by SFT | Sep 12, 2026 | St Francis
Jeffreys Bay Craft Brewery has become part of the town’s hospitality scene. The brewery reflects owner Bruce Tavenor’s love of engineering, brewing, surfing and Jeffreys Bay.
Building the Brewery
Tavenor’s brewing journey began in 1997 while working for South African Breweries as a process engineer and project manager. He studied brewing theory and helped develop the Fransen Street microbrewery in Chamdor.
Later, a holiday in Jeffreys Bay inspired a goal. He wanted to move to the town and open a microbrewery.
In 2016, Tavenor took over a surfboard factory. He spent two years transforming it into a brewery and taproom. By November 2017, Jeffreys Bay Craft Brewery had produced its beers.
Perseverance Through Difficult Years
Seasonal trade, drought, poor water quality, load shedding and COVID-19 tested the business. However, Tavenor continued his engineering work and kept improving the brewery.
“Don’t quit, never quit, never ever quit, don’t give up,” he says.
His engineering skills also helped him design and build the brewing equipment. Customer praise for the beer made that work worthwhile.
J-Bay in Every Beer
The brewery’s beers draw their names from local surf breaks and surfing culture. Supers, a light lager, is the bestseller. Captain Jeffrey’s Pale Ale offers citrus, litchi and fruity flavours. Meanwhile, Boneyards dark lager remains a favourite.
Tavenor brews small batches using specialty malts and hops. The beers ferment and carbonate naturally. They remain unfiltered and unpasteurised, creating a distinctive flavour profile.
A Local Meeting Place
Locals support the taproom, especially on Wednesdays and Friday afternoons. The venue also hosts functions, birthdays and wedding receptions.
Tavenor plans to add a Pilsner and Weissbier. Ultimately, he hopes to brew two days each week and surf for five.
Jeffreys Bay Craft Brewery is at 33 Jeffreys Street, Jeffreys Bay.
by SFT | Sep 12, 2026 | St Francis
Kouga Local Municipality is committed to keeping residents informed and prepared through its Weekly Water Safety Spotlight.
Every Friday, the municipality will share practical water safety advice, important reminders and useful updates. The information will help residents and visitors remain safe at beaches, rivers, swimming pools and other waterways across Kouga.
Follow the FLAGS
This week’s spotlight focuses on the FLAGS beach safety guide.
Always find the lifeguards’ flags and swim between them. Read the safety signs before entering the water, as they highlight possible dangers and changing conditions.
Ask a lifeguard for advice, especially when waves or currents appear strong. In addition, always swim with another person. Parents should supervise children closely whenever they are near water.
If you get into trouble, remain calm and raise one arm to signal for help. Avoid swimming directly against a current or rip. Instead, float and wait for assistance.
Important Safety Reminders
Only swim at patrolled beaches during daylight hours. Never run and dive into unfamiliar water.
Keep these emergency numbers saved:
- Any emergency: 112
- Ambulance: 10177
- Police: 10111
The Weekly Water Safety Spotlight will continue every Friday with advice to help build safer and more resilient communities throughout Kouga.
by SFT | Sep 12, 2026 | St Francis
Kouga Local Municipality has released its weekly roadworks and pothole repair schedule for the St Francis area. The work will take place between 11 and 19 September 2026.
Motorists should expect temporary disruptions in several areas. Therefore, residents should drive carefully near construction teams and follow all temporary road signs.
Weekly pothole repairs
Municipal teams will carry out pothole repairs in Palamos Avenue and De Jonge Thomas from 11 to 18 September.
Residents can report additional potholes to the Kouga Municipal Call Centre. Reports can be submitted via WhatsApp on 081 760 9183 or by calling 042 200 2200.
Accurate reports will help teams identify damaged sections and include them in future repair schedules.
Road refurbishment and resealing
A separate roadworks schedule will run from 14 to 19 September. The municipality will complete several forms of maintenance across St Francis Bay.
Cowrie Crescent will receive a slurry overlay. Teams will complete pothole patching, surface repairs and an asphalt overlay on Tom Brown Boulevard. Borrie Bend will also receive an asphalt overlay.
Meanwhile, pothole patching will take place in Cayenne Drive, Oyster Row, Tumeric Turn and Sea Glade. Contractors will prime Sunset Drive.
Vegetation clearing and surface repairs
Teams will clear vegetation and repair road surfaces in Diaz Drive, Cinnamon Street, Ramazini Road and Palamos Street.
The schedule also includes Esmaralda Road, Tiyus Street, Steenbras Street, Canal Road and Ibizia Crescent.
Motorists urged to take care
The municipality has asked motorists to limit road use in affected areas where possible. This will allow contractors to complete the work safely and efficiently.
Temporary road closures may become necessary. Motorists should observe all road markings, reduce their speed and follow instructions from workers on site.
Read more: Discover the Shipwreck Museum in St Francis Bay
by SFT | Sep 10, 2026 | St Francis
Press Release
For immediate release
10 September 2026
Surfing: Lepront and Wiersma Form South African Contingent for Rip Curl GromSearch International Final
South African surfers Leah Lepront and Carl Wiersma will compete at the 2026 Rip Curl GromSearch International Final covered by Sun Bum.
The prestigious event will take place in Narrabeen, Australia, from 7 to 10 November 2026. It will bring together 16 of the world’s best under-16 surfers.
Lepront, from Scottburgh, and Wiersma, from Port Alfred, earned their places by winning the Rip Curl GromSearch presented by the Royal St Andrews Hotel. The South African event took place during the 2026 Port Alfred Easter Festival.
Both surfers are currently in El Salvador as members of the South African team competing at the 2026 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Junior Surfing Championship. The event has given them valuable international competition experience ahead of Narrabeen.
Rip Curl GromSearch International Final
“Carl and Leah are two outstanding South African junior surfers, and we wish them all the luck in Narrabeen,” said Rip Curl South Africa CEO Stuart Daykin. “We are immensely proud of their achievements and are confident that the Rip Curl GromSearch International Final will be another important step in their development as surfers”.
Carl Wiersma from Port Alfred © Kody McGregor/WSL
Narrabeen Confirmed as Host Venue
The Rip Curl GromSearch International Final moves to a new destination each year.
Narrabeen follows Hossegor, France, which hosted the event in 2025, and Canggu, Bali, in 2024. The return to Australia marks the first time the country has hosted the International Final since Bells Beach in 2023.
“We’re so stoked to bring the International Final back to Australia, and Narrabeen couldn’t be a better stage to showcase the world’s best up-and-coming talent,” said Rip Curl Sports Marketing Manager Angus Forrest.
“The Rip Curl GromSearch has been a launching pad for some of surfing’s biggest names, with former champions going on to win World Titles and Olympic medals.
“It’s a huge opportunity for these young surfers to compete on the international stage while sharing an unforgettable experience with other surfers from all over the world.”
Scottburgh surfer Leah Lepront © Kody McGregor / WSL
A Proven Platform for Young Surfers
Rip Curl GromSearch has been running since 1999 and has an impressive record.
More than 60% of the surfers on the 2026 WSL Championship Tour are former GromSearch winners. Five of the six surfing medallists from the past two Olympic Games also competed in GromSearch events.
The past 19 WSL women’s world titles have been won by former GromSearch finalists.
Past winners include Caitlin Simmers, Caroline Marks, Gabriel Medina, Erin Brooks, Brisa Hennessy, Samuel Pupo, Leonardo Fioravanti, Tatiana Weston-Webb, Owen Wright and Mason Ho.
The Narrabeen International Final will be broadcast live and free globally on the Rip Curl YouTube channel.
The Rip Curl International GromSearch is proudly covered by Sun Bum and supported by Ritual Vision and Fatboy Bikes.
ENDS
Complimentary high-resolution images are available to media outlets.
Rip Curl GromSearch media enquiries and photo requests
Craig Jarvis
Email: craig@truthcollective.co.za
Tel: 082 376 4443
Rip Cur South Africa: Website Facebook Instagram
by SFT | Sep 8, 2026 | St Francis
What began as a curiosity with a small still has grown into a proudly local craft spirit carrying the name and story of one of the Eastern Cape’s most distinctive landscapes.
Nestled near Patensie in the Gamtoos Valley, Gamtoos Gin is the creation of owner Johan van der Watt, whose journey into distilling was sparked by an old love for science and chemistry.
Van der Watt studied chemistry at university before taking a very different career path into photography and videography. His work took him around the world, particularly photographing and filming wildlife and safaris. Yet the scientist in him never disappeared.
“Even before COVID-19, the science side of me was still very much there,” he says.
He had already begun researching the possibility of establishing a small distillery on the farm and bought a small still to experiment with. His early creations included potato vodka and spirits made from different fruits, with the focus firmly on understanding the chemistry and possibilities of distillation.
Then COVID-19 changed everything.
With photography and videography work drying up almost overnight in 2020, Van der Watt suddenly had something he had never really had before: time.
He began experimenting more seriously with spirits and botanicals. Of all the products he produced, gin stood out.
“Of everything I tried, the gin was by far the product that worked best and the one I felt had the most potential,” he recalls.
There was no grand commercial plan at the outset. Instead, the distillery evolved organically, one piece of equipment and one experiment at a time.
“I would find a piece of equipment, do more research, make another plan, build another part of the system and gradually put the facility together,” Van der Watt explains.
A spirit with a sense of place
For Van der Watt, creating gin was never only about producing a quality spirit. It was also about telling the story of the valley he calls home.
The Gamtoos Valley is synonymous with citrus farming, and the region’s agricultural character naturally found its way into the product. The name itself was equally important.
Gamtoos is traditionally associated with “The Roaring Lion”, a reference to the tremendous sound and power of the Gamtoos River when it comes down in flood. That powerful imagery became central to the brand, with the lion featuring prominently in its identity.
“It is really the heart of the brand,” says Van der Watt. “Anyone who lives in this valley understands how important the river is. It has shaped the landscape, agriculture and communities here for generations.”
The river, however, has shown both its nurturing and destructive sides. Ironically, the very waterway that inspired the brand has also tested the distillery, with recent flooding causing damage to the facility.
“It can sustain us, but it can also remind us very quickly of the power of nature,” he says.
From Patensie to the bottle
Van der Watt moved to Patensie in 2019, and although he jokes that he did not necessarily choose the location for the distillery, but rather that “the location chose me”, the setting has proved remarkably appropriate.
With the Gamtoos River nearby and citrus farms surrounding the distillery, the location eventually became inseparable from the identity of the gin.
“My family roots are from this valley so I feel at home here,” he says.
Although experimentation began in 2020, Gamtoos Gin only officially entered the market after receiving its liquor licence in April 2024. Securing the licence was a significant milestone, particularly in an industry where navigating the regulatory requirements can be challenging for a small rural producer.
Since then, seeing the product embraced by the local community has been equally rewarding. Gamtoos Gin is available at local establishments such as Tollbos and Padlangs in Patensie.
Crafted for balance
Behind every bottle is a carefully developed recipe designed to showcase a traditional gin character while adding a distinctly local touch.
The gin uses a clean grain-based spirit as its foundation, providing what Van der Watt describes as a neutral and smooth “blank canvas”. The botanicals are then introduced through vapour infusion.
“Juniper is obviously the foundation of gin and provides that distinctive piney and aromatic character,” he explains.
Coriander contributes citrus and spice notes, while angelica root adds earthy depth and helps bring the botanicals together. Grains of paradise provide gentle peppery warmth, with cassia bark adding another layer of subtle spice.
The citrus component completes the profile, bringing freshness without overpowering the juniper.
“We wanted to make a very smooth, approachable gin with a traditional juniper backbone, subtle spice and just enough citrus to give it freshness without allowing the citrus to dominate,” says Van der Watt.
The result is intended to be versatile enough to enjoy with a traditional tonic, mixed with orange juice or even sipped neat.
A little room for experimentation
While the core recipe remains consistent, Van der Watt occasionally uses seasonal ingredients to create subtle variations.
“The core botanical recipe and ratios actually remain exactly the same from batch to batch,” he says. “What we occasionally change is the final flavour component.”
One example was a small batch made for Mooihoek, where strawberry was added as an additional component. Lime has proved particularly popular and is used when available.
This approach allows the distillery to experiment without losing the fundamental character of Gamtoos Gin.
More than a bottle
For Van der Watt, the relationship between Gamtoos Gin and the agricultural community is fundamental.
“Gamtoos Gin would have very little meaning without the Gamtoos Valley and its agricultural community,” he says.
The citrus industry is not simply an ingredient source or backdrop to the brand. It represents generations of farming knowledge, livelihoods and a deep connection to the land.
“We want Gamtoos Gin to become another product that people can associate proudly with the valley,” he explains.
That sense of place is perhaps the greatest difference between Gamtoos Gin and a spirit produced anywhere else.
“All gins aren’t created equal,” Van der Watt says. “With craft gin I think what makes a product special is often about more than simply the recipe. It is also the story behind it, the person who created it, why it was created and where the ingredients come from.”
A taste of the Gamtoos Valley
Although the distillery is not currently set up as a formal tasting or visitor facility, the bottle itself serves as an ambassador for the valley.
Every bottle that leaves Patensie carries the name Gamtoos beyond the valley, potentially introducing new audiences to the region’s citrus farms, river, mountains, Baviaanskloof and rural communities.
“The Gamtoos Valley has far more to offer than many people realise,” says Van der Watt.
For a small rural craft business, building a brand comes with its share of challenges, from production costs and regulatory compliance to packaging, logistics and getting an emerging product onto the shelves.
The floods have added another dimension, demonstrating the resilience required to operate so closely alongside the Gamtoos River.
“A small business doesn’t have endless resources or departments to solve every problem, so you learn to be practical and resilient,” says Van der Watt.
Growing without losing the story
Looking ahead, the ambition is to grow Gamtoos Gin carefully while preserving the authenticity that lies at its heart.
Van der Watt hopes to expand the brand’s presence across the Eastern Cape and eventually further afield through selected restaurants, lodges, retailers and other outlets that appreciate both quality and provenance.
But the ultimate goal remains simple.
“More than anything, when somebody discovers Gamtoos Gin, I would like them to discover a little bit of the Gamtoos Valley with it,” he says.
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