GEORGE NEWS - The University of the Third Age (U3A) has a host of interesting talks lined up for April, all of which will be held at the Moth Hall in Rijk Tulbach Street.
On Wednesday 13 April in Armchair Travel, Joggie van Staden will give an insight into "The Richtersveld - South Africa's arid Wonderland".
Van Staden is a camera-toting nature lover, happy to be out in open spaces or in the valleys between mountains, photographing wild life, birds, flowers and landscapes.
He is currently operating in George, running photographic workshops and leading short tours into the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape.
This talk starts at 10:30.
Answers to strange weather
Given the strange weather George has been experiencing lately, the lecture on Friday 22 April should be very interesting and one not to be missed. Henning Grobler will discuss "Weather patterns of the Southern and Western Cape".
The weather affects everyone in some way, and it will be interesting to acquire a better understanding of what causes the various phenomena and how they are forecast. This presentation will be about weather forecasting, with a look into the SA Weather Service infrastructure, tools and techniques used in forecasting.
Grobler will answer questions such as what causes berg winds, how El Niño and La Niña develop, and why a weather pattern of relatively prolonged semi-drought often changes to one of extreme rainfall.
Grobler is a senior forecaster at Weather SA in Cape Town, which involves preparing forecasts for aviation, marine and public broadcasts.
Tea is at 10:00 and the lecture will start at 10:30.
International Affairs
On Monday 25 April at 14:00, Natie de Swardt will lead another interesting session of International Affairs.
Ostrich feather industry
On Friday 29 April, Dr Okkie Stander will present "Actions to alleviate poverty in Oudtshoorn after the fall of the ostrich feather industry in 1914". Up to the end of 1913 the socio-economic situation in Oudtshoorn had been flourishing, stimulated by the high prices in ostrich feathers.
But farmers became greedy and built large "palaces" on the farms. With the outbreak of war in 1914 and a three-year drought, the industry collapsed and the community fell into extreme poverty.
The government came to their aid and financed three big projects, namely the building of the Kammanassie dam in 1919, the building of the railway line between Oudtshoorn and Calitzdorp in 1923, and the reconstruction of Meiringspoort in 1925.
Tea is at 10:00 and the talk will start at 10:30.
Attendees to these events are requested to wear face masks and adhere to Covid-19 protocol.
For further information, click here.
'We bring you the latest George, Garden Route news'
