A PUBLIC meeting to discuss possible development and privatisation of Tweede Tol in the Limietberg Nature Reserve, will be held at Wellington Museum on Monday at 18:00.

The Tweede Tol site is situated along the Bain's Kloof Pass (R303) between Wellington and Ceres. The opportunity exists to develop between 10 and 14 self-catering chalets in designated areas.

The existing number of day visitor facilities and campsites will remain, with the option of the redevelopment of the campsite.

The first round of public meetings on the Integrated Conservation Development Plans (ICDP) has been reviewed by Western Cape Nature Conservation Board management and the board would now like to consult with the public around the sites identified for eco-tourism development.

The input is recorded www.capenature.org.za and is available at Limietberg office and Wellington library.

Send comments to the CEO, Private Bag X100, Vlaeberg, 8018 or  email (stolken@pawc.wcape.gov.za) or fax (423-0939) by 18 October. For enquiries, phone 483-4097.

* Apart from Nature Conservation's drive to upgrade Tweede Tol, a meeting to create a Friends of Bain's Kloof organisation will take place on 10 October at 19:00 at the Wellington Museum (873-4710).

THE Parys Road (Jan van Riebeeck Drive between the N1 and the Market Street traffic circle) in Paarl is not only going to be upgraded - it is going to move about 100 metres west to become a scenic southern entrance to the town.

According to the heritage consultants involved in the environmental impact assessment, the farms and their homesteads at the entrance of Paarl have considerable historic and visual significance, which is being eroded by the increasing volume and speed of industrial traffic along the route.

It was feared that widening the existing road to four lanes with a central island, would increasingly sever the homesteads from the surrounding vineyards.

To reintegrate the road into the landscape and improve the linkage of the homesteads with their agricultural setting, the road will be moved westward.

The route of the old road will be rehabilitated and replaced by vineyards while the road building materials retrieved will be recycled and used in the new road.

Negotiations with the affected landowners of the farms Parys and Klein Parys has delayed the project, which will not be completed in time for the Cricket World Cup, as had been hoped. Construction is likely to start early next year.

The two landowners concerned are footing the bill for the longer route and the longer side roads which will lead to the two homesteads.

The new road will afford a scenic entry to Paarl, with wide shoulders, safe turning lanes and ample space for pedestrians.

The project is being undertaken by UWP consulting engineers at a total cost of R16 million. Geo-Environmental Projects is the independent environmental consultant.

For enquiries, contact Marion Thomas of Geo-Environmental Projects, on tel/fax 976-5076.

THE annual auction of the NIB Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) will be held at Spier in October.

Recognised as South Africa's premier sale of deluxe wines, it is anticipated that approximately 3 000 six-bottle cases selected from Guild member submissions will come under the hammer.

The Guild's 36 members are dedicated to the exchange of knowledge and sharing of skills, to maintain and enhance the benchmark excellence for which the CWG is recognised. 

The Guild membership includes the cream of the SA winemaking crop, all dedicated to the production of super premium quality wine.

The Auction is open to the public and is widely recognised as South Africa's premier sale of deluxe wines.

The wines for the Auction are selected by all the members at a blind tasting where the special wines produced only for this event are rated and ranked. 

With auction lots as small as 2 x 6-bottle cases, private buyers with budget constraints will find many of the wines within their reach.

The NIB CWG auction also has a strong fundraising component in the Silent Auction, which is a donation of rare and handcrafted wines specially selected and prepared by the Guild members for the occasion. 

Local members are David Finlayson (Glen Carlou), Marc Kent (Boekenhoutskloof), Jean Daneel (Jean Daneel Wines), Jeff Grier (Villiera), Norma Ratcliffe (Warwick) and Charles Hopkins (Graham Beck Coastal).

"The Auction now stands as South Africa's premier niche wine auction and looks set to grow further this year with more local and international buyers," said Finlayson.

To register as a buyer or attend phone 883-8625 or visit info@capewinemakersguild.com.

THE launch of the SA Agri Academy is a breakthrough for training for the South African fruit and vegetable industry.

It will help to avoid crises such as the deciduous export industry had to face over the past years, said Johan Gelderblom, Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, at the launch at Elsenburg.

The new academy will feed the fruit and vegetable industry with sufficient information to be able to identify unstable markets ahead of time.

"Empowerment and training are inter-dependent," he said.

"The process of empowering our people to play a more significant role in their communities, depends on support and training."

He thanked the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries for providing international training material for students.

AL hoe meer mense kla oor 'n Pretoriase onderneming wat adverteer vir tikwerk teen R7 per bladsy, maar registrasiegeld van R190 vereis. Die Skerpioene gaan moontlik die onderneming, Reitz Tikdienste, ondersoek.

Verskeie berigte het landwyd verskyn met klagtes oor die onderneming wat adverteer dat tiksters "dringend benodig word" om handleidings te tik teen R7 per A4 bladsy.

Die voornemende tikster betaal dan R190 om te registreer, met die belofte dat sy voorsien sal word van gereelde tikopdragte, waarvoor sy vergoed sal word.

Struik Uitgewers oorweeg regstappe nadat dit geblyk het die tikwerk is sonder verlof geneem uit boeke wat hulle gepubliseer het.

Volgens Helga Louw van die Paarl het sy die registrasiegeld betaal, maar nooit betaling ontvang nie, weens beweerde tikfoute soos kantlynspasies.

Louw sowel as die Paarl Post is met prokureursbriewe gedreig nadat klagtes gepubliseer is.

Die Departement Handel het verlede jaar 'n ondersoek geloods na die aktiwiteite van Reitz Personeel en het onlangs die klagtes heropen.

Ook die Advertensie Gesagstandaarde Vereniging het klagtes ontvang.

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