Deon Brits

Management consultant

It’s early morning, and very second person who enters the Carry me Home Deli can’t help but nod or wave in the direction of corporate management consultant Deon Brits. He worked for an American firm for a long time and travelled all over the world, but these days he owns Potential, which specialises in change. A few of them shout “Congratulations!” with a thumbs up. No, Deon laughs, this isn’t because he successfully arranged the second Hangklip-Kleinmond Ceramic and Porcelain Festival in September, but because his daughter, Amelia, has just been elected head girl of her school.

His wife, Lelane’s, parents had a holiday home in Kleinmond, Deon says, and on one of their visits in 2010, they decided over sushi that it would be good to retire here.

He immediately adds, “Oh no, I’m still working. In fact, . I don’t believe in retirement; in fact, I think we might be the last generation to experience the privilege of retirement.”

If you simply drive through the main road, Kleinmond is probably not the most beautiful village in the Overstrand, says Deon. “But you quickly grow fond of people across cultural boundaries here.”

Deon is involved in town life in many ways, including in the special ratings area and as an administrator (along with Trisa Hugo) of the closed residents’ Facebook group, Kleinmond Community.

He felt there was a need for something that could bring business to the village, like the Big Blues Music Festival a few years ago. Initially, artist Corinne de Haas asked him to organise a project to involve local children in ceramic work. But Covid-19 and the fires in the area meant that the idea grew into the town’s first Ceramic and Porcelain Festival held in 2021. World-class ceramics were also on display at the second festival in September.

Deon says he enjoys being involved. “On the one hand, you can sometimes experience a small-town mentality here, but there are many creative and caring people. Pride in the village is starting to be restored because trust between people is rebuilt.

“The quality of life we have here is incredible. We no longer miss Cinema Nouveau or the monthly city visits like we did in the beginning. And for everything else, there’s Takealot.”