Resident remembered by local Rotary Club

Mark Rainier and Brian Stone. Brian and Wendy have lived in U102 for many years

The Rotary Club of Warmbaths celebrated its 55-year existence on Wednesday, 10 May.

The club took the opportunity to look back at the many years of serving the needs of Bela-Bela.

On the photo are current club president Mark Rainier with the last surviving member who started the club all those tears ago, Brian Stone (97). On Stone’s lap is the original charter document which was issued on 10 May 1962.

[The picture and text were kindly provided by The Post, Bela-Bela’s local newspaper. The Post was recently designated by the ATKV as the best community newspaper in South Africa.]

Dries presteer weer eens

Dries poseer in sy boogkamer

Oud-skoolhoof, Dries Engelbrecht (65), Warmbad Renaissance se kranige boogskut, het onlangs die tweede plek behaal tydens ‘n driedaagse ope kompetisie vir tradisionele boë op Sterkrivier.

Skuts van oraloor, selfs die buiteland, het aan die kompetisie deelgeneem wat vanjaar die twintigste keer aangebied is.

Dries het in 2014 Protea-kleure in dié sportsoort verwerf.

Die kat (-te) kom weer!

Nes die spreekwoordelike kat(-te) wat weer kom, het Sonja (51 ) en Johan (70 ) Smalberger twee jaar nadat hulle elders op die dorp gewoon het, na die veilige rustigheid van Warmbad Renaissance teruggekeer waar hulle voorheen gewoon het.

Johan en Sonja Smalberger

Sonja is die hoof van die Bela-Bela-tak van die Suid-Afrikaanse Poskantoor Bpk. Nadat sy in 1983 aan die Hoërskool Groblersdal gematrikuleer het, het sy by haar huidige werkgewer in diens getree, hard gewerk, talle indienskursusse bygewoon en in 2013 die plaaslike posmeester geword.

Johan is op Volksrust gebore en het op die familieplaas tussen Volksrust en Wakkerstoom grootgeword. Weens spina bifida, ‘n aangebore afwyking van sy ruggraat, is hy fisies gestremd. Hy is egter ‘n intelligente, welsprekende en blymoedige, man wat vir vele uitdagings kans sien. Nadat hy sy skoolloopbaan aan in 1965 aan die Meerhofskool voltooi het, is hy terug plaas toe om te leer boer.

Hulle is in 1988 op Groblersdal getroud en het een dogter en ‘n kleindogter op wie hulle versot is.

Indigenous tree of the month (2)

As indicated previously, during the next few months we will provide information about the indigenous trees that occur in our village. The purpose is not only to inform, but also to encourage residents to dedicate themselves to their conservation.

This month we feature the Wild Plum (Harpephylum caffrum)

PHILIP VAN DEN BERG (U34) writes: The Wild Plum is a typical forest tree and often grows along forest edges. The trees are medium to large and beautifully shaped. As Bela-Bela is situated in the savanna biome, the specimens in our village have probably all been planted here.

Wild Plum (Harpephylum caffrum)

The stem is usually tall and straight with a compact crown. See picture above left. The shiny dark green leaves are arranged spirally on the ends of branches and are compound. The odd dead red leaves are a distinctive feature. Its rather inconspicuous whitish green flowers appear in mid-summer and are borne near the ends of the branches, with male and female flowers on separate trees.

The Wild Plum trees produce oval-shaped red fruit in large quantities from March to August. Quite a number of these trees in our village are therefore bearing fruit at the moment, enabling birds such as African Green Pigeons and Grey Hornbills to feed to their hearts’ content.

Wild Plum trees produce oval-shaped red fruit

African Green Pigeon

Grey Hornbill

The fruit is fit for human consumption. The pulp makes a good jelly preserve while the bark is often used for medicinal purposes.

Note: Philip also took the pictures. He is highly regarded as a wild-life photographer