THE Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Johan Gelderblom, held discussions with the managing committee of the Western Cape Local Government Association (Wecloga) about land taxes and evaluations that farmers have received in the past weeks.

Discussions centred around the agreement that land taxes are unavoidable, but Wecloga representatives shared farmers' sentiments that the basis on which land taxes were calculated, were not satisfactorily communicated to farmers.

Although the Property Rates Bill has not been finalised, Wecloga representatives agreed that taxes should correspond with municipal services rendered in rural areas.

Minister Gelderblom said that the Western Cape Department of Agriculture would be able to assist with statistics and information on production potential of land and impact on different sectors of agricultural communities.

Wecloga agreed to enter into discussions with municipalities in a process of a common approach to land tax calculations, without breaching their autonomy.

Wecloga also agreed to raise the matter with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA).

Minister Gelderblom encouraged farmers who have received tax assessments to enquire at their local municipalities about the formulas used for assessments.

A NEW head has been appointed to Bridge House School from January 2003 to succeed the retiring headmaster Allan Graham.

She is Anne van Zyl (nee Caradoc-Davies), who has been head of two schools in Gauteng, Pretoria Girls' High and St Stithians Collegiate.

She is a former chief examiner for English Literature for the Transvaal Senior Certificate Examination.

She is currently head of Stanford Lake College, an independent co-educational day/boarding school set in the mountains of Magoebaskloof, Limpopo Province. 

The school has focused on an innovative adventure programme entitled "DaD" (dream and do), enabling pupils to solve problems using skills developed in the outdoors.

She has been a Rotarian for a number of years and is a founder member of the Haenertsburg Rotary Club.

'n SUID-AFRIKAANSE divisie van 'n internasionale wynverhandelingsbeurs, wat aan produsente, handelaars, groothandelaars en kopers 'n unieke internasionale koop- en verkoopstegniek van wyne bied, is pas in die Paarl geloods.

SpiritXchange is in April 2001 in Frankryk in werking gestel deur ervare en suksesvolle handelaars op internasionale finansiële markte, in assosiasie met IT spesialiste en wynkenners.

Credit Agricole Alternative ('n filiaalmaatskappy van Crédit Agricole, Frankryk se grootste bank) is 'n mede-eienaar van SpiritXchange en het ook die vorming daarvan gefinansier.

Die stelsel maak gebruik van internet-gebaseerde sagteware en kommunikasie. Die klem is op die hoë gehalte mark en vir daardie rede moet 'n Spesialis in Waarde van Spiritualieë (SVS) in elke land deur SpiritXchange geakkrediteer word.

Dit is die SVS se taak om die goedkeuring van wyne wat deur produsente op die beurs aangebied word, te monitor en administreer en waarborge van die gehalte en oorsprong te verskaf.

Hierdie wynbeurs het binne 'n kort tydperk uitstekende sukses in Frankryk behaal en is reeds operasioneel in elf lande.

SpiritXchange het tot op datum 17 SVS'e geakkrediteer, wat produsente, kopers en verkopers van die lande verteenwoordig, naamlik Frankryk, Italië, Portugal, VSA, Kanada, Mexiko, Switserland, Japan, China, Hong-Kong en nou Suid-Afrika.

Suid-Afrikaanse produsente is baie opgewonde oor die konsep, insluitend adv Alan Nelson van Nelson's Creek wynlandgoed in die Paarl, wat 'n minderheidsaandeel in die Suid-Afrikaanse SVS gekoop het, met Suid-Afrikaanse en Franse vennote.

Produsente is in volle beheer van die lande en die verskillende markte. Hulle kan byvoorbeeld besluit in watter kleinhandelsmarkte dit in spesifieke lande verkoop word.

Om te verseker dat kopers met vertroue kan bie op Suid-Afrikaanse produkte op die beurs, sal die Suid-Afrikaanse SVS vereis dat elke wyn die nodige uitvoergoedkeuring dra van die SA Wyn- en Spiritualieë Beheerraad en wetenskaplike en sintuiglike analise ondergaan.

DIE Absa Top 10 Pinotage Kompetisie is een van die mees toonaangewende gebeurtenisse op die Suid-Afrikaanse wynkalender en vanjaar is daar 'n nuwe wending. Alle oë gaan gerig wees op die wingerdboukundiges wat die druiwe verbou waarvan die top wyne gemaak word.

Die uitslae van die Absa Top 10 Pinotage Kompetisie word op 23 Oktober tydens 'n noenmaal in die Bay Hotel in Kampsbaai bekend gemaak en die sluitingsdatum vir inskrywings is 16 Augustus.

"Diegene wat daarvoor sorg dat top gehalte druiwe gepars word, moet erkenning kry en die Absa Top 10 Pinotage trofeë sal vanjaar aan die betrokke wingerdboukundiges oorhandig word," sê die voorsitter van die Pinotage Assosiasie, Beyers Truter.

Volgens hom is die kompetisie se hoë prestigewaarde te danke daaraan dat Pinotage Suid-Afrika se enigste inheems gekweekte variëteit is.

Nie-lede van die Pinotage Assosiasie mag ook hul wyne vir die kompetisie inskryf. Inskrywingsvorms en die prospektus kan van Pierre Loubser verkry word (tel 855-1128, faks 855-4351 of e-pos pierre.l@mweb.co.za).

A BREAKFAST seminar on the new rules for the conduct of proceedings before the CCMA coming into effect soon, will be presented by the Institute of Personnel Management on Wednesday 14 August at the Santam Head Office Auditorium in Bellville (opposite Tygervalley Centre).

The guest speakers are Prof Barney Jordaan and Glen Cassells, both from a leading firm of employment law and employment relations practitioners.

Jordaan was a part-time senior commissioner at the CCMA during its inception, serves on the arbitration panels of a number of bargaining councils and is a member of AMSSA's mediation and arbitration panels.

He is also visiting professor at the Graduate Schools of Business at both UCT and Stellenbosch where he teaches on the MBA and other programmes.

They will discuss serving and filing of documents, conciliation of disputes, con-arb, arbitration, interlocutory procedures,  pre-dismissal arbitration and other issues.

All human resource and industrial relations staff plus shopstewards and managers charged with dealing with disputes at the CCMA or bargaining councils will benefit by attending.

Registration of R400 (non-members R450) including breakfast and tea. Registration and breakfast start at 07:30, with the seminar from 08:30 to 12:30.

Register by 12 August at ipmbol@iafrica.com. Enquiries Monica Bester 975-3348 or 082-963-9768.

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