverbend and Lithole. The learners are expected to move into their new school at the begin-ning of April, the next quarter,” the MEC said.

Boarding school opened

Usually two weeks seemed like quite a long time to me - but how the weeks fly by in between news-papers lately. Already almost a third of the year has gone by - perhaps a good time to start planning for Christmas again!

By this time of the year most of us are back in full swing at work and the schedules are filling up at a hectic pace - keeping it all together though takes some careful planning. When you add a few children in the mix things get even more hectic - no one is exactly sure anymore as to what colour the fridge really is with all the memo’s and reminders about who’s doing what when and where.

Attending one of the sport events at school recently it struck me how competitive the children are - not even mentioning the parents. When it comes to games/sport do we re-ally tell our children that playing and participating is really what matters more than winning? In my opinion healthy competition is good for chil-dren – but how do we know we are handling the situation well?

It’s so important to teach them to play fairly and to cope with the dis-appointment of losing. Learning the rules of the game/sport and putting them into practice ensures that ev-eryone has fun – although it might prove tricky for visitors that join if we add a few family rules at home...

Pretend playing, board and ball games and competitive games cre-ate quality family time and teach them a variety of skills. Strategic games also help children develop negotiation skills, acceptance and responsibility.

My oldest is very sensitive and in-credibly polite – he would give others a fair chance at winning – except his brothers maybe. It is always good to remind them to congratulate others when they win as this encourages good sporting behaviours.

Children also quickly pick up how to play fairly by watching us adults. We all need to be good role models for our children - good sportsman-ship starts at home.

THURSDAY, 13 MARCH 2014 The Bushveld Times 3

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Answers to Brain Teaser Find the Brain Teaser on page 5

1. Pheasants2. Leo3. Springbok4. Great Dane5. Boats or water craft6. Sherlock Holmes7. A hawk or falcon8. A slightly sparkling wine9. Bald10. Dogs11. Alien12. Diurnal13. A Chef’s hat14. The Andes15. Autograph collecting16. Marilyn Monroe

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In an effort to combat the ivory trade and subsequent slaughter of elephants, the U.S. government has banned the commercial sale of African elephant ivory within the United States. The White House is banning the commercial sale of ivory within the United States.

Officials say the ban will strength-en U.S. leadership in protecting endangered elephants and rhinos. With very few exceptions, Tues-day’s action outlaws the import, ex-port and commercial trade of ivory,

and limits sport hunting of African elephants.

The U.S. also will work more close-ly with its global partners to fight il-legal wildlife poaching and reduce demand for illegally traded wild-life. One U.S. official tells Reuters news agency that the appropriate place to observe ivory is on live el-ephants and rhinoceros in their na-tive habitat.

The illegal ivory trade continues de-spite a global ban in 1989. TSA

US Tightens noose on ivory trade

Seven year old defeats Brazil

Johannesburg Seven-year-old sports fanatic Ayo Dosumu didn’t allow his country’s 5-0 loss to Brazil to get him down. Instead, he made history by becoming the world’s youngest pitch invader as he bull-headedly stormed onto the field at the FNB Stadium last Wednesday.

Ayo ran towards the celebrating Brazilian team after their win, but

was accosted by security guards, who tried to intercept him.

But Ayo had already stolen the hearts of the 50 000 fans in the stadium, who started booing the guards. Brazilian soccer star Ney-mar turned and raced towards Ayo, snatching him out of the grip of a guard and picking him up.

The 22-year-old was still rejoicing from scoring the second hat trick of his career. Neymar posed for pic-tures with Ayo and later uploaded them onto his Instagram account, saying: “There is nothing better than the smile of a child.”

Photo: Neymar and Ayo Dosumu

Bushbuckridge Local Municipal-ity through the Economic Develop-ment, Planning and Environment Directorate handed over Global Positioning System devices (GPS) to Local Traditional Authorities earlier this month at the Thulama-hashe Council Chamber.

The objective of the hand over was to assist Local Chiefs and Indunas to avoid allocating one piece of land to more than one applicant because the devices can keep re-cords of the land allocated and to whom and also to ensure that the land allocated was in fact the size it was claimed to be.Bushbuckridge Local Municipality

is the first and the only Local Mu-nicipality in Mpumalanga to have offered Local Chiefs such valuable devices. During his key note ad-dress, the Acting Executive Mayor MMC F. Sibuyi urged community members to be patient when it comes to land allocations. He fur-ther reminded local chiefs that the government and Traditional Coun-cil are partners in development. He further indicated that land redistri-bution is a national crisis and the government is doing all it can to ensure land expropriation happens rapidly and in a manner that won’t jeopardise eco-nomic activities for the benefit of all previously dis-advantaged com-munities.

Bushbuckridge hand over GPS’s

Speed gun - The South African-made speed gun, developed by Somerset West inventor Henri Johnson, was for-mally launched at The Oval in England during the 1999 Cricket World Cup.

In 1992 Johnson invented the Speedball which was manufactured by South African firm

Electronic Development House. The device accurately measures

the speed and angles of speeding objects such as cricket and tennis balls. Generally referred to as a “speed gun”, Johnson’s gizmo is sold in cricketing countries and in the US and Europe.

Government spending on health care is expected to exceed R492-billion over the next three years as South Africa strengthens its health care system in preparation for the implementation of a National Health Insur-ance (NHI) scheme. Budget documents released earlier in February show that national health spending will grow at a higher rate over the next few years, in line with the National De-velopment Plan’s (NDP’s) vision of a cheaper health sector that works for all South Africans.

The roll-out of the NHI is currently being financed by two conditional grants: the nationally managed national health grant, and the na-tional health insurance grant, man-aged by the provinces. More than R221-million will be made available in the 2014 Budget for the national health insurance grant in order to strengthen district health structures in the country. Gordhan said that, in addition to hospital and clinic build-ing and refurbishment programmes

- for which over R19-billion has been earmarked - about R1.2-bil-

lion has been set aside for doctors’ contracts.

About R600-million has been bud-geted for the introduction of

the new Human Pap-illoma Virus (HPV)

vaccine, which prevents can-cer of the cervix.

The roll-out of the vaccine will begin

with Grade 4 learners in schools across the coun-

try next month.

“Over the period ahead, enrolment in the HIV treatment programme will expand by 500 000 a year,” Gordhan noted. Currently, 2.5-mil-lion South Africans are receiving this treatment. This increase would require an addition of R1-billion to the health budget, the minister said. Since 2009, South Africa has lowered its child mortality rate by reducing mother-to-child transmis-sion of HIV from 3.5% to 2.5%. At the same time, a campaign to in-crease voluntary HIV testing, as well as the number of medical male circumcisions, has contributed to a reduction in the country’s adult mortality rate - SAnews

Health spending gears for NHI

R600 million allocated to cervix

cancer vaccine

Quote of the weekAll men should freely use those seven words which have the power to make any marriage run smoothly: “You know dear, you may be right.” - Anonymous -

Another asteroid passed Earth at 33 000 mph last week. NASA said that even though it passed by Earth closer than the moon - some 21 have passed even closer in the past year.

Down memory lane with The StarSPEED OF MOTOR CARSJohannesburg November 16

1902TO THE EDITOR OF “THE STAR”Sir, - I believe under the Town Council’s regu-lations, no vehicle can proceed at a speed exceed-ing 7 miles per hour. A case was brought before the court in this town, re “the speed at which motor cars travel,” and the judgment was to the effect “that motor cars did not come under this

jurisdiction”. A friend of mine, a well-known govern-ment official, and a decent horseman, nearly had a bad spill yesterday afternoon through a car passing him at the rate of at least 18 miles. Do you not think that our much esteemed Town Council, instead of devoting their gifted at-tention to the expropria-tion of other people’s property, might apply their genius to a question of real import, and which constitutes a public dan-ger?---- I am etc, I.F.H. -

The Star “Like it Was 1887-1987”

Three men who had escaped from custody have been re-arrested in Witbank, Mpumalanga police said on Sunday. They were caught on Saturday in Coronation informal settlement after police were tipped off, said Colonel Leonard Hlathi.

“It appeared that along the road be-tween Hazyview and White River they broke the door of the bakkie they were transported in and man-aged to escape.”They were arrest-ed in connection with car hijack-ing, house and business robbery, he said. The men were allegedly found in possession of four illegal firearms and ammunition when they were re-arrested. SAPA

Escaped suspects re-arrested

Whats UP in March

4 The Bushveld Times THURSDAY, 13 MARCH 2014

“RAW v JPEG” - Now there’s a question!By Chris Martin

Wildlife photographyBy Kos Coronais

WOW what a wet and overcast month..........!! Not really complain-ing though, as we need the rain, but the telescope sure is collecting mildew! My disappointment was not being able to observe/image the occultation or more correctly the appearance/emersion of Sat-urn on the 21st February. There is another opportunity this month but this will be a disappearance/immer-sion on the bright limb of the Moon. Well, win some lose some!

Mercury and Venus can both be seen in the morning sky, with Ve-nus prominent as the morning star.Mars rises earlier and earlier as the month progresses and is clear of the eastern horizon by 19:00 at month end. The planet is at opposi-tion on the 08th April and steadilybrightens as it moves towards greatest elongation in April.Jupiter is visible for the first part of the evening setting in the west be-fore midnight by month end.Saturn, the giant ringed planet, ris-es shortly after 22:00 and is visible all night. The planet is occulted by the moon for the second time this year. Uranus is near the Moon after sunset. Look for the crescent Moon in the west. The planet is just over 4 ½ º to the left of the Moon.

• Occultation of epsilon Tauri by the Moon on the 7th.

• On the 10th Jupiter is near the Moon. Look overhead after sunset.

• Regulus is near the Moon on the 14th.MOON PHASES FOR MARCHNew Moon is on the 01st with the First Quarter Moon occurring on the 08th March.The Full Moon is on the 16th of the month, rising at 18:04 and Last Quarter is on the 24th March. A second New Moon occurs on the 30th March. This month has two new moons, the second one occur-ring on the 30th March and called a

“Black Moon”. This term “Black Moon” is a reference to any of the following three astronomical events involving new (or dark) moons.1. The third new moon in a season that has four of them.2. The absence of a full moon in a calendar month.3. The absence of a new moon in a calendar month.

If there is any information that you would like to see please send me an email through the Bushveld Times and I will try and accommodate.

Below: Some of the naked eye features that are visible on the Moon when it is 100% illuminated by the Sun.

I am so often asked the question “In what format, RAW or JPEG, should I shoot my images”. In some re-spects, it’s a difficult question to an-swer and one which requires you, the photographer, to ask questions of yourself rather than someone else, even if you believe them to be a more experienced photographer.

Let’s agree from the outset, there is no right or wrong format to employ. It’s also not true to state that all pros shoot all their images, without exception, in RAW. There is a good reason for that.

In order to determine the answer, lets consider the benefits of both formats. Like most people starting out in photography I originally set my camera to JPEG and just got out there making images. Nothing wrong with that at all, and for the most part that is what most ama-teur photographers are doing still. I was at that time, less interested in the post processing side of pho-tography and more interested in capturing an image, downloading it onto my computer, then sharing with friends and family via email or the internet. Shooting in JPEG meant that at the time of exposure, when the image had been captured on my memory card, the processor inside the camera had taken all my camera settings into account and then produced a “ready pro-cessed” image in camera. Strange-

ly enough, way back in the dark days of film cameras when shoot-ing slide transparencies, many of us had grown up with just that sort of approach, were the camera did exactly same in exposing your im-age onto the negative strip inside the camera.

JPEG gives you a ready to use compressed image that is fit for purpose for most email and printing purposes, straight form the camera. More so, as the image has been compressed by the internal pro-cessing, the file size that results is much smaller than a RAW file and thus you will be able to store many more JPEGS on your memory card than you could RAW files. Couldn’t be simpler!! There are some com-promises though that you should consider. If you are a photogra-pher that likes to dabble in some post processing then you might be disappointed as you will have less control on the level of adjustments you can make at a later stage.

As I grew as a photographer I spent more time with seasoned photog-raphers in the field and I began to learn more about the benefits of shooting in RAW. I’ve learned to consider the RAW file as a “digi-tal negative”, taking me back to the days when I lived in my dark room as a young boy. The RAW file is a much bigger file compris-ing uncompressed data which in

turn offers me far more opportunity to make changes to the image af-ter I have downloaded it onto my computer. They are large in size so therefore the ability for me to store them on my memory card is re-duced but having plenty of back up cards negates that problem. What you must understand about shoot-ing your images in RAW format though is that post-processing is mandatory. The images will appear flatter and less sharp when down-loaded onto your computer. Your task is to bring them to life!! Now in doing so, remember to remain ethical. The level of tools offered by post-processing software suites is so vast that you can do just about anything on your computer screen these days. But I guess that’s a de-bate for another day!

So to answer that initial question .... ask yourself when you go out on your next shoot. Do you want unparalleled ability to work your images in post-processing? Do you need high resolution image quality, or are you just shooting for your web page or to send an email snap to friends and family? Are you looking to achieve “poster qual-ity” images to hang on your wall at home? Either way, there’s no right or wrong answer, the real answer lies in the reasons you take your photographs in the first instance.

Happy “Shutter time”.

Plastic, once seen as a miracle ma-terial, has a dark side to it, because once it’s released into the environ-ment, either on purpose or by acci-dent, it sticks around for a really long time, contrib-uting to wa-ter contami-nation and ocean pollu-tion, as well as harming wildlife.

While there are options for replac-ing some plastics with bioplastics (which are made from renewable and/or biodegradable materials), for the most part, those products require the production or harvest-ing of virgin biomass, such as trees or biomass crops, both of which

have an environmental impact that isn’t sustainable at our current rate of plastic consumption.However, a new type of bioplastic

is in the works, one which can be used to fab-ricate large and complex three-dimensional shapes, using traditional man-

ufacturing techniques such as in-jection molding or casting.

This new bioplastic is not only made from a waste resource, shrimp shells and wood ‘flour’, but it can also break down into benign, even helpful, components in the soil in about TUDelft, the Nether-lands, Micro Air Vehicle Lab

Bioplastic made from shrimp shells

A new study by the Shark Specialist Group at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) pro-vides yet more evidence to support the urgency behind ocean conser-vation efforts.

“Over two decades, the authors ap-plied the IUCN’s Red List catego-ries and criteria to the 1,041 spe-cies at 17 workshops involving more than 300 experts. They incorporated all available in-formation on distribution, catch, abundance, population trends, habitat use, life histories, threats and conservation measures. Previ-ous studies have documented local overfishing of some populations of sharks and rays. But this is the first one to survey their status through-out coastal seas and oceans. It

reveals that one-quarter (249) of 1,041 known shark, ray and chi-maera species globally fall under three threatened categories on the IUCN Red List.”

One-in-four, 25%!! Species that have thrived for hundreds of mil-

lions of years - almost living fossils - facing oblivion, for what? Soup?

There were 107 species of rays and 74 species of sharks that could be classified as threatened, but just 23% of species fit in the ‘Least

Concern’ category based on the IUCN criteria.

“We now know that many species of sharks and rays, not just the char-ismatic white sharks, face extinc-tion across the ice-free seas of the world,” says Nick Dulvy, a Simon Fraser University (SFU) Canada Research Chair in Marine Biodi-versity and Conservation in British Columbia. “There are no real sanc-

tuaries for sharks where they are safe from overfishing. In the most peril are the larg-

est species of rays and sharks, especially those living in relatively shallow water that is accessible to fisheries. The combined effects of overexploitation—especially for the lucrative shark fin soup market—and habit degradation are most severe for the 90 species found in freshwater.”

Sharks & rays face extinction

Species that have thrived for hundreds of millions of years

- almost living fossils - now facing oblivion

Sabah Wildlife Department has an-nounced the death of one of the

only 10 Sumatran rhinos remaining in captivity worldwide. ‘Gelugob’ a female Sumatran rhino passed away peacefully at Lok

Kawi Wildlife Park in Sabah, Malay-sia on 11 January 2014. She was estimated to be around 37 years of age, and died of age-related illness.

Sumatran rhino dies...

1759 - 27th recorded perihelion passage of Halley’s Comet1781 - Sir William Herschel sees “comet” (really discovered Uranus)1900 - British troops occupy Bloemfontein, Orange Free State

1930 - Clyde Tombaugh announc-es discovery of Pluto at Lowell Observatory1968 - Beatles release “Lady Ma-donna” in the UK1994 - President Mangope of Bophuthatswana deposed

What hapenned on this day...

It is essential to put something back into your soil in order to get the best out of your garden. Add-ing compost on a regular basis need not turn into an added trip to the nursery and having to spend extra cash. You can make your own compost in a corner of your garden that not only disposes of unwanted or pruned leftovers but it will be readily available on that spur of the moment ‘I feel like gar-dening’ afternoon.

Using four wooden posts make a square and dig the polls into the ground about 30cm and 75cm apart. Cover three sides with chick-en mesh and fasten to poles using nails. Flatten cardboard boxes and put several layers on each side

against the chicken mesh. Slot them in between the posts against the mesh to help hold them in place. Layer in your garden refuse using a variety of green material – don’t add woody stuff unless it is shredded or rotten – If the mate-rial is dry, water it well. If it reaches the top, not to worry, the compost-ing material will sink down as it decomposes enabling you to add more later. You can add kitchen re-fuse but not potatoes or any citrus. Add your grass clippings but mix them well or they will not decom-pose and simply turn into a slimy mess. Always keep your heap cov-ered to retain the heat and to avoid excess watering via rain. Within a few months you will have great compost with which to enrich your garden. Simply keep on repeating the process and it will always be

available.There is no need to let your com-post heap become an eyesore – you can easily hide it with a little creativity. Trellising, for example, is perfect. A panel of trelliswork with a gorgeous climber trained up it can hide com-post heaps, laundry ar-eas, water tanks and dustbins.

Make your own compost

Tip of the week – DIY Insec-ticide: 4 big onions, 2 garlic gloves, 4 chillies | soak over-

night in hot soapy water (soap water: mix 2 spoons washing powder in 500ml hot water) Di-

lute with 5lt water and spray your plants against unwanted bugs.

HEALTHY LIVING

THURSDAY, 13 MARCH 2014 The Bushveld Times 5

Recipe of the week - Gluten free porridge -

Brain TeaserFind the answers on page 3

1. Collective noun - a nye of what?2. What star sign is Harry Potter?3. Which animal pronks?4. Scooby doo is what breed of dog?5. What are pink, pram, snow, koff, buss, bark and dory types of?

6. Which fictional character lived at Montague street before moving?7. A Tiercel is the correct name for a male what?8. Petilent wine is what?9. In 1500 BC Egyptian women had to be what to be beautiful?10. Why does a cynophobe fear?11. What 1979 film won the Oscar for best visual effects?

12. What is the opposite of noctur-nal?13. Traditionally there are 100 pleats in what item?14. What is the worlds longest mountain range?15. What is philography?16. Which film star was described as “A vacuum with nipples”?

Most com-panies want

us to buy their health supplements and more often than not come up with various reasons as to why we should do so. Typical examples be-ing - boost your immune system, boost your energy levels and, my favourite of all, the soil these days is so bad that fruit and vegetables do not have the nutritional value they had in the old days. Seriously, they say all this notwithstanding to-day’s technology, the various tests being done on the health of the soils and the use of the best pos-sible fertilizers available!

A supplement can best be described as any tablet, capsule, powder or syrup that provides vitamins, min-erals, herbs, amino acids or botani-cal/natural additives. However, the question that needs to be asked is whether or not it is required, will it give me the promised result and is it safe to consume.

If you want to supplement your vita-min and mineral intake do not use a single source but rather a multi-vitamin. Many people take supple-ments because they do not eat a balanced diet and their intake of healthy fruits and vegetables is not as good as it should be. Remem-ber nothing can substitute for the real thing. Take for instance vita-min C. Using a supplement more often than not only provides you with a single form of vitamin C be-ing ascorbic acid and as a result the body needs to convert it into different forms. On the other hand, eating a tomato would supply mul-tiple forms of vitamin C that are im-mediately ready to be used as and where the body requires them. The tomato also has the added ben-efit of lycopene’s, which protect us against certain cancers.

If you feel the need to use a supple-ment to boost your energy or im-mune system, do so over a short period of time. Prolonged use of certain vitamins and anti-oxidants could block the uptake of essential minerals. Let’s take a quick look at

the well-known uses of vitamin C, again. A high intake of vitamin C can negatively influence the body’s ability to absorb the essential trace element copper. Copper forms en-zymes that help the body’s ability to carry oxygen in the blood. There-fore, a prolonged intake of immune boosters with high vitamin C con-tent could eventually make you feel tired and listless.

The use of a high protein shake supplement, such as those often taken by sports men and woman, should not be done without con-sultation with a doctor or dietician. High protein intake may be harmful for people with certain underlying medical conditions such as diabe-tes, metabolic syndrome and liver or kidney ailments. Scientific data on exercise performance after a high protein intake is inconsistent. Protein may delay the emptying of the stomach content in the gut. Therefore, the food that is con-sumed before an exercise would not be used during the exercise and may contribute to stomach dis-comfort and a heavy feeling. Due to the lack of sport supplement legis-lation the beneficial claims should be read with a cautious eye. If it sound too good to be true, it prob-ably is. Most supplements are not subject to the rigorous process of scientific-grade testing in order to substantiate its purity, prove effi-cacy and demonstrate safety.

Natural herbs are not necessarily safer to use because they are natu-ral. St John’s Wort may be very ef-fective for some people however it is important that it is not used to-gether with other anti-depressant medicines. It may, for example, re-duce the effectiveness of the birth control pills that you use. Wouldn’t that make you happy!

The next time you buy a supple-ment, think about the effectiveness and safety of the product before buying it. It is always wise to ask your doctor, pharmacist or dietician before using a product.

This information was supplied by elizabeth@dietpro.co.za.

By Karen Werge Tilney

Serves 3 to 41 cup (250 ml) de-husked millet, sorghum or quinoa4 cups (1 ℓ) water½ tsp (2 ml) unrefined salt (option-al)Place the cold water, salt and millet or sorghum in a deep-sided sauce-pan and bring to the boil, stirring. Reduce the heat and stir frequently until the porridge thickens. You may need to add more water if the porridge becomes too thick. Sim-mer covered for 25 to 35 minutes. Sorghum will need a longer cook-ing time than the millet.

To cook quinoa, boil the water and add the quinoa. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes until a small tail appears and the quinoa is firm in the centre.

Gluten-free flours include brown

and white rice, potato, tapioca (cas-sava), pea or chickpea (garbanzo or chana), lupin, fava bean, yellow and white maize meal (corn flour), arrowroot, buckwheat, millet, sor-ghum, teff, amaranth and quinoa. Gluten and wheat intolerance is common today with many sufferers being totally unaware of their con-dition. Most cases of gluten and wheat intolerance don’t manifest as gut symptoms, so people have no idea they’re intolerant. Wheat products can cause digestive disor-ders and respiratory tract infections such as asthma and allergy rhinitis, or they can cause skin conditions such as eczema and hives in peo-ple sensitive to wheat. Gluten intol-erance is usually more severe, re-sulting in diarrhoea or constipation,

gastrointestinal bleeding and poor absorption of nutrients, giving rise to many ill conditions like chronic fatigue, inability to concentrate, weight problems, infertility, muscle or joint pain and moodiness or de-pression. From latest research, it has been estimated that one in three people are gluten intolerant, and that more than 80 percent of us are genetically predisposed to gluten intolerance. Avoidance of wheat and gluten-containing foods is the only treatment. If you are wheat intolerant, you only have to avoid wheat and can still eat other gluten-containing products, but if you are gluten intolerant, you need to exclude all gluten-containing products from your diet.

If you are gluten-intolerant avoid all forms of wheat, spelt, kamut, triti-cale, rye, barley and oats, which will include breads, pasta, cakes, biscuits, pastries, most sauces and soups, and certain canned and pro-cessed foods. The gluten in oats differs from that found in wheat and most gluten-sensitive people

find that they can tolerate oats. However, there is some concern about the contamination of oats with wheat and other grains and they are therefore best avoided by those following a strict gluten-free diet. Anyone suffering from coeliac disease should strictly avoid all forms of gluten.

Avoid processed foods, because most manufacturers use flour as a thickening agent or as a cheap filling ingredient, such as in stock cubes, mixed spices, herbs and seasonings, spreads, yoghurt or ice-cream and even supplements. It’s essential to check the labels on all processed foods and avoid anything containing the following ingredients: barley, cereal binder, real filler, cereal protein, edible starch, modified food starch, malt, rye, rusk, vegetable protein and(wheat) flour. Certain baking pow-ders contain gluten. Beers, lager, ales, stouts and even vinegar may also contain small amounts of glu-ten. Questionable ingredients are natural flavours, hydrolyzed veg-

etable protein (HVP) or hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP), maltodextrin (in most milk alternatives) and mono- and diglycerides that could use starch as a carrier, enzyme or binding agent. Even candy might contain wheat flour, used as a processing aid to prevent sticking to the packaging. If in any doubt, phone the manufacturer.

Too good to be true

Gluten Free

Gluten-free porridge

The BEST way to connect6 The Bushveld Times THURSDAY, 13 MARCH 2014

Crossword 18 Answers wll be provided in edition 19

Specializing in: -

Please contact Adrian on 072 324 4762or email: Ai.construction@gmail.com

Wooden Decking & BalustradesWooden Cladding

Deck DesignThatch Repairs

Thatch Roofing and Repairs Restorations

Deck Design

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Phalaborwa Animal HospitalH: Jessica the hippoHoedspruit FeedsSnyman Voere SPCA

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Professional Career Consultants 015 781 6425

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WR:White River | L:Lowveld Region

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HS: Hoedspruit Medical Rescue HS: Marile Landman Oogkundiges HS: Hypnotherapist HS: Dr. Gerhardus Venter HS: Counselling/Functional TherapyHS: Med CentreP: Dr JG Quin (Dentist)P: Dr FH Wessels P: Dr WG Boshoff P: Reinette van den Berg (Edu Psycholo)HS: Studies in Functional Therapy P: Koos Coetzee OptometristP: Reza Ferreira Optometrist P: Spec Savers P: Leon Thom PharmacyP: MarulaniPhalaborwa PharmacyPhalaborwa HospitalP: Clinix HospitalHS: HS: Hoedspruit Farm WatchP: Malaria Information

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PLEASE NOTE: Send us your company name, contact details as well as the area you provide your services in. If we get it wrong please help us get it right!

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Down:2. Gloria from Madagascar ‘The Move” was this type of animal (12)3. Regarding (5)4. A cat-like nocturnal mammal of the civet family (5)6. Hunt and kill for food (4)7. A small antelope (6)8. Not a meerkat (8)10. Alex from Madagascar ‘The Movie’ is this type of animal (7)15. Wilfully causing pain (5)

17. Antelope with black and white face markings (4)18. Rafiki from Lion King was this type of animal (6)19. Fighters and lions were released into this and batted to death incient times (5)23. Races against tortoise in children’s books (4)25. A mainly nocturnal antelope with small vertical horns (7)27. Breed of monkey (6)

29. Not yesterday (5)30. A small tan-colored ante-lope with spikey horns (5)31. A small antelope with slender body and long horns (4)32. A snake like fish (3)

Across:1. Freestate rugby team (7)5. Spotted cat (7)11. These animals have quills for protection (9)12. Simba, Mufasa and Scar was this type of animal (4)13. Attempt (3)14. Collective noun for wild dogs (4)16. Bad ‘slang’ for being pregnant (4)18. One of the Big 5 (7)20. Conjunction (2)21. Not wild (4)22. Poached for it’s ivory (8)24. To see (4)26. A mammal feeding on ants and termites (8)28. There were millions of

these small mammals in Madagascar 2 ‘The Movie’ (8)33. Small white ice crystals formed on the ground (5)34. Scrat from Ice Age “The Movie’ was one of these (8)35. A male is a bull and a female an ewe (5)36. Electronic point of sale (4)37. More than 1000 were poached in 2013 (5)38. They fight like ... and dog (3)

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Send us your businesscontact details today!

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Through an internal consensus process the following Kruger 2 Canyons Biosphere Partners were identified for the prizes donated by Beares Hoedspruit and Varta Bat-tery Hoedspruit.The University of Pretoria’s Animal Clinic in Hluvekani – where 11 K2C Monitors are deployed. Klaserie Reserve’s Eco Village project and the Wild Olive Tree Camp at Orpen Gate – a Joint Venture between the Welverdiend Com-

munity and JWE Wildlife.

On the 25th of February representi-tives of the K2C Biosphere partners took delivery of the prizes at the K2C Nodal Centre in Hoedspruit. The event which is part of the 7th National Man and Biosphere Meet-ing is part of a learning exchange

to demonstrate how partnering is done in the K2C Biosphere.

Beares & Varta prizes handed over to K2C Biosphere partners

Advertise in this space from as little as R200

We will offer you the best possible advertising ratesWe promise to distribute 6,000 + copies of your ad

We will circulate your ad in 9 targeted Lowveld townsAcornhoek, Bushbuckridge, Graskop, Hazyview, Hoedspruit,

Pilgrims Rest, Phalaborwa, Sabie & White RiverWe will deliver to high volume traffic locations in each town

We guarantee to keep the newspaper complimentary for consumersWe guarantee to keep the newspaper complimentary for consumersNot restricted by cost to the consumer and

therefore extensively widely read

One Small Step for The Bushveld TimesOne Giant Leap for

Your Business

THURSDAY, 13 MARCH 2014 The Bushveld Times 7

Business and the Law

Enhanced Tax Clearance Certificate

By Peter Cumberlege

Section 61 of the Consumer Protection Act provides that the suppliers of prod-ucts and services will be liable should any harm or damage be caused to a con-sumer as a result of the use of a particu-lar unsafe product or service. Hopeful-ly 99% of the suppliers of services and products do not intentionally set out to harm us as consumers however, as we all know only too well, it has happened in the past and unfortunately it is more than likely to happen in the future.Section 61 states that “the producer or importer, distributor or retailer of any goods is liable for any harm caused

wholly or partly as a consequence of supplying any un-safe goods; a prod-uct failure, defect or hazard in any goods; or inadequate instructions or warn-ings provided to the consumer pertain-ing to any hazard arising from or as-sociated with theuse of any goods, ir-

respective of whether the harm resulted from any negligence on the part of the producer, importer, dis-tributor or retailer, as the case may be”.The only circumstance under which

such a liability would not apply is when “the unsafe product character-istic, failure, defect or hazard that results in harm is wholly attributable to compliance with any public regula-

tion; when the alleged unsafe product characteristic, failure, defect or hazard did not exist in the goods at the time it was supplied by that person to an-other person or when it is unreasonable to expect the distributor or retailer to have discovered the unsafe product characteristic, failure, defect or haz-ard, having regard to that person’s role in marketing the goods to con-sumers; or when the claim for dam-ages is brought more than three years after the death or injury of a person”.

At least today, unlike in the past, we have some form of recourse against the supplier of a faulty or harmful product or service. Should you find yourself in such an unfortunate position, you would be quite within your rights to make contact with the Consumer Com-mission. For additional information on the liability for damage caused by goods get hold of a copy of the Con-sumer Protection Act on line and refer to section 61. Please note that the com-ments and remarks contained in this article must not be acted upon in iso-lation and must be considered in con-junction with the actual provisions of both the Consumer Protection Act and the Regulations to which they apply.

The second challenge

Economic news in Brief

By Peter Cumberlege

Well, well, well – my boss made a huge mistake in the last edition of The Bushveld Times, really cool. For those who don’t know, my boss is a woman and of course they seldom if ever make a mistake!!!! What does she go and do – a bit

like DSTV lately, she put the right article under the wrong heading or should that be the wrong article under the right heading. Either way, she definitely made a blunder – yeah.

In the last edition I talked about most of us judging a book by its cover to some degree or another and that this would often apply when it comes to visiting a small business for the first time. Well and good – the look and feel of the business has had the desired ef-fect and the consumer enters your premises. That in turn sets up your second challenge. Will the ambi-ance, cleanliness, organisational quality, lighting and overall welcom-ing look, once the consumer enters your business, continue that good feel that attracted them in the first place? Although most of the above are pretty straight forward and fairly basic they play a key role in ensur-ing that the customer remains con-

fident that he or she is in the right place. The problem of course is that most of us have long forgotten that all important first impression or in this case, second impression. As is so often the case we remain caught up in the day to day challenges and constraints facing the business. As nuts as this may sound, why not walk outside right now, take an objective look at the “cover” of your business and then walk back in – pause at the entrance and take a close look around. What do you see, how do you feel, what looks out of place, what does the cus-tomer see, what should you look to improve?

Remember, that you do not have to spend a fortune to in order to create that feel of confidence and efficiency. Have a great month and remember that great things come in small packages.

Need a good accountant?For quality advice

call us today

Liability for damage caused by goods

It has happened in the past and unfortunately it is more than likely to happen in the future

As mentioned earlier in the year, it was my opinion that as a result of the ruling party focussing on the elections during the first half of 2014 it was unlikely that they would come up with anything too spec-tacular on the legislative front other than the completion of outstand-ing statutes on the books late last year. So far so good – not a lot has happened to-date. I will however update you with the few changes that have taken place, in the next edition.

I have to say that although SARS has a negative connotation for most of us they remain, in my opin-ion, the most efficient national de-partment in SA by far. They even have a sense of humour. On one of the pages on their website they deal with draft documents for pub-lic comment and of course they provide you with the due dates by which the comments should be submitted. At the top of the page it states “Latest Uploaded Drafts for comment - Don’t miss the oppor-tunity” towards the bottom of the same page they say “Due dates in the Past - Sorry, you’ve missed it”. Not bad for SARS.

Talking of SARS, I thought that this recent announcement would in all probability be of interest to many readers of The Bushveld Times

- “Enhanced Tax Clearance Cer-tificate (TCC) On line application Process Now Available”. SARS has introduced an enhanced TCC application process on eFiling and in SARS branches. This is the first step in the phased implementation of a modernised tax compliance process. What happens? - You simply apply online using our im-proved online system and collect the certificate at any SARS branch. Alternatively, you can apply at a SARS branch. You will now be able to receive an instantaneous response of whether your applica-tion for a TCC for tenders or good standing has been approved, de-clined or selected for review when applying via eFiling or at a SARS branch. This notification also pro-vides you with immediate feedback as to why a TCC application has been declined.Top Tip:

When you rectify a non-compliance at a SARS branch it could take up to five working days to determine your compliance. The process of issuing a TCC will begin once your compliance status is determined. In instances where taxpayers make payments by cheque to rectify any non-compliance, the consideration for a TCC will be delayed for a peri-od of seven working days to ensure that the cheque is cleared.

Taxpayers should note that where the registered details applied on the TCC do not match with SARS’ records (e.g. the company reg-istration number captured on the application does not match the company registration number on SARS’ records for all the tax ref-erence numbers captured on the application), the TCC applications could be declined and will have to be re-submitted. To avoid these un-necessary delays you must ensure that your registered details are ac-curate and up-to-date across all the tax types you are registered for at SARS.

What do I need to do when applying for Tax Clearance on eFiling?In order to apply via eFiling, either the Income Tax reference number or the Value-Added Tax (VAT) num-ber must reflect on the eFiler’s pro-file. It is also important to note that the Income Tax reference number remains a mandatory field to com-plete on the application, in order to apply via eFiling. When consider-ing an application SARS takes into account all tax reference numbers linked to the legal entity. A TCC will only be issued to taxpayers if SARS records reflect that the tax-payer is compliant.

What name will be on the certificate?A TCC will only be issued in the registered and trading names as reflected in SARS’ records. If the trading name printed on the certifi-cate is not the one anticipated, the taxpayer will be advised to update his/her details.

Well that’s it for this edition – have a great week and remember to keep legal. - Peter Cumberlege

Tax e-filerefund TCC

help

Producer Price Index (PPI), January 2014The annual percentage change in the PPI for final manufactured goods was 7,0% in January 2014. From December 2013 to January 2014 the PPI for final manufactured goods increased by 1,0%. PPI for final manufactured goods for Janu-ary 2014 = +7,0% year on year.Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 4th Quarter 2013Real gross domestic product (GDP) at market prices increased by 3,8 per cent during the fourth quarter of 2013. The seasonally adjusted real GDP at market prices for the fourth quarter of 2013 increased at an annualised rate of 3,8 per cent

compared with an increase of 0,7 per cent during the third quarter of 2013. Main contributors to the in-crease in economic activity in the fourth quarter of 2013 were the manufacturing industry (1,8 per-centage points), the mining and quarrying industry (0,8 of a per-centage point), the wholesale, retail and motor trade; catering and ac-commodation industry and finance, real estate and business services (each contributing 0,3 of a percent-age point). A negative contribution was recorded by the electricity, gas and water industry (-0,1 of a per-centage point).

Your guideto an honest tax return

SARS

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8 The Bushveld Times THURSDAY, 13 MARCH 2014

Countdown to 2014 Tour Natal Rally:

Starting today!Visit www.rallyworld.net for updates

on the rally

GWM South African has added a powerful, yet frugal, 1,5-litre turbo-petrol version of the H6 SUV to its local line-up.

With a combined cycle fuel con-sumption figure of only 8,5 litres/100 km, the H6 1,5T rates as one of the most economical vehicles in its seg-ment.

Priced at a very competitive R309 999, the H6 1,5T features a very comprehensive standard specifica-tion sheet, and GWM SA has also used the opportunity to further im-prove the value offered by the H6 line-up by increasing the warranty period from 3 years/100 000 km to 5 years/100 000 km and by adding a standard service plan of 5 years/60 000 km. Quickpic

Value for money

Chrysler South Africa (Pty) Ltd.’s Jeep brand is set to continue its line of limited edition buzz models with the introduction of the Jeep Wran-gler and Wrangler Unlimited Polar Edition models for the South Afri-can market.

The Polar Editions are available at dealerships countrywide in the fol-lowing two variants:Jeep Wrangler Polar Edition 3.6 V6 Auto R482,990.00 incl. Vat and emissions tax. Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Polar Edi-tion 3.6 V6 Auto R522,990.00 incl. Vat and emissions tax.

All Jeep Wrangler models are sold with a 3 year / 100,000 km warranty and maintenance plan. Quickpic

Snazzy...

Toyota - Toyota - Ford

HARRISMITH, SOUTH AFRICA, 1 March 2014 – Reigning champions Anthony Taylor and Dennis Murphy and team-mates Leeroy Poulter and Rob Howie gave Castrol Team

Toyota the perfect start to the new national championship cross coun-try season when they finished a convincing first and second in the Production Vehicle category of the

RFS 450 in Harrismith on Saturday.

“The Hilux didn’t miss a beat and we’re obviously delighted to have got our title defence off to such a

great start,” said Taylor.

“We’re very happy to have finished second in our first outing together and look forward to the rest of the season.” Said Polter.

Team principal Glyn Hall was full of praise for his entire team: “Credit to the technicians and engineers who prepared two race-winning ve-hicles so soon after our return from the Dakar Rally. Both Hilux bakkies performed faultlessly throughout a tough season-opener and over an interesting new route that was 50 kilometres longer than usual. This is testimony not only to the toughness of the Hilux, but also to the dedica-tion and skill of the whole team.

Atlas Copco Ford Racing got its 2014 campaign in the Donaldson Cross Country Championship off to a solid start by scoring third overall in the Production Vehicle category on the RFS 450 held in Harrismith. Manfred Schroder and co-driver Japie Baden-horst took the final step on the po-dium in the Atlas Copco Ford Ranger after a tough and technical route that traversed the scenic, mountainous and muddy route around the Free State town, which hosted the cross country fraternity for the first time.

“The first lap was quite eventful. We started second and then missed a turn which allowed Gary and Sieg-fried past. We caught up to them and then came into a tight corner only to find them accelerating slowly out of the turn, and we slid into their car. The route was great, although the long grass on the first lap made it difficult to find the road. It was much better once it had opened up a bit on the second lap.” said Manfred Sch-roder. Quickpic

By Elza Thiart-Botes

With two months to go to South Africa’s first multi-stage rally for off-road motorcycle and quad riders, the small group of organisers of the Namaqua African Rally has relo-cated to the Vredendal area in the Western Cape to finalise the route for this five day event that will start on April 25th and finish on May 3rd 2014.

The Namaqua African Rally is the brain child of veteran off-road motorcycle rider and enthusiast, George Booker who is currently ‘living’ outside Vredendal. Accord-ing to Booker, a healthy amount of entries have already been received.

The Dakar Rally hero, Brett Cum-mings, who finished 28th overall this year and second in the Malle Moto Class for riders who compete without any mechanical assistance or back-up, has also entered the Namaqua African Rally. Also on the list in the motorcycle category is veteran off-road racer, Garth Rob-erts, who has also completed the Australasian Safari last year.

The Namaqua African Rally can well be seen as South Africa’s own ‘mini Dakar Rally’ and with Mitsubi-shi Motors as the official vehicle sponsor to the event, a connection can be drawn between this manu-facturer who has won the Dakar Rally more than 10 times.

SA’s own‘mini Dakar’

Brett Cummings, Photo: Waldo v/d Walt

Above: Kenny Gilbert