On Thursday 4 September Gansbaai was able to once again make an indelible impression on a number of visitors.
In reaction to Gansbaai business chamber being awarded the Western Cape Sakekamer of the year award the top brass of the Afrikaans Handelsinstituut (AHI) came to see what Gansbaai is all about.
Die groep het bestaan uit die nasionale president van die AHI Ben Dyesel en sy vrou Amanda, Christo van der Rheede (HUB Wes Kaap) en sy vrou Merlyn, Jannie Kruger (nou al 'n bekende hier by ons) bemarkingsbestuurder AHI Wes-Kaap en sy vrou Daleen, Leoni van der Merwe (kantoorbestuurder Wes-Kaap). Piet Badenhorst, voorsitter AHI Wes-Kaap kon nie die dag meemaak nie, aangesien hy 'n groot operasie ondergaan het. Ons was bevoorreg om die Overstrandse Burgemeester, Nicolette Botha-Guthrie en die Onderburge-meester, Pieter Scholtz saam te hê. Kat Myburgh en Jean die Villiers van die Munisipaliteit het ook saam getoer. Toerisme voorsitter en burobestuurder Johan Pieterse en Glenda Kitley onderskeidelik en natuurlik Fanie Bothma (Sakekamer voorsitter), Rene Beukes en Neels Claassen van die Sakekamer bestuur.
All boarded the bus after a welcoming snack at the bureau. Die eerste besoekplek was I&J Perlemoenplaas waar Steyn Miller en Dirkie Kotze die groep ingewag het. Steyn het 'n kort oorsig gegee en ons oorgegee aan die bekwame Deidre Strydom wat ons deur die plaas gevat en alles mooi verduidelik het. Almal was gefasineerd en het baie vrae gevra. Die “stap deur water” elke keer wat ons 'n nuwe area besoek het, het vir groot pret gesorg.
From here the group made a quick turn at the Danger Point Lighthouse.
Daarna het ons 'n heerlike perlemoenpotjie en gebraaide geelstert geniet soos net Boetie Otto en sy span kan voorberei. Van ons dames het vir heerlike slaaie en gebakte brood gesorg. Die tafels is pragtig versier deur Carol Devitt.
Duly fortified it was off to the library for an interesting presentation by André Coetzee of Gansbaai Marine followed by a short tour of the factory. Fortunately or unfortunately the factory was not working so the group was NOT treated to “the smell of money.”
Ingrid and Mariana met the group at Flower Valley and gave a short but interesting presentation on the whole Flower valley concept and all that is done there.
Laaste maar versekerlik nie die minste nie, was 'n toer na die waterwerke in Franskraal. Jean de Villiers en sy span het die hele indrukwekkende watersuiweringsproses verduidelik.
The conversation in the bus back to the bureau was much less animated than at the start of the day but the group were impressed with what they had seen.
They enjoyed some time at their guest house before the evening meeting.
Tydens die heerlike maaltyd by die Great White House het Ben Deysel en die burgemeeester die groep Gansbaai sakemense toegespreek. Die wyn, geskenk deur Wilfred Chivell van Marine Dynamics, het gesorg vir 'n lekker gesellige saamkuier.
Alouise van Dyer Island Trust het 'n interessante voorlegging oor die Trust en die nuwe Seevoël aanleg gedoen.
Ben Deysel who lives in the Free State said he thought he lived in the most beautiful part of the country until he saw Gansbaai. He was very impressed with what they saw and would like some people in government to take notice of how a municipality should work and how a community can work together for the better of all its people.
The mayor gave some background on the services in the rest of the Overstrand.
The evening ended on a positive note – many new friends made and promises to return.
Gansbaai Sakekamer bedank almal wat die dag geborg het en die wat saamgewerk het om die dag 'n sukses te maak.
On Saturday 6th of September our chairman went to an AHI session in Paarl where a big group of business chambers gathered to do planning for the future. The AHI was so impressed with their visit to Gansbaai that it came up several times during the day. The CEO of the AHI (Christo van der Rheede) used Gansbaai and the business chamber several times as examples of what can be done.
Remember, these senior AHI management travel all over the country to business chambers and have many meetings with government ministers and others.
Various questions were asked by chambers and one chamber even plan to visit Gansbaai and bring along their municipal manager. This confirms that the time we dedicated on the previous Thursday will bear fruit for Gansbaai.
