Fidler in the Hood: Taking on the grizzly bears and ‘Sugar Daddies’
We were greeted with ‘menacing’ names at the Golden Oldies Rugby Festival.
G’DAY, friends, what a week! The spring equinox came and went: we are now officially out of winter, no more ‘shivering our timbers’, although I’m not sure exactly where my ‘timbers’ are located! Is there a doctor in the house?
ALSO READ : Fidler in the Hood: Make a wish and it will come true
Big fellas
The peaceful environs of Uvongo were shattered last weekend and sounds of loud music invaded the leafy lanes. Afternoon siestas were disturbed by a raucous ‘What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor?’ pounding the airwaves.
It was the ‘overture’ to the SA National Golden Oldies Rugby Festival at Douglas Mitchell Sports Grounds. We popped round and were greeted with ‘menacing’ names, such as the ‘Grizzlies’, ‘Thunder Boys’ ‘False Bay Crocs’, ‘Diggers’, ‘Naka Bulls Old Boys’ and the more user-friendly ‘Sugar Daddies.’ Intimidating, but I pressed on with ballpoint in hand and notebook at the ready – all in the quest for good, honest journalism. I need not have worried. We were warmly welcomed by these big fellas. Turning back the clock, for a while at least, isolating ourselves from current worries we have to endure in everyday life. I adopted my let’s be friendly with the locals approach – it never fails. I introduced myself as the local scribe, assuring these tough-looking chaps that I only wrote nice things about people and places. I was given the okay to meet ‘Golden Oldies’, including Okkie and his ‘little’ brother Nikki Fourie; Vleis Schempers; Choppie du Plooy – Pretoria ‘okes’ to the core, all playing for the Naka Bulls Old Boys. Choppie proudly claimed that he played here at the last tournament in 2002. You can’t keep these super S’Africans down for long. A case of ‘The Song Is Ended, but the Memory Lingers On.’
Band of brothers
Another ‘Golden Oldie’ made his presence known: Ian Herbst, club chairman of the Naka Bulls Old Boys and key organiser of the tournament. Ian is also vice-president of the Blue Bulls in Pretoria.
It would be fair to say that Ian’s life has evolved around rugby. He started off as a seven-year-old ‘sprog’ playing the sport; represented the Pumas at provincial and Currie Cup level, dedicated to the game. Golden Oldies? More like ‘Band of Brothers’, me-thinks. I was offered a beer and some biltong and any thoughts of asking to tone down the loud music were forgotten. The festival, by the way, was a great success. That’s how it goes down here. We live in a special place.
Report-back
The usual suspects were in attendance at the Uvongo Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association AGM last Wednesday. The meeting was instructive, constructive and full of enthusiasm. Lots of positives; a few negatives, of course, but certainly there was a mood of cautious optimism. Gerhard van der Merwe reported that the ongoing water crisis had been addressed, thanks to the efforts of voluntary unsung heroes bailing out the municipality’s incapabilities. Henry Visser and Barry Smit reported on the state of beaches and facilities, plus future plans for making visitors feel welcome and safe. All promising stuff. A major concern is the inability of Ugu District Municipality to issue water accounts timeously, if at all. Reading of metres is non-existent and the attitude of the municipality is one of inefficiency, incompetence and indifference. Householders are advised to pay what they think is ‘average’ for the month and one day in the future the difference will be adjusted. It was pointed out that one householder had received an ‘adjusted’ water account for R3 000-plus. Which isn’t funny – for poor service delivery.
Cock-eyed optimist
It was left to DA Ward Councillor George Henderson, to tell it like it is, warts and all. Seems Ugu’s expenditure far outstrips income. We don’t need WC Fields’ monetary advice to realise we are up the creek without a paddle, moving towards the edge of the precipice. I whispered to the CO ‘Pack the bags; we’re off’. Mind you, I’ve been saying that for half a century. Uncle George allayed our fears that all is not lost, something will be done soon and everything is going to be fine. As he said “I was driving around the area. The sun was shining out of a clear blue sky, the sea was blue and the Hibiscus Coast was at its prettiest. There’s no better place to be.” I had to agree with ‘our George’. ‘Unpack the bags, pet. I’ll give Africa another week. Then it’s off to the council house in Grimsby. Or was it Salford? Shiver me timbers!’
See you, Rob.
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