This week saw the Jakes Gerwel Foundation / NATi Jong Sterre 2023 – Geralt Cloete, Miché van Wyk, Cara Rossouw, Miliswa Mbandazayo and Mikayla Brown, accompanied by their mentor acclaimed theatre-maker Lee-Ann van Rooi, chef Gilbert Van Zyl, Nash van Zyl and guide Alan Hobson hike to the Glen Avon Falls.
Located in the folds of the Boschberg mountain which is covered in an indigenous forest – sneezewood, and cabbage trees mostly – the Glen Avon Waterfall is in a hidden valley on the Glen Avon Farm.
To get to the kloof and waterfall which has been declared the Glen Avon Falls Natural Heritage Site (No.71), the intrepid theatre makers hiked about 10 km through the indigenous forests to experience the splendour of the falls which is believed to be the highest water drop on privately owned land in South Africa.
Here they are:
Geralt, Mikayla, Miché, Lee-Ann, Miliswa and Cara
Paulet House chef Gilbert van Zyl and his son Nash the musician
Sound check: Miché,and Mikayla,
Lift club across the fast-flowing river: Alan, Gilbert the ultra-marathoner, Geralt and Miché,and Mikayla, waiting their turn.
Waterfall empowerment: Lee-Ann and Geralt
Easy does it: Gilbert and Lee-Ann
To the One Above: Lee-Ann
Nash, Gilbert, Mikayla, Miché, Cara, Miliswa with Lee-Ann and Geralt in front.
- NATi Risings Stars is the development project which is presented annually by the Jakes Gerwel Foundation, National Afrikaans Theatre Initiative (NATi). Suidoosterfees and Artscape. Miliswa, Mikayla, Cara, Miché and Geralt are currently busy refining their plays under the mentorship of acclaimed theatre-maker Lee-Ann van Rooi. Their plays will premiere at the 21st Suidoosterfees at Artscape in Cape Town in 2024.
Photo credit: Gilbert van Zyl, Alan Hobson and Nash van Zyl
Gilbert van Zyl is the chef who treats our writers with his love for food, in abundance. Gilbert hails from Velddrif on the West Coast, but worked for years at Queen’s College in Queenstown, before he moved to Somerset East. Except for his involvement with the Foundation, he owns his own catering business.
