Pinnipeds originated from “bear-like” carnivore ancestors approximately 30million years ago during the late Oligocene/early Miocene eras. Occasional visitors to our beaches are Sub-Antarctic Fur Seals (Arctocephalus tropicalis) and Southern Elephants Seals (Mirounga leonina).

Like other mammals, including humans, they breathe air. They need to rest, digest and reproduce on land. Seals depend on auditory (hearing), visual (seeing) and tactile (touching) senses to locate prey (unlike dolphins which use echo location). Our cape fur seals are opportunistic feeders of fish, cephalopods (squid/octopus) and crustacean (crabs/crayfish).

Cape Fur Seals (Arctocephalus pusillus) are residents of Mossel Bay. They have brown fur with fore and hind flippers, external ears, a small tail and powerful necks. Their sleek, streamlined bodies enable them to move through the water with minimum drag and the least expenditure of energy. Their long fore flippers are used for propulsion while the hind flippers act as stabilizers.

Seals have an acute sense of smell on land to recognise other seals, bond with pups and detect females in oestrus. They have good eyesight on land and in the ocea. Their bodies have evolved various structural features to cope with the enormous pressure of deep dives (50-160m for 7min) and low oxygen levels.

On land they create momentum by swinging their strong necks from side to side.
Females are roughly 1,5m and weigh approximately 75kg. Males may exceed 2m and weigh 190kg. A single pup is born between November and December.

Man is the greatest threat to Cape Fur Seals. We discard plastic and other pollutants into the ocean causing thousands of seal and other marine deaths through strangulation or entanglement.

Seals found on our beaches should be monitored for 3 days if they are uninjured. If they are injured, inform your nearest Conservancy. Please do not harass resting seals. They are dangerous when confronted.

Dana Bay Conservancy Emergency Number: 044-698 2133

South Africa was ready, willing and eager to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup, a delegation representative of rugby, sport and government confirmed at the conclusion of a two-day briefing session held in London by World Rugby.
South Africa was one of five nations – the others being Italy, France, USA and Ireland – who attended the session with a view to bid for rugby’s global showcase.

The South African Rugby Union (SARU) delegation included sports minister, Mr Fikile Mbalula, and Mr Gideon Sam, president of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) as well as Union officials.

“It was an extremely useful session and has redoubled our determination to bring the tournament back to South Africa for the first time since 1995,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of SARU.

“The fact that our delegation included South Africa’s sports minister and the leader of all our sports federations shows how serious we are about compiling a Bid that will be irresistible to World Rugby.

“We know there will be stiff competition, having bid for the past three tournaments to be awarded, but we also know we have a compelling offering for the world game and its followers: a tournament set against a backdrop of a stunning landscapes in magnificent stadiums against a passionate and knowledgeable audience. We believe there is no other ‘tour’ like a South African rugby tour and we want the world to experience it once more.”

Minister Mbalula told World Rugby that he wanted to underline the very important but simple message that South Africa was ready and eager to host the Rugby World Cup in 2023.
“Rest assured that the South African Bid will not only tick all the technical boxes but it will also be backed by an inter-ministerial task team that will have the capacity an power to meet every need of the tournament,” he said.

“In 2023 it will be 28 years since South Africa and rugby created an iconic tournament that had the world in thrall. We are a changed nation, but let me assure you that South Africa still has the capacity to produce a financially successful tournament in locations that resonate on a global stage and with the added potential to grow rugby’s footprint on the African continent.”

World Rugby Chief Executive and Rugby World Cup Limited Managing Director Brett Gosper said: “Rugby World Cup is one of the world’s biggest and best-loved sporting events and a major player in the global sporting marketplace. England 2015 is set to be a very special and record-breaking Rugby World Cup and will be the biggest and probably the best to date.”

Rugby World Cup Tournament Director Alan Gilpin added: “We are delighted with the strong level of serious interest from unions and governments in Rugby World Cup 2023 at this very early stage, which highlights the enormous hosting appeal of Rugby World Cup as a low-risk, high-return economic, social and sporting driver and we welcome further dialogue as the process progresses.”

Unions have to confirm their intention to bid by June 15, 2015, with the formal tender window to open in May 2016. The host of the 2023 will be named a year later in May 2017.

South Cape Funeral Home (Pty) Ltd Administration and Compliance Director welcomes Warren Speelman OPERATION Director and Soldati Yantolo, BOARD CHAIRPERSON.

South Cape Funeral is situated at 113 Montague Street Mossel Bay, established 2015 and officially opened 01 July with a Vision to be an authentic and Unique Funeral and Insurance company.
SCF Home owners Irene Vermeulen, Johannes Yantolo, Warren Speelman and Soldati Yantolo are capable, committed and maintain the highest standards of honesty and integrity in dealing with clients.

South Cape Funeral Home is a member of the O&V Group of companies with sister companies HS Perks Knysna, Olivier & Vermeulen George, Oudtshoorn Funeral Home and allies to George Crematorium and Marble & Granite Tombstones in Oudtshoorn.

We Strive for Service Excellence in all that we are doing and remain at the cutting edge of the market expectations to meet new funeral industry requirements, Says Johannes Yantolo Administration and Compliance Director. (By: Johannes Yantolo)