Friends of the South African Museum

ROBBEN ISLAND GEOLOGICAL OUTING
16 AND 17 AUGUST 2024

Join the Friends of the Museum on a unique outing to Robben Island, led by geologist Dr John Rogers.

The outing, with its focus on the geology of the island, includes a visit to the maximum-security prison, the lime quarry, Robert Sobukwe’s house, van Riebeeck’s quarry and the Church of the Good Shepherd.

Overnight accommodation is in the medium security prison in barracks; men in one, women in another. Clean warm bedding is provided and there are ample ablution facilities. All you need to bring are toiletries and a towel.

There will be a communal braai on the first evening for which participants need to provide their own food, as well as for their breakfast and a picnic lunch on Saturday.

We depart for the island on the 13:00 ferry on Friday 16 August. On arrival our luggage will be taken to our sleeping quarters whilst we visit the maximum-security prison. After this we will explore the beach, the lime quarry and Robert Sobukwe’s house on foot, ending up at medium-security prison where we will spend the night. Those who wish to do so can walk to the lighthouse after the braai for a beautiful view across the bay.

We set off the next morning at 08:30 to walk through the village, stopping at various places of interest and eating our picnic lunch at Langbaai. After lunch we will walk past the WWII guns and back to the medium-security prison to collect our luggage in time to take the 16:00 ferry back to Cape Town, arriving at 17:00.

To secure your booking, please respond by email [email protected]

Members: R1 300,00
Non-members: R1 500,00

After our interesting tour of the Baxter Theatre Complex, a large group braved the stormy weather to explore the Theatre on the Bay in Camps Bay.
Originally the Alvin Cinema, the derelict building was purchased by Pieter Toerien in 1988 and rebuilt as the Theatre on the Bay. Since then, its stage has seen many South African theatre legends tread the boards or create productions and provide a stepping stone for aspirant professionals who have since become household names.
Seated in the comfortable plush seats in the auditorium, our enthusiastic guide gave us details about the theatre and the current play Witness for the Prosecution. We could appreciate the set on stage and the logistics of getting all the props in place.
We then toured the beautiful building and spent some time admiring the photographs in the foyer. It was fun to look for familiar faces.
The two beautiful doors leading into the auditorium are from the original Alhambra Theatre.
A great way to spend a rainy morning. Unfortunately it was too rainy to stop outside to photograph the building.

The Friends had a most interesting and fun tour of the Baxter theatre centre. Starting with some of the history of the building, we viewed all the theatres before moving backstage to the dressing rooms, rehearsal rooms, prop storage and the lovely Green Room. We were taken to see the back of the beautiful organ in the concert hall. It was fascinating to hear that there are ghosts who wander around and appear to be quite at home in the theatre. This visit made us realise just how much goes into producing a theatre show and gave a glimpse of the exciting world of theatre. A wonderful way to spend a rainy morning.

The Friends enjoyed a most informative tour of Newlands Brewery. Jacob Letterstedt founded the brewery in 1820 and identified the location which enabled easy access to the water from Devils Peak. This water is piped into the brewery from the source. Nine famous South African Brewery (SAB) beers are brewed there.
After signing and indemnity form, the safety measures were explained before we departed. Ensuring we were all wearing closed shoes, we were supplied with safety goggles and given headphones which allowed us to hear the guide in the noisy parts of the brewery. We were impressed with the safety measures and the hygiene standards. Unfortunately, photographs are not permitted in the factory.
We had a very competent guide who was able to answer the many questions from the group and engage in lively discussion along the way. We viewed the brewing process from mash to cask and everything in between. He explained how the beers differ from each other and how their beers make them distinct from the others.
Our tour ended in the pub with a difficult decision of choosing which of the beers on offer to sample. A thoroughly enjoyable morning, highly recommended.

A small group of Friends viewed the exquisite heritage blankets on loan along with twenty-six Basotho blankets from the Sanlam art collection. These include Aranda’s Young Basotho Designer range, which celebrates the stories of the blankets to become an iconic brand identity of a nation.
The blankets hold a rich tapestry of history, branching back about 160 years, to when they were first manufactured in mills in Yorkshire in England, before winding their way to the Cape of Good Hope, Port Elizabeth, and then on to Leribe and the other mountainous districts of Basutoland (now Lesotho). They tell intertwining tales of Africa and England, and clothiers and early capitalism.
Showcasing the unique and engaging designs of traditional and contemporary Basotho Blankets, the exhibition will run until 14 June 2024 at the Sanlam Art Gallery in Bellville, before moving to Sanlam’s Art Lounge in Sandton, Johannesburg, for Heritage Month.

The Friends had a most informative and interesting visit to Oude Raapkraal in Westlake. A beautiful old house near many eucalyptus trees from which the Cape Honeybee feeds. The current owner told us that grandfather lived at this house from 1946. They are primarily commercial beekeepers who take their beehives to farms to pollinate the fruits in the Western Cape. If properly pollinated by the bees, the farmers’ yields can be increased significantly. Wearing full protective gear, we were able to explore the beehives.
Thanks to Debbie for the photographs.

The Friends spent an exciting morning exploring new exhibitions at The Castle of Good Hope. This took us to parts we have not previously visited. Thanks to the CEO for hosting and guiding us. So much happening at this wonderful venue; a film crew were busy making a movie, new exhibitions filling unused spaces making this such a worthwhile visit.

The Friends visited ‘Then I knew I was good at painting’ – Esther Mahlangu a retrospective at the Iziko South African National Gallery.
Through the language of colour and form, the exhibition charts Esther Mahlangu’s contribution to contemporary art which she created over close to seven decades. More than 100 artworks have been loaned from international collections, carefully curated alongside historic photographs and a short film. Included in the exhibition is Dr Mahlangu’s BMW 525i Art Car which makes its historic return to South Africa for the first time in more than 30 years. She became the first woman and first African to be invited to participate in the prestigious BMW Art Car Collection in 1991. This diverse collection from her expansive oeuvre offers a comprehensive yet intimate insight into her vast and vibrant career.

The Friends had a cellar tour at the KWV wine cellar in Paarl. Inside was wonderfully cool on a very hot Boland day. Covering 22 hectares, this is one of the largest cellars in the world. Not only do they produce a large variety of wines, now also liqueurs, brandies and others spirits are produced. The Cathedral Cellar is a beautiful area housing barrels with wood carvings showing the history and interesting people involved. Naturally most of us did some shopping after the tour!

The Friends visited The Heart of Cape Town Museum which housed in the original building of the emergency rooms and the operating theatres on the grounds of Groote Schuur hospital.
This museum honours all those who played a major role in the surgical feat that pushed the boundaries of science into the dawn of a new medical era making it possible to transplant the human heart.
The world’s first successful human heart transplant, led by Professor Christiaan Neethling Barnard, played out within the walls of the Charles Saint Theatre at Groote Schuur Hospital on 3 December 1967. The museum gave us an insightful look into the day the first successful heart transplant took place. Interesting information on display shows the progress on heart transplants since that first transplant.

The Friends had a unique experience for the last outing of the year. We visited the Kelp Shack in Soetwater where Phil Mansergh and his team provided us with an enlightening educational culinary experience. Phil explained the preparation and cooking methods of fresh and dried kelp and told us that he uses a kelp-fishing permit to harvest kelp sustainably from various beds from Scarborough to Kommetjie. He gets to the plant by paddling out on his surfboard and selects the younger fronds, removing the kelp carefully, roughly 20cm from the bulb, with a small sharp knife which is attached to a foraging bag around his waist. He mostly uses the fronds.
The interesting meal consisted of dishes in which kelp was used in various ways from chutney to pate to a tube with a delicious filling.
Photo credit: Ronnie, Debbie and Charlotte

The Friends enjoyed an informative lecture on the great white shark by a passionate and enthusiastic scientist, Alessandro De Maddalena, who has written at least six books on the Great White Shark.
After 40 years in Milan, he and his wife decided to be close to living sharks as opposed to dead sharks. They chose Simonstown for its close proximity to false bay, diversity and a good quality of life. Visit their private museum by appointment only.
See more on https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=939958997703810&set=a.261435155556201
Photo credit: Debbie de Bastos

The Friends visited the quaint Cape Medical Museum in the Old City Hospital Complex in the grounds of Somerset Hospital. The beautiful building, once the home of the hospital superintendent, houses turn-of-the-century exhibitions around the medical history of the Cape showing dentistry, hospital care, pharmaceutical developments, operating theatre, a doctor’s room and traditional African medicine. Founded by a group of volunteers in the 1980s led by Prof JC de Villiers, it has been proclaimed as a Provicial Museum of the government of the Western Cape Province. We were all pleased medicine has advanced and that we now enjoy the modern approach!

The Friends enjoyed a guided tour at the Castle of Good Hope of the newly installed 500 Years of Circumnavigation exhibition, housed in one of the former storerooms. We were able to see some the original walls and construction of the Castle with the thick walls keeping us cool inside. The exhibition focuses on one of the most tragic periods in our global history: armed colonial conquest, mercantile capitalism, slavery, and Imperialism. It is a collaboration between the Castle of Good Hope, the Embassy of Spain, the Consulate General of Spain, and the Society of Spanish Researchers in Southern Africa.
Phase one of this exhibition involved constructing and producing exhibition content and design that allows visitors to understand the timeline in bite-sized chunks. This phase uses combinations of edgy design, punchy audio-visuals, sophisticated printing techniques, and mood lighting to create a memorable experience that enhances the story.

The Friends met with Jacques Viljoen who discussed his work as artist-in-residence that forms part of Breaking Down the Walls exhibition in the Iziko SA National Gallery. Jacques has painted a series of master copies and portraits from life on site and in the context of the exhibition. These paintings show a variety of painterly techniques and skills and allow viewers to re-appraise works in the light of Jacques’ acute observations.
The showcase consists of nine new paintings interspersed through the exhibition Breaking Down the Walls and in dialogue with works on display.

The Friends were fortunate to visit the Gardens Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in South Africa as well as tour the Jewish Museum. As the original congregation, it was responsible and facilitated the establishment of many of the other Jewish communities in South Africa and is thus referred to as the ‘Mother Synagogue’ of South Africa.

The original Synagogue known as the Old Shul, was built in 1863 and currently serves as the entrance to the South African Jewish Museum. The Old Shul stands alongside the Great Synagogue built in 1905 and is active till this very day. With its twin towers, impressive dome, intricate mosaics, stain glassed windows and expansive sanctuary the Great Synagogue radiates a rich sense of history and tradition. It is an architectural masterpiece and a source of great pride for the South African Jewish Community.

Great fun and excitement at Iziko museum for Heritage weekend celebrations

New book by John Compton. See johnscompton.com to download an order form which has a 10% discount offer

The Friends had a most enjoyable and informative morning visiting Rust-en-Vrede gallery in Durbanville. A roaring fire was most welcome on yet another chilly day. Our guide gave us a brief history of this beautiful building before we viewed the exhibitions.
Originally built in the 1840’s as a prison and police headquarters, it also served as a magistrate’s court. The first Village Management Committee meetings were held in this building. In 1901 with the registering of Durbanville as a Municipality, the first council meetings were held in the building.
In 1981, the Durbanville Cultural Society was officially established. It was decided that, in conjunction with the council, the Durbanville Cultural Society would run the building as an Arts and Culture centre showcasing works of art by established and emerging artists.
The complex now houses a Gallery, Clay Museum, various Art Studios and the coffee shop, YOCO Eatery.
The Portrait Award 2023 – Top 40 exhibition is one of the new exhibitions. We had the privilege of being guided through this interesting exhibition and hearing the back ground of the competition and the work on display.

Following our visit to the Jagger library in July, the Friends were invited to the temporary archives in Mowbray. There we were shown the wonderful work being done to restore and preserve the documents which were recovered after the fire.
Our thanks to the staff for spending time with us. Thanks to Jenny Herbert for the photos.

The Friends experienced a treat going behind the scenes at Iziko museum with Prof Roger Smith to the palaeontology department. We visited the laboratory to watch the preparators at work, saw many interesting fossil specimens and ended our visit viewing and discussing examples in the Stones and Bones exhibition in the museum. For those who had participated in the recent fossil trip to Melton Wold, this was an interesting conclusion to fossil finds in the field.

The Friends spent an exciting morning at Iziko’s Social History Centre. Access is by appointment only and we were privileged to spend most of the morning with staff seeing the treasures stored there. Our visit started with hearing the history of the magnificent building, once the offices of an insurance company. We entered through the beautiful library which houses an extensive collection. The room has the original wall panelling, pressed ceiling, and a tiled fireplace. Whilst the lifts have been modernised and replaced, the original façade remains next to the ornate staircase. We viewed stored items and collections of ceramics and crockery, artworks in the William Fehr Collection, toys, weapons, fabric, quilts, garments, and furniture all beautifully stored and organised in magnificent cupboards and drawers.

The Friends visited the Cape Town Holocaust & Genocide Centre to explore the Vilna to Cape Town exhibition. As 2023 marks the 80th anniversary of the liquidation of the Vilna ghetto, we started by seeing the film The World was Ours, which chronicles the rich, vibrant history of the Jewish community of Vilna (then Poland, now Lithuania), known as ‘The Jerusalem of Lithuania’ before its destruction in World War II. We were then taken through the international travelling exhibition, Chayela- Wunderkind of the Vilna Ghetto, which tells of Chayela Rosenthal, a remarkable talented performer who was one of the few survivors of the Vilna ghetto, known as ‘Wunderkind of the Vilna ghetto’. After liberation she joined the State Yiddish Theatre, and, after performing in Cape Town, settled here with her husband. Against the backdrop of Vilna the exhibition explores her extraordinary tale of survival and resistance through her music. It shows incredible artefacts, including Chayela’s favourite glorious sequined dress and top she wore on stage; the floral dress she wore in her first South African Yiddish play; the original book in which she wrote songs from the Vilna Ghetto; her original comedy sketches and jokes; her LP records; original show programmes; newspaper articles; music manuscripts.

The Friends visited Quenti Alpaca Farm and mill. The drizzle did not spoil our enjoyment and the alpacas gave us a gentle welcome. We were met in the shop with a cup of coffee and were able to purchase some of the beautiful items. The chilly day encouraged us to stock up with the gorgeous soft, warm goods. We then met some of the alpacas and heard about the breeding methods. Alpacas are relatives of camels and the babies are called Cria which is Spanish for baby. A tour of the mill with many machines being demonstrated to show the lengthy process of turning the alpaca fleece into beautiful, soft, warm yarn ended our visit.

The Friends had a most interesting and informative visit to the site of the fire at UCT Jagger Library. We were told about the history of the fire, how the salvaging of books and materials was managed and how these are currently safely stored. Exciting plans and decisions are currently underway to change the way collections are stored and used.

The Friends' 2023 Fossil Hunting Trip led by Prof Roger Smith was an enriching time of learning, discovering, communing, having fun, helping research and enjoying the beautiful Karoo. Annotations follow with the photos.
With many thanks to Prof Roger Smith for planning and leading the trip and being such a great teacher; to Munro Bloch for co-ercing Roger into doing another trip and huge thanks to Charlotte Honiball for her incredible organising skills and many hours of coordination to make the trip run so smoothly.

The Friends visited the Biomedical Research Institute, part of the Stellenbosch University's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. This self-driven hub of global excellence, serving as the launch pad for a number of ground-breaking medical and health sciences initiatives which has improved the lives of millions of people in South Africa and the rest of Africa.
The BMRI houses leading South African researchers and students who are investigating diseases that have the greatest impact on South Africa and the rest of Africa in order to translate their discoveries into improving the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of illnesses such as tuberculosis, cardio-metabolic disease, HIV, diabetes and neurological disorders.
This state-of-the-art building is fitted with a fully-automated biorepository (BiOS) – the first in the Southern Hemisphere – which stores 3-5 million samples at –80°C. The BiOS is equipped with several backups in the event of power failure or loadshedding and around the clock monitoring system with alarms and alerts for temperature to ensure sample integrity.
The remarkable building felt like science fiction with all these features. We visited the beautifully curated museum before going into some of the laboratories. No photographs are allowed in these areas.

The Friends had the privilege of exploring the Hidden Wonders exhibition at the Iziko SA Museum in the company of all the curators involved who discussed their contribution in detail. Prof Mike Bruton attended and gave us interesting information around the coelacanth exhibit. A satisfying way to spend a rainy afternoon and an exhibition well worth visiting.

Lecture: Wednesday 28 June 2023
Speaker: Dr Mikhaila L. Gordon, Assistant Curator, Iziko Entomology department
Title: The Journey thus far: Taxonomy and Systematics of the Afrotropical parasitoid
Darwin wasp genus Netelia (Tryphoninae, Ichneumonidae)
Venue: TH Barry Lecture Theatre Iziko South African Museum
25 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town
Time: 11:00
Cost: Members on presentation of valid 2023 membership card – free of charge
Non-members: A donation of R30.00
Darwin wasps are one of the most species-rich families in the Hymenopteran order. Wasps are known to be natural controllers of other insects and, therefore, contribute significantly to the way an ecosystem operates. All Darwin wasps are parasitoids, which means that they are required to live in or on another insect in order to develop, grow and mature. Therefore, species belonging to the Darwin wasp family has the potential for being used in biocontrol programmes within the South African agricultural sectors.
How do we go about figuring this out? This talk explores the potential the Afrotropical genus Netelia to be used as a biocontrol agent.

The Friends explored the Two Oceans Aquarium. We started our morning with the African Penguins feeding session. Each penguin has a name and a record is keep of the quantity consumed at each feed. Some were quite greedy! We moved on to the I&J area to see two divers doing the feeding of particularly the stingrays. As they live on the bottom of the tank, they get only the leftovers once the other fish have fed. The divers had calamari for the stingrays and it was fascinating to see how eager they were to be fed. Then we were free to explore the aquarium, an absolute treat.