By Allan Waterson
It was March 2023 when entries opened for the 2024 Indaba, wow that’s more than a year away, why do we need to plan so far in advance I thought, who knows we may not even be here.
What the heck in for a penny in for a pound, register and forget about it.
Well before I knew it September 2024 was around the corner, jack up the car check the brakes (what brakes this is a TC remember), do a quick oil change, all ready to roll.
Our route to Houw Hoek was straight forward, west along the N2 passing George, on to Mossel Bay for a quick pit stop and coffee, with lunch at Bali Trading in Riversdale before check in at Aan de Eike Swellendam for the overnight stop.
Monday 2 September, the Old Ladies (TC’s) set off from the Knysna Quays ahead of the fast cars.
Alan Froom from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), had overnighted in Knysna and he joined Ricky and myself leaving the Knysna Quays just on 08:00. The rest of the Knysna group would follow at 08:45. A little cold but otherwise a clear day. We had opted to have our tops up so as not to bake in the sun with temperatures for the day forecast to be above 30°C. Mike and Robin joined us as we passed through Sedgefield; all well until just beyond Sedgefield, where Alan noticed his car’s temperature rising significantly. Pulling over and looking for the problem there was no obvious reason for the billowing steam that seemed to be issuing from the engine. Rather unfortunate as Alan had been looking forward to the trip with us.
After making sure that Alan was okay and recovery in hand, he would follow later in his ‘plastic’, we pressed on to Mossel Bay where we were joined by Karl and Tilly from Hoekwil. Arriving at Bali Trading in Riversdale, Ricky said that it sounded like his car was misfiring on one of the cylinders; out with a spare set of spark plugs and in two minutes he and Robin, who had more tools in his MGB GT than I have in my garage (including a small trolley jack), had replaced the plugs, problem solved. The beauty of our cars being able to open a bonnet identify the problem and attend to it without plugging into a computer.
An early lunch and coffee; then on to Swellendam. The weather forecast this time proved fairly accurate with temperatures rising significantly as we approached our destination. The couple of beers in the mini fridge in our rooms proved woefully inadequate to quell the thirst but Swellenbrew larger and IPA, on tap at Aan de Eike, soon replaced the lost fluids.
We didn’t have long to wait before the rest of the group arrived and the party got underway.
Aan de Eike has a lovely pool area in which to sit back, relax and enjoy good company. Dinner at the Republic of Swellendam restaurant and a good night’s sleep rounded off the day. We had a leisurely breakfast on Tuesday before setting off to Houw Hoek Hotel, the venue for the Indaba. As we, the TCs that is, are slower, we set off ahead of the pack again heading for Dassiefontein restaurant between Caledon and Botrivier, where we would all muster to arrive as a group at the venue. Just after Caledon Ricky pulled over, he had lost oil pressure. A feed pipe from the oil filter had chaffed against the dip stick and as luck would have it this trip was the one where it would finally rub through. Robin to the rescue again, hole sealed with some adhesive but when started again the engine sounded rough, bearings was the thought, so rather than take a chance Ricky decided that the car would have to be recovered. Alan Froom provided the towing service back to Caledon. Fortunately, with contacts in the business, arrangements were soon made to collect the car from the Caledon hotel. That was not all, a replacement car would be delivered at the same time. When the engine was stripped it was discovered that the noise from the engine was not the bearings but a cracked crankshaft.
Norman Ewing had been travelling with us and on arrival at Dassiesfontein he spotted one of our rugby legends’, the Springbok flyhalf Errol Tobais selling memorabilia; it wasn’t long before many of our group had been persuaded to buy a book or rugby jersey supporting this wonderful talented player.
Dassiesfontein is a place to stop on the way to Cape Town if you are in search of that extra piece of ‘STUFF’ for the empty corner of a room. Their coffee and food are also worth a stop.
Event registration at the hotel was well organised and with welcome drinks on the patio consumed, we headed off to our allocated rooms to freshen up for a bit of socialising before dinner and a relatively early night.
Wednesday was show day with the cars parked in designated areas grouped by model, and for those who had entered the various competitions, in specific areas. All participants had been given voting cards, allowing them to judge and vote for the car that in their view was the best, which when completed were to be dropped in the boxes provided.
The latter part of the morning was devoted to the driving tests which would prove how well the driver and passenger know their car and work together, needless to say this activity provided much entertainment for the spectators. The South Cape Centre was placed 2nd in this competition.
After lunch was the Rocker Cover Racing, some 13 entries. Several participants had not entered beforehand which caused a little bit of a stir and delayed proceedings to allow their inclusion in the draw. Like all racing stringent rules are applied and scrutineering unfortunately disqualified one of our entries at the outset due to its length – all very serious. I think that wheels and tyres should also be added to the list of requirements, an opportunity for Pirelli to get in on the act?
Thursday activity was a ‘Competitive Fun Run’, not sure how you get a fun out of a competitive event, the two just don’t go together in my mind. It was a great run in a picturesque and stunning part of the country collecting playing cards along the way from five check points, the challenge to make up a winning poker hand. The route took us to Villiersdorp and then to Franschhoek via the R45.
Thursday evening was the Masquerade Gala Dinner. We had decided to meet a little earlier than the appointed hour to secure our seating but were foiled by the system, the establishment were still hard at it, trying to complete arrangements in time for the appointed hour when we all turned up a little early, so we ended up outside chatting while a few at the front of the line were fortunate to have some champagne to keep them busy. We didn’t have long to wait and were all soon seated.
It was interesting to see all the different guises that participants had come up with, some hardly
recognisable. Bruce was awarded the prize for the best dressed man and Margie and George for the best dressed couple.
No sooner had the music started that the dance floor was filled with MG revellers dancing into the night with 60’s and 70’s music.
Prize giving and awards were spread over the Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
South Cape members took honours in three of the Show Day categories, Peter Vadas with his beautiful TC, Brian Davidson with his well turned out MGB GT and Peter Morse for his lovely MG Midget; well done guys.
The South Cape Centre also walked away with the George Tuck Trophy, awarded to the individual or Centre who or which has done the most in promoting the MG Marque since the last Indaba. The Namibian trip undertaken by four MG A’s, driven by Ricky Cooper, Bo Giersing, Bruce Henderson, and Johan Kruger travelling some 5 000 kms was considered an outstanding achievement.
Another award was the Malcolmess Trophy for the participant who had driven the furthest in their T Type MG to participate in the Indaba. Of the five TCs that came from Knysna and Gqeberha, regrettably Ricky Cooper and Alan Froom didn’t make it, Karl Reitz is from Hoekville, leaving Peter Vadas and myself from Knysna in the running, I was fortunate to pip Peter at the post by a small margin of five kilometres or so, as he lives on the Belvidere side of the
Knysna Lagoon, that much closer to Houw Hoek than myself.
Like all good things they come to an end, and this Indaba was no exception, this was not only a good event, it was a great event, and well done to the Cape Town Centre and the organising committee under the Chairmanship of Philip Roux.
A final note from the Indaba, one of the activities taking place at all Indabas is the meeting of the National Body, made up of representatives from each of the Centres. At this meeting members are required to elect a Chairman, Norman Ewing, who has been in the Chair for the past 46 years guiding and directing the business of the MG Car Club of South Africa Combined Centres, while ensuring that our connection with The MG Car Club in the UK, the mother club is strong, had decided it was time to pass the baton. Robin Clarke from the Northern Centre was elected to fill the vacancy.
Norman can fondly be known as Mister MG, if there is anything that anyone wants to know or needs to know about MGs, Norman is the authority. To demonstrate this, when the year of the sale of the first of MG was being debated, he was able to prove that it was in 1923 and not 1924 as thought by others. While Norman vacates the chair, he remains a dedicated MG man willing to share his experience ensuring that the MG marque remains strong.
Our return trip on Friday 6th September took us back to Aan de Eike in Swellendam, and notwithstanding a smaller group, others having driven straight through to their various destinations, it was yet another enjoyable stay with good company. An early start on Saturday morning allowed us to feel the winter chill, 4°C, a total contrast to Monday afternoon when we were sweltering in temperatures above 300 C. A good run home, no further issues and by mid-afternoon all were home safe and sound.
Time to get under that MG tighten the nuts and bolts ready for the next fabulous outing.
Complete image gallery: https://www.mgcarclubsc.co.za/gallery/houw-hoek-indaba
Credit for photographic content: Kevin Loader, Viv James & Allan Waterston