Sommaire pour 07 August 2020 de Farmer's Weekly

As I write this, it is almost the end of July and about four months since South Africa went into a national lockdown in an attempt to contain the spread of COVID-19. There have been questionable decisions made by government since the start of the lockdown, but over the past 10 days this trend seems to have reached fever pitch. Lucien Jansen, CEO of the Perishable Products Export Control Board, one of the only well-managed public entities in this country, says that one of the benefits of maintaining a positive outlook is that it puts you in a position to notice opportunities even during difficult times (see page 83). I have to agree with Jansen. Optimism begets opportunity. However, as the lockdown drags on, and as government seems bent on…

The South African economy has faced challenges in recent times with GDP declining 2% quarter-on-quarter (q/q) in the first quarter (Q1) of 2020. This comes after South Africa recorded contractions of 1,4% and 0,8% in the two preceding quarters respectively. However, the one sector that has outperformed other sectors is agriculture. Output by the farming sector increased 27,8% q/q due to higher production of animal products, horticulture and field crops. KEY FACTORS The performance of various agricultural industries is one of the key factors responsible for the state of agriculture in South Africa’s economy. Underpinned by the enormous contribution from field crops, horticultural products and animal products, Q1 GDP for the forestry and fishing sector increased 27,8% q/q with a 0,5 percentage point positive contribution to the country’s GDP. EMPLOYMENT…

While its importance to the South African economy cannot be denied, the agriculture sector has a tendency to display its worth in time of crisis. This unique characteristic has indeed proven true on many occasions, especially when the country was experiencing wide-scale economic adversity. Even now, with the other large sectors of the economy (mainly manufacturing and mining) having been severely affected by the COVID-19 crisis, agriculture is leading the way to economic recovery. Also, worth noting, is the fact that, while other industries are contemplating reducing their employee numbers, it is encouraging to see that agriculture is at least maintaining its employment numbers, especially in primary activities. Furthermore, having been the only sector where we witnessed an impressive growth of almost 28% in the first quarter of 2020, and…

Western Cape grain farmers were celebrating the good rainfall received when multiple frontal systems lashed parts of the province in mid-July. According to Agri Western Cape, all the winter grain production regions had received good rainfall, which increased the potential for good harvests. “With enough follow-up rain at the right intervals, we may see great harvests this season,” said Jannie Strydom, CEO of Agri Western Cape. Eddie Steenkamp, who farms lupins, wheat, oats and barley on Karbonaatjieskraal near Hopefield, recorded 67,55mm of rain over an eight-day period. He said although the soil was not saturated, the crops were under no stress, and the soil was “properly moist”. “If we can [receive] another good downpour in August, with follow-up rain in September, we can possibly expect an above-average harvest.” On his…

Namibia has resumed the transportation and exporting of timber, mostly rosewood, under strict new conditions, ending a ban imposed in March. The harvesting of new timber is still prohibited. Demand for furniture in China has led to widespread felling of rosewood trees in Africa, despite the variety being protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). “For now, our forest resources are still reasonably good, but the fear is that they will turn into a desert because of uncontrolled timber harvesting,” Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said. Timber from other countries, including Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, could also be processed and transported through Namibia under the supervision of forestry and customs officials. Nearly 70…

The recent reintroduction of the ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages has not only had an adverse impact on grain producers who produce crops used in the manufacture of liquor, but the craft beer industry as well. According to Grain SA, some of the crops produced were directly dependent on the brewery industry in terms of demand, which resulted in far-reaching consequences if these breweries were not operating. Dr Dirk Strydom, manager of grain economy and marketing at Grain SA, said: “With the first ban on liquor sales, [in accordance with] COVID-19 [lockdown] regulations, there was already an accumulation of raw materials, some of which could not be stored for extended periods and also did not have any export opportunities.” He added that the second ban placed even more…

Drone technology will play a significant role in agriculture in the future, and farmers in the Southern Cape region are already using the technology in their efforts to curb invasive alien plants. This was according Cobus Meiring of the Southern Cape Landowners Initiative, who said drones had successfully been used on the slopes of the Outeniqua Mountains where there has been aggressive spread of these plants. He said this had affected mountain catchments, feeder streams, wetlands and fountains, as well as underground water resources, which had dwindled significantly as a result of invasive alien trees. Meiring explained that farmers did not have the resources to eradicate and curb the spread of these trees, but with the use of drone technology, the costs decreased dramatically. “Spraying is usually done with a…

The South Africa Tobacco Transformation Alliance (SATTA) has launched a public campaign aimed at pressuring government into immediately lifting the ban on the legal sale of tobacco products in South Africa. SATTA, comprising the Black Tobacco Farmers’ Association, Limpopo Tobacco Processors, and British American Tobacco, said in a recent statement that the nationwide campaign aimed to draw attention to the “massive” number of jobs and livelihoods that were put at risk by the ban. “More than 296 000 people rely on the free flow of activity across the tobacco value chain for their livelihoods. It is totally unacceptable that a legitimate, tax-paying business sector should be taken to the brink of ruin in such a way, and we call on government to immediately lift the ban and allow cigarettes to…

The two companies that have exported approximately 120 000 live sheep from South Africa by sea since October last year have requested that the Grahamstown High Court judge currently presiding over a court case recuse himself. Judge G Bloem, who recently upheld an interim interdict against any further livestock exports from South Africa by sea, was due to hear arguments on 16 July about whether or not such exports should be permanently banned. The National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) has been the lead applicant in a number of legal attempts to permanently ban Kuwaiti company, Al Mawashi, and its subsidiary, KLTT, from exporting livestock from South Africa by sea. Via both public statements and in court papers, the NSPCA had repeatedly cited examples…

“The full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Zeder Investments remains unclear as it is still too early to make any comments in this regard. However, I do think that we were fortunate that our industry has been less [affected] than others may have been.” This was according to Norman Celliers, CEO of the company, speaking during a virtual annual general meeting recently. He told shareholders that during more than 100 days of the national lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the Zeder portfolio had done reasonably well. “Our investee companies were mostly positioned in the essential industries. This meant that we could stay open at most of our operations. “However, the demand has been constrained and some of the capacity conditions had been quite trying.” He also reported that…

The vast majority of South Africans are meat eaters; the vegan movement has not yet become mainstream here. However, consumers are being pushed towards non-animal foods by various entities. The annual Veganuary campaign tries to encourage more people to eat exclusively non-animal products during January. Globally, the campaign has grown fast, but in South Africa only 14 000 people signed up for it in 2020. A survey conducted among the people who signed up in 2019 shows that animal rights are the main reason for their commitment, followed by health and environmental concerns. Animal rights activists exploit consumers’ concerns about the welfare of animals. Organisations such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals recently targeted schoolchildren with a campaign that alleged that drinking milk would make them obese. Misinformation…

The prime purpose of precision irrigation is to deliver the correct quantity of nutrients and water to the plant at the optimal time and in the right place. To achieve this, the system continuously monitors climate, soil, leaf moisture and other variables, and adjusts irrigation according to these needs. “When you develop a new farming project or, for example, a new orchard or vineyard, a host of questions must be answered, and a team of irrigation experts must be involved in the process,” says Chris Malan, agronomy manager at Netafim South Africa. “Irrigation planning is based on data from analyses done and decisions made throughout the planning process.” VARIABLES TO CONSIDER As a farmer, your first task is to analyse a number of basic, but crucial, agronomic variables: • The…

Well known for her roles in the soapies Muvhango and Rhythm City, Lucia Mthiyane is a role model for anyone restless to reinvent themselves. She began her career as a teacher, is a renowned jazz singer, and is now putting her cheffie flair to work, reinventing comfort food in her book, Kitchen Queen (Human & Rousseau, R375). She shares five keys to her balancing act. 1. My mother: I was privileged to have had the wonderful example of my mother, who passed away eight years ago. She was a proper lady: beautiful, elegantly dressed and proud. She lit up a room. When I began teaching, we taught at the same school and I always remember her urging better posture on the learners. Presentation matters! 2. Patience: This book has been…

There is no question that Microsoft Office is an extremely popular software package worldwide. Office 365 provides it as a subscription service and ensures that you always have the most up-to-date tools. Computer expert Bevan Hobbs from PCJunxion.com says: “The Office 365 packages are reasonably priced and a great advantage is Outlook, their email program, which is very secure, and purchases are tax-deductable.” In April, the consumer and small business plans of Office 365 were renamed Microsoft 365. FREE ONLINE If you have an Outlook or Skype account, you can go to office.com and use any of the products online for free and save your work to a folder or download it. The only drawback is that you must be online. When entering the website, click on ‘Sign in’ and…

If you were given R30 million to invest in agriculture, either in new or existing farming activities or in the agriculture value chain, how would you spend it? I would invest in an existing export business with a focus on exporting fruit produced by emerging farmers. I would also target markets with potential for further growth, for example fast-growing markets in Asia, which is of course based on the assumption that South Africa will have access to these markets! What is the best advice you have ever been given? Look for the positive in every situation. I was raised to remain positive even during the most difficult times. By remaining positive, you often see the opportunities available instead of just getting stuck in the challenges. If you were given carte…

SANParks recently announced that researchers have made two exciting discoveries in the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), which are contributing to the unique biodiversity of the park. The first discovery is a spider, which has been named the ‘red widow’. While the verdict is still out on whether this spider is a new species, the researchers have expressed excitement about its discovery. According to the TMNP, scientists were currently following formal taxonomic classification processes to determine whether it had been described before. According to Dr Andrew Baxter, a local ecologist, the spiders were found on the “back table” region of Table Mountain, between an altitude of 500m and 800m, on west-facing slopes among moist fynbos. Baxter said he came across these small spiders while undertaking a hike with a friend…

The South African fruit industry could suffer major financial losses should government’s seven-year moratorium on transport height restrictions, which exempted vehicles carrying high cube containers, expire in 2021. Tiffany Adams, a transport analyst, said the use of high cube containers were the norm around the world, and many countries had adjusted their legislation to accommodate the transportation of these containers. “Hopefully, the industry and the government can come to an agreement on the matter before the moratorium expires in June 2021. “It could cost the fruit industry, for example, [about] R27 million to lower the container stations [to comply with the dimensions] as required by government,” she told Farmer’s Weekly. According to her, Regulation 224(b) of the National Road Traffic Act stipulated a maximum legal height limit of 4,3m for…

CHINA China is continuing its US farm produce buying spree, with private buyers booking at least 300 000t of soya bean in the third week of July. Reuters reported that China would need to dramatically ramp up purchases in the coming months to fulfil its Phase 1 commitment of US$36,5 billion (about R609,4 billion) in imports in the first year of the trade deal signed with the US in January. China imported just over US$6 billion (R100 billion) worth of US farming goods from January to May. THE NETHERLANDS AND FRANCE Dutch nutrition company Royal DSM and French agrifood group Avril announced that they would start production of canola-based protein for the food industry as of 2022, as they aimed to benefit from the booming plant-protein market. An increasing number…

A mixed picture was being painted by the different entities monitoring food prices during the national lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report by the Competition Commission (CompCom). The ‘Essential Food Price Monitoring’ report, released in early July, stated that nearly 20% of complaints received in relation to regulations dealing with customer protection under the National Disaster Management Act had been about the prices of basic food products. “Of the 1 600 complaints received under the regulations by end of June, 307 (or 19%) relate to basic food products,” the report said. It added that initial monitoring had revealed price increases due to the weakening of the rand, global impacts, such as restrictions on export markets, and the initial wave of panic-buying by consumers. “However, price gouging…

Agritourism in South Africa has been non-existent since the start of the lockdown regulations implemented to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had a severe impact on the livelihoods of those living in South Africa’s rural areas. This was according to Jacqui Taylor, founder and managing director of Agritourism South Africa, who said the impact on the rural economy, particularly those areas located closer to the cities where tourism was more prevalent, still needed to be quantified. She added that the economic impact would be felt for years to come. She said agritourism consisted of various segments, such as hunting, hiking, camping, farm stalls, self-catering accommodation, events, and farm tours, which had all been severely affected by the lockdown regulations. “Agritourism ground to a halt [during the] lockdown. “One-day, self-drive…

Land reform was originally expected to create new livelihood and employment opportunities for smallholder farmers, yet there is growing evidence of elite capture. The Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) at the University of the Western Cape recently hosted a webinar to provide some insight into the current status of land reform in South Africa. “Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, there had been less focus on land reform. This was followed by a significant budget cut that has far-reaching implications, especially for a pro-poor land reform programme in South Africa,” said Dr Farai Mtero, a senior researcher at PLAAS. He added that this happened against the backdrop of a perennially low land reform budget, which had persistently been below 1% of the national total budget. According…

One million rand, equating to approximately 500 000 meals, has been pledged by Rand Merchant Bank Holdings (RMB) and First National Bank (FNB) to assist vulnerable communities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to an FNB statement, as a result of adverse economic conditions due to the pandemic, millions of South Africans were going hungry every day. Through the Grain Care Trust (Grain Care) and the FirstRand SPIRE fund, RMB and FNB were launching a grain campaign aimed at providing maize meals to vulnerable communities in Mpumalanga, Limpopo, the Free State and North West. This included those communities that provided labour and support to the agriculture sector. According to the statement, farmers and businesses across the agricultural value chain were urged to donate grain, or cash for the…

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the fault lines that still exist in the South Africa’s agriculture and food system have become evident. This was according to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, in her address at the tabling of the department’s annual Budget Vote, during a plenary session of Parliament on 21 July. She said the large number of applications for state support received from smallholder and subsistence farmers since the implementation of the national lockdown to contain the pandemic highlighted the strong need for financial assistance among farmers. “The R100 million set aside for commercial farmers were affected by the challenges at the Land Bank. I wish to assure the Members [of Parliament] and commercial farmers funded by the Land Bank that…

In previous articles, I have referred to the value of having good livestock genetics. Let’s examine this important subject a bit more closely. The first point to remember is that you spend the same amount of effort and money to produce good-quality animals as you do to produce poor-quality animals. For example, if you farm Jersey crosses rather than good-quality beef breeds, you will find that they consume slightly less feed than the beef cattle do, while the cost of medicating them is almost the same. So you will end up saving a small amount of money. But here’s the catch: when you auction your cattle, you will receive much less for your Jersey crosses than a farmer who breeds beef-type animals such as the Beefmaster. You might earn only,…

As reported in the 27 March 2020 issue of Farmer’s Weekly, one of the handiest features of the BenguFarm app is that it can operate offline, enabling farmers to access and add content when they do not have Internet connectivity. Records can be noted on a smartphone or tablet in the field, to be uploaded to the cloud once Internet access is restored. The BenguFarm app offers advanced management and record-keeping software aimed at the sheep, goat and beef cattle industries. It is suitable for stud and commercial flocks and can be used either as an independent herd management programme or as an integral part of stud breeding and/or performance testing through SA Stud Book or the Agricultural Research Council (ARC). Data can be from new animals, mating, pregnancies, lambing/calving,…

Many households live with major time constraints, and it can be difficult to provide delicious, nutritious meals day by day. There is a proven cooking method, however, that can help ease this problem: pressure cooking. With this technique, you can reduce cooking time by up to 90%, retain up to 90% of nutrients in the food, and improve the food’s digestibility. You’ll also end up with succulent, tasty meals. Modern pressure cookers are virtually foolproof, and no more dangerous than any other kitchen tool if used properly. LOWER NUTRIENT LEVELS IN TODAY’S FOOD Some researchers estimate that nutrient levels in our food have declined dramatically (up to 50% in some cases) due to the depletion of nutrients in the soil. When this is combined with many cooking methods that destroy…

SEX ROBOTS & VEGAN MEAT by Jenny Kleeman (Picador, R340) Kleeman’s highly readable book splits this vision of the future into four parts, namely sex, food, birth and death, and pulls no punches! She samples a chicken nugget grown in a lab, an attempt to placate the consciences of vegans who love meat by producing ‘clean meat’. It tastes like chicken, but the texture is “disgusting”, Kleeman reports. She moves on to ‘finless’ fish, produced on similar principles. Vegans are indeed sweeping the world and veganism is booming even in meat-loving South Africa, but most food substitutes have some way to go to beat the real thing, Kleeman concludes. LOVES & MIRACLES OF PISTOLA by Hilary Prendini Toffoli (Penguin, R280) Pistola dreams of opening a restaurant,…

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, South Africa’s National Coronavirus Command Council has announced a nationwide lockdown, resulting in many events in the Farmer’s Diary being cancelled or postponed. Farmer’s Weekly will continue to keep readers updated with regard to cancelled or postponed events as the information becomes available to the editorial team. All readers are encouraged to contact event organisers before planning to attend events listed in the diary, to confirm that the event is still going ahead. CANCELLED EVENTS 11 TO 14 AUGUST (Previously postponed) Nampo Harvest Day, Bothaville.Visit grainsa.co.za/pages/nampo. 18 TO 20 AUGUST South African Sugar Technologists Association Congress, Durban ICC. Visit sasta.co.za/annual-congress/ notices. 28 SEPTEMBER TO 1 OCTOBER IDF World Dairy Summit, Cape Town. Visit idfwds2020.com. COURSES & TRAINING 3 TO 7 AUGUST Introduction to…

In my previous column (FW, 24 July), I discussed the intricacies of data discrepancy on the African continent, and used Tanzania’s palm oil imports as an example. I noted that the complexity of Tanzania’s palm oil imports was not unique, but in fact, part of a wider systemic problem, which becomes even more difficult to untangle when looking at specific countries. In the second of this two-part series, I discuss Zambia’s edible oil imports. Unlike Tanzania where the edible oil sector is dominated by sunflower seed production, Zambia’s edible oil industry is mainly soya bean-based. Estimates from the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) suggest that Zambia consumes an average of around 125 000t of edible oil, 30% of which is supplied by local producers. Edible oil imports account…

The South African government has received scathing criticism after the classification of drought as a national disaster was revoked. The notice, published in the Government Gazette recently, was signed by the National Disaster Management Centre’s head, Dr Mmaphaka Tau. In the notice, Tau said he had made the decision after consulting with provincial disaster management centres; reassessing drought conditions in the country; and following the 4 July lapsing of the National State of Disaster on drought. In a joint statement, Agri SA’s disaster management unit head, Willem Symington, and disaster risk manager, Andrea Campher, said: “This type of ill-considered and reactionary announcement […] boggles the mind.” They said government’s R139 million drought disaster relief allocation was a drop in the ocean compared with the financial losses incurred by the agriculture…

Negotiations recently commenced between the agribusinesses GWK and VKB about a possible partnership and synergies following approval from the companies’ respective boards. Koos van Rensburg, CEO of VKB, said the process was still in its infancy and no decisions had been made yet. “Shareholders and staff of the two businesses were recently informed about the decision. The ultimate aim is to create as much value as possible for the respective concerns and their shareholders.” According to Van Rensburg, the two businesses were some of the few agribusinesses that were still fully owned by agricultural producers. He said the two entities therefore shared a mutual culture, based on producer ownership. This formed the ideal platform for possible co-operation. “The objective is to reduce overheads and ensure the best possible service to…

Activists in Wales are calling for the approval of new poultry farms to be halted until the environmental impact can be assessed. According to the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW), there were some 10 million chickens on 200 farms in Powys county, and it expressed concern about the impact of phosphates and ammonia on ecology and biodiversity in the region. However, poultry farmers told Reuters that their chicken operations were run according to stringent environmental standards, were strictly regulated, and routinely inspected. The CPRW said it was concerned about the impact of these large poultry operations on the Powys landscape, and that ammonia emitted from the poultry units could damage plants, while phosphates from chicken manure polluted rivers. Dr Christine Hugh-Jones, secretary of the Brecon and Radnorshire…

To boost transformation in the citrus industry, the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) is proposing a 120% increase in the levy on citrus exports. According to a statement by CGA, the association had, through the National Agricultural Marketing Council, applied to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, for this substantial increase in the statutory levy on citrus exports for the next four-year cycle, from 2021 to 2024. “The proposed new levy translates to an estimated investment of R1 billion over the four-year period. The levy has been in place since 2004, and will continue to be administered by the CGA.” Details of the proposed new levy were presented to citrus growers across the production regions during a series of roadshows at the beginning…

All beekeeping associations, as well as the public, are encouraged to assist Impumelelo Agribusiness Solutions by reporting cases of ‘’fake honey” being offered for sale. This was according to a statement by Impumelelo and the Western Cape Bee Industry Association (WCBA), which has been assigned by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development to set up quality standards for honey testing. The statement said low-priced “fake honey” was being labelled as honey and illegally sold. Malose Fache, business optimisation manager at Impumelelo, said the organisation was currently active in Gauteng, the Western Cape and Mpumalanga, but was also conducting investigations throughout the country. According to the statement, the WCBA had to date reported 14 incidents identified by its members, which had resulted in several successful raids and the…

At least 26 users of the Tshwane Fresh Produce Market (Tshwane Market) have submitted individual letters of support for a recent letter to Mpho Nawa, administrator of the City of Tshwane council, by Julian van der Nat, chairperson of the Institute of Market Agents of South Africa (IMASA) at Tshwane Market. In his letter to Nawa, Van der Nat wrote that the market, which is the second largest of its kind in the country, was in the worst condition it had ever been due to long-time improper administration and maintenance. Van der Nat’s litany of complaints about the market pertained to major problems with consignment control; market leadership; hygiene, cleanliness and food safety standards; safety and security; and infrastructure development and maintenance. ‘WE DO NOT AGREE THAT THE SITUATION HAS…

The latest estimate for this season’s citrus harvest is slightly down on the original estimate of 143,3 million 15kg cartons, with only lemon volumes expected to increase. This was according to John Edmonds, information manager at the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA), who said the latest projection for citrus was 139,9 million 15kg cartons. He said lemon volumes were expected to increase to 26,7 million cartons, up from 26,4 million cartons, while grapefruit was expected to decline from 16,7 million cartons to 15,2 million cartons, and soft citrus was expected to decrease from 23,3 million cartons to 22,8 million cartons. Despite the slight decrease in production, Edmonds said the Southern African citrus industry was experiencing a very “marketable” year, with excellent quality and good fruit-size distribution to suit…

With onerous labour regulations making it difficult and risky to do business in South Africa, many business owners today prefer to outsource labour issues rather than tackle this function themselves. Apart from managing the risk better, this gives them more time to focus on their operations’ core activities. These outsourcing options can differ widely, however, and a business owner is well advised to do his or her homework before choosing a service provider. LABOUR LAW OPTIONS Employment in South Africa is governed by strict legal requirements, regardless of the number of employees in a business. As an employer, you can use one of six approaches to comply with these requirements: The internal options: • You can manage the entire employment process and its legal aspects by yourself; • You can…

Less than a decade ago, Lengau Mothiane had to rely on a lift to transport the 10 sheep he had bought at an auction back to the family farm more than 100km away. He now farms 150 South African Mutton Merino sheep and a herd of about 70 Bonsmara-Brahman cattle. The 35-year-old agripreneur also owns his own business and is providing contract work to at least 25 previously unemployed people. “It’s a good feeling to know you’re helping to support so many families, especially at a time like this,” he says. BORN INTO FARMING Mothiane is a third-generation farmer, born and raised in QwaQwa in the Free State. “I never lived in a township; I grew up knowing farming,” he says. His father, Albert, used to grow vegetables at sites…

Older readers will nod knowingly when I write about containers, bins and crates used in the fresh produce trade. Younger readers will probably shake their heads in disbelief. COMPARED WITH PLASTIC BINS, WOODEN BULK BINS ARE HEAVY Fifty years ago, the fresh produce sector was not as sophisticated as today. The appreciation for good handling, care and shelf-life was in its infancy. A crucial part of the handling and transporting mix is the type of containers used. I’ve written about wooden cartons that were the norm at one time. They could not offer the required protection to the fruit and simply did not fulfil the needs of the sector. FROM WOOD TO PLASTIC Over the years, new materials came into use and provided much-improved protection to the contents. Wood fell…

Dear Louise, Thank you for the request to design a wooden home in Knysna for your retirement. As discussed, it will be built on the site of the house burnt down during the veld fire. I’ve conceptualised a layout that can be adapted to the existing foundation slab and some walls still standing. The extent of these will influence the final design, but in the meantime, here’s a layout based on your description. You have quite a wide choice of styles and construction techniques. • The layout The scullery/pantry is out of sight from the open-plan central living area. • The walls There are several options, but if some existing walls can be reduced to block walls of single bricks, they can then be cladded both externally and internally. Brick walls internally…

Thaba Bosiu, the mountain fortress of the Basotho, led by King Moshoeshoe I, had the reputation for being almost impregnable. During the Difaqane (the inter-tribal warfare during the first half of the 19th century), Shaka’s, Mzilikazi’s and Matiwane’s warriors all came to grief as they attempted to storm the mountain. On 15 August 1865, it was the turn of the Boers and their celebrated leader, Louw Wepener. Wepener was born in Graaff-Reinet in 1812, and by his early twenties had distinguished himself in the Sixth Eastern Frontier War against the Xhosa. His impulsive bravery is said to have bordered on recklessness, yet he went on to fight in both the Seventh (1846 to 1847) and Eighth (1850 to 1853) Frontier Wars. By the 1850s, he was farming near Jamestown in…

If Emily St John Mandel’s The Glass Hotel (Picador, R330) is your first encounter with her work, allow yourself plenty of reading time as, like me, you’ll probably be absorbed by this intriguing psychological thriller. More about who knows what, than who did what, it seems to fragment and remake the glass façade of the hotel of the title. On a bay in British Columbia, Canada, which is accessible only by boat, the hotel epitomises seven-star luxury, but also well-veiled, everyday tensions, feuds and explosive eruptions. The setting is glimpsed through the novel as the key characters who come together here try to satisfy their human instincts for greed, fame, money or peace, and ultimately find ways to compromise to survive – or not. Beautifully written, with subtle characterisation and…