‘n Ware Karakter

Herman Smith was sowaar ‘n karakter in ‘n wêreld waar daar al hoe minder regte karakters bestaan.

Sy dood in ‘n brand wat sy huis verwoes het in die vroeë ure van Vrydag 19 Februarie was inderdaad ’n verlies vir Smithfield.

Sy begrafnis Vrydag op 26 Februarie was bewys van sy gewildheid met die hele gemeenskap. Die kerk was vol familie asook vriende van alle rasse wat die laaste eer kom betoon het.

Herman se dood was so skielik en skokkend dat ten tyde van skrywe daar nog onsekerheid oor die toedrag van sake wat tot sy dood gelei het bestaan. Dit wil voorkom asof die brand in die vroeë oggend ure begin het, waarskynlik tussen 02:00 en 03:00. As gevolg hiervan het ‘n gasbottel ongeveer 05:00 gebars en die huis in Brownestraat naby die motorhawe is verwoes.

Onder die omstandig-hede was daar nie veel wat die polisie of die brandweer sou kon doen om die treurspel te voorkom.

Patricia Bighi het wakkergeskrik van die slag van die ontploffing. Omdat sy bekommerd was dat dit dalk by die motorhawe kon gewees het, het sy en haar ma hulle na die toneel gehaas. Teen dié tyd was die polisie reeds op die toneel. En kort daarna het die brandweer ook opgedaag.

 

Smithfield is painted white

The stones on the Smithfield mountain were recently painted white and stand out so clearly when viewed from Voortrekker Street.

…and it is an extremely stiff walk to get there……!

 

Prickley Pears

Just outside Smithfield, the Prickley pears are ripening and with their many leaves, form a wonderful photo opportunity.

Here, they frame a farm shed with a misty overcast sky giving sharp shadows.

 

Smithfield Street Braai

Down the main street business windows lit up and reflected the braai fires during the annual street braai.
The atmosphere came alive as the evening continued.
Thank you to those who contributed to a wonderful social.

 

Smithfield Buildings

Smithfield Town Hall

 

Potential Boost for Smithfield… …Via the Karoo

Strictly speaking, Smithfield may not lie within the confines of the Karoo proper but its links are close and it stands to benefit from the emphasis now being placed on marketing the Karoo as a tourist destination and a source of local crafts.

Smithfield Mountain

The recent conference on Creative Tourism in the Karoo at Gariep was part of the Arid Areas Programme of breathing more economic life into the Karoo. It highlighted a number of important issues which apply as much to our own area as they do to the “real” Karoo itself.

 

A Narrow Escape

In the past, the signboard directing traffic to turn left to Aliwal North was located near Rest-a-While. It was subsequently moved, to the corner just before Biba’s. This could have indicated to drivers that they should take the next turn left, which happens to be Church St. There are also some drivers who prefer to take Church St instead of Hoffman St as there is less traffic and, now that the surface of Church St is so good, they can race along at a good speed.

Last month a large truck with trailers did exactly this and connected with the electrical cables draped rather low over the road. A couple of days later, another large truck came belting down Church St and took out one of the electricity poles, once again leaving some residents without power and Herb Cottage with no telephone connection for several days.

 

Road Works at Parys Hoogte

Visitors to and through Smithfield from the north on their way down to the coast should be aware of road works at the Parys Hoogte area.

Work has begun on upgrading the road and two stop-go points have been set up.

This improvement to the road will be highly welcomed.

 

BMW Bikers in Smithfield

BMW Bikers from Gauteng decended on Smithfield over the weekend making use of the facilities and hospitalities of our village.

 

Heuningkrans Veiling – Meer Mense as Ooit Tevore

Os du Rand, links, ‘n nuwe gesig by die veiling hier gesien met Pieter moller, OFM DJ, Lizette Prinsloo en ander besoekers.

Op ’n bitter koue dag, met ’n ligte kapok in die middag, het die tweede produksie-veiling van die jaar op Heuningkrans plaasgevind. Die koue het klaarblyklik nie die kopers afgesit nie en daar was meer mense wat die veiling bygewoon het as ooit tevore, met ’n goeie verteenwoordiging uit Lesotho uitgedos in hulle pragtige komberse – net die regte ding vir die weer op dié dag.

Die feit dat die wolprys op dié dag met 10 – 12 % gestyg het, het seker ook bygedra tot die sukses van die dag: 112 ramme is verkoop teen ’n gemiddelde prys van R6 616.

Die duurste ram is verkoop teen R40 000 aan mnre Frans, Freddie en Derek Alexander van Trompsburg wat ook by die laaste veiling die top prys vir ’n ram betaal het.