Two Bits – 26 December 2014

A great 2014 – have a better one in 2015!

2014 went past in a flash, didn’t it! Well, unless you were stuck in traffic somewhere in Ballito. Then it seemed like forever. We’re not used to traffic – that’s why we emigrated from the cities in the first place!
Never mind, when you eventually got home, exhausted and frazzled, at least you could have a nice cup of tea. Oh no, I forgot, the power was off! Oh, I forgot again, there was no water!

JANUARY:
The year started with the opening of Curro Mount Richmore, the fourth private school serving the area. The authorities continue to ignore pleas for a government high school, in spite of this being one of the, if not the, fastest-growing areas in the country.
A foul-up resulted in Home Affairs Tongaat issuing Bess Morgan with a marriage certificate showing her married to herself! The inquiry in the collapse of the Tongaat mall, which caused two deaths, got under way. A Ballito man was charged with poisoning his neighbour’s dogs.

FEBRUARY:
Zinkwazi’s Jane Gardner was selected for the karate world champs. Car guards told harrowing tales of fleeing with their lives from war-torn DRC to survival here. Sheffield photographer Matt Wilkes’s U-Tube video of “I am Durban” caused a sensation. Baker Barry Korb caused a small taste sensation with his handmade breads in Salt Rock, only to quit for Durban later in the year when persistent power failures drove him out.

MARCH:
In spite of a wet spring and summer, March started with water restrictions, if only briefly, and the first of a string of power failures that have driven the community crazy. The downside of living in a rapidly growing area is that the infrastructure is constantly under strain.
Most unpopular subject of the year was the proposed Urban Improvement Programme. In short, (some) ratepayers would pay a surcharge to get the municipality to do the job they’ve already been paid for. Understandably some resent that, but what’s to do? Middle-class folks don’t toyi-toyi, more’s the pity. Tongaat chef Danny Naidoo was judged the best bunny chow maker in the whole of Durban. Salt Rock paddler Hank McGregor continued his good form, winning a number of salt water surfski races after being placed second in the Dusi canoe marathon.
Opposition to the peaking power plant behind Shakaskraal continued, but I don’t know, any power would be better than no power, as we discovered by year-end.
A very determined Lara Kruiskamp completed her dream of running seven marathons on seven continents in 12 months, the last being a marathon in Antarctica.

APRIL:
Ballito-trained surf lifesaver Janek Ferrandi hit the headlines in Australia where he was working as a lifey, by rescuing three surfers at a beach near Perth. He received a national bravery award from the prime minister – in the post, as he was working back here.
Dolphins rugby club’s season got off to a rocky start, when their promised sponsor failed to come up with the cash. However, by the end of the year things were looking up when they were given a new home at the Sugar Rush park on Compensation Flats and they can look forward to a better season in 2015.
One man was shot dead and others injured as ongoing clashes between taxi operators once again erupted. KwaDukuza municipal directors demanded increases to R1.2 million a year. Mmmm, and these are the people whose failure to deliver is the cause of all those service delivery protests. Salt Rock boxer David Rajuili won a featherweight bout at Gold Reef City, his second win in a blossoming pro career in the ring. Ballito’s untidy taxi rank was moved across the road to the tourism centre, amidst many promises that a new, permanent home was at hand, but nobody’s holding their breath on that one.

MAY:
Voting in the fifth national general election went well, with a turnout of 76% being the best since 1994. Local DA councillor Ann McDonnell was promoted to ‘big school’, the provincial legislature, and retired banker Malcolm Hubner was elected in her place.
Cyclist Tyronne White won the men’s solo category of the gruelling Joberg2C ultra event. Young surfers Shane Sykes and Sophie Bell of Salt Rock, among others, started a run of wins in events around the country in 2014.

JUNE:
70 North Coast athletes  took part in the 89th Comrades Marathon. Thembile Qhanqiso (46) from Shayamoya and Thembinkosi Nxumalo from Shakashead were the fastest locals, each receiving silver medals.
A fleeting visitor to our coast was a young man who had walked from the Namibian border on the West Coast, planing to finish at Kosi Bay. “Some people want to travel the world but they do not know the beauty in our backyard.”
A Ballito resident was swindled of R18 000 by a Durban fly-by-night promising electricity savings, but doing a flit with the money. Sign of the times!

JULY:
The fifth staging of the Mr Price Pro surf contest in local waters brought international surfers and crowds of spectators, and locals agreed that the event did a lot for the area in the otherwise quiet winter months. It came as a big surprise when later in the year, the clothing giant pulled its sponsorship and left the municipality holding the baby, literally. Somehow KDM signed the contract to produce the event, not Mr Price. Without a wealthy sponsor, the municipality will be hard pushed to produce an event of the same quality.
The Ballito Junction shopping centre changed hands and the new Jo’burg owners talked of increasing the size by a factor of seven. Wow! Just now the town will have more shops than customers.
Amateur mixed martial arts fighter Amanda Lino brought home more gold. She won the world championships in Las Vegas, knocking her opponent cold in just 27 seconds.
Tragedy struck when former local helicopter pilot Cameron Dalziel died on board Malaysian flight MH17, shot down over Ukraine by rebels.

AUGUST:
Good news for investors in the failed Blythedale Coastal Resort – they get their money back after the government bought the land back from the developers, with the idea of handing it to the community to develop. Interesting.
Miss Ballito Shelley Buckle continued to impress, winning the KZN Young Achiever’s Award as well. Her ready smile and willing nature won her many fans.
Just when you thought Dominique Mann had scooped up more than enough success for one year, the Ballito athlete went on to achieve three gold medals at SA Champs, a silver medal in pole vaulting in the European circuit and 15th place out of 100 entrants at the Aerobic Gymnastics World Champs, all in just over one month.
Cane farmers had a tough year. The drought saw mills close two months early and they were plagued by an unusually large number of fires. Going into 2015, there is still no relief in sight.
That great North Coast institution, the Christmas Fair Fund, celebrated its 60th birthday. The number of people the fund has helped is beyond count, and more than 120 children have received tertiary education, producing engineers, veterinarians, teachers, nurses and more. The annual fair provides crucial support for a number of North Coast charities and deserving causes.

SEPTEMBER:
Strong winds and a massive swell produced a spectacular picture for our front page. The Tongaat mall collapse inquiry dragged on, with endless finger-pointing and little sign that the main players will ever face the music.
Champagne, tea and cake were enjoyed in abundance at the Umhlali and District Garden and Flower Club’s 30th birthday, while the second Street Heroes supercar event thrilled petrolheads.
Five local pole dancers – keep-fit fanatics, not glitter and stripper types, they insist – won the province’s first pole sport league competition.

OCTOBER:
More than 200 anglers took part in the annual North Coast Courier Orphan Fund bass fishing competition at Rain Farm, raising R26 000. As the level of Hazelmere dam fell to 40%, water restrictions were introduced again. There were more questions than answers about the water situation. Although the go-ahead for raising the dam wall was given long ago, nothing has been done, tied up in red tape and foot-dragging. The same can be said for the satellite police station that Ballito has been hoping for, for years. It looked like it was on . . . then nothing. Welcome to death by civil servants.
Kirsten Martin is the new Miss Ballito, succeeding Shelley Buckle. The Zimbali Rotary-organised event raised R126 000 for charity.
A resident too full of party drove his Suzuki Jimny onto the beach, thinking it was a real 4×4 – and lost it in the surf. Thought it was a subzuki, one reader said.
Residents of La Mercy had a full-blown attack of the Nimby (Not in my back yard) syndrome when it was suggested that a desalination plant be built there. I dunno, if Plett can have one on its main beach, then I don’t see why La Mercy should be so precious (but not one in Ballito, please!). Way things are going with water, we’re going to need more than one pretty soon.
Oh dear, the accommodation scams are getting worse. Now scammers are pinching the pictures off legitimate B&B websites to bait their traps for the unwary. Where’s it going to end?

NOVEMBER:
The appalling mess of the entrance road to Ballito finally got too much. Residents and business read the riot act to the contractors and municipality, told them to extract digit and get it right by the time holidaymakers arrived. To their credit, they did. But the damage had been done – Lifestyle shops in particular and the business park in general paid a high price for people doing everything they could to avoid the daily traffic snarl ups. Some said trade was more than a third down.
Little old Darnall Primary astonished everybody by producing the most magnificent Alice in Wonderland and Disney show. Local runners Gary Henwood-Fox and Shannon Clark took on the seven day Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon. Gary said he’d never do it again, then in the next breath said next time he’ll pack lighter. Typical runner!
Hilltop resident Kira Gibbons suffered excruciating pain after being bitten by a stiletto snake. The bite of this little brown snake, often mistaken for a harmless mole snake, is not fatal but will make your eyes water some. The fire brigade was the first to be fined R3 000 for washing their engines with a hose. There’s a cruel joke in there somewhere.

DECEMBER:
Paddle-ski fisherman Nick van der Westhuysen got the ride of his life when he hooked a 20kg yellow fin tuna off Salmon Bay. His GPS clocked  seven kilometres an hour, which is pretty scary on a little ski. An alert lifeguard spotted him being hauled to the horizon and called for help.
But Devon de Lange went a whole lot better. He hooked a 42.49 kg tuna, possibly a new African record for a yellow fin caught off a kayak. The fish pulled Devon for 4km and took an hour and a half to land.
The North Coast is filled with top performers. Salt Rock motocross racer Brett Swanepoel survived close to 19 hours on his Yamaha during the 2014 Roof of Africa Extreme Enduro race, finishing second.
The Matric Rage event went off pretty smoothly, by all accounts. From small beginnings, this and the New Year party have grown into big business.
Tinley Manor fisherman Toolsi Sewsunker showed that even fishermen can be men of action, by saving a family from drowning, pulling them to safety with his rod.
And that was the year that was. We at the North Coast Courier and our magazine, Get It Ballito-Umhlanga, have thoroughly enjoyed bringing you   your favourite community newspaper and magazine, right here in the heart of the Dolphin Coast. It was also our 29th year of publishing the Courier – so expect a party of note in 2015!