Page 13 - 13 June 2025

THE REPORTER 13 JUNE 2025 · PAGE 13

dads aren't just tough – “help” by peering from the
t h e y ' r e b a s i c a l l y kitchen window with hot
indestructible. chocolate in hand, while
mum says, “Just let him be –
Presents? Try Practicality
Wrapped in Dust he's in his element.”
Somewhere near Rossouw, a
Gift-giving in these parts is a
little different. No one's group of brave souls once
getting a scented candle or attempted a Father's Day
novelty mug. The lucky dad potjie in minus-five. It's still
might unwrap a new pair of there, frozen solid on a three-
wool socks (one size fits all, legged stand, now part of the
including buffalo), or a set of local tourism route.
Father's Day in Barkly East: Where the Braais spanners labelled “borrowed A Toast to the Real Mountain
permanently.” The real Men
are Frozen and the Dads are Frostproof
jackpot? A voucher pro- From the scenic climbs of
mising “One Free Afternoon
From Barkly Pass to New Dad: The Human Multi-Tool Nap – No Interruptions.” Barkly Pass to the icy
England, from Wartrail to From the icy bends of Barkly (Terms and conditions apply. mornings in Wartrail, from
Rossouw – we salute the Pass to the snow-dusted the quiet fields of New
stubborn legends of the plains of Wartrail, the local Offer not valid during England to the big skies over
lambing season.)
land. Rossouw, Father's Day here
dad isn't just a father – he's a Some families go all out with isn't about luxury – it's about
In the rugged winter stillness mechanic, vet, psychologist, hand-knitted scarves – two love wrapped in thermal
of Barkly East, where the school bus driver, and part-
sheep have thicker coats time fence post. He can weld metres long and still too underwear and delivered
short – or a home-made
with a firm handshake.
than the school kids and the in the wind, predict snow by cake that tastes suspiciously
wind whistles in Afrikaans, how his knees feel, and drive like last week's banana bread So here's to the Barkly East
Father's Day arrives not with a bakkie blindfolded through dads: kings of the veld,
flowers and slippers, but with a gate with two centimetres but with icing sugar and masters of the multitool,
frostbite and flannel. to spare. heartfelt intentions. defenders of the diesel
The Braai: A Frosty Rite of generator, and the only
Here, in the mountain- In New England, one dad Passage people who think minus-two
ringed farming community reportedly fixed a broken
that proudly calls itself “The tractor carburettor using a The traditional Father's Day is “not that bad.” May your
Switzerland of South Africa” bent teaspoon, two cable braai still goes ahead – coffee stay hot, your
livestock behave, and your
(mainly because it's bloody ties, and a bit of chewing outside, in the sleet, under a generator never run out of
cold), Father's Day starts well gum. In Rossouw, another leaking verandah. It's a fuel in the middle of the
before dawn – because the dad was seen calmly sacred ritual: the smoke, the
cows don't care what the shearing a sheep in a blizzard sizzle, the frozen boerewors rugby.
calendar says, and the pipes while giving life advice to his that doubles as a self- Happy Father's Day – now go
froze again. teenage son. Barkly East defence weapon. Children check the fence line. Again.

Gift of the Givers responds to Eastern Cape

as adverse weather continues

by Robin-Lee Francke

Humanitarian aid organisation, Gift of the Givers, G i f t o f t h e G i v e r s shelter displaced families.
spokesperson, Ali Sablay,
has mobilised its disaster response teams to “Gift of the Givers teams are
said volunteers were
Butterworth in the Eastern Cape as the weather activated following a Level 6 e n r o u t e t o d e l i v e r
crisis in the province continues. weather warning that has immediate humanitarian
relief, including food,
wreaked havoc.
blankets, and other essential
“The province has been supplies. Reports indicate
battered by strong winds, that additional districts
heavy rainfall, and significant across the province are also
snowfall over the past 24 experiencing critical flooding
hours, leading to severe and have reached out for aid
flooding and large-scale as the situation continues,”
evacuations. The Amathole Sablay said.
District Disaster Manage- On Tuesday morning,
ment Team, Mnquma Local adverse weather conditions
Municipality, and com- resulted in a vehicle
munity leaders have urgently accident. Five people died in
requested assistance as the crash just outside East
entire communities face London.
Localised flooding has been reported in Butterworth. devastation,” Sablay said. T h e E a s t e r n C a p e
Image: Gift of the Givers Localised flooding in Department of Transport has
Butterworth and surroun- urged all motorists to be
ding areas has caused vigilant when on the roads.
widespread destruction,
prompting authorities to robin.francke@iol.co.za
open community halls to IOL

Sunday, 15 June 2025