Skaars vier maande later staan die boeregemeenskap verstom oor die beweerde ongerymdhede, onmin en ongelukkigheid wat saam met die nuwe eienaars wortel geskiet het.

Verskeie klagtes van beweerde sabotasie is sedert Desember deur Butler by die Paarl polisie aanhangig gemaak. Net soos die werkers is ook die polisiebeamptes verskreeu en beledig.

Pottebakster Clementina van der Walt moes  haar ateljee wat jare lank in die eertydse wynkelder op die plaas was, ontruim.

Jan Pretorius en sy voormalige vrou, Wiwe, moes 'n interdik kry en het saam met die balju hul huisraad uit die woonhuis verwyder.

Die aand van 15 Maart het vervoervragmotors opgedaag en is Butler sak en pak vort.

Die volgende week is die trekkers, bakkie, implemente en gereedskap wat nog op die werf was, weggery.

Vandag weet die 10 mans, hul vroue en 50 kinders en kleinkinders nie wat die toekoms vir hulle inhou nie.

"Nadat dr Butler ingetrek het, het sy vir ons vertel dat sy die plaas gaan omskep in 'n hydro," vertel die voorman, Danny Burger (46).

"Die arbeiderhuise op die plaas sou ons eie word. Ons sou 'n kliniek met gratis mediese sorg kry, 'n sportveld en hoër salarisse. Ons was so opgewonde."

Die vreugde het egter in hartseer verander, vertel die man wat 14 jaar op die plaas gewerk het.

Twee arbeiders het motors gehad, maar Butler het onmiddellik die ingang na die plaas versper sodat hulle hul motors aan die Paryspad moes laat.

Besoekers kon nie verder as die ketting oor die ingang kom nie. 'n Ambulans wat 'n swanger vrou moes vervoer, is toegang tot die plaas geweier.

"Die derde week dat sy hier was, het dit begin," vertel September Adonis (51).

"Eers moes Magrieta Williams se huis leeggemaak word. So het sy op die ry afgegaan. Eva Adonis wat al die jare in die kombuis gewerk het, moes gaan. Toe die volgende vier, en so aan."

Adonis werk al 15 jaar op die plaas. Daar is nog twee werkers wat 14 jaar daar woon terwyl die ander tien, agt  en sewe jaar daar werk.

In Desember is die werkers nie oortyd betaal nie en is hul salarisse ingekort. Hulle het besef hul posstukke word nie na hulle deurgegee nie.

"Sy het aldag 'n rede gesoek om ons te ontslaan," sê Abraham Smit (49).

Julian Adams (35), vakbondverteenwoordiger van die werkers, is aangekla dat hy 'n oesmasjien sou gebreek het en water in die diesel laat kom het.

"Ons het tot by WPK gedraai waar ons verseker is dat ek nie skuld het aan die probleme nie.

"Met die lewer van die druiwe was daar ook probleme. Ek was saam by Boland Kelder toe sy aan die skel geraak het. Ek het my so geskaam."

"Ons was net klaar gepars toe gee sy die oesmasjien terug sonder dat daarvoor betaal is. En dis toe, op 19 Februarie, dat ons almal kennis gegee is. Ons moes dadelik van die plaas af padgee. Boonop wou sy van ons R50 000 huurgeld hê."

Hulle sug: "Die boer vir wie ons gewerk het, mnr Pretorius, hy was nommer een gewees. Ons was gelukkig, maar nou weet ons nie verder nie."

Die arbeiders is laas op 22 Februarie betaal, en toe net 'n deel van hul lone. Sedertdien sorg Wiwe Pretorius, die NG Kerk in Klein Drakensteinweg en 'n handelaar, Roger Naidoo, met aalmoese dat die arbeidergesinne kos op die tafel het.

Butler is 'n Suid-Afrikaner wat lank in Israel en in Amerika gewoon het. Sy besit SA Medical, 'n maatskappy wat mediese toerusting invoer.

Stoltenberg het in Januarie reeds die plaas verlaat. 'n Hofgeding met wedersydse aantygings oor bedrog en geldverduistering is hangende tussen hom en Butler.

Butler kan ook eersdaags voor die Arbeidshof gedaag word nadat die plaaswerkers en 'n voormalige bestuurder, Edward Taylor, sake van onregmatige afdanking teen haar aanhangig gemaak het.

Dene Coetzee, ANC-stadsraadslid wat die werkers bystaan, sê: "Die arbeiders is uit die beddens gehaal waar hulle al jare lank slaap. Hulle is van betreding beskuldig terwyl hulle eintlik lewensreg op die plaas het."

Hy het hierdie week vier van die mans tydelik in diens geneem om hul lot te verlig.

Die werkers sê: "Ons wil eintlik die wingerde op Parys kosgee en regmaak ná die oes. Ons kán dit alles doen, maar daar is niks oor op die plaas waarmee ons kan werk nie."

* More than 60 farm dwellers have been left destitute after the farm Parys changed hands and the new owner disappeared.

THE sentencing of a Paarl woman who has been found guilty of ordering the killing of her husband nearly four years ago, has once again been postponed in the Cape High Court.

For Maureen Muller (41) of Jan van Riebeeck Drive the prolonged agony is beginning to count.

After once again having said goodbye to her teenage children and her friends, Muller took a clutchbag containing personal items and set off to finally hear the verdict on Wednesday last week.

But it was not to be.

Her sister and co-accused, Faiza Allie, again replaced her legal representative and the case had to be postponed.

In an open letter read in court, a tearful Maureen last week apologised to her mother, her in-laws, children, siblings, colleagues and friends for "contributing to the death" of her husband.

"Your heartache, grief and anger will remain as a reminder of the wrongful choices that I have made. My issue was with Edmund and the life I felt that I did not deserve.

"I am sorry that I have been instrumental in taking your father away from you," she wrote to her children, "and also possibly taking the presence of a mother figure away from you."

Maureen Muller (41) will now be sentenced on 10 April, together with Allie, who had taken R10 000 from her to pay for the services of a hired killer.

With them in the dock will be their co-accused, Marshall Februarie, who posed as a car buyer to distract their victim, and Desmond Ortell, who pulled the trigger.

Their victim, Edmund Muller, was murdered in the couple's home in Jan van Riebeeck Drive, Paarl, in June 1998.

COOL heads are needed in the dispute about whether Paarl schools must play their rugby in Boland or within the borders of Western Province.

That is the opinion of the Minister of Sport and Recreation, Ngconde Balfour, when approached for comment about the dispute which has racked Paarl for the past three years.

Said Balfour's spokesman, Graham Abrahams, "I want to appeal to everyone not to become involved in issues that may bring school sports in disrepute.

"Come next term, schools must be able to concentrate on going forward and developing our children's talent."

Abrahams told Paarl Post this week that he would meet with various role players during the next week to try and work through the issues to reach an acceptable solution.

In the meantime the question still remains: Are Paarl schools to play rugby in Boland or Western Province?

The issue has again surfaced after another round of conflicting reports and letters on the boundaries of the two provinces when it comes to rugby at school level.

So desperate was André Verhoog, deputy principal at Noord-Eind Primary and co-ordinator for the Paarl Craven Rugby Trials, that he contacted the office of the Balfour last week to help clear up the matter.

In a subsequent letter to the Department, Verhoog reminded them about a meeting last year where it had been decided that schools could decide for themselves where they wanted to play in 2002.

Furthermore, Sarfu and Ussasa were to make recommendations on youth rugby by October 2001, and all role players were to abide by their decision.

On 6 December last year, Western Province Youth Rugby sent a letter to schools with the final report of the task team.

According to the report, the u.18 Coca Cola Craven Week, u.13 Coca Cola Craven Week, u.18 Academy Week, u.16 Academy Week, u.13 Academy Week, u.12 & u.15 Nike All Star project, Spur Schools' 7's tournament, Ussasa Schools Teams and Ussasa Schools' Academy Teams (under the custodianship, jurisdiction and funding of Sarfu), would be run, played and selected in accordance with the provincial boundaries of the 14 provinces of Sarfu.

This means that Paarl rugby schools are to be grouped with those in the Peninsula (Western Province) as they have been in the past.

The interprovincial competitions, Top Twenty Schools' Competition, Easter Rugby Festivals, Interschools' Competitions and Multicoded Games will fall under the jurisdiction of Ussasa - which means Paarl schools then fall under Boland.

Six primary schools in Paarl are affected by the confusion: Noord-Eind, Gymnasium, Paarl Boys' Primary, Courtrai, WA Joubert and Slot van die Paarl.

As far as high schools are concerned, the affected schools are Gymnasium, Paarl Boys' High, Boland Agricultural and Labori in Paarl, as well as Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch.

Verhoog says he received a fax from Sarfu on 29 January this year, confirming that they had accepted the report of the Ussasa/Sarfu task team on schools and youth rugby, meaning that the schools mentioned are to play their Craven Week trials in the WP.

At a subsequent rugby meeting of Boland Primary Schools Ussasa on 11 March, the report on the borders was also discussed and accepted.

They decided that a letter would be written to all schools concerned, in order to eliminate any confusion.

But matters did not end here. On 25 March Pieter Lourens, chairperson of Ussasa Primary Schools, said at a meeting of Paarl Ussasa Primary Schools Rugby that the Ussasa/Sarfu task team had never met and that the concerned schools should still play their Craven Week trials in Boland.

Last year the dispute about rugby borders led to schools being barred by Boland Ussasa from participating in other sport codes.

Verhoog mentioned this in his letter to the Department and asked if the Department would take steps to prevent this from happening again.

'n GESIN van Smartie Town het al hul besittings - asook hul woning - verloor nadat inbrekers die woning Saterdagnag aan die brand gesteek het.

Ivan en Sonja Pienaar was die naweek uithuisig toe inbrekers vermoedelik deur die dak van hul huis in Berenice Slot ingebreek het.

"Ons het die nuus gekry toe bure ons gebel het om te sê ons huis is aan die brand," vertel 'n geskokte Sonja Pienaar.

"Na byna drie jaar dat ons in die HOP-huis woon, is alles nou verlore. Die Munisipaliteit sê hulle kan ons nie help nie."

Hierdie week het die gesin tussen die verkoolde oorblyfsels van hul lewe gestaan. Hul kinders, Jevohn (14) en Azher (10), is sonder klere en skoolboeke.

"Dit lyk asof die inbrekers eers ons televisie, 'n rekenaarskerm, die ketel, strykyster, nuwe potte, koper ornamente en die kinders se beddegoed gesteel het voordat hulle die plek aan die brand gesteek het.

"Die wind het daardie nag erg gewaai, en die bure het niks gehoor nie. Hulle het net die rook geruik en toe die vlamme gesien."

* A Paarl family lost their house in a fire caused by burglars.

DESPERATION shows in the eyes of the 160 toddlers and eight teachers of the Vuzokuhle Educare centre in Mbekweni, after they were chased out of their pre-school in Silvertown by angry residents who claimed they want to utilise the building for the purpose of a community hall.

Hilda Dyongo, principal, said that they have been housed in the municipal

day.

"The children are cramped into this confined space and have no method of developing, because all the toys and learning material are still locked up in the building.

"We also have no food to give to the children," she said.

According to Dyongo they are renting the building in Silvertown from the Municipality and have signed a contract, permitting them to use it as a preschool centre.

Following the opposition from residents, the Municipality simply locked the building with all their belongings inside.

"The residents have closed down the school twice before. They want to take over the contract and want us to abide by their rules.

"One of our children was sexually abused recently, because the child was left at home because there was no preschool to go to. We do not want that happening again in the future."

Dyonga alleged that the school had received no support whatever from their ward councillor, Lungile Magala.

"We are confused by our member of Council, who seems to be neglecting us. He does not want to listen to our problems.

"Our school programme have already been disrupted as a result of the closing down of our créche."

A PAARL property agent who sued the estate of a deceased houseowner for R39 000 in commission allegedly owed to her from a property transaction last year, lost her case in the Paarl magistrate's court last week.

The court ruled that Lynne Roux of Remax First Prime Properties was not entitled to the commission. The claim was dismissed with costs.

Roux alleged that she was the first agent who took the client, Thinus Gouws, into the home of Xagene de Villiers at 2 Louvre Street, Courtrai, while the owner was out.

She should thus be considered the effective cause of sale, Roux testified in the Paarl civil court.

Gouws eventually bought the house through Cecile Joubert of Duvenage & De Villiers for R500 000, of which R20 000 was paid in commission.

After the sale of the house, De Villiers and his wife Hester retired to Rooi Els.

"We had no idea that there were problems with the transaction until my husband was sued by Lynne Roux," Hester de Villiers testified.

"The court case hanging over us increased the stress on my husband, who had retired because of heart problems."

De Villiers passed away of a heart attack two months after Roux initiated court proceedings.

De Villiers testified that she had never discussed the exact commission payable with any of the agencies who had a mandate to sell the house, nor had she or her husband been aware that Roux had shown the house to the purchaser. No appointment was ever made with them.

Joubert testified that she, not Roux, had indeed been the first agent to mention the house to Gouws.

After showing him a number of properties, she had given him the address of the house and drawn a route map to the premises because they had run out of time on that day.

Two days later (the day after Roux) she had shown Gouws and his wife the house, and had been instrumental in negotiating the transaction at a lower price than initially asked, to bring it within Gouws's price range.

In addition, she had cut her commission and arranged financing for the purchaser.

Roux testified that Gouws had told her before entering the house, that he had "looked at it before" by driving past it.

She nevertheless took him into the house and had not asked how he had heard of the property.

She learnt ten days later that he had bought the house through a different agent at a lower commission.

Roux said that she had not had the opportunity to negotiate with Gouws on the price of the house nor had she had the chance of offering to accept a lower commission.

The court ruled that finding a purchaser without finalising a contract will not justify the agent in claiming commission, nor is it sufficient that the agent introduced a prospective purchaser to the property if this was not the effective cause of eventual sale.

The court found that Joubert was the first and effective cause of sale and that her input in the transaction had been greater than Roux's.

Adv Hennie McLachlan appeared for the de Villiers estate on instruction of Schalk Marais. He was commended by the court for his concise summary of previous litigation.

Adv Paul White appeared for Roux on instruction of Steyn Coetzee.

Said a relieved Mrs de Villiers this week, "Sellers of property must ensure that there is no uncertainty as to which agent introduces a client to the property, or it could cost them dearly. Had I lost the case I could have been out of pocket by as much as R80 000."

INWONERS van die Chester Williams informele nedersetting in Amstelhof het verlede week samesprekings met die Munisipaliteit gevoer, nadat hulle kennis gekry het om die gebied binne dertig dae te verlaat.

Die voorsitter van die inwonersvereniging, Esa Benjamin, het verduidelik dat die mense almal inwoners van die omgewing is, wat graag so na as moontlik aan hulle herkoms wil bly.

Die nedersetting het sowat agt jaar gelede ontstaan en volgens Benjamin bly daar nou sowat 500 mense daar.

"Sê vir ons waarheen moet ons gaan? Hierdie is mense van Kanariestraat en Swaweltjiestraat wat hier kom bly het omdat die huise oorbevolk geraak het."

Benjamin sê hy weet van gevalle waar sewe gesinne in een huis probeer leef.

"Baie mense het besluit om liewers te kom plak, sodat hulle kinders ordentlik kan groot word."

Khaya Mrali, Hoof: Korporatiewe Dienste, het verduidelik dat die Munisipaliteit gereeld klagtes ontvang oor die ongesonde toestande in die nedersetting.

Geen water, toilette of vullisverwydering word aan plakkers voorsien nie. Inwoners van huise kla ook oor die geraas wat die plakkers maak.

'n Paar van die omliggende huiseienaars laat wel die mense toe om van hul geriewe gebruik te maak en verder het raadslid Sienah Saaiman gereël dat vullis van 'n sentrale punt verwyder word.

"Sodra ons dienste aan informele huiseienaars begin voorsien, wil belastingbetalers weet wie daarvoor betaal," het Mrali gesê.

Hy het ook gesê dat hoewel behuising primêr die verantwoordelikheid van provinsie en die nasionale regering is, is Drakenstein op soek na grond waar plakkers hervestig kan word.

Mrali en ander amptenare het 'n beroep op die groep gedoen om seker te maak dat hulle name op die munisipale waglys vir behuising is.

"Ons hoor julle noodkreet, maar ons kan nie teen die waglys in, huise toeken nie."

Hy het verder ook gevra dat die inwoners moet seker maak dat die mense wat in die informele gebied bly, werklik behuising nodig het en nie net jeugdiges is wat nie onder die dissipline van hul ouers wil bly nie.

Mrali het die groep aangeraai om onmiddellik 'n brief aan die stadsraad te skryf waarin hulle vra dat die aksie teen hulle opgeskort word.

"Ons kan nie vandag beloftes maak nie, maar sodra ons die brief kry, sal ons dit aan die raad voorlê."

Johnny Schippers, LP vir Drakenstein wat die groep vergesel het, het 'n beroep op die groep gedoen om 'n ordelike sisteem op die been te bring.

* Squatters in Amstelhof protested after receiving notice that they must move within 30 days.

DIE lyk van 'n man wat verlede week by Huguenotstasie aangeval is, het vir 'n week ongeidentifiseerd in die Paarlse lykhuis gelê. Nadat 'n berig in die Paarl Post verskyn het, is hy die afgelope naweek as Coby Petersen (51) uitgeken.

Petersen, wat 'n bekende in die spysenieringskringe was en vir meer as twaalf jaar by Bakoven gewerk het, het verlede Saterdag met vriende uitgegaan en nie weer teruggekeer huis toe nie. Hy was ten tyde van sy dood werkloos.

'n Vriendin, Cheryl Nadus, het onraad gemerk toe Petersen haar nie soos gewoonlik elke dag gebel het nie. Sy het ook lont begin ruik toe hy, 'n toegewyde diaken, nie vir 'n wyksbiduur opgedaag het nie.

"Na aanleiding van die berig in die Paarl Post het ek bietjie begin rondvra. Ek het sonder die medewete van sy familie na die lykhuis gegaan en hom geïdentifiseer.

"Die vreemdste is dat sy vriende wat dié betrokke aand saam met hom uit was, geen lig kan werp op wat gebeur het nie," het sy hartseer vertel.

Petersen se lyk is met 'n meswond in die hart in die parkeerarea van die Hugenotstasie gevind. Insp Jacques Mouton (807-4052) ondersoek die voorval.

Hy laat sy ma Edith (84) en suster Connie agter. 'n Tuisdiens word môre om 10:30 te Kanariestraat 67 gehou, met die kerkdiens om 11:00 in die Bethel Cong Kerk.

* The body of a Paarl man, who died after being stabbed at Huguenot station, was identified after a report in the Paarl Post.

'n TIENERMEISIE is Saterdag in die Paarl Arboretum verkrag - die een dag dat sy nie met haar hond aan haar sy gedraf het nie.

Die meisie (17) het kort na 10:00 in die voetpaadjie van die Arboretum gedraf toe 'n man haar van agter vasgegryp en platgedruk het.

Sy het aan die ondersoekbeampte, insp Anel Swanepoel, vertel dat die verkragter ná die aanval 'n ent saam met haar gestap en die hele tyd met haar gepraat het.

Insp Swanepoel het 'n beskrywing van die verkragter en hoop om gou 'n arrestasie te maak. Skakel haar met inligting by 807-4000.

Meisies het die naweek ook in Mbekweni en Noorder-Paarl verkragtingsake by die polisie aangemeld.

* 'n Meisie (16) wat Vrydagnag saam met 'n groep ouer mense op Mooikelder plaas gekuier het, het vertel sy is verkrag terwyl sy om 05:00 na haar ouerhuis gestap het.

Een van die mans by die viering het glo saamgestap en haar tussen wingerdstokke ingepluk. 'n Verdagte is in hegtenis geneem.

* 'n Sewentienjarige meisie het vertel dat sy en 'n vriendin saam met twee mans na 'n huis in B-blok, Mbekweni was. Sy is na bewering daar deur een van die mans in 'n slaapkamer verkrag.

* Ook in Mbekweni het 'n 19-jarige meisie Sondagnag 'n klag by die polisie aanhangig gemaak nadat sy saam met 'n man in sy motor tot sy sy opslaanhuis in P-blok is. Daar is toe glo teen haar sin met haar gemeenskap gehad.

* In Groot Drakenstein het 'n twee 15-jarige seuns Saterdag 'n vrou (30) aangeval en verkrag. Die jeugdiges is in hegtenis geneem.

* Several local women have been raped, one of them while jogging in the Paarl Arboretum.

GEWAPENDE mans wag veral vroeg soggens voetgangers in op 'n oop stuk veld by Griegstraat in Groenheuwel. Die slagoffers word dan beroof.

"Dis 'n nuwe tendens," volgens speur-insp Simon Fredericks, "'n tendens wat ons vinnig wil stopsit."

Een van die slagoffers het onlangs oor die speelparkie in Griegstraat geloop op pad na die Daljosafat treinstasie.

Drie jong mans het skielik van agter 'n betonmuur uitgespring en hom aangehou. Twee van hulle was met pangas gewapen.

Die voetganger is oor die boud gesny voordat hulle hom van sy horlosie, treinkaartjie en kontant beroof het. Insp Fredericks ontvang graag inligting by 807-4000.

* Pedestrians in Groenheuwel have been attacked by men with pangas.

A WOMAN motorist was shocked out of her wits when her conversation on her cell phone was rudely interrupted by a thief in central Paarl.

Eudi Farge of Klapmuts was talking on her cell phone in her car in Breda Street at midday on 20 March. It was near Checkers and she was waiting for the robot at the corner of Lady Grey to turn green.

"The next moment I felt a blow to my face. I screamed from shock.

"Then I saw a youth run off with my phone. He was gone in seconds, running down Lady Grey Street in the direction of the taxi rank.

"I was shocked by the blow and the fact that he had grabbed my cell phone although my window was half closed. There was only a space of about 13 cm through which the thief got hold of the phone."

The youth was dressed in a striped knit top, beige slacks and wore a white cap with upturned brim. The Nokia phone has a black cover.

Anyone with information can contact Insp Anel Swanepoel at 807-4047.

INBREKERS by 'n kerksaal op Wellington het hul rieme styfgeloop toe 'n hawelose man onraad vermoed en die polisie in kennis gestel het.

Manie Goeieman het op die poskantoorstoep gesit toe hy merk hoe vier kinders met sakke in die hand agter die Marthasaal inloop.

Hulle is deur groter persone gevolg.

"Hierdie kinders doen net kwaad," het Goeieman aan sy vrou gesê en by die polisiekantoor, skaars meters van die NG Kerksaal, alarm gemaak.

Toe die polisiebeamptes ondersoek instel, het hulle op 'n deurmekaar stoorkamer afgekom.

Dit was die soveelste keer dat by dié saal ingebreek is en kos en ander benodigdhede gesteel is wat daar vir sorgbehoewendes gestoor word.

Die polisie het die inbrekers met hul buit in Voorstraat aangekeer. 'n Rekenaarskerm en -sleutelbord en kruideniersware, waaronder sewe pakke vleis en twee pakke Weet-bix, is teruggevind.

Die beskuldigdes kom op 8 April in die Wellington landdroshof voor.

Dimitri Williams (20) van Hospitaalstraat 10, Carlo Meyer (18) van Claasenstraat 67 en 'n 15-jarige is in aanhouding terwyl 'n 11-jarige, twee 13-jariges en 'n 14-jarige - van hulle straatkinders - in die sorg van hul ouers vrygelaat is.

Net die vorige week is twee van dieselfde groep aangekeer nadat hulle by 'n tandarts se spreekkamer in Prinsstraat ingebreek het.

* Youths were arrested for breaking into a church hall in Wellington and stealing food stored there for the needy.