A major challenge in conservation is influencing people’s behaviour – to maintain biodiversity by modifying human actions. As humans we have to start living our lives sustainably, we have to realise that biodiversity is the key to the earth’s survival and thus our own.

Vervet monkeys, people either hate them or love them. The truth is, we depend on them and MUST learn to live with them, but Vervets must remain wild. Vervet monkeys are protected by both national and provincial legislation and injuring or killing them is a punishable offence. They are NOT VERMIN. This term refers to alien animal species such as the rat, Rattus norvegicus, feral pig and even the house cat! Indigenous problem animals must be assessed and dealt with by the provincial conservation authority.

Vervets play an important role in our ecosystem. They are arboreal creatures dependant on forests for food and shelter. The Vervet troops in an area will be descendants of an ancient group that has survived over eons of time.

• Vervets feed on fruit, flowers, pollen, nectar, bark, gum, roots, seeds, grasses, insects (all stages in the life cycle) and birds eggs and act as pollinators as they forage from one plant to the next.
• Vervets remove parasites from each other, and other animals and thus prevent disease.
• Vervets are major seed dispersal agents ensuring the continued survival of the forests. Forests absorb carbon dioxide, essential for our fight against climate change, and give off oxygen, which we humans need to breathe.

Humans have caused the problems we experience with Vervets and for this we must take responsibility. It is strongly advised by conservationists NOT TO FEED Vervets, as this causes them to loose their inherent fear of people – an instinct they need for survival. They then become a nuisance to neighbours damaging property and posing a threat to others who do not understand wild animal behaviour. Vervets will protect their babies from any threat and protect their food source, even if it is in your house!
Conservationists have found that capturing problem Vervets or troops of Vervet monkeys just relocates the problem to another area. Destruction of the animals is a short term solution, because a new troop will soon move into the area. Wild Vervet monkeys left to themselves are not a problem and the troop sizes are a lot smaller that in suburbia when they are scavenging off our waste or are being fed.

Remove the availability of food and water and Vervets can be reconditioned to stop interacting with people. Primates have a good memory, so exercise patience and all residents in the area should adopt the same measures:

• Never feed Vervet monkeys
• Never try to catch a Vervet for any reason. If one gets trapped leave doors and windows open and move out of its way
• Do not leave fruit out and secure all food and pet food out of sight
• Do not eat in front of Vervets, do not let children eat outside when Vervets are in the area
• Vegetable scraps should be buried in the compost
• Secure Rubbish bins
• Remove bird feeders
• If you grow vegetables rather support the farmers’ market or monkey proof your vegetable patch
• Put screens on your security gates and burglar guards
• Monkeys gaining access to your house using a telephone line can be discouraged by placing a hose around the line – the monkeys grabbing the hose will swing upside down and they don’t like it
• Do not teach dogs to attack Vervets, monkeys will keep clear of big dogs
• Do drive slowly in areas where monkeys cross the road
• Do teach children Vervet monkey dos and don’ts.
• Plant indigenous trees that will provide alternative food sources for Vervets and birds.

Above all respect all forms of life, as biodiversity is key to sustainability!

Sources: Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife publications and Monkey Helpline website

Image: K de Pinna

The two defending champs stood firm in gloomy, grey weather at the first two regionals of the ninth year of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge.

Yesterday, 13 schools took to the wet pitch at St John’s D.S.G., which hosted the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional and at The Wykeham Collegiate which hosted the Pietermaritzburg Northern Regional.

The first team to secure their spot in the 2019 Grand Finals, and for the eighth time, continuing their dominance in this area, were the defending champs, St Anne’s College. Taking on the host school, The Wykeham Collegiate in the regional final, the fast-paced game had Saints dominating, ending with 4 well-crafted goals to nil. Treverton College played out of their socks, finishing their round robin on level points with The Wykeham Collegiate. Treverton needed 5 goals in their final game against Howick High to advance to the final on goal difference. However, they only managed to net 2.

In this regional final, it took St Anne’s 3 and a half minutes to net their first goal with feisty Lusanda Mtshali opening her teams account with a scramble at the goals. Scoring the second goal for Saints was Kiara McLuckie who was camping at the near post, slotting in a nudge over the keeper’s outstretched stick.

Emma Griffin knocked in the third goal after a sneaky glide of a pass from near the post, skid past the keeper and found Griffin’s stick slapping it in. Sealing the win with only 4 seconds remaining, Grace Kitshoff knocked in a determined shot from the center of the circle, running the ball down the middle, through several defenders and through the last line of defence, slotting a simple but handsome goal.

Head Coach for Saints, Robin Jones said, “We had a slow start after a lot of our players attended the matric dance last night. Girls are a little bit tired today, but I am very happy with the way we progressed. I thought our best game was the last game of the day, which is very satisfying. I am very proud of the girls; there were some really good goals scored.”

“Emma’s goal against Voortrekker is the standout goal for me. It is something we have been chatting about; getting the ball from one side to the other. We started on the left, moved the play to the right and then finished it on the left. So that was very satisfying to see the girls moving the ball around. We only had one goal scored against us and that was in the Treverton game early on. I think they deserved that goal against us, it was a really good goal that they caught us napping but overall, we are very happy with how the day went.”

Down the hill, defending champs Epworth and hosts St John’s D.S.G. met in the gold silver game for the central title. One times winners, St John’s dominated the 20-minute game with over 17 minutes played in the Epworth half. Epworth managed to break with two appearances in the St John’s D. The second one was the game changer. As time frantically ticked down, Epworth earned themselves a short corner in the final 90 seconds. As game time was up, the ball was accidentally lifted, with umpire re-awarding Epworth with a second short corner. The vice-captain, Summer Rutherford moved in from pushing the ball in, standing firmly near the post. The ball came rocketing towards her from the castle, with Rutherford calmly nudging the ball in a brilliant piece of set play.

Umpire of the Day for the northern tournament was Conor Killeen representing The Wykeham Collegiate and Epworth’s Sibusiso Malinga who has officiated at this regional before.

The next two tournaments take place this coming weekend with the Durban North Regional happening at Crawford La Lucia and the Durban Central Regional at the 3 Schools Trust Astro hosted by Durban Girls’ High School.

For more information on the tournament like the Facebook page or follow on Instagram.

Results
Pietermaritzburg Central Regional
1 Epworth, 2 St Johns, 3 Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High, 4 Carter High School, 5= Russell High School, 5= Alexandra High School, 7 Maritzburg Christian School

Pietermaritzburg Northern Regional
1 St Anne’s College, 2 The Wykeham Collegiate, 3 Treverton, 4= Voortrekker High School, 4= Howick High School, 6 Grace College

Photo by Rogan Ward above:
Wet wet wet! In very wet conditions, Howick High’s defender Caitlin Vermeulen bravely attempts to block The Wykeham Collegiate Captain and midfielder, Jade Brandis as she fires in a shot during their round-robin game at the Pietermaritzburg Northern Regional of the ninth SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge that took place at TWC yesterday (3 March). St Anne’s won this regional 4-0 against TWC.

News supplied.

Madison Da Costa spent her Christmas and Birthday money on food, blankets, bowls, collars and leads for the SPCA animals. The uMngeni SPCA is so grateful for your generosity Madison.

Supplied.

Vuyo Lakani has been attending Funda Nenja since he was 11 years old and worked his way up to the senior class and the Demo Team.

At 18, he is now an instructor for the advanced class. He says that he loves being an instructor and that the best part of it is “translating the language between dog and child” and "helping the children to understand the dog and how to respect, be kind and a good friend to your dog”. He says that his attitude towards dogs and animals has definitely changed since attending Funda Nenja and that he has learnt to be “disciplined and respectful to animals and people”.

Vuyo has had two dogs, Best and Scorpion, but as much as he would love to have another dog, he currently doesn’t have one because “my parents don’t have a fence on their property and I need to get a proper fence built before I can get a dog”. He says that the most important thing that he has learnt over the years at Funda Nenja is “how to properly take care of your animals” and that “a dog is your friend”.

Thank you Vuyo for your valuable contribution to the dog school program, and for sharing your knowledge with your learners.

News supplied by Funda Nenja.

Howick High School’s Eco-Club have been registered members of the WESSA Eco-Schools Program since 2014 where they have undertaken challenges and projects across numerous environmental themes, like Recycling, Water Issues, Biodiversity, Community work and the like. For their work in 2016 they were awarded their Silver Eco-Schools award; in 2017 they achieved the prestigious Mini Green Flag award and, for their work in 2018, they have been awarded their Gold Award.

In 2019 by sustaining the projects they have worked on before, and adding new themes to their portfolio, they are working towards the esteemed International Green Flag Award, making Howick High known as an Eco-school.

We congratulate Mrs Kate Keough and the club on their efforts and wish them well in their endeavours. Pictured below.

News supplied by Howick High School.

Xylitol is a sugar-free substance used as a sugar substitute and can be found in many diabetic foods and other diet foods, such as sugar-free snacks, baked goods, candies and sugar-free mints. While it’s completely safe for humans, it results in a severe insulin release when ingested by dogs. Acute poisoning will occur in dogs, resulting in two main syndromes: hypoglycemia (a life-threateningly low blood sugar) and acute hepatic necrosis (severe liver failure). Symptoms of xylitol poisoning in dogs include the following:
Weakness or lethargy
Depression
Walking drunk
Acute collapse
Vomiting
Trembling or tremoring
Seizures
A racing heart rate
Jaundiced gums
Black-tarry stool
Diarrhea
Bruising
Abnormal mentation
Clotting problems
Death
If you suspect that your dog may have ingested something which contains Xylitol, or if he displays any of the above symptoms, please seek immediate help from your veterinarian. For more information on this issue, please read the full article on www.pethealthnetwork.com.

News supplied by uMngeni SPCA.

Keeping a hotel running whilst major construction is taking place is no mean feat - but the Granny Mouse team pulled it off and the results are simply breathtaking!

After many months of noise, dust and concrete and even some delays, general manager, Sean Granger, is simply thrilled with how the renovations have turned out. What was a long time plan has now become a reality, ensuring that the property remains aligned with both local and international design trends.

The refurbishment included gutting the entire Bistro dining area and Mouse & Lion Bar to create a fresh new look for both areas. The end result is a more modern, and light space with a more inviting ambience. The addition of a glass conservatory with foldaway glass doors allows for greater seating and enhances the exquisite views of the rolling-green Midlands hills.

A new deck was also added to the front of the dining and bar area, wrapping around to join the Caversham Room. The hotel’s main pool deck was upgraded to ensure a consistent flow from one area to the next.
According to Granger: “The final product is simply spectacular and has blown us and our guests away. The changes have completely transformed the hotel and created endless options for events, whether intimate or on a large-scale.”
As with any large scale refurbishments, some areas are still awaiting those small final touches. But they will be added shortly and we look forward to welcoming you back so that you can enjoy our new look as well.

News supplied.

Howick High was delighted to welcome the following new staff members in 2019:

Mr R Zondi (Life Orientation Intern), Ms M Roseveare (Creative Arts), Ms G Marques (English), Ms K Miller (English), Ms S Lyle (Natural Science Intern), Mr M Bryant (Geography and History Intern).

News supplied by Howick High School.

The majority of crime is still opportunistic, as people are careless about leaving items visible from the road, garage doors open and out-buildings unprotected.

There have however been incidents of forced break-ins through front doors.

Please increase your awareness to what is going on around you, not only at home, but also when you are out and about. Handbag / wallet theft in the CDB area has also increased, with remote jamming still an on-going problem.

Garden sheds, unprotected out-buildings, copper pipes as well as electronic items are the main targets.

Many clients call in the next day to report crimes, as they have gone unnoticed due to the lack of external or alarm protection measures.

Should you need any advice regarding external beams or alarm installations / additions, please contact Keshen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 0833935265.

News supplied by Knight Security Solutions.

Harvard Electrical Wholesalers would love to see YOU inside their showroom.  Pay them a visit!

The Barn Owl is open on the Currys Post Road; the space it has created is also open, airy and welcoming. Modern simplicity merges with a farm feel. Ryan has a lot of space to fill and already has a small wedding booked for 30 March 2019!

We enjoyed hot chocolate, a cappuccino, carrot cake and a decidedly decadent chocolate fudge square. Zanele gave us her full attention, thank you Zanele! We look forward to many returns to this roomy venue to see as its untold possibilities are revealed.

We caught up with the owner Ryan and asked him some questions;

How long have you been in the coffee/food business? 'This is my second coffee business, the first was a hobby, in total around 3 years.'

Where does your passion lie food or coffee? 'Actually the people, I love how food and coffee connect people.'

Why Currys Post? 'The views! It is magical out here.'

How has the KZN Midlands received your new venue so far? 'It’s been phenomenal, I’m so grateful!'

What do you love/hate about the KZN Midlands so far? 'I love the availability of great ingredients and the willingness of farmers to share them. Nothing I hate about it right now.'

What can we expect to enjoy on the share platters coming up on Friday? 'I love the sound of sharing, people chat while they eat, its loud and fun so I want the food to support that by being interesting and worth talking about.'

Ryan Solomon, you have opened the doors on something fresh and exciting by bringing The Barn Owl Coffee to the KZN Midlands, we wish you every success!

Pictured below: Zanele Zuma

Howick Covered and Hilton Covered are well-loved annual business directories focused on Howick and surrounds and on Hilton, respectively. After producing 11 successful editions together, Desirée Hickinbotham is sad to say farewell to Doreen Philip, the Philip family emigrate to Greystones, Ireland in April 2019.

The exciting news is that design will be out-sourced to local graphic designer, Kerry Pentz and advertisers can rest assured that the directories will be produced according to the original high-quality standards achieved from inception. Many will know Kerry from her business, Penzil Advertising.

Doreen and Kerry have both had more than 30 years of experience in design and Kerry has an existing relationship with our printers, who have given their unreserved approval of this handover of design attention. Welcome to Kerry!

We look forward to creating many more beautiful editions of both Hilton Covered and Howick Covered together and look forward to the synergies that result from this collaboration. 

Book online today!

Pictured L-R: Doreen Philip, Desirée Hickinbotham and Kerry Pentz

Learning how to balance during break time . At Angel's Care, we love that we have amazing toys to share with our children during break, they especially love anything with wheels .

We are always looking for more if anyone can help?

Angels' Care was established to address the needs of desperately poor children from the local informal settlements in the Umngeni Municipal area.

News supplied by Angel's Care.

FreeMe needs your support. As a Custodian you will receive;
Invites to all FreeMe KZN events,
Invites to Custodian Insights,
Discounts on selected courses and merchandise,
Junior Custodians receive discounts,
Holiday Club activities,
The monthly newsletter,
A certificate of appreciation.

Sign up by filling in this form;

FreeMe Custodian Form

For more information call Harvard Electrical or visit the store at 22 Harvard Street .

To miss the busy taxi rank, drive through Bell street, pass the Shoprite building on the left, turn left and left again and we are on the left.

February is the month of love and, right in the middle, is Valentine’s Day – one of the largest card and flower sending celebrations of the year around the globe!

Like so many of our favourite love stories, the history of Valentine’s Day is bitter sweet.

It dates back to the third century when the Roman Emperor of the time outlawed marriage for his soldiers. A young priest named Valentine didn’t share his opinion and continued to marry young lovers in secret. He was eventually jailed for conducting these nuptials and, ironically, during his time behind bars, fell in love with his jailer’s daughter who visited him in prison. Before he was put to death on February 14, 270 AD, Valentine sent a letter to this special young lady, signing it with what has now become the traditional “From Your Valentine”.

Co-incidentally, in ancient cultures, February has always been a time for fertility festivals, making flowers the perfect choice as a gift. This also dates back to the old fashioned custom of sending floral bouquets to pass on non-verbal messages. In the old days, each flower had a specific meaning in much the same way as our Zulu beadwork originated to convey specific love messages.
Through the centuries, however, red roses, have become the ‘official’ Valentine’s Day flower.

But why not try something completely different this year? Sean Granger, general manager at Granny Mouse Country House & Spa, suggests: “With South Africa having so many beautiful, indigenous flowers to choose from, it seems like the perfect direction to go when choosing your Valentine’s Day bunch or bouquet.”

That also sends the message that we love our beautiful countryside and, in particular, the lovely surrounds of Granny Mouse.

Granger not only includes stunning indigenous blooms in his arrangements but says they always include plenty of greenery, “We’re a very lucky province to have a constant supply of shrubbery and fresh greenery to always add into flower arrangements. This does such a great job of ‘bulking up’ an arrangement and offsetting and highlighting the beautiful flowers that make up each bunch”.

For a special Valentine’s touch, add just a single red rose to a lovely indigenous bouquet.

For any more tips on arrangements, give Granny Mouse a call on 033 234 4071.

Always try to check that the front and rear number plates are the same. The number plate must also correspond with the number plate number on the licence disc of the front windscreen. However, this can be difficult, risky and dangerous to verify.

A vehicle with different number plates, only one plate or no plate can be considered to be suspicious. A vehicle with no licence disc should also be treated as suspicious. (Adapted from Love Howick Operations: Rob Askew). Please report suspicious vehicles or vehicles involved in criminal activities to the KSS Control Room on 033 3305911.

For more information on vehicle number plates in South Africa check out https://mybroadband.co.za/news/motoring/176749-number-plates-in-south-africa-what-you-can-and-cant-do.html

News supplied by Knight Security Solutions.

Happiness is, being Back at School for Boitumelo, and now little brother is also coming to school.

Boitumelo was severely burnt when she fell backwards into a bath of boiling water at her home in Mphopomeni on 27th June 2018. Boitumelo was rushed to Hilton Life Emergency and went on to spend most of the next 6 months in hospital, which was a very long time for a 5-year-old. Boitumelo came to school now and then for the last few weeks of the 2018 school year.

During her recovery time, she went through excruciating pain, having to endure so many skin grafts and many painful bandage changes. She still has bandages on now, more than 6 months after the accident occurred. There is still more healing needed before she is free of bandaging.

It has been a miracle that she survived this ordeal and we are delighted to have her back with her friends at Heritage House Preschool. Together with the family, we would like to thank everyone who helped with meals, transport, visits to Tumi and much needed financial support. A number of Medical Therapists kindly volunteered their services at no charge, a special thanks to you for this incredible care. Backabuddy’s online fundraising platform was a great help with donations received from far and wide.

All in all and on behalf of the very grateful family, we wish to say “you will never know how much your support kept this little girl and her family going, through their darkest days.” May God Bless you.

Pictured above: Boitumelo and her brother.

News supplied by Heritage House PreSchool.