Ken Borland

 

The open country around the Mankwe Dam is bordered by the Tshwene and Kubu drives, two of the four tar roads in the Pilanesberg National Park. I normally try to avoid the tar roads when I’m in the bush, but this area is so peaceful and tranquil, and being the main water source in the reserve, there is also usually lots of game in the vicinity.

But as a very warm afternoon clouded over and a typical Highveld thunderstorm approached, there came a stark reminder that this is wild Africa, red in tooth and claw.

Between the Mankwe and Motlobo drive turnoffs from Tshwene Drive, less than 20 metres from the tar and at the edge of a little bank, an unfortunate Impala took its last breaths. Two Cheetah, still panting hard from the exertions of the chase, soon had blood-stained faces as they tucked into their hard-won meal.

This is Lion and Leopard country as well so the Cheetah, the most lightweight of the big cats, needs to eat quick because there’s nothing like a kill to attract other meat-eaters. While the Cheetahs ripped at the carcass, a sly Blackbacked Jackal was already hanging around waiting for scraps.

Seeing one of the cats on a kill is always a special sighting, but to see Cheetah in the Pilanesberg is an exceptional occurrence because there are only five in the entire 572 square-kilometre park. The open country around Mankwe Dam is probably the best area for them because it allows them the space for their sprint, which is what sets them apart from other predators.

The adrenaline was still flowing from my first Cheetah sighting in the Pilanesberg when my buzz was shattered by an extremely loud, piercing call right next to the car. I was startled and momentarily baffled by what it could be – it was such a high-pitched, pure sound that I thought some sort of emergency alarm had gone off and was wondering if my windshield would crack!

Having regained my senses enough to realise that it was coming from the bushes next to the road, I scanned the vegetation and there the source was, with colours as bright as its song was loud – a beautiful Crimsonbreasted Shrike sitting in an open gap in the bushes.

The Crimsonbreasted is certainly the most brightly coloured of the Laniarius (Boubou) Shrikes and its underparts are a brilliant scarlet colour, heading towards crimson.

 

It provides a real flash of colour particularly when contrasted with the muted tones of the thorny scrub it likes to inhabit.

 

 

This is where the Mankwe River flows out of the dam and Mankwe Way crosses the river just north of the Fish Eagle turnoff. It’s a good spot to stop and scan for birds and, having seen one in the exact same dead tree on a previous trip, it was great to see an Osprey once again sitting up in the highest branches. It was joined by a Hamerkop that came to share its lofty perch and there were Pearlbreasted Swallows flying around and landing nearby as well.

Mankwe Way takes one into an area of open grassland, dotted with termite mounds and boulders as it heads west, past the old farm of General Jan Smuts, Buffelsdrift. Transitional zones where dry plains with short grass meet the longer grasses of the rugged upland areas are excellent for birding as well.

Apart from the White Rhinoceros in the vicinity, there were also Scalyfeathered Finches hopping on the ground and then flying quickly into the small trees when disturbed; Sabota Lark, Crowned Plover, Cinnamonbreasted Rock Bunting and Blackthroated Canary.

But a pair of birds had me a bit confused as they hopped around on the low bushes, behaving much like Capped Wheatears. But the adults of that plains specialist are distinctively marked and these birds were also making some strange, Lark-like calls. With their mottled bands of brown, buff and yellowish colours, they had me thinking of similar-looking rarities.

But discretion won the day and, considering that Capped Wheatears are well-known mimics, I went the most likely route and decided they were, in fact, a pair of immature Capped Wheatears.

Pilanesberg holds good numbers of both the Kalahari and Whitebrowed Scrub Robins and the central part of the

park has both these twitching, insectivorous lovers of thicket and low bushes in close proximity to each other.

Mankwe Dam is by no means the only productive body of water in the park, and if one enters through the south-western gate of Bakubung, after two-and-a-half kilometres on the tarred Kubu Drive, or a bit further if one turns left and takes the more meandering dirt road known as Kgama Drive, one comes to the Lengau Dam.

There are usually large numbers of birds here and on this occasion it was good to see African Darter, Whitefaced Duck, Pied Kingfisher, Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper and Threebanded Plover. There are usually animals about as well, but this time there was just a solitary Warthog snuffling around.

Even the smallest bodies of water can provide something of interest though and as I was exiting through the easternmost gate – Manyane – four Redbilled Oxpeckers were drinking water from a puddle in the road.

Life can be very tough in the beautiful African bush and to survive the residents need to take advantage of every little windfall they can get.

 

Sightings List

Blue Wildebeest

Plains Zebra

Sacred Ibis

Warthog

Egyptian Goose

African Darter

Whitefaced Duck

Laughing Dove

Little Swift

Pied Kingfisher

Greenshank

Blacksmith Plover

Marsh Sandpiper

Threebanded Plover

Waterbuck

Jackal Buzzard

Impala

Greater Kudu

Rufousnaped Lark

Palm Swift

Marico Flycatcher

Greater Striped Swallow

Giraffe

Crested Francolin

Streakyheaded Canary

Great White Egret

Southern Masked Weaver

Pintailed Whydah

Blackeyed Bulbul

Whitebrowed Scrub Robin

Blackchested Prinia

Kalahari Scrub Robin

White Rhinoceros

Scalyfeathered Finch

Sabota Lark

Capped Wheatear

Crowned Plover

Cinnamonbreasted Rock Bunting

Blackthroated Canary

Hamerkop

Osprey

Pearlbreasted Swallow

Natal Francolin

Cape Turtle Dove

Grey Lourie

Glossy Starling

Cheetah

Blackbacked Jackal

Helmeted Guineafowl

Rattling Cisticola

Crimsonbreasted Shrike

African Elephant

Forktailed Drongo

Common Myna

Redbilled Oxpecker

 

 

Coach Mark Boucher was understandably a very happy man after the Multiply Titans’ victory over the bizhub Highveld Lions at the BidVest Wanderers Stadium sent his team into an 11-point lead at the top of the Sunfoil Series log, but he also took time out to praise Lungi Ngidi for his attitude during his rehabilitation and thanked his medical staff for their work on the hugely-promising fast bowler.

Ngidi spearheaded the Titans’ nine-wicket win with match figures of nine for 83 in his first game back from a stress fracture in his back.

“It was very satisfying to see Lungi come through and a lot of credit must go to the medical staff because it was a very serious injury for a fast bowler, a very scary time for him. But they started him bowling again in stages and he needed to change his lifestyle a bit.

“The door has opened up for him at international level, so I told Lungi it was up to him to bash it down. Well everyone has certainly got their eyes on him now! His body has developed, he’s stronger and leaner and his professionalism has changed too.

“So the results he achieved in his first game back were not really a surprise for me, although he is still a work in progress and he will get better. We were tempted to play him a week earlier in Pietermaritzburg, but the medical staff are hired to do a job and they said even though it was possible, they preferred not to rush him back then,” Boucher said.

On a sporty Wanderers pitch, Titans captain Aiden Markram was also a contender for man of the match after innings of 85 and 81 not out, continuing the youngster’s superb form this summer.

“Aiden is still scoring a lot of runs, which makes me very happy. When you look at him, it’s almost as if he’s destined for great things and he’s really taken to his role. He hasn’t been around for a long time, but he’s just looking more and more confident.

“I’m sure the Proteas will relish having him in their system and he understands that the opposition at international level will get tougher and people will start looking at his technique and try to find flaws. But Aiden’s feet are on the floor, that’s his character. He’s also a work in progress, but he’s hungry for runs and he did the hard yards in that first innings,” Boucher said.

But the coach also had praise for a player that is a fair way from playing for the Proteas, but has been an absolute standout for the Titans this season – Malusi Siboto.

The 30-year-old is the leading wicket-taker with 17 at 21.35 and he produced a top-class display in the second innings against the Lions, taking four for 26 as the home side were bundled out for just 165, leaving the Titans with a straightforward target of just 133 for the first win of the season.

“Last season as well, Malusi is an unsung hero, he does the hard work like bowling into the wind, and can keep the run-rate down as well as taking wickets. He’s also made crucial runs for us and we’re going to try and get him into being an all-rounder for us.

“In certain conditions, he’s the leader of our attack. He’s one of those guys that goes under the radar, but if he’s not there then he leaves a massive hole in the team,” Boucher said.

 

Johan Ackermann deserves enormous credit for the way he has transformed the Lions team over the last five years but he also deserves the public’s support for the tough decision he has made to further his career overseas with Gloucester.

Coaches always have a shelf-life with a team and guys like Alex Ferguson or Ian McIntosh staying for many years at one club are the exception rather than the rule. Ackermann has been the provider of so much to the Lions – rebuilding their culture after their morale was shattered during the John Mitchell years; up-skilling them such that they now lead the way in South Africa when it comes to the most progressive brand of rugby; helping to build Springboks who will surely do the country proud if trusted by Allister Coetzee in future; and giving them steel, not only up front amongst their highly impressive pack but also in the way they are now able to win the tight games, as they did against the Sharks last weekend.

So who can begrudge Ackers the chance to advance his own career a bit?

There is no doubt the 46-year-old would never be wrenching himself away from his Lions family and the Ellis Park supporters – the way he broke down while making the announcement of his departure makes this clear – unless he believed a move was essential to further his own highly-promising coaching career.

Ackermann has rightly been spoken of as a future Springbok coach, but there is no top-level international coach at the moment who has been employed in just one country. Steve Hansen coached Wales before joining the All Blacks staff; Eddie Jones was involved with the Australian, Japanese and South African sides before rejuvenating England; Michael Cheika coached Leinster and Stade Francais before getting the Wallabies job; Joe Schmidt is a Kiwi who coached in France before taking over Ireland, and Scotland coach Vern Cotter has the same story.

As brilliant as Ackermann has been, he has no real experience outside of coaching the Lions to a Super Rugby final and one Currie Cup crown. It can only be good for South African rugby that one of its most promising coaches spreads his wings and enjoys new horizons.

There also should be no panic at Ellis Park with the departure of their much-loved coach. As far as a replacement goes – the successor will take charge for the Currie Cup later this year – there is no need for the Lions to look further than what they already have.

The fact that the Lions have someone like the highly-rated Swys de Bruin – who has done well as a head coach before with Griquas and will undoubtedly build on the legacy of the last five years, providing great continuity – means president Kevin de Klerk and CEO Rudolf Straeuli, who have both also played key roles in the Lions’ resurgence, can kip easy when it comes to Ackermann’s successor.

Their structures are clearly in good nick – part of the wonderful legacy Ackermann has left – with both their U19 and U21 teams winning their respective provincial championships last year, so if someone has to move up from that level it should not be so high an elevation as to cause a ricked neck.

In fact, Straeuli used the terms “continuity” and “stability” several times while responding to questions about the road forward for the Lions, so it is not unreasonable to expect De Bruin, JP Ferreira (defence) and Ivan van Rooyen (conditioning) will continue in their roles and have more responsibility.

For those who believe Ackermann has turned his back on the Springbok coaching job, it seems clear that both Allister Coetzee and Rassie Erasmus are in his way for the foreseeable future.

The SA A job is an indication that he is somewhere on Saru’s radar, and he is still willing to coach the second-stringers when SuperRugby breaks for the mid-year internationals, but new challenges and experiences await overseas and it is exciting to think just how good a coach Ackermann will be when he returns to these shores.

http://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/the-citizen-gauteng/20170408/282621737571662

 

The buzzing atmosphere of a full Wanderers Bullring has always been one of the standout features of South African cricket, but there was also a buzzing of a kind less conducive to cricket on Saturday as the third one-day international between the Proteas and Sri Lanka was interrupted for an hour by a swarm of bees.

Midway through the Sri Lankan innings, the players were forced to lie flat on the ground by the swarm, which also colonised wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock’s helmet left behind him on the field. Play resumed for a short while but then the umpires took the players off the field.

The groundstaff tried to cajole the hive into a wheelie-bin and also sprayed a couple of fire extinguishers on them, which just temporarily dispersed them and presumably made them more angry.

Enter one Pierre Hefer, who has obviously been taught the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Hefer, who describes himself as a hobbyist beekeeper, said he was sitting at home in Emmarentia watching the cricket and the delay as none of the plans against the bees worked, when he realised he could help.

Amazingly, and fortuitously, security allowed him to park outside the stadium and gain entry without a ticket nor accreditation. Being dressed in white overalls, with long boots and gloves and carrying trays containing honey and wax, obviously helped him convince the authorities that he was supplying an emergency service.

Hefer said the honey and wax were the key ingredients in attracting the bees into a container. The trick, according to the silver-haired hero of the day, is to keep the bees congregated on whatever they have settled on, making them far easier to move.

The Wanderers has seen many heroes during the 61 years it has been in use, but few have been as unlikely as Pierre Hefer, the beekeeper who was sitting at home and came over to help. It was certainly the biggest crowd he has ever performed in front of and the gratitude of the masses who had gathered for the Pink ODI in order to raise awareness and funds for the fight against breast cancer was obvious.