Eikestadnuus - E-Edition - 16 April 2026

‘Steeds agterstallig’

YaëlMalgas

Lede van die organisasie Landlords of Stellenbosch –Accredited Providers of Student Accommodation, sê ten spyte van wat die Universiteit Stellenbosch (US) beweer, is die meeste van hulle steeds sonder huurgeld virFebruarie en Maart.

Lede vanLandlordsofStellenbosch– Accredited Providers of Student Accommodation-groep,het verlede week ’n tweede

versoekskrif aandie US gerig. Die groepkla oor huurgeld wat nognie betaal is nie

Die groepkla hulle het met die aanbreek van die akademiesejaar US-studente gehuisves, maar teen Vrydag 10April het heelwat verhuurders slegs betaling vireen maand ontvang terwyl ander sê hulle het nog geenhuurgeld ontvang nie.

Foto:Landlords Idas Valley andCloetesville/Facebook

geregistreer is nie

Die US het die betrokke studente versoek om dit onmiddellik reg te stel.

Lede het in ’n poging om antwoorde te kry, Donderdag 2April ’n versoekskrif aandie universiteit gerig (“Student-huur laat betaal”, Eikestadnuus, 9April). Verhuurders sê studente is weens die gebrek aan betaling nie in staat om hul finansiële verpligtingenatekom nie.

Die groep huisves jaarliks sowat 5000 studente in ondermeer IdasvalleienCloetesville.

Volgensdie US is die vertraging in betalings weens verskeie redes. Deelhiervan is dat betalings deur die nasionale finansiële hulpskemavir studente(NSFAS) nie geskied nie, aangesien registrasieasUS-diensverskaffers en NSFAS-studente en hul huisvestingsreëlingsnog niekorrek

Verhuurders soosJoy van Eden het egterbevestig sy is slegs vir Februarie betaal.

FabianDaniels, watjaarliksses studenteinJamestown huisves, hetgesê slegstweevan sy studente se huurgeld is op datum. “Ek het [Vrydagoggend] flou geval as gevolg van al die spanning,”sê hy.

Daniels verduidelik verhuurders is kwesbaar wanneer studentebesluit omhul huurooreenkomsteteverbreek.

“Verlede jaar toe drosdrie studente en ek was vir ses maande sonder daardie inkomste. Die US betaal die studente direk, so hulle ‘hardloop weg’met onsgeld, al het ons’n10-maande-huurooreenkoms.Dit help nie dat onshulle hoftoe sleepnie, want hulle het nie die geld nie endie universiteit

trek net sy skouers op. Vanons word verwag om geen deposito te vra nie en onsmoetkrag,water, WiFi en ’n bed met lessenaar en kombuistoebehore bied. Ons mag geen dienste weerhou nie.”

Die US het vandeesweek gesê hy is jammervir die vertraging in betalings asook die frustrasie van die verhuurders.

In terugvoer aan die verhuurders het prof. Nicola Smit, die US se waarnemende bedryfshoof, verduidelik buiten ’n paar betalings vir April is die meeste verwerk, met 80% van die betalings wat geprosseer was.

“Gevalle wat uitstaande is, is waar sommige verhuurders nog nie op die betalingstelsel Intellimali geregistreer is nie, terwyl andergevalle reggestel moet word weens duplikasie van interne verwysingsnommers wat in die US-administrasiestelsel, SUNStudent, geskep is. Daarbenewens wag sekere verhuurders steeds op geld van studente wat kontantbetalings direk ontvang,” sê Smit. Hoeweldie universiteit streef om jaarlikshuurgeld vir Februarie en Maart in Februarie te betaal, is dit nie altyd haalbaar nie

Die universiteit het voorheen NSFAS-betaling aan verhuurders voorgeskiet terwyl op die hulpskema se betalings gewag is.

Die US het hom tot “konstruktiewe gesprekvoering” metsy verhuurders verbind.

Burn permits needed

ChantélleHartebeest

Residents and landowners in the Cape Winelandsare reminded that burnpermitsremain alegal requirement forcontrolled fires, as authorities continue to stress the dangers associated withopen flames in fire-prone areas.

Cape WinelandsDistrict Municipality (CWDM) spokesperson Jo-Anne Otto explained that a burn permit is aregulated process aimed at reducing fire risks while allowing certain necessary activities to continue.

“A burn permit is writtenpermission granted to alandowner, after inspection by afire officer, to burn certain kinds of material for agricultural,environmental, or preventative purposes.”

She notedthat whileburning fields was once common practice among farmers, legislation introduced in 1998 changed how such activities are managed. The National Veldand Forest Fire Act nowregulates controlled burns throughthe Fire Danger Index, limiting when and how fires may be started. Different types of permitsare issued depending on the purpose of theburn.

These include general permits for plant material such as trees andvineyard cuttings; stubble field permits specifically for wheat fields; biodiversityburns conducted under strict conditions for sensitive vegetation; and specialpermitsfor unique circumstances.

Thepublic does not apply directly through themunicipality at present, but through theFire

ProtectionAssociation (FPA).

“The FPA renders an administrative service on behalf of the CWDM,”Otto said

She further explained that once an application is submitted, a CWDM fire officer conductsan inspection before adecision is made. Depending on theoutcome, permission is either granted or declined.

From1 Julythis year, this process will become more streamlined, withlandowners able to apply directly viathe district municipality’s website.

Otto further cautioned residents about thelegal and environmentalrisks associated withfires.

“There is no such thing as a ‘safe fire’,” she pointed out

She added that burning waste remained illegal under air quality and environmental legislation, and urged thepublic to avoid making fires in undesignated areas or during windyconditions.

Otto also addressed acommon misconception about fires and natural ecosystems, explaining that although certain plantssuch as proteas relied on fire to release seeds, toofrequent fires can be damaging.

She emphasised that fire-adapted vegetation requirs long intervals between burns to regenerate properly, and repeated fires can prevent young plantsfrom reproducing, ultimately threatening the biodiversity.

Residents are urged to follow regulations and exercise extreme caution, as changing weather conditions increase therisk of veld fires across theregion.

Fake EMS training video doing the rounds

TheWestern Cape Departmentof Health andWellness hasissueda warning about a fake recruitment video circulating on social media thatfalsely invites people to apply for EmergencyMedicalServices (EMS) training

Thedepartment says the video, whichappearsto be created using artificial-intelligence technology, is not legitimate andisdesignedtomislead job seekers

Officials emphasise the department will never askfor paymentwhenpeople apply for jobs or trainingopportunities All official recruitment processesare conductedthrough verified platforms only.

Jobseekers whowanttoapply for genuinevacancies should usethe department’sofficialrecruitmentportal at https://www.scubedonline.co.za/recruitment_wcdh/vacancy-posting.aspx?login=true

Thedepartmentadvises the publicto take several precautionstoavoid falling victimtorecruitment scams:

• do notsharepersonalinformation on unofficial websites;

• do notpay anyfeesfor jobapplications; and

• reportsuspicious contenttoauthorities.

Thedepartmentisencouraging people to sharethiswarning message to help prevent othersfrom beingmisledbythe fake recruitment video.

Anyonewho encounters suspicious recruitment content should verify its authenticity through official channels before providingpersonaldetails or making anypayments,the department implores

Tourism is contested

YaëlMalgas

The tourism sector is amajor part of Stellenbosch’s localeconomyand, in an effort to promote the area, the local municipality has decided to outsource tourism functions to athird party.

As part of arecent decision by the town council, the municipality will seek aserviceprovider to deliver tourism functions on its behalf for three years. This comes after afeasibility study was undertaken to explore the possibility of moving tasks like marketing, event coordination and sector development in-house.

However,the studyfoundthat although moving the services internallytothe municipality has long-term advantages, onthe short to medium termitisbest to retainthe services of service providers.According to findings of the study, the municipalitydid not have “sufficientinstitutional and operationalreadinessto assume full-responsibility function without incurring material potential long-term risk”.

Research done on behalf of the Stellenbosch Publicity and Marketing Fund found that the greater Stellenboschareaattracted 40% of all international visitors to the Western Cape, with tourism supporting more than 48 000 jobs and contributing R13,1billion to thelocal economy in 2024.

Food and wine remains the biggest attractions drawing visitors to the region.

According to Councillor Tamryn Kumm, who tabled the

item during the March council meeting, along withthe additional operational andstaffingcosts needed for themunicipality to take over the service, it would also takethe municipality years foraninternal-delivery arrangement to function at the same level of expertise as the current service provider does. “Unfortunately tourism is acritical functionand, to ensure astrongeconomy and interest in our town andsurrounding areas, we cannotafford the absence of tourism while the municipalityattempts to establish adepartment,” shesaid.

ANCcouncillorJacobus Davids said although heagreed with the decision to outsourceservices inthe short term, he urged the municipalitytoplayits oversight role. “Our concern is that all the funds will gotoprivate entities that we trust tourism with and theoversight of those funds is our concern.”

ANC councillorNombulelo Ntsunguzi took afirmer stance and said the municipality’s approach to tourism is worrisome. Although “tourism is thriving in Stellenbosch, whoisitthriving for?” she asked.

It’s the culture and labour of communities like Khayamandi, Langrug (Franschhoek), Klapmuts andCloetesville thatkeeps the sectorafloat, she said, but these are the samecommunities that see theleast financial gain from thesector. “Wereject asystem where elite tourism players dominate the sector while townships struggle to survive.”

ArticleonDApulled

YaëlMalgas

The DemocraticAlliance (DA) has hitback at an online publication, whichclaimed therewas widespread corruption in the Stellenbosch Municipality.

Thearticle, “Stellenbosch captured, facing serious financial risk”, published by The Cape Independent on Friday 27 March, alleged former mayor Gesie van Deventer andahandful of political andadministrative personnel had“captured” the municipality, implying that corruptionwas at the orderofthe day at the institution.

2006, while Buys matriculated in 1992 in Windhoek, Namibia.

On Monday (13 April) thepartyconfirmed The Cape Independent had retracted thearticleand offered apublic apology to those named.

Along with various claimsof corruption, the platform made derogatory comments about key figures at the municipality, including current mayor Jeremy Fasser.

After the article’spublication, Stellenbosch was abuzz over the allegations, especially as municipal elections are set for later this year or early 2027.

In reaction, the DA said in a statement on Tuesday31Marchit hadinitiated legal action against the online publication. The party, which governs Stellenbosch, said the article “fabricates an elaborate conspiracy theory against the DA in the Stellenbosch Municipality”. It said no opportunity to

comment was offered to its office bearers mentioned,including then federal council chair Helen Zille, minister of Home Affairs Dr Leon Schreiber, Western Cape minister for Local Government AntonBredell, theformer and current mayors of Stellenbosch as well as local councillors.

Thearticle implied various DA members “pulled strings”, with big hitters such as Schreiber, DA constituency head for Stellenbosch, named.According to the DA among theinaccuracies claimed were tiesbetween thenationalminister and DA councillor Rudi Buys.

In its statement,the party explainedBuys was not,as suggested, “a close friend of Leon Schreiber” from his high school days, as Schreiber had matriculated from Paul Roos Gymnasium in

“While theDAwillalways defend and protect free speech, including criticism of our party, we will also take action against misinformation and disinformation. Outfits that are members of thePress Council have issued many retractions and apologies over theyears for failing to adhere to thepress code and, similarly, we willconsistently tackle online disinformation withthe same vigour to protect thegood name and reputation of our party.”

On its platform, thepublication claimed boththe articleand a preceding podcastepisode, which went live theevening before the publication of thearticle, contained “numerous factual inaccuracies”.

This prompted TheCape Independent,headed by Robert Duigan, to retract thepodcast episode and article from its website.

“We apologise forany offence caused and any unfair reputational damage any of theacontent may have caused, and retract all statements and characterisations,” it said on Friday10April.

Filmdebuutvir oud-Matie

YaëlMalgas

Ná verskeie kortfilms maak Christian Schoeman (26)syrolprentdebuut met ’n persoonlike verhaal vanverskeie uitbeeldingsuit sy lewe wat in Kyk My in My Oë te sien is.

Schoeman is ’n alumnus vandie Universiteit Stellenbosch (US) se dramadepartement en vir sy debuutrolprent het hy inspirasie uit sy eie ondervindings geneem.

“Hierdie is die langste projek wat ek nog onderneem het en dit voel soos golwe. Jy het die idee vir’nfilm en dan beginjyskiet, maardan is dievolgende stap om iets daarmee te doen. Toe ek die loket-plakkaatvir die film opgestel het, het die werklikheid van dieprojek weer getref,” vertel hy Hoewel Schoeman ookop die planke en voordie kamera was, het sy tyd by dieUS hom geleer om sy vaardighede te diversifiseer. “Indien jy kyknadie loopbaan van meer gevestigdeakteurs kanjyagterkom jy moet’nander vaardigheid aanpak. Kyk net na Albert Maritz wat deel was van Kyk My in My Oë,hyhet baievariasie in die soort werkwat hy aanpak. Hy doen advertensies, radiodrama, hy werkvoor die kamera, maarhyisook ’n regisseur in diebaie teaterwerk wat hy doen. “Die ding is, yy moet diewerk vatwat die bedryf bied.”

UITEIESAKBETAAL

Dit is dus geen verrassingdat Schoeman se vorige projekteonder meer ’n web-reeks, teater en film, ingesluit het nie.

Hy was onder meer Henry in Die Aunt Sylvie Show,die stem vanSuid-Afrika in Trolls 2 en in die web-reeks Kamermaats

UniversiteitStellenboschalumnus

waar hy dierol van Ivan vertolk het.

Virsyfilmwas Schoeman deel van die vervaardigingsproses vanbegin tot einde en het dieprojek uit sy eie sakbetaal.

Hoewel dit beteken het diebegroting was nie groot nie, meen hy diekreatiwievryheid watdit homgegee het was beslis’npluspunt. “Ekhet nog altyd die begeerte gehad om stories te vertel en ek wounog altyd films gemaak het. Jy kan vir so lank ’n plan hê en dithalfromantiseertot waarjynooitdaarby uitkom nie.

“Ek dink dis waar ek vir’nlang tyd was –deelgeneem in dietoneelstukke by dieskool en ek het klomp idees gehad, maar ek het nooitdie kameraopgetel om dittedoen nie. Op hoërskool was daar ’n handjievol projekte.”

Schoeman sê vir hom, soos virbaie ander wat deur dieCovid-pandemiegeleef het, was ditgrendeltydtoe hy besluit het om skouer aan die wiel te sit en sy eie geleenthede te skep.

“Daar wasverskeie projekte wat gewag het, maar met die grendeltyd het dit alles verdwyn. Daar was so ’n gevoel vanmagteloosheid. En as iemand wat ’n loopbaan in ’n kreatiewe veld soek,hoor jy gereeld‘o, dis net ’n fase, jy sal dit ontgroei’. Ek het nooitdaarmee saamgestem nie en geglodit saluitwerk.”

Toe die pandemie egter tref, het Schoeman gedink al diewaarskuwings was dalk reg,maar tog het dithom ook aangespoor

EERLIKESTORIE

Kyk My in My Oë is ’n drama oor ’n jong outistiese man wat na Kaapstad reis om weer kontak te maak met sy vervreemde pa.Andrew is ’n saggeaarde man op die outismespektrum, wat tydelik by sy neef Riaan moet intrek. Riaan het sy eie werk- en liefdesuitdagings, en sukkel om met Andrew ’n sinvolle band te vorm. Togprobeer albei, op hul eie manier, om mekaar te verstaan.

Wanneer Andrew onverwags iemand uit sy verlede raakloop, word hy gekonfronteer met seer wat hy nog nie heeltemal verwerk het nie.

Oor Andrew as neurodiverse karakter verduidelik Schoeman hy wou “net ’n eerlike storie vertel –een wat mense wys watdikwels oor diehoof gesien word”. Die rolprent speel onder meer af in Stellenbosch, sy ou tuisdorp, sowel as sy nuwe blyplek –Melkbosstrand.

Die rolverdeling sluit in Maritz, Adri Vivier, Rikus Terblanche, Anya Human, en Schoeman in ’n ondersteunende rol.

Stellenbossers sal op Woensdag 20 Mei die geleentheidhêomdie ou-Matie se film te sien wanneer ditbydie Road House Cinemaindie Neelsie vertoon sal word. Daar sal ook ’n vraag-en-antwoord-sessie met Schoeman wees

Skink in Mei diéwyntjie

“Ons glo mense sal in die toekoms minder drink,maar beter drink. Sauvignon blanc –gemaak met spontane fermentasie, houtveroudering en alternatiewe style –isdus uitstekend geposisioneer.”

Dit is die woorde van Neil Ellisvan Neil Ellis Wines in Helshoogte. Volgens wynkenners is die Suid-Afrikaanse sauvignon blanc een vandie land se mees karaktervolle kultivars. Dit is bekend vir sy veelsydigheid en die manier waarop dit plek,stylendie wynmaker se hand weerspieël –van vars, kusgedrewe style tot komplekse wyne met uitstekende verouderingspotensiaal.

Op internasionale Sauvignon Blancdag wat Vrydag 1Mei gevier word, word die karaktereienskappe van diewyn ten volle geniet en vanjaar val ditsaam met Werkersdag.

Daar is ook verskillende aktiwiteite oor die Wes-Kaap heen wat die wonderlikekultivar vier en met vanjaar se tema, “Tuis”, kan jy met ’n koue glas sauvignon blanc na verskillendeaktiwiteite uitsien –van deel wees vandie geskiedenis van sauvignon blanc by die Nasdak-venue totverskillendeproegeleenthede.

Vir diegene wat dieper wil delf,is daar TheStory of South African Sauvignon Blanc,’nkoffietafelboek oor die mense, plekke en filosofieë agter die kultivar. Die boek vertel die stories van 60 produsentevolgens streeksoorsigte, wat dit terselfdertyd ’n versamelstuk en ’n praktiese gids maak. Dit is beskikbaar by www.sauvignonblanc.com en verkose wynplase.

 Besoekwww.sauvignonblanc.comvir nog inligting.

Artwith abotanical twist

TheStellenbosch University Botanical Garden (SUBG) will officiallylaunch its first permanentart collection, the James &Shirley Sherwood Botanical ArtCollection, in May.

Housed in the historically-significant SUBG office building, it showcases the artworksofmany top South African botanical artists.

It captures the beauty and diversityof South Africa’s flora, while drawing atten-

tion to plants that are increasinglyatrisk. Through its combination of art,science andconservation the project aims to deepen theconnection to the Cape’s exceptional plant heritage, strengthen localbotanical art capacity andinspire greater awareness of theurgent need for plant conservation. Botanical art at the SUBG wasinitiated by specialist botanical art curatorKaren Stewart and the late Dr Donovan Kirkwood, former curatorofSUBG,in2023. The pairrecognised the value of botanicalart

to communicate the often-fleeting beauty of plants, to inspire people to connect with nature and, in doing so, raise awareness of the conservationneeds of many plants.

Since then SUBG has hosted theannual BotanicalArt andPhotography exhibition, laying the groundwork for theestablishment of this permanent collection.

Thecollectionwill includepaintings by some of SA’s top andearly-career botanicalartists, each work tied to thegarden’s conservationcollections.

Thegardenishome to more than 200 collections of plant species at risk of extinc-

Africa’sonly institutional home for botanical art.The collection willbepermanently housed and professionally curated, creating aprestigious project documenting Cape and South African flora.

 Patronsandcorporatepartnerscanjointhis initiativebycontactingAnnerieSenekal (amsenekal@sun.ac.za)forfundingdetailsand Stewart(studio@karen-stewart.co.za)forartist applications.

|Towncalendar

SATURDAY18APRIL

Ida’sValley:SPEELKRINGPRE-PRIMARYholdsa colourrunattheschoolinDahliaStreetfrom09:00to 13:00.TicketscostR50;childrenenterfreeofcharge Ticketcollectionisat08:30.Bringthefamily,picnic basketandcampingchairsforamorningoffun. Stellenbosch:TheTOKARARAREPLANTFAIR& AUTUMNOPENGARDENwillbeheldfrom08:00 to16:00.Explorethefarm’sgardenswithsecluded cornersandsculptures,andbuyavarietyofplants fromspecialistgrowers.Guidedtoursareavailable. Refreshmentswillbeonsale.AdmissioncostsR60; childrenunder10enterfreeofcharge.Allproceedsgo totheCamphillFarmCommunityinHermanus. Stellenbosch:DieskrywerAntonRoodtstelsy tweederoman,AandieHemeltrans,bydieDROSTDYTEATERbekend.Dieboekvolgkortopdiehakkevan RoodtsebekroondeWeerloseMeganikaenworddeur Tafelberguitgegee.Roodtsalbydiegeleentheidin gesprekmetIngridWinterbachwees.Diebekendstellingbeginom11:00vir11:30.Kaartjies,teenR60 elk,isaanlyndeurWebticketstekoop Stellenbosch:JonathanAmidisom10:30in gesprekmetdieskrywerRénaRauchtydensdie bekendstellingvanhaarnuweboek,Beauty.DiegeleentheidwordbydieprivatekeldervandieBARTINNEY-WYNPLAASaangebiedendieboekworddeur Nalediuitgegee.Gastewordgenooiomdeeltewees vandieoggendvangesprek,ontdekkingenstorie Verversingssalvoorsienword.Bespreekjouplekper e-posbyrenarauch@gmail.comof0713105707

TUESDAY5MAY

Stellenbosch:AfricanDrummingTuesdays,a programmeoftheSTELLENBOSCHUNIVERSITY MUSEUM,willbeheldfrom13:00to14:00.Itaims toenhancewellnessandwell-beingoncampus, withsessionsfreeandopentoall.ContactRickyon 021 8083660orrickyb@sun.ac.zatobook.

THURSDAY7MAY

Stellenbosch:TheStellenboschUniversityDrama DepartmentpresentsTom,DickandHarrybyRayand MichaelCooneyattheADAMSMALLAUDITORIUM. Intheold-schoolfarce,TomandLindaareinthefinal stagesofadoptingababy, waitingfortheagency toconductthefinalinterviewandinspection.But Tom’sbrotherspitchtosupporttheirbrotherwith boxesfilledwithcontraband,illegalimmigrantsand shoppingbagswithsuspiciouscontent.Tomtriesto salvagethesituation,butthegrowingliesandchangingexplanationsmaycostTomandLindathebaby ThecastisdirectedbyPetrusduPreez.Theshowruns fromThursday7toSaturday9May,andThursday14 toSaturday16Mayat19:00,withamatineeat14:00 on16May.TicketscostR110throughQuicket

SATERDAG9MEI

Pniël:Dienasionalekrisanteskouwordvan09:00 tot15:00deurdiePniël-Tuinbou-ennywerheidsverenigingendiePniël-Erfenis-enkultuurtrustby diePNIËLCONGREGATIONAL-kerksaalaangebied. ToegangbeloopR50.Skakel0834852888

Stuurallekalender-inskrywingspere-posna eikestadnuus@novusmedia.co.za.

ThCa alive erment Women’s City of has Month trepiece that the han in cia th Cape