When is a blockade not a blockade? A blockade lasts only until somebody breaks it down. That’s what happened to the three huge boulders placed earlier this month in the middle of Tokai’s Keyser River path to stop vehicles driving along the narrow strip of tar.
Initially the centre boulder was shoved three or four metres down the slope by some powerful vehicle opening a gap in the blockade. A couple of days later an even more powerful vehicle pushed the rock up the slope clear of the two rocks and into the grass.
Who moved the boulder? That’s the question. The council? So its mowers can get through to cut the tall, dry grass and weeds. Water affairs? There is a river which sometimes floods the path. Maybe it’s the police to find stolen loot hidden in the reeds. And one local bloke is convinced it’s the work of thieves thwarted that they could no longer use the deserted space at night for their getaway cars.
The point is the path is again completely accessible to four-wheeled vehicles as well as for bikers to come screaming down the hill, frequently without a bell. What’s happened to that agreement that cyclists must have a bell or timeously warn pedestrians in any green belts which they share with walkers and runners?
People should not underestimate the injuries that can result in a collision should the weight of the bike and cyclist fall on top of a pedestrian. I know a chef whose career was wrecked when both her arm and nose were broken in such an accident. Her arm healed but as a result of permanent damage to her nasal passages, she never regained either her sense of taste or smell.
Thumbs up for river clean-up
I had a wonderful surprise this week when I parked my car at Vincent Pallotti Hospital in what was surely the last available space facing Devil’s Peak. Suddenly I saw a flash of pink and white which I realised was a flight of 20 or 30 flamingos above the Black River.
Earlier in the week I’d seen the same birds huddled together in the water near the Rondebosch Golf Course when driving along the Black River Parkway on our return from Langebaan. These days flamingos stay all the year round on the Langebaan lagoon and to see them flying is always a thrill. But it was extra special to experience this sight from a carpark which seemed miles away from the Black River but was of course, as a crow or flamingo flies, a short distance from their suburban habitat.
Hats off to the City of Cape Town for cleaning this once filthy river as no self-respecting flam-
ingo would settle there had the quality of the water not been improved.
Tokai library closed for repair
If your books are out on a five-week loan you may not be aware that Tokai library is closed until further notice. This is due to the struct- ural damage to the roof, walls and fence after a huge pine in the grounds fell on the building on October 8. Fortunately it happened before any of the staff had started work.
Driving along Tokai Road you don’t really notice the damage because a green tarpaulin has been placed over the green roof. So I went to have a closer look and was shocked at the girth of the stump which shows signs of rot. Two nearby trees have also been felled. One still standing near the library fortunately leans away from the building but will probably be cut down just in case.
The cars of the librarians were in their usual parking places so I guess the staff was doing all the kind of things librarians don’t usually have time to do because they are helping the public with their books.
Pot luck
The cost of food can often be a surprise. One small yellow grapefruit had a R10 tag on it yet a packet of 17 medium-sized tomatoes was just under R13. And then there was the major delight at finding that a plump roasting chicken was marked R5.74.
We discovered this at Langebaan. As the chicken was about to cooked for supper there was no way we were going to bring it, or the price tag, back to the supermarket for correct pricing. We regarded it as a lucky break and compensation for all the times that unknowingly we have been charged too much for something.
I must add it tasted exceptionally good.
In slow mo…
In case you missed Gregor Calderwood’s email last week, by popular demand he has started a weekly 5km slow run for residents to get a bit of exercise and simultaneously do a watch patrol. This is open to all (moms, fast dad, slow dad,
kids etc.) and will be administered in conjunction with the Tokai Neighbourhood Crime Watch (TNCW).
It starts on a Wednesday at 6pm from the Brocker Road Park. If interested call Gregor at 078 337 6991.
Last week I joined the first group of 19 which divided into runners and walkers each with a leader and a map. It was fun.
Petition to save fynbos
Were you also surprised to read that The Friends of Tokai Park (FOTP) had gathered a petition of over 2 500 signatures supporting fynbos restoration? Some of the signatories came from as far as Hawaii and Europe.
What do those people know/ understand about the issues in Tokai?
Wag the dog
The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue – Anonymous.
fionachisholm@iafrica.com
