The Cramers say goodbye

GRAAFF-REINET NEWS — Graaff-Reinetters are currently bidding farewell to two temporary yet notable residents, who made a lasting mark in their less than three years in town.

Dr Stefan is a German hydrogeologist with many years of practical work experience in developmental work in Africa, Asia, and South America.

His wife Erika, an agricultural engineer, spent many years in developmental work in Southeast Asia. They choose Graaff-Reinet as their base for assisting local communities across the Karoo to gain knowledge on fracking and decide for themselves, how to deal with this threat to their livelihoods.

The two brought novel approaches to their task, perfected over years in other places. After professionally familiarizing themselves with the unique Karoo environment and geology they identified the best training sites, where hands-on and practical experiences could teach residents the intricacies of Karoo groundwater and rock formations.

They quickly made a lasting experience that emerging farmers and people from the locations were eager to learn more and listen very carefully to what they had to say.

To these people, the walks in the veld spoke more than lectures in a classroom, because local residents have lived with the rocks, but have never been given a good scientific explanation of what they see.

The Cramer's motto resonated well: Let the Karoo speak for herself!

A flurry of fracking consultations kept them chasing across the Karoo, preparing local communities for a meaningful dialogue with the so-called experts. Their trainees did very well, questioning foreign consultants with technical arguments. When it became clear to these disadvantaged people that very few jobs would be created, the mood during these meetings swung. Now, even earlier supporters of fracking in the townships have second thoughts. Their strategy to engage with each and every one has shown results.

At first, the Cramers were reluctant to engage with children and youngsters and bring them to the veld. Soon, however, they realized, especially with the Eco Club of Union High under the committed leadership of Jenny Street, how eager young learners are to get an understanding of their environment.

Later on, the newly set-up Eco-Heroes from Kroonvale, initiated by Avril Ceasar, joined the cause.

According to Stefan, the youth might be their most important target audience. "It is such fun to spend time with these bright and inquisitive youngsters in the field", he said.

Stefan and Erika also enjoyed their cooperation with the Educational Department of the Camdeboo National Park, especially when visiting different Primary Schools in the locations of Graaff-Reinet.

While Erika introduced nature games, Stefan introduced the kids to hands-on Karoo geology, groundwater, and fracking issues. Sure enough, at the end of such an outing, most of the kids wanted to become geologists...

But, while the Cramers did more research on fracking they quickly realized that the Karoo is such a poor place for shale gas development.

To them it looks unlikely that it will ever take place in any reasonable way. Local farmers’ associations were thrilled to listen to their presentation of “Six Reasons Why the Karoo Will Never Be Fracked”.

Just when the Cramers thought to now safely retire, a small notice in The Advertiser alerted them to a public consultation on uranium mining in Beaufort West. The meeting was poorly attended. Clearly, there was no public knowledge and debate about a disruptive industry ready to hit the Karoo.

For full six years, the companies were able to work quasi-incognito. Yet, the dangers of Karoo uranium mining are evident: The ore is close to the surface; its production will create large plumes of contaminated dust, traveling for hundreds of kilometers. Radioactive dust may become a huge public health hazard, as it can be inhaled by humans and livestock. The enormous water consumption alone puts local farming at risk. Contamination of groundwater is highly likely.

This set the Cramers on a path to alert Karoo communities of this new threat.

And they did so crisscrossing the Karoo talking to anyone who cared to listen.

Readers of The Advertiser have followed them and learned about the astounding success the pair had in lifting the veil of secrecy of an industry that was effectively “flying below the radar screen”. Eventually, many residents of the Karoo understood that uranium mining is the “dirty underbelly of the nuclear industry” currently hitting the headlines across the nation.

Today, thousands of people across South Africa have learned through direct contact with the Cramers, through their appearances in radio, television and in the print media, the dangers of uranium mining in the Karoo and what can be done to stop this issue before it even begins in earnest.

As part of their fracking outreach, the Cramers had also worked with young people of San origin who produced a beautiful quilt, which is now housed permanently in the Old Library Museum in Church Street. Stefan found it very, very hard to put the entire argument onto six large panels because he also wanted to include Renewable Energies as a Sustainable Development alternative. Erika organized a colourful, young and local opening.

Later on, they were offered the Jan Rupert Art Centre in town for the national anti-fracking art exhibition “Industrial Karoo - Fear & Loss?” an exhibition of artwork from over 100 activist artists carrying a strong political and social message, curated by the well-known Karoo artist Katie Barnard du Toit. The opening event in mid-November was again organized by Erika and proved even more young, colourful and local with a matching audience of 140 people in the wonderful courtyard of the museum. The Advertiser reported.

In another first, their idea of “Wine on the Rocks” proved very successful. Together with Rose Wright, they organized a wine tasting in the veld, with children’s games and food stalls. While people strolled from one highlight to another, Stefan explained the exciting geology, and why fracking is not such a good idea.

In the past, the Cramers had worked with Venda and Tsonga artists in Limpopo and helped them to develop and market their wood carving to excellent standards. With funding from the Rupert Art Foundation, they invited a group of five eminent artists to Graaff-Reinet and Nieu-Bethesda. Although these were all award-winning artists, there was surprisingly little interest in the community.

As part of their quest to protect the Karoo for damaging mining and fracking, the Cramers challenged the Camdeboo municipality to “Make Graaff-Reinet 100% Renewable”.

This is in fact easy, as there is a relatively low electricity demand, while world-class sites for wind and solar energy abound in the vicinity.

They commissioned a feasibility study for a utility-scale solar power station and convened an “Energy Summit” with all stakeholders in October 2015. After three months of intensive preparations all were on board, including the national and provincial government - except for the Executive Management of the Municipality.

Sadly, they had to cancel the event, as it would have been such an embarrassment to the local community to have important guests, but no local representation.

Thus, the Cramers leave Graaff-Reinet with one laughing and one crying eye, as a German saying goes.

They have often reflected over the last weeks that these were some of their best years of their lives, with the overwhelming Karoo hospitality, the historic ambiance of this iconic Karoo town, and the incessant involvement in the civic affairs of this lovely and vibrant community. To leave this gem, its people, and this struggle explains their crying eyes.

The laughing eyes are of course related to the future, their own and that of the Karoo.

They are looking forward to new challenges and opportunities in their own society. They often felt that the multiple divisions within the Karoo society require far more healing than it is happening at present. Every struggle, like that against fracking, is easily painted in racial terms, in relation to land ownership, with regards to inequality and unequal access to resources.

Their own society is currently being torn apart by xenophobia, mistrust, and anger, especially over the questions of refugees coming to Europe. Perhaps they can have a better impact on such issues within their own society and culture.

Their laughing eyes also relate to the many achievements, in particular to lifting the veil of secrecy over the threats of uranium mining in the Karoo.

They promise to come back for a big party when the companies finally give up on this crazy plan to dig up a resource that nobody needs any more but threaten to kill the rural environment for thousands of years to come. Their hope is that this struggle will continue even well after their departure. Stefan and Erika Cramer promise to remain part of this struggle even from far afield.

As the nomadic Tuaregs say: When you pack up the tents, the view of horizon becomes clearer.

Graaff-Reinet will always occupy a special corner in the memories, hearts, and minds of the Cramers.

Eco-Heroes from Kroonvale begin to understand Karoo geology.