What’s on in and around town?

• Fedhealth Magalies Monster MTB Classic
Adventure-seekers, it is time to head outdoors for two days of ultimate fun while enjoying magnificent scenery. So best to pencil it in your diary so long … the Fedhealth Magalies Monster MTB Classic on 5 June, and the Fedhealth Platinum Trail Run the next day, both taking place at ATKV Buffelspoort. Magaliesberg’s most iconic one-day mountain bike race, named after the ‘Monster’, is a gruelling 6km climb up the northern slope of the Magaliesberg. Besides testing your mettle, the race lets you experience the real beauty of the Magaliesberg Mountains and the amazing rock formations in the area. The routes offer three distance options – +-16km, +-33km and +-65km, suitable for various fitness levels and ages. The Fedhealth Magalies Monster MTB Classic and Platinum Trail Run offer an opportunity to get out and enjoy nature with the whole family. Whether you’re on foot or your bike, you’ll experience spectacular trails complemented by magnificent scenery over the Buffelspoort Valley – plus a vibrant festival atmosphere once you’ve crossed the finish line. Enter for both events here. There is also a kid’s event on both days. Entries close 31 May.

• Rant en Dal Centre Food and Crafts Market in aid of RandWest SPCA
Show your support at the Rant en Dal Centre Food and Crafts Market arranged by Fork&Pie in aid of the RandWest SPCA between 8am to 3pm on Saturday, 8 May.

• Braving the chilly air on Melville Koppies
Despite the cold front that hit us all on Friday, 30 April and reminded us that winter is just around the corner, keen hikers were undaunted and came to celebrate on 1 May. Come and visit now and you’ll see the Koppies’ own brand of autumn colours: the russet termite mounds and quartzite rock, purple tinges in some of the grasses, and a variety of yellow flowers. Melville Koppies Central (Nature Reserve and Heritage Site) is open every Sunday in 2021 from 8am to 11.30am. No need to pre-book. Adults R80 and children R40; all income used for maintenance and security of the Koppies – R22 000 per month needed. Security on the Koppies is provided; park in secure parking opposite the entrance at Marks Park on Judith Road, Emmarentia. Mid-week tours can be arranged. Contact wendavid@mweb.co.za. Check out www.mk.org.za for more detailed information about the history and what you can see.

• Heaps of Friends of Kloofendal events not to miss
A long list of fun activities await you at the Kloofendal Nature Reserve this May:
• 8 May from 8am to 10am – Birding
• 9 May from 9am to 11am – Creepy Crawly Walk
• 15 May from 9am to 11am – Essential Snakebite First Response
• 15 May from 1pm to 3pm – Biomimicry Walk
• 16 May from 9am to 1pm – Eco-anxiety Workshop
• 18 May from 8am to 10am – Weekday Birding
• 22 May from 9am to 11am – Long Walk
• 23 May from 10am to noon – Butterflies Walk
• 29 May from 9am to 1pm – Venomous Animal First Responder Seminar
• 30 May from 9am to 11am – Tree, Shrub and Forbs Walk
Contact Karin Spottiswood on 079 693 5608 or visit the website www.kloofendalfriends.org.za. Covid 19 regulations will be adhered to, so please wear a mask and keep a social distance.

• Run for mom
Here’s to the strong woman we call Mom. We know her, we love her and we honour her. A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take. Moms are like buttons – they hold everything together. They are like glue. Even when you can’t see them, they’re still holding the family together. This year families all over the country can celebrate their mothers with the first Run for Mom – The Mother’s Day Run. On Mother’s Day, Sunday, 9 May, Team Families all over South Africa will be applauding their mothers by running and walking in her honour. This can be done at your own time, distance (2km, 5km or 10km) and route of your own choice. Nominate a Team Family Captain, get on the phone and get your family together and enter your Team Family. It is not the size of the Team Family that matters. What matters is that you take part and ensure that Mom is spoiled on Mother’s Day. Register Team Family at runformom.co.za and join in the celebrations all over the country. Make sure to like @SportsvendoEventsHub on Facebook and @sportsvendo on Instagram to keep up to date with upcoming events you simply cannot miss out on.

• Mother’s Day with Lizz Meiring
Celebrate Mother’s Day with Lizz Meiring and a luncheon at Garden World in Muldersdrift on Sunday, 9 May. Luncheon is served at noon for 12.30pm. Cost involved. Bookings: corne@gardenworld.co.za or 011 957 2545.

• Randfontein Publicity Association (RPA) Golf Day
Join the Randfontein Publicity Association (RPA) for a round of golf at the Krugersdorp Golf Club in Rant-en-Dal on Friday, 14 May. There are lots of prizes to be won. Registration is at 10.30am and tee-off at 11.30am (shotgun start) followed by an informal prize-giving from 5.30pm. If you don’t play golf, but would like to sponsor a four-ball or one of the holes, please contact joy@randfonteininfo.co.za or WhatsApp 082 852 1860.

• Ebenezer Charity Golf Day
Grab your pitching wedge, 9-iron and driver and support the Ebenezer House Charity Golf Day to take place at the Krugersdorp Golf Club in Rant-en-Dal on Thursday, 27 May. The event is a fundraiser to help sustain the NPO’s home. Ebenezer Psychiatric Home is a licensed non-profit organisation that takes care of 26 permanent adults suffering from Bipolar Disorder or Schizophrenia. They depend on donations and assistance from the public and corporate sector to keep the home open and functional, as most of their residents do not have families to support them. Ebenezer was established in 2005 to help psychiatric adults diagnosed with a mental disorder to feel worthy and help them deal with their illness. Should you want to sponsor a hole or a prize for the day, please make payments to the following bank account:
• Standard Bank Westgate
• Account Name: Ebenezer Fund
• Account Number: 026625504
• Branch Code: 016641
• Account Type: Current Account
Please send proof of payment to admin@ebenezer-house.co.za. Contact Kerry on 071 414 0501 or Charmaine on 082 434 7235 for more information.

• Dowwe Dolla by Garden World vir ‘n laaste keer (AFR)
Dowwe Dolla kuier by Garden World op Sondag, 23 Mei 2021 vir die laaster keer. Die grendels begin afval, MAAR die kalf is in die put, Cyril is in die middel, maar Ace is nog in die kombuis, Eskom se volgende reddingspakket is ‘n hamper met Blitz & Charcoal, Woolies verkoop hiënavriendelike heuning, Dolla is 21 jaar in die bedryf, en Ouma Dowe Dolla kom vir ‘n lang kuier … wat alles beteken Suid-Afrika is in groter moeilikheid as wat ons besef het. Dinge sal moet verander, dis nou of nooit! Met Margit Meyer-Rödenbeck en Coenraad Rall (op klavier). Teks en regie: Jurgen Human. Niemand jonger as 16 jaar nie aangesien Ouma Dowe Dolla nie ‘n wag voor die mond het nie. Navrae: 011 957 2545.

• Dowwe Dolla at Garden World for the last time (ENG)
• Dowwe Dolla at Garden World for the last time, ever! Dowwe Dolla will visit Garden World for the last time on Sunday, 23 May. The vultures are circling above, SAA is on Mayday, Tito is trying to veto, Cyril is stuck in the middle, cause Ace is still running the place, Woolies is selling hyena-friendly honey, Dolla celebrates 21 years in the industry, and Ouma Dowe Dolla is coming for the birthday celebrations … all of which mean South Africa is in bigger trouble than we all thought … ‘Things will have to change my broer … dis nou of nooit!’. Details: Contact 011 957 2545.

• Latest Movies not to miss!
MORTAL KOMBAT
From New Line Cinema comes the explosive new cinematic adventure Mortal Kombat, inspired by the blockbuster video game franchise, which most recently enjoyed the most successful video game launch in its history, Mortal Kombat 11. The diverse international cast reflects the global nature of the brand, with talent spanning the worlds of film, television and martial arts. In cinemas as of 9 April.

JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Inspired by true events, Judas and the Black Messiah is directed by Shaka King, marking his studio feature film directorial debut. The late 1960s was one of the most tumultuous and pivotal periods in American history. A nation rife with political and social unrest was besieged by explosive demonstrations against the prevailing social and gender norms, the Vietnam War and racial injustice. Black communities across the country, tired of facing racial disparities in healthcare, housing, education and employment – all outgrowths of systemic inequality – had finally had enough. The film received 26 wins and 56 nominations including six Oscar nominations. In cinemas as of 16 April.

THOSE WHO WISH ME DEAD
From New Line Cinema comes the thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead, starring Angelina Jolie and directed by Taylor Sheridan. Oscar-winner Jolie (Girl, Interrupted, the Maleficent films) stars as Hannah, a smoke jumper still reeling from the loss of three lives she failed to save from a fire. She comes across a traumatised 12-year-old boy with nowhere else to turn to. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros Pictures. The film is set for release on 14 May 2021 in South Africa.

THE FATHER
Die langverwagte rolprent, THE FATHER, wat pas benoem is vir ses gesogte Oscar-toekennings, ses BAFTA-toekennings asook twee Screen Actors Guild- (SAG-) toekennings het op 26 Maart in plaaslike fliekteaters landswyd geopen. Dit vertel die verhaal van ’n middeljarige dogter wat besig is om haar geduld te verloor met haar pa – ’n stoute, onafhanklike ou man, wat besig is om tred met realiteit te verloor en weier dat ’n versorger na hom omsien. Sy moet trek en moet daarom iemand kry om hom te versorg. Hy, wat in die beginstadium van demensie is, probeer sin maak van sy veranderende omstandighede en begin in sy geliefdes, verstand en realiteit twyfel.

GODZILLA VS. KONG
Legends collide in Godzilla vs. Kong (in cinemas as of 26 March) as these mythic adversaries meet in a spectacular battle for the ages, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Kong and his protectors undertake a perilous journey to find his true home, and with them is Jia, a young orphaned girl with whom he has formed a unique and powerful bond. But they unexpectedly find themselves in the path of an enraged Godzilla, cutting a swath of destruction across the globe. The epic clash between the two titans – instigated by unseen forces – is only the beginning of the mystery that lies deep within the core of the Earth.

THE MAURITANIAN
Directed by Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland) and based on the NY Times best-selling memoir Guantanamo Diary by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, THE MAURITANIAN is the inspiring true story of Slahi’s fight for freedom after being detained and imprisoned without charge by the US government for years. Alone, with no access to the outside world, Slahi (Tahar Rahim) finds allies in defence attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley) who battle the US Government in a fight for justice that tests their commitment to the law and their client at every turn. Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by a formidable military prosecutor, Lt Colonel Stuard Couch (Benedict Cumberbatch), uncovers shocking truths and ultimately proves that the human spirit cannot be locked up. The film, originally titled Prisoner 760, was largely shot in South Africa early last year and had many local cast and crew involved in the production.

• Get fit with Zee’s Aerobics classes
Join Zee every Saturday morning from 7.30am to 8.30am at the Vredenhoek Street Park in Witpoortjie for a fun aerobics class. The classes are free and all you need is yourself, a water bottle, a towel and your mask.

• Starting them young at Melville Koppies
Every Sunday at Melville Koppies a number of different groups of young parents with very small kids arrive to explore Melville Koppies. The very small ones set out with a spring in their steps. They know that when their energy flags, they’ve got their ride on one of their parents’ back. They’ll never have such a view from up high for at least a decade. Then there’s the slightly bigger ones who don’t have option B. Sometimes they need the initial encouragement of an adult hand to clutch onto but soon they’re off, skipping briskly along the many paths, clambering up rocky inclines, complaining when the adults can’t keep up. For kids that like treasure hunts, ask at the entrance for the page of Melville Koppies treasures to look out for. The younger visitors will need to keep their eyes open on the paths, in the trees, up in the sky or smell the air to tick them all off. Melville Koppies is open every Sunday in 2021 from 8am to 11.30am. No need to pre-book. Adults R80 and children R40; all income used for maintenance and security of the Koppies – R22 000 per month needed. Security on the Koppies is provided; park in secure parking opposite the entrance at Marks Park on Judith Road, Emmarentia. Mid-week tours can be arranged. Contact wendavid@mweb.co.za. Check out www.mk.org.za for more detailed information about the history and what you can see.

• Navigating the new heritage trail
With a distance of just more than three kilometres, the newly designed Melville Koppies heritage trail guides visitors past an early hunter-gatherer site with magnificent views north to the Magaliesberg mountains, to a blast hole on one quartzite ridge – which the Geldenhuys brothers hoped would deliver them gold but didn’t – and then through copses of trees with stone walls of the first farmers. The Lecture Hut is the halfway post allowing walkers to read numerous information boards that expand on what they’ve seen on the trail, including the restored iron smelting furnace where iron was smelted until the mid 1800s. Many tools that were used by the hunter-gatherers and farmers are also on display there. On Sunday, 8 March visitors seemed excited by the trail although many found the stone walls ‘difficult to spot’. Perhaps the toughest challenge for the historical explorers was reading the map. However, none seemed deterred if they realised they’d done the trail in reverse or had taken a wrong turn. The joys of being in the open air on a clear autumn day shone through. Melville Koppies is open every Sunday in 2021 from 8am to 11.30am. No need to pre-book. Adults R80 and children R40; all income used for maintenance and security at the Koppies – R22 000 per month needed for this. Security on the Koppies is provided; park in secure parking opposite the entrance at Marks Park on Judith Road, Emmarentia. Mid-week tours can be arranged. Contact wendavid@mweb.co.za. Check out www.mk.org.za for more detailed information about the history and what you can see.

• Kloofendal educational walks
Why not spend your weekends learning about creepy crawlies, insect bites, flowers, trees and more. Well, at the Kloofendal Ecological Centre you can do just that. The reserve hosts guided walks at just R90 per adult, R70 per pensioner and R50 per child. For more information, or to make a booking, contact Karin Spottiswoode on 079 693 5608. All Covid-19 regulations will be adhered to, and all participants must wear a mask at all times.

• Covid-19 gives more choices to the Melville Koppies visitor
A year into lockdown, Covid-19 has brought with it some unexpected benefits to the visitor to the Melville Koppies Nature Reserve and Heritage Site. Before lockdown almost a year ago, the Koppies didn’t offer the visitor choices. Now because of social-distancing requirements you have to guide yourself. And there’s a wealth of choices: the new 5km hike is proving very popular; there’s now a bird list for the Koppies developed by keen bird atlaser Anthony Paton; and they’ve developed a heritage trail which guides you around key points that highlight the Koppies’ rich history. More varied trails are in the pipeline. With security on the Koppies provided you can even explore on your own. And if you can’t do everything in one visit, come back another time. The numbers of repeat visitors are climbing. Melville Koppies is open every Sunday in 2021 from 8am to 11.30am. No need to pre-book. Adults R80 and children R40; all income used for maintenance and security at the Koppies. Park in secure parking opposite the entrance at Marks Park on Judith Road, Emmarentia. Mid-week tours can be arranged. Contact wendavid@mweb.co.za. Check out www.mk.org.za for more detailed information about the history and what you can see.

• Hikers and runners can visit Avianto in Muldersdrift again
Avianto Trails in Muldersdrift opened their gates again for hikers and runners. They offer a variety of trails, and all of them are pet-friendly too. Before visiting them, take note that tickets for the weekends are to be bought online at www.avianto.co.za/avianto-online-trail-tickets but, if you visit them during the week you have to report to the reception to purchase a pass. All trails start at The Clubhouse on the Avianto Lifestyle Estate. Running and walking trails are ideal for a fantastic day out in the countryside. Approximately 5km of scenic routes offer a great exercise option, regardless of your level of fitness. Pets need to be on a leash, and remember the poop scoop. They are situated at Avianto Plot 69, Driefontein Road, Muldersdrift.

• Missing your weekly parkrun?
Sterkfontein Heritage Lodge, 1 Wolf Street, Rant-en-Dal, has the answer for you! If you have a parkrun barcode, you and your friends will be able to access the parkrun route for free. All you need to do is report to reception, show your barcode and you are good to go. All the owner asks of you is to support the restaurant after completing your route. For non-parkrunners and those who would like to visit the lodge for a hike or to cycle, the lodge is also open at a fee of R40 per person.

• Picnic at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
The Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden on Malcolm Road, Poortview will be open for picnics, bird watching and photography, walking, hiking and running. The restaurant, Sisulu Circle, children’s play area, garden gym and drinking fountains will also be open. If you wish to visit the Garden, remember to wear a mask, sanitize at the entrance and ensure social distancing. Visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets online on the webtickets.co.za website to limit physical contact.

• Witpoortjie Community Market
The Witpoortjie Community Flea/ Farmer’s Market is at 27 Teenstra Street, Witpoortjie every Saturday from 8.30am to 1pm. Buying from the variety of stalls, including food, fresh produce, toys, clothing, jewellery, home and outdoor, and more, will help to empower small businesses. For more information, contact Roxanne on 084 207 6549.

Remember to send notifications of your events to krugersdorpnews@caxton.co.za.