Review of the Sun City Parkrun paired race on the Gary Player golf course

During the holiday season, many different dishes are inevitably prepared, and in such an atmosphere, one wants to try something special that is different from ordinary everyday puri. If you are striving to cook something tasty and crispy, green lentil puri is an excellent choice.

These puris are not only very tasty but also nutritious. They have a flavor reminiscent of kachori and will appeal to both children and adults, adding a special aroma to the festive table.

For preparation, you will need: half a cup of green lentils (soaked for 2 hours), 2 cups of wheat flour, 2 teaspoons of dry grain or legume flour (to add crispiness), half a teaspoon of ajwain, 1 teaspoon of cardamom powder, a pinch of asafoetida, turmeric, and red pepper powder to taste, salt to taste, as well as oil or ghee for kneading the dough and frying.

First, you need to prepare the lentils: completely drain the water from the soaked green lentils, and then grind them in a blender without adding water or adding just a little to form a coarse mass.

Next, in a large bowl, mix the wheat flour, dry grain or legume flour, and all the spices: ajwain, cardamom, asafoetida, turmeric, red pepper, and salt. Add the ground lentils and one tablespoon of oil, mixing thoroughly. Then, gradually adding water, knead a stiff dough, similar to puri dough. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

After this, divide the dough into small balls. Lightly brush each ball with oil and roll it into a round or oval shape, trying not to make them too thin. Heat oil in a deep pan to medium-high heat. Carefully drop the rolled puris into the hot oil and gently press with a spatula so that they rise like balloons. Fry on both sides until golden and crispy.

Serve the hot and crispy green lentil puris with vegetable curry, raita, or your favorite sauce.

Cape Town is preparing for its busiest and most profitable season of the year—the holiday period. As the days grow longer and the city fills with visitors seeking sun, wine, and prime scenery, one of the city's quiet economic engines comes into play—golf. This is most evident at the King David Mowbray Golf Club (KDM), whose value extends far beyond the fairways.

Nevertheless, as KDM gears up for its busiest months, the City of Cape Town is considering a plan that could lead to the demolition of the entire area to make way for high-density residential, industrial, and commercial developments.

The global golf tourism market is showing sharp growth, and South Africa, particularly the Western Cape, is well-positioned to be a major beneficiary of this trend. Golf tourists from Germany, the UK, the USA, and Switzerland already highly rate the local courses.

At KDM alone, besides 1,500 local club members, approximately 25,000 rounds are played annually by visiting golfers. These visitors are high-yield tourists who tend to stay longer and bring their families.

Golf tourists spend, on average, 120% more per day than regular tourists, according to South African Tourism, which actively promotes the country's courses as a flagship element of destination marketing. The multiplier effect of tourist spending extends far beyond the club's boundaries.

An Investec study for 2026 showed that the South African golf industry is estimated to generate around 49 billion rounds annually and supports approximately 40,000 jobs in the value chain. A historic club like KDM, due to its unique proximity to the city center, picturesque views of Table Mountain, and 116-year history, is central to this industry.

KDM contributes to the overall economy of Cape Town. Even James Vos, a member of the City of Cape Town's Majoriate Committee on Economic Growth, stated directly: 'golf is invaluable to the Cape Town economy.'

It is easy to dismiss golf courses as elite zones, but they serve much more important functions than just being economic assets. They also act as valuable recreational areas, 'green lungs' for surrounding communities, and necessary natural barriers against flooding.

Fundamentally, KDM has built a history as an inclusive golf community, boasting one of the most diverse membership bases in the country, serving residents from the city center, western Cape Flats, and southern suburbs. It brings people together.

KDM is also unique because the South African Golf Association for People with Disabilities uses the club as its base. The association stated that if KDM disappears, it will lose its home, as relocating and adapting an alternative course for the needs of disabled players would be prohibitively expensive.

One example of what would be lost is the South African G4D Open—the largest event on the national disability golf calendar, which KDM hosts from November 15th to 17th. It attracts world-class competition, gathering golfers from across South Africa and many international participants. Notably, this event is sponsored by the City of Cape Town, which, in this instance at least, recognizes its value.

This month, KDM also unveiled plans that will make it an even more significant public asset: a new network of pedestrian and running paths through the golf course. This network will include four trails: from an easy 1.41 km loop to a 4.05 km figure-eight connecting the upper and lower courses. Each will replace old informal dirt tracks with a properly paved, safe path between 2 and 2.4 meters wide.

These trails will be accessible to dogs and open to the local community via an affordable walking pass. The first scenic loop, located closest to the proposed pedestrian entrance on Links Drive, will open in early 2027, with others following later.

The City has put forward plans to replace the entire KDM area with 6,700 units of high-density housing along with industrial and commercial premises. This proposal is made despite the fact that anyone driving through the city can see other, more suitable vacant and unused plots of land.

No one denies the need for more housing in Cape Town, but valuable public assets cannot be sacrificed to achieve these goals. The City has not yet disclosed how many submissions it received during the comment period for its development concept project, which closed on August 7th. As the summer wave of golfers returns to our courses in the coming months, there is hope that the City will reconsider the value of KDM. All submissions received during the comment period should be rationally assessed, and the club should be viewed not merely as a site for development, but as what it has been for over a century: a hardworking, inclusive public asset.

Mike Flacks is the chairman of King David Mowbray Golf

Indian T20 captain Shreyas Iyer gave a clear signal regarding the future of 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who has attracted attention with explosive performances in cricket. However, despite the young player's talent, his place in the Indian team's starting eleven is not guaranteed yet.

Before the start of the five-match T20 series against New Zealand, Iyer stated that Vaibhav cannot immediately join the squad because Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are demonstrating consistently high results. He also shared the team management's thoughts on this young athlete.

Iyer emphasized that it is crucial to maintain a positive mood among talented players like Vaibhav in the dressing room. He acknowledged that Vaibhav is still very young and has many years ahead of him to get his chance. Iyer specified: 'For a talent like Vaibhav, it is important that he is always happy in the dressing room. He is very young, and he has many years left to get an opportunity. We cannot say that he can enter the team right now because our openers are constantly scoring and won the World Cup.'

Iyer's statement indicates that the team management is not ignoring Vaibhav's talent, but there is currently no urgent need for changes in the opening positions of the squad.

The reason why Vaibhav is not getting consistent chances in the Indian national team was explained by Iyer: the duo of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson is showing excellent play in the top order. Both players played a key role in defending the T20 World Cup title of India. Consequently, the decision to drop these two players to make way for Vaibhav will not be easy for the team.

Vaibhav, who was selected for the Indian squad for tours in England and Ireland this year, has played eight matches out of 21 T20 International matches for India. His task is not only to prove his talent but also to wait for the right moment in the squad.

During the Asian Games, Sanju Samson batted at number three to give Vaibhav a chance to bat in the opening slot. This suggests the possibility of making changes to the team structure to provide Vaibhav with a chance. Nevertheless, the current form of Abhishek and Sanju is the main barrier to Vaibhav's regular inclusion in the squad. Iyer's words hint that supporting the young player in the team and preparing him for the future is also part of the current plan.

Shreyas Iyer also noted the significance of Vaibhav's upcoming visit to New Zealand. He believes that playing in foreign conditions will help the young player better understand local conditions and ground characteristics. Iyer stated that when Vaibhav comes on the overseas tour, he will gain a deeper understanding of how to play in these specific conditions. This will allow him to prepare much better next time he plays under similar circumstances. Furthermore, he will be able to share his experience with other players who are visiting here for the first time.

Thus, for Vaibhav, the tour to New Zealand is not just about getting a spot in the starting eleven; the experience gained there could be beneficial for his future international career.

Vaibhav generated high expectations due to his aggressive play at a young age. However, in international cricket, not only talent but also team chemistry and the current form of existing players are important. Shreyas Iyer, on one hand, pointed out the difficulty of immediately including Vaibhav due to the form of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, while on the other, he emphasized his experience and preparation for the future. Now it remains to be seen whether Vaibhav will get a chance to play in the five-match series against New Zealand or if he will have to wait some more time.