Letters - Briewe

• Stop the racing in Paarl's Main Street
• Strenger optrede teen taxi's nodig
• Blood red spot
• Dankie aan polisie
• A sense of closure at factory
• This is service that makes you want to pay
• Pollution a threat
• Winkel moet oopmaak
• Behulpsame polisie
• Wie het my selfoon?
• Getting priorities right (Editorial)

I AM a very close friend of the family whose only child, a son, was killed by cars racing one another in Main Street in die Zeederberg Square area in the early hours of Saturday morning.

I have had people from the businesses in the area discuss with me the speed at which people race morning, noon and night at this specific spot and this is of great concern to us all.

This is a business area and people, not to mention senior citizens and children, are crossing this road daily.

We all feel strongly that speed bumps or some other measures need to be installed in this particular portion of the road, as stop signs or robots will not deter people from speeding.

Cars are continuously making U-turns in the road and late at night do so practically on two wheels.

The noise levels late at night are also keeping residents from their sleep. The festive season lies ahead and unless some action is taken soon, further accidents could occur.

How many people must be killed before some action is taken? I trust that this letter receive the attention and action of the authorities concerned.

Concerned member of the public

The traffic chief of Paarl, Japie Cornelissen, replies: My heart goes out to the family who lost their child so tragically. We have informed them that the matter will be addressed in conjunction with the engineering department of the municipality.

Solutions lie in a four-way stop at the intersection of Main and Rose Street, and more permanently in a raised pedestrian crossing, which will be a cost-effective deterrent to speeding in the area.

DIS teleurstellend om te sien hoe die toepassing van "Pad-Wetgewing" agteruit gaan. Op verskeie geleenthede het dit nou al voor my gebeur, dat taxibestuurders met 'n oorvol taxi die padverkeersreëls sommer verontagsaam.

Daar word oor rooi verkeersligte en stopstrate gery asof dit so hoort en waag jy dit om hom op sy fout te wys, dan word jy gevloek of die vieslikste tekens gewys

Op die pad tussen Wellington en Paarl moet jy meer op die uitkyk wees vir taxis as rondloperbeeste, want daar waar hulle passasiers opgetel het, trek hulle net eenvoudig weg en beweeg van buite die geellyn, reguit oor in een van die bane, of jy nou aankom of nie.

Van Lady Greystraat wil ek nie eens praat nie! Ongeag die volgafstand, as hy in die pad reg voor jou wil stop dan doen hy dit sonder waarskuwing.

Die toestand van hierdie taxi's is nie goed nie. Wanneer die skuifdeure oopgemaak word, haak die "taxi-guard" hom los en klim uit met die deur in sy hande. As almal in is, dan word die deur weer teruggehaak. Van flikkerligte of stopligte wat werk is daar geen teken nie.

My vraag is nou, verkeersboetes word gereeld uitgeskryf vir tyd wat verval het by parkeermeters, voertuie wat te lank op 'n tydbeperkte sone staan. Gedurende die dag sien 'n mens hoe die verkeersbeamptes rondloop en voertuie soek om 'n boete voor uit te skryf.

Vir hoofligte wat nie werk nie beboet hulle jou R300; en ek het een ontvang. Hoekom sien 'n mens nog steeds die verwaarloosde taxi's op die pad? Is dit dan nie lewensgevaarlike  omstandighede waarin die publiek vervoer word nie?

Is dit dan nie die verkeersbeamptes se plig om die voertuie van die pad te haal nie? Gaan kyk hoe streng is hulle oor die toestand van taxi's in Mpumalanga.

Bekommerde motoris I

HOW many more people must be slaughtered on Main Street before the Drakenstein Municipality (read Traffic Department) takes ownership of the fact that it does nothing to apprehend reckless goons who use it as their personal drag strip.

It is extremely sad that young Werner van Rooyen had to become yet another victim and statistic of reckless driving on this stretch of road between Huis Vergenoegd and Rose Street.

This has become a "red" spot with regard to traffic accidents in the town and the question begs to be asked - what are the authorities doing about it?

A number of people have been killed and maimed in Main Street in this stretch by people who exceed the speed limit, often late at night. However, no traffic officials ever patrol the area after 9 pm.

Year after year our rates and taxes go up, but there is never money for patrols after hours or suitable traffic calming methods. Or maybe our Municipality just doesn't care.

Unhappy

VIR ses jaar wag ons vir hulp van Paarl Polisie in Lady Greystraat, en Saterdag het hulle gekom.

Waar hulle gewoonlik met 'n bakkie, kombi of Venture op en af ry en die "gangsters" van 'n afstand beloer, het hulle Saterdag in die middedorp gestop, uitgeklim en die straat ingevaar. Waar hulle gewoonlik een of twee is, was hulle ten minste tien man sterk. Ek het lanklaas so veilig gevoel in Lady Greystraat.

Die "gangsters" het soos 'n klomp bang bokke voor die groot leeu weggehardloop.

Aan die persoon by Paarl Polisie wat besluit het om ons te help, dankie vir een dag van vrede in dié straat. Vir die eerste keer in 'n lang tyd was dit 'n plesier om 'n winkel in Lady Greystraat te besit. Ek hoop u besef wat dit vir ons en ons kliënte beteken.

Ek hoop egter dat dit nie die laaste keer sal wees nie. Net u sal ons kan red van die kriminele wat veral hierdie maand, ons lewens baie moeilik gaan maak.

Eienaars Lady Greystraat

Too little too late - this is the general feeling here at Court Fabrics in Paarl, which closes down on 15 December.

When you see different people from different companies buying up our futures in front of our eyes, it makes you ponder of what could have been. Brilliant futures are crushed by decisions of an elite few.

When we first heard the news, it came as a huge surprise, but by now the cruel reality has sunk in and alternative arrangements for 2005 are already in motion for many of the ex-employees of Court Fabrics.

The younger generation is vigorously looking for new employment, the older ones are taking it in their stride and some are totally devastated as to what the future holds in for them outside of Court Fabrics. This company may dissolve, but not the skills and the talents of its employees.

The small family that was formed here over the years is being ripped apart and forced to fend for themselves.

We will miss each other dearly, all the smiles we know, all the good mornings we will not hear, and all the friends we made!

Considering all that we've been through I believe that everybody will reach their full potential in whatever they plan for the future.

Ex-employee Court Fabrics

IT is time that someone finds out just HOW they do it, at a supermarket in the Vineyard shopping centre in Paarl South.

I have been shopping there as often as I can and have never been disappointed - especially with the service of the ladies at the tills/cashiers.

My husband and I left Paarl about five years ago and have been living all over Africa. 

Whenever we return to visit Paarl (my mom lives there and also shops at this store), we try and visit this store to do all our shopping. 

Even if we need snacks for an onward visit to Somerset West, Muizenberg (our families are spread out), we try and "fill up" there. 

Just this Friday, we postponed our shopping in Lakeside to shop in Paarl rather to have a happier experience.

Why? Because these ladies that work there are CONSISTENTLY friendly and always helpful. 

I once bought a bunch of flowers there and when asking one of the cashiers where the plastic bags were for the flowers, she left her station (no queue) and fetched me a bag.

At most shops, the assistant would just point, wouldn't they?

Whenever you pay, they are really friendly, greeting every time.  It makes it so much easier to "give away" your money, when you are not met with a sour-faced person at the end of your shopping.

I also called the manager to compliment him, and he was really appreciative as well, saying that thát is what he is striving for. Well done! 

I hope you also realise what an asset these ladies are!  And thanks for keeping us smiling. May you all have a great festive season.

Terri Furness

IT was with shock and dismay that I read the appalling report on the Berg River pollution threat to fruit exports.

Paarl farmers have repeatedly complained to the authorities about the shocking condition of the river, to no avail.

Paarl town-farm owners, especially those who have riparian rights, rely heavily on the Berg River for irrigation and are already under enormous pressure due to their unprofitable seasonal time-slot, taxes, labour laws, exchange rates and high production costs.

They are hamstrung further from seeking relief through residential development due to nature and heritage conservationists and possible tourism benefits.

Now this new threat of being banned from exporting their lifeline due to the severely polluted irrigation source. Paarl farmers should be allowed to put their farms to more profitable use. This is too much!

Paarl farmer

Graag wil ek op "Opreg en Reguit" se brief in verlede week se uitgawe reageer. Ek wil hom verseker dat daar baie mense in Noorder- Paarl is wat met hom saamstem en ondersteun.

Ek wonder of die petisie-ondertekenaars bewus is dat daar baie mense in Noorder-Paarl woon wat finansieel swaarkry en nie die voorreg het om 'n Tygervallei, Canal Walk of 'n ander "Mall" te besoek om hul inkopies te doen nie.

Hulle sal maar te dankbaar wees om by die nuwe winkel te koop, wat ek glo heelwat goedkoper as die huidige winkel in Noorder-Paarl sal wees.

Dit is jammer  dat  'n klein groepie mense die hele Noorder-Paarl nou in 'n swak lig plaas.

Ek vertrou dat die winkel binnekort sal open en met sukses sal handel dryf.

Noorder-Paarl inwoner

HIERMEE wil ons nie die polisie afkraak nie, maar hulle liewer prys.

Ons was die naweek van 30 Oktober by die Rittelfees in Vredendal. My man is 'n diabeet en het net begin sleg voel by die fees. Ons was sonder vervoer, aangesien ons met die Feestrein daar was.

Ek het na twee polisiebeamptes naamlik Miller en Barties van die Paarl gegaan wat daar diens gedoen het. Ek het hulle vir hulp gevra om my man se medikasie by die trein te gaan haal aangesien ons dit nie by ons gehad het nie.

Hulle het nie gehuiwer om my te help nie en binne 'n kort tydjie kon my man weer die fees geniet. Ek wil hulle albei baie bedank vir hulle vriendelikheid daar waar ons in die vreemde was.

DP Rossouw

EK het laat Sondagmiddag (28 November) my selfoon in Lady Greystraat, Paarl, verloor.

Later het 'n man 'n vriend van my wat op my foon gelys is, gebel, en gesê hy het die foon opgetel en ek moet hom op die verlore foon terugbel. Hy het gesê hy woon naby die stadsaal.

Sedertdien is die foon egter af, en het ek geen manier om hom te kontak nie. Die persoon wat die LG foon gevind het, kan my kontak by 864-3719.

Sophie September, Wellington

THE tragic death of a young Paarl man this week in a busy section of Main Street has once again highlighted the lack of expenditure on traffic calming methods in the Drakenstein Municipal Area.

Many other municipalities have spent money on raised pedestrian crossing in their main streets, to prevent pedestrian deaths. Stellenbosch, Somereset West and Gordon's Bay are cases in point.

But in Paarl, traffic races unhindered through a highly populated residential area dotted with business nodes and restaurants, which draw people until late at night.

Despite many pleas and delegations from residents of the area for traffic calming measures, even the four-way stop at Rose Street which was instituted a decade ago, was later removed.

When desperate residents seek help from the local authorities, officials are eager to help, but their efforts are often thwarted by budget cuts instituted for the sake of furthering various political aims.

Although ratepayers are well aware that funds are not unlimited, they also have the right to expect expenditure that puts basic safety, infrastructur and services first.

Let us hope that common sense will prevail and that our town fathers and mothers get their priorities right.

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