DIE politieke veranderings wat Suid-Afrika in die jare ondergaan het, het by histories benadeeldes verwagtinge geskep dat daar ook op ekonomiese en maatskaplike gebied veranderings sou plaasvind.

So het Willie Williams, voorsitter van Nafcoc (National African Federated Chamber of Commerce) Wellington, Saterdag gesê.

Hy het gesê Nafcoc Wellington se fokus sal hoofsaaklik val op swart ekonomiese bemagtiging om in die proses seker te maak dat die histories benadeeldes deel word van die ekonomiese hoofstroom van Wellington.

"Tweedens sal daar ook gefokus word op armoedeverligting, werkskepping en entrepreneurskap."

Williams sê binne die swart gemeenskap is daar 'n baie groot probleem met entrepreneursvaardigheid en opleiding. Om dit reg te stel, sal hulle op 'n deurlopende basis entrepreneurskapskursusse aanbied.

Hulle wil ook die jeug betrokke maak by die ekonomiese hoofstroom, veral met die geweldige potensiaal vir werkskepping en sakegeleenthede wat die toerismemark inhou.

Verder lê ekonomiese bemagtiging van vroue hulle na aan die hart en daar sal nou saamgewerk word met organisasies soos SAWEN (SA Women Entrepreneurs Network).

Williams sê hulle wil ook graag saamwerk met die AHI (Afrikaanse Handels Instituut) en Sabek (SA Besigheidskamer) as dit kom by sake-eenheid, ekonomiese groei, swart bemagtiging, transformasie en ontwikkeling van entrepreneurs, die jeug en menslike hulpbronne.

"Nou is die tyd vir almal, wit en swart, om saam te kom en hulpbronne en rykdom te deel," het Godfrey Skwatsha, president van Nafcoc Wes-Kaap, by die geleentheid gesê.

Hy het mense gewaarsku dat hulle nêrens sal kom deur agteroor te sit en wag vir iemand om dinge vir hulle te doen nie, maar self moet inspring en goed laat gebeur.

Die burgemeester van Drakenstein, Herman Bailey, het sy steun toegesê: "As u werklik 'n droom het, is hierdie 'n geleentheid om aan te gryp."

Sy eie droom vir Drakenstein is om armoede te breek, werk te skep en 'n gelukkige ekonomiese gemeenskap te bou.

Ander sprekers was Margaret Pietersen van Sanlam, dr Nontula Mathe van Nafcoc Khayelitsha en Temba Pasiwe, nasionale tesourier-generaal van Nafcoc.

Belangstellendes kan Williams skakel by 864-1762.

* Nafcoc has opened a branch for Wellington business people.

LEDE van KWV Koöperatief het Dinsdag in die Paarl bymekaargekom om oor die herstrukturering van die KWV groep te besin met die oog op die jaarvergadering later vanjaar. 

Die gesprek was op uitnodiging van KWV voorsitter Lourens Jonker: "Ons wou graag aan lede wat verskillende menings oor die herstrukturering huldig die geleentheid gee om met mekaar daaroor te praat en inligting te verkry."

Daar is uiteindelik ooreengekom dat die herstrukturering noodsaaklik is, maar verskillende menings word steeds uit enkele oorde gehuldig oor die persentasie aandeelhouding wat die voorgestelde Wijngaard Koöperatief in die herstruktureerde KWV Beperk behoort te besit.

Die direksie van KWV stel 10% plus 'n bedrag van R40 miljoen voor oor 'n tydperk van vyf jaar, ter betaling vir die lewering van dienste deur Wijngaard aan sy lede en die verskaffers van KWV SA tot voordeel van al hierdie belanghebbers. 

Hierdie voorstel gaan op 27 November aan die algemene jaarvergadering van KWV Groep Beperk voorgelê word vir goedkeuring en indien daardie voorstel aanvaar word, sal dieselfde voorstel daarna op 3 Desember aan die lede van KWV Koöperatief op 'n spesiale ledevergadering voorgehou word vir goedkeuring.

KWV het die voorgenome herstrukturering reeds in Junie aangekondig en het sedertdien wyd met aandeelhouers en lede gekonsulteer ten einde die voorstel te finaliseer.

THE popular Bien Donné Agricultural Expo will be held over three days, from today until Saturday, in Groot Drakenstein. More than 7000 visitors are expected over the three days.

The event was initially organised for the fruit industry, later for both the fruit and wine industry and is now open for all agricultural industries in the Western Cape. More than 200 companies exhibited their products and services in 2001.

Visitors can expect to see the latest agricultural implements, equipment and services as well as a number of exhibition stands.

In the ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij hall all the services offered by ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij are on show. Visitors have the chance to meet the researchers in person.

The Production Tent is a new addition. This carpeted marquee tent will host exhibitors who offer products/services to the agricultural industry.

Exhibits will include packaging, closures, barrels, labelling and packaging machinery, tank suppliers, marketing services, chemical suppliers, analytical equipment, computing, agricultural equipment and other affiliated products.

The Expo Tents offer Outdoor Adventure, health products and craft exhibitors. Visitors can expect to see clothing and footwear, 4x4's, caravans, trailers, crafts, outdoor furniture, camping equipment, tents, braai equipment, leisure items, gardening and affiliated products and services.

In the Main Tent talks on interesting subjects such as mushrooms, cheese, farm safety, camels, gardening and more will be held.

There will be several fast food and BBQ outlets as well as a tea garden on the expo grounds with plenty to eat, taste and drink.

The "Klipdrift Klip in die Bos" entertainment area will offer a wide variety of alcoholic beverages and well-known artists like Blackie Swart (Liewe Lulu) and The Campbells (Rooi Rok Bokkie) and Christo & Cobus will perform here daily.

For the Kids: Parents are welcome to bring their kids and to make a family day out. There will be a kiddies' corner where kids can play while parents are browsing through the exhibits. There will also be a climb wall and professional tree climbing facilities.

For inquiries, phone 887-8203 or visit the website www.vinmart.com for more information.

THE Boschenmeer Golf and Country Estate has unveiled plans for an exclusive, 10-room boutique hotel that is to be built on the estate next year.

Located in the heart of the winelands within the security estate, the hotel will cater for golfers and their families, and will offer a full range of recreational activities. Construction is set for completion 30 September 2003.

Hotel rooms will be supplemented by Estate Lodge accommodation. The first Estate Lodges are already in operation and three others, each comprising of three units, are currently under construction and are scheduled for completion during the next few months.

The Estate Lodges will offer a total of 60 luxury rooms, of which 24 will be completed when the hotel is launched in a year's time.

The hotel will be located on the premises of the current Paarl Golf clubhouse, and will be built on the first floor above the new clubhouse to offer magnificent views of the 27-hole golf course, the surrounding mountains, as well as the Berg River which borders the security estate.

The old clubhouse will be demolished and has been redesigned to offer state-of-the-art facilities including a members' bar, Pro-Shop, lockers and shower facilities, as well as a Halfway-House snack bar.

The Boschenmeer Boutique hotel will sport a Health and Wellness facility, restaurant, ladies' bar, conference room, banqueting facilities and underground parking. Other facilities will include a swimming pool and floodlit tennis courts, and a games room for children.

Robin Barnes of Jan Hanekom Partnership, architects of Boschenmeer, says that the Boschenmeer Boutique Hotel has been designed for luxury, comfort and the ultimate golfing experience.

"Upon entering the Paarl Golf Clubhouse, through the main entrance foyer, guests will be checked in and accompanied up the grand staircase, through a private lounge with a double volume window capturing the eighteenth green and fairway with Simonsberg as back drop, before reaching their suite.

"The ten full en-suite bedrooms have spectacular views from each of their private balconies. Rooms will be equipped with air conditioning and satellite television and will be elegantly furnished and decorated by Rika Loubser of R & R Designs, to compliment the contemporary Boschenmeer feeling that she so successfully achieved in the Estate Lodges", he concluded.

The Boschenmeer Estate offers superb golfing with its David Frost signature golf course, the only 27-hole golf course in the province, complete with a golf academy and driving range.

The upgrade of the second nine holes has been completed, and together with the new Boschenmeer Nine-holes, offers world-class beauty and playability - to the extent that the fourth hole of the Boschenmeer Nine was recently voted the best in South Africa.

'n AMPTELIKE minimumloon vir huiswerkers het op 1 November in werking getree. Verskillende lone word voorgeskryf afhangende van die aantal ure per week gewerk. 

In die Paarl-streek is die vergoeding 'n minimum van R4,10 per uur vir mense wat voltyds in diens is (meer as 27 gewone ure) en 'n minimum van R4,51 vir 27 gewone ure of minder.

Dit beteken dat 'n deeltydse huiswerker (char) wat een keer per week vir ses uur by jou werk, minstens R27,06 vir die dag se werk moet ontvang.

'n Huiswerker wat vyf dae per week nege uur per dag vir jou werk, moet minstens R184,50 per week (R738 per maand) verdien.

Werkgewers wat nie die nuwe minimumloon kan betaal nie, het die opsie om die werksure te verminder in plaas van die werknemer te ontslaan. 

Dit is egter onwettig om laer as die voorgeskrewe uurlikse tariewe te betaal.

Lone sal met 8% op 1 November 2003 en 1 November 2004 onderskeidelik verhoog word. 

Die volgende kernaspekte van werksure moet in gedagte gehou work:

* Gewone werksure is 'n maksimum van 45 ure per week;

* Die maksimum ure is 9 ure per dag vir 'n vyfdag-werkweek;

* Die maksimum ure per dag vir 'n werkweek meer as vyf dae is 8 ure;

* Nie meer as 3 ure oortyd mag gewerk word op enige dag nie;

* 'n Maksimum van 15 ure oortyd per week is toelaatbaar;

* Bystand na ure (van 20:00 tot 06:h00) vereis betaling van R20 per skof;

* Etenstyd van een uur moet toegestaan word indien die huiswerker vir meer as vyf uur onafgebroke gewerk het.

Die wet maak ook voorsiening vir verlof.

* Jaarlikse verlof is drie weke per jaar.

* Siekverlof strek oor 'n siklus van 36 maande, met 30 dae vir diegene wat 'n vyfdag-werkweek het, en 36 dae vir diegene wat 'n sesdag-werkweek het.

* Kraamverlof is vier aaneenlopende maande onbetaald.

* Familie-verantwoordelikheidsverlof is vyf dae per jaar.

As 'n huiswerker vir 24 uur per maand of meer by jou werk, moet die diensverhouding gereël word deur 'n Dienskontrak wat duidelik en maklik verstaanbaar is, en alle aspekte van die diensverhouding aanspreek.

Wetgewing vereis ook dat sekere inligting op die werknemer se betaalstrokie moet verskyn.

Dit moet die werkgewer se naam en adres, die huiswerker se naam en beroep, die tydperk waarvoor betaling gemaak is, en die huiswerker se loontarief en oortydtarief aantoon.

Vir verdere navrae kan Anton Blaauw van Blaauw & Genote telefonies gekontak word by telefoon 872-6881.

* Since 1 November, domestic workers are entitled to an enforcible minimum wage.

A WELL-KNOWN agricultural economist, Dr Johan van Rooyen of Pretoria, has been appointed chief executive officer of the South African Wine and Brandy Company (SAWB).

The newly founded umbrella industry organisation of the Wine Industry will provide the industry with strategic leadership and direction.

Dr Van Rooyen will assume duty at the beginning of next year.  He is currently executive director of the Agricultural Business Chamber and professor in AgriBusiness management (Absa chair) at the University of Pretoria. 

Dr Van Rooyen also serves, inter alia, on the board of directors of Landbank, NewFarmers Company and the Co-operative Development Initiative and is involved in the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IAMA). 

He was previously also a member of the executive of the Development Bank of Southern Africa and attached to the Departments of Agricultural Economy at the Universities of Stellenbosch and Fort Hare.

Dr Van Rooyen obtained his Doctorate in Agricultural Economics from the University of Pretoria and also studied agribusiness in, inter alia, Ghent, Belgium and IMD, Switzerland. 

He is involved in Agribusiness networks in France, Australia, Brazil, the USA and the United Kingdom.

As from the beginning of January 2003, the SAWB board will have a permanent office in place and the accompanying logistics will be up and running. 

The main focus will henceforth be to give full impetus to its role as the new leadership structure driving the South African wine industry.

The board comprises five representatives each from the ranks of four direct stakeholder groups, namely wine farmers, cellars, labour and trade.

The SAWB has been effected through a representative and democratic process over the past three years, which drew in all sectors and groupings of the industry, following the Section 21 company's launch by the various stakeholders in November last year.

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