TRANSCRIPTION 🔗
00:00:08
Speaker 1: So if you are wondering what you're going to do with yourselves this weekend, I've got a few suggestions that might tempt you out of the house. And there's something for everyone this morning, whether you're an animal lover, a foodie, or if you're.
00:00:21
Speaker 2: Just someone who's ever looked up at the sky and thought, what's out there?
00:00:25
Speaker 3: All right.
00:00:25
Speaker 1: So what if I told you that your Saturday plans could involve you sitting on the grass, enjoying the sunshine, surrounded by adorable rescue puppies. Literally what could be better? Tears Animal Rescue is hosting its Picnic with Puppies event today. God, my kids would be, I hope my kids aren't listening because we can't make it today because we've got other stuff to do. But if they, I mean, jeepers, I really hope they're not because I'll never hear the end of it. It's a chance to, as I say, spend some time on the grass, surrounded by playful pups in need of cuddles and homes, while enjoying some puppy treats sponsored.
00:01:03
Speaker 2: By the Barkery.
00:01:05
Speaker 1: And Dylan Malanda is the Tears Marketing Manager and joins us on the line.
00:01:09
Speaker 2: Morning, Dylan. How's it?
00:01:11
Speaker 4: Morning, morning. Thank you so much for having me.
00:01:13
Speaker 2: Pleasure.
00:01:14
Speaker 3: Please apologise for the voice. I have a bit of allergies, so sorry about that.
00:01:20
Speaker 1: Allergies are serving you well, Dylan. I'll be honest with you. No, no, you sound good. You're sounding good.
00:01:25
Speaker 2: You're sounding very bassy there, very Barry White. It's all right.
00:01:29
Speaker 1: I had the same thing a couple of weeks ago. It was pretty bleak. I'll eject yourself up as soon as you get off the phone, Dylan. All right, listen, TEARS does such important work. For those who may not know, which I don't think is many people, tell us a little bit about the organisation, what you do, and most importantly, how events like today help support what you.
00:01:50
Speaker 2: Do there at TEARS.
00:01:52
Speaker 4: Absolutely. So Tears has been going on now for about 27 years. We are a pro-life shelter that helps many animals in the community that we serve, which is around us, Masipu Melele. Ocean View and the radio community. And just over the mountain from us is Freyhoorn where we serve them as well.
00:02:15
Speaker 3: We're actually in.
00:02:16
Speaker 4: Freyhoorn this weekend doing a pet clinic there where we serve about 500 to 1,000 people every day, which is every second Saturday. So we're really about the community, really about helping the community grow with primary health care, and, of course, we obviously do the rehoming and rescuing of animals. We house about 110 to 120 cats and dogs at a time, so we try our best to get dogs and cats in that need assistance. That's Romanist streets or actually have medical situations that we can help because we have an on-site clinic that run seven days a week. So, yeah, we try our best to help the communities that we serve in the best way possible, yeah.
00:03:12
Speaker 1: It's so funny you say that. The first picture that I have on my phone, and I've probably got, I don't know, 4,000 pictures, is a picture that I took of my dog, Caesar, and it says, and I can see it there, and the location is Tears Animal Rescue, and it was the first time that I'd ever seen him.
00:03:30
Speaker 3: Wow.
00:03:31
Speaker 1: Well, I hadn't gone there to get a dog. A friend of mine's dog had passed away a couple of months before.
00:03:36
Speaker 2: One of her dogs.
00:03:36
Speaker 1: And it was just it was just awful. And I and I said, why don't we why don't we just go and see? I'm not saying get another dog. I'm just saying, let's let's just go and guess who came away.
00:03:47
Speaker 2: With a dog.
00:03:47
Speaker 1: Me!
00:03:48
Speaker 2: That was me.
00:03:49
Speaker 1: It's the first photo in my phone from, gosh, I can't even see the date. It says 2017, but I actually think it was before that. So yeah, I can attest to the incredible work that you do. Now, tell us about Picnic with Puppies. This sounds so far up. This is all I want to do, actually, in honesty, Dylan. I want to just picnic with puppies. So tell us what people can expect if they're going to come through today.
00:04:12
Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely.
00:04:13
Speaker 4: So We've got a green area, basically an area on site at the kennels where we generally do education as well as puppy training. But for today, we've changed it up and it's going to be a picnic area for the public to come in and sit with puppies. So, unfortunately, this time no humans can bring the food in, but we're very much about treating the puppies. And as you said at the beginning, we've got awesome treats. Yesterday they came in and they honestly smelled like edible for humans. They were smelling so great. So we will have treats for the puppies that you guys can get, the public can give out. I know it is a bit windy today, but we're in a sheltered area where the wind is very low and it's broken where we are. So we don't need to worry about the wind when you come through. We will have blankets out so that you're sitting with the puppies on the blankets. We have about 30 puppies at the moment that's available for adoption, which means that there's a lot of puppies that need homes. And this is an awesome way to introduce you to all the puppies in an area where they're comfortable. And yeah, just sit with the puppies, get to know them. And maybe you can potentially put an application in and in a couple of days go home with a puppy.
00:05:48
Speaker 2: Yeah, I have to say that was one of the most nerve wracking.
00:05:51
Speaker 1: I've done a lot of things in my life that have made me nervous, but I don't think more so than one of your delightful people coming up to do the home inspection today. in anticipation because by then I'd fallen in love with Caesar and I was.
00:06:03
Load full transcript
Speaker 2: Like, this is my dog and what if they say no? Which luckily they didn't. Is there an age restriction today?
00:06:09
Speaker 4: So we would ask anyone over the age of 12, they are more than welcome. Just for the protection of the children and the puppies, we've asked that there's an age restriction of 12. But anyone over the age is more than welcome to come, bring your family, bring your friends, bring your neighbours, come through, have a good time with tears, come have a cool drink, sit with your puppies or bring a coffee and come sit with the puppies and have some fun today.
00:06:39
Speaker 2: See if my kids are listening and you see you're too small.
00:06:42
Speaker 1: You can't, my son is beyond obsessed with dogs and can be a bit grabby.
00:06:47
Speaker 3: Oh, really?
00:06:47
Speaker 1: Yeah, no, he just wants them to lick him and kiss his face. And it's a whole story. So I know it's super cute, but that age restriction has just saved a lot of puppies from an unwanted molesting by a three-year-old.
00:06:59
Speaker 2: Listen, just for people who don't know where you are, give us the address, Dylan.
00:07:04
Speaker 4: Yeah, absolutely. So we're at 4 Lekkerwater Road, Sunnydales, just off Komaki Road in Fishook.
00:07:13
Speaker 3: Yeah, so very close, just outside Massey.
00:07:17
Speaker 4: The first you will see your landmarks is the Stashville Garage. Did you just say Fish Hook? Yes. Dylan, you just said Fish Hook. Pretty much, pretty much. Most common area to know is Fish Hook. It is a bit of comicky, but the main area is Fish Hook, yes.
00:07:35
Speaker 1: Is it?
00:07:36
Speaker 2: Oh, I wouldn't have said that. I love how we're having a debate now about this. I always say that.
00:07:42
Speaker 1: Comiket or Massive Pumalini. Anyway, people know where you are. People can put it into the GPS. I'm not going to fight with you on air, Dylan. Listen, thank you very much indeed, Dylan. I'm sure it's going to be a fantastic day.
00:07:54
Speaker 2: Can I just say one more thing? Yes, say one more thing.
00:07:57
Speaker 3: Go.
00:07:58
Speaker 4: Awesome. Yeah, so just for anyone that's under the age of 12 or has kids that are under 12, And still wants to support tears on the 5th of December. We have in a Christmas market where all ages are welcome and we'll have so many vendors. We have over 40 vendors that people are welcome to come sail it to. But yeah, if you can't make it today, come to see, come sail it to us on the 4th of December as generations in more school.
00:08:23
Speaker 2: Okay, fantastic stuff, which is in Scarborough.
00:08:26
Speaker 3: No, it's not.
00:08:27
Speaker 2: It's in Comicky. I'm joking.
00:08:29
Speaker 3: I'm joking.
00:08:30
Speaker 2: Dylan, thank you very much indeed. Good to have you with us.
00:08:32
Speaker 1: Dylan Melander is the marketing manager for Tears, which is having a picnic with puppies event today in Fishwick slash Comicky slash Scarborough.
00:08:42
Speaker 2: Next autumn, I suppose.
00:08:43
Speaker 1: All right. Last Saturday, it was the Indonesian Consul General opening his house.
00:08:48
Speaker 2: This week, it's the Belgium Embassy.
00:08:51
Speaker 1: The much-loved Taste of Belgium market returns for its 15th edition, organised by the Belgian Chamber of Commerce and the Consulate General of Belgium in Cape Town. And this year's event celebrates the theme Belgium more than you think, showcasing everything from authentic Belgian food. My mouth just started watering because having spent... some time in Belgium. I can honestly say that some of the best food I've actually ever eaten has been in Belgium and not just the chocolate. There's going to be speciality beers, local artisans, live entertainment and family activities. And joining us to tell us more about this milestone celebration is Belgium's Consul General in Cape Town, Nicolas Ferenc-Guvert. A very good morning to you, Nicolas, and thanks so much for joining us.
00:09:36
Speaker 3: Good morning, Sarah-Jane.
00:09:38
Speaker 2: It's a pleasure to have you with us.
00:09:40
Speaker 1: What does reaching this milestone mean to you and to the Belgian community in Cape Town?
00:09:46
Speaker 2: And how big is the Belgian community in Cape Town?
00:09:50
Speaker 3: No, I mean, reaching this milestone, 15th edition for us, it's really remarkable. You know what, began as a relatively small community gathering has grown into a well-established event on Cayton's cultural calendar. And for the Belgian community, it's really an opportunity to celebrate our heritage and share it with South Africans. Of course, over the years, the festival has become much more than that. It has really grown into, I would say, a platform for cultural exchange and friendship. bringing together Belgians, South Africans, and many other visitors around a shared appreciation of food, culture, and community. And you know, many people don't really know about that, but South Africa is actually home to the largest Belgian community on the African continent, with about 10,000 Belgians. Many of them live here in Cape Town and the Western Cape. We estimate that the actual number here in the metro is between 3,000 and 4,000.
00:10:48
Speaker 2: Okay.
00:10:49
Speaker 1: This year's theme, as I say, is Belgium more than you think. So what would you like Capetonians to discover about Belgium beyond just your delicious chocolates?
00:11:00
Speaker 2: Nicolas?
00:11:01
Speaker 3: Yes, no, of course. And as you said, most South Africans already know my country for its chocolate, wafers and beer. And I would say rightly so. But Belgium is indeed much more than that. We are a country of innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity. Despite its small size, Belgium has one of the most open economies in the world. And it's also a major center for logistics, life sciences, and advanced technologies. Probably some of your listeners also know that we are the home to important international institutions, such as
the European Union. Brussels is the capital of the EU, but also of NATO. And I would also say that Belgium is incredibly diverse. Probably that a lot of people don't know that, but we have not only one or two, but actually three official languages. So not only Dutch and French, which I would say are the most common, but also German. And we have also a rich cultural tradition and a very strong tradition of international cooperation. And so through this year's team, we really want people to discover a country that is perhaps quite small on the map, but actually much more bigger than they may expect in terms of its global impact and cultural richness.
00:12:21
Speaker 1: What would you say are going to be the highlights at this year's market today, between 10 and 5 o'clock today?
00:12:32
Speaker 3: Yes, there will be many activities, live music, family entertainment, artisan stores, and really many opportunities to discover local Belgian-inspired businesses and entrepreneurs, as well as some surprises. So I really invite your listeners to join us today. We will have also interactive displays and activities for children. So it's really an event for all ages and many families come every year. I would say that what makes this festival really special is that it combines authentic Belgian traditions, as I've explained, but really with a unique atmosphere of the beautiful city of Cape Town.
00:13:12
Speaker 2: Okay, fantastic.
00:13:14
Speaker 1: Appreciate your time this morning, Nicola. I'm going to let you go. It's going to be a busy day over there. There you go, folks. If you fancy a little bit of a taste of Belgium in Cape Town, then you can get yourself down to the Belgian Embassy Residence, which is at 29 Boshoff Avenue in Newlands. Entry is completely free. In terms of parking, Fernwood Estate and Stone Cottages at Kirstenbosch, and then there's.
00:13:37
Speaker 2: A free shuttle to the event, if you prefer.
00:13:40
Speaker 1: And then information, you can go to atasteofbelgium underscore CPT at Instagram or atasteofbelgium on Facebook.
00:13:48
Speaker 2: That sounds fantastic.
00:13:50
Speaker 1: Now then, have you ever wondered what you could discover if you look closer at the night sky?
00:13:56
Speaker 3: Yes.
00:13:56
Speaker 1: Ezekiel Museums is inviting the public to an evening of stargazing at the clock tower where visitors can explore the moon, the stars, the planets and various other celestial objects through telescopes. Joining us to tell us about this experience and how people of all ages can get involved is Sharnay Rowland, who is the Science Engagement Officer for ISICO.
00:14:17
Speaker 2: Sharnay, good to have you with us.
00:14:20
Speaker 5: Morning. Thank you for having me.
00:14:21
Speaker 2: So stargazing is something.
00:14:23
Speaker 1: That many of us enjoy, even just with the naked eye, sitting out, you know, in your stoop, maybe But not everyone's had the opportunity to look through a telescope.
00:14:33
Speaker 2: Why don't you tell us a little bit more about this event?
00:14:37
Speaker 5: And you're very correct about that. I think it's very important for us to bring astronomy directly to the public. The point is to also make the public active participants in what they're learning. And we want to avoid the public always being passive audiences in what education can offer people.
00:14:59
Speaker 1: You're going to have experts on hand to teach us how to use a telescope and some short astronomy talks. What do you think people are going to learn during the evening? And do we need to have any previous knowledge of astronomy at all?
00:15:12
Speaker 5: It is a great question. We prefer if no one has any knowledge, but everyone is welcome. The point of the aim of this evening is to have those, especially with no knowledge, just to see what the type of telescopes we have. So FAO has been lovely enough to offer us a Dobson to use for tonight, and then I have a normal telescope. As a beginner especially, all we would like to do tonight is introduce you to what telescopes look like, how they work with collecting light in the eyepieces, and you don't need any experience for that. I will walk you through everything tonight on how to use the telescopes, And while we're at it, while we're waiting for people to view the moon, especially with such a lovely moon tonight, we would also have a few constellations that we can walk through, and we can just talk about how, even with the naked eye, you can identify these constellations. So we're looking at the moon with the telescope tonight, especially if we're lucky, we can try Saturn. And then definitely with the naked eye, some constellations and how to identify them without in-depth knowledge on how constellations appear in the night sky. All right.
00:16:25
Speaker 1: And then in terms of what people can bring along, I mean, if people have got their own telescope, presumably bring those along. Otherwise, just yourselves, I would guess.
00:16:34
Speaker 5: Yes, if you do have a telescope, we would love for you to bring it along. You can also feel free to share some of the knowledge with your telescope. I'm sure the public would love to learn more about how you use a telescope. If you bring the telescope and there's perhaps a function that you're unsure about, I will gladly try and help figure it out. Perhaps we can workshop a quick idea if there's a particular thing you're stuck on. I'm not an expert on telescopes. I am very much in the constellations. I love my constellations, but I'm always happy to help. The public that is coming, please bring some chairs, bring a blanket if you like. I've invited a partner called Public Planets. They're going to bring some puppets as well. So while you are waiting to view, the little kids can play around with some puppets and learn a bit about science through puppet play. And like I said, we'll also be talking about some constellations. So we're going to keep the public completely engaged. And there will be always something to do while one person is looking. We have something else for another person to do.
00:17:39
Speaker 1: This sounds like such a great event. Let's just make sure that our listeners have got all the practical details.
00:17:44
Speaker 2: So it's tonight.
00:17:45
Speaker 1: Between 7 and 9 p.m. at the Clock Tower in the Clock Tower District at the V & A Waterfront.
00:17:50
Speaker 2: Is there an admission fee? Do people need to book?
00:17:54
Speaker 5: No, it is completely free. There's no registration involved either. Please just pitch up to the Clock Tower and we'll be set up and ready to go by 7.
00:18:04
Speaker 2: Lovely stuff. Sinead, thanks very much indeed for that. See you later.
00:18:08
Speaker 1: If you're going to take a trip down there to the Clock Tower District at the V & A Waterfront, for this.
00:18:15
Speaker 2: What a fantastic event.
00:18:17
Speaker 1: Free stargazing tonight at the V & A. And there we go.
00:18:22
Speaker 2: That's SJ's top picks.
00:18:23
Speaker 1: Three things for you to get up to this weekend. Hopefully something there tickles your fancy. All right.