A HOUSING Indaba will be held in Cape Town on Wednesday 23 April to provide the platform for key stakeholders to present their work on housing and also provide an opportunity to build cohesion within housing delivery.

The Western Cape MEC for Housing, Nomatyala Hangana, calls on all Western Cape Housing Delivery stakeholders such as NGO's, CBO's, communities, People's Housing Process Groups, the construction industry, parastatals, churches and youth groups to register their interests.

For details phone 483-4224 or e-mail Bheki Nkonyane on bnkonyane@pawc.wcape.gov.za.

THE contract for the construction of the Berg Water Project (Skuifraam Dam) near Franschhoek at a cost of R1,5 billion will be signed in Cape Town on Tuesday.

The Minister of Water Affairs, Ronnie Kasrils, will sign the agreement with the Mayor of Cape Town, Nomaindia Mfeketo, and Martie van Rensburg, CEO of the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA), which will implement the construction and funding.

Construction is due to start by the end of the year and should be completed by 2007, according to Kasrils.

Consultants are preparing an Environmental Management Plan for the project, which will identify critical issues which will arise during construction of the dam.

The project will take about four years to complete before the additional water supply becomes fully available to meet the increasing water needs of the Western Cape.

Financing will be obtained by increasing water tariffs gradually during the construction period, starting on 1 July, said Cape Town councillor Saleem Mowzer recently.

The dam wall, approximately one kilometre in length and 60 metres in height, will be built across the Berg River channel in the La Motte forest 5km from Franschhoek.

The dam will have a catchment area of about 77 square kilometres.

Purchase of the affected farms in the area has commenced, although most of the dam will be located on Safcol land.

The construction project is expected to decrease the unemployment among unskilled residents of Franschhoek.

A number of new houses will be built for engineers, other professionals, skilled workers and their families (estimated at 200 to 250 people in total) on a site to be determined.

After completion of the dam the houses could possibly be utilised for housing by the municipality.

THE 8th annual Cape Gourmet Festival introduced more than 300 of South Africa's finest vintages to a selected panel of local and international judges during the all new Swiss International Air Lines Wine Awards in Cape Town.

Riebeek Cellars outshone the other participants by winning two of the five coveted gold medals for their Shiraz 2001 and Riebeek Reserve 2000 as well as the sought-after Best Valued Red Wine Trophy, for wines that retail at under R50 per bottle, for their Riebeek Reserve 2000.

The three other gold medals went to KWV for their 1978 Hanepoot Jerepigo, Hazendal for their Wooded Chenin Blanc 2001 and Mooiplaas for their Sauvignon Blanc 2002.

Mooiplaas also received the trophy for the Best White Wine From A Small Boutique Winery, that produces only 150 tons or less per season, for its Sauvignon Blanc 2002 and a third trophy went to KWV's 1978 Hanepoot Jerepigo as the Best Kept Secret.

Ten vintages were presented with prestigious silver medals, including Glen Carlou 2001, Seidelberg Roland's Reserve 2001 and Simonsvlei Hercules Paragon 2002 from the Paarl area.

A total of 32 wines each received a bronze certificate and 69 wines were handed the Swiss International Air Lines Wine Awards Seal of Approval.

Wine lovers can look forward to the 6th annual Good Food & Wine Show - the pinnacle event of the Gourmet Festival, where the winning wines will be showcased with educational presentations by the local and international judges in the Wine-of-the-Month Club Wine Theatre in Cape Town's Good Hope Centre from 22 to 25 May.

THE deadline for registration of domestic workers for UIF has been extended to 1 May. Employers can be fined R5000 or serve a five year jail sentence if they refuse to comply.

A supervisor at the Paarl office of the Department of Labour Department, Eunice Bomvana, said that up to date about 900 domestic workers in Paarl had been registered.

She highlighted some of the queries people have about the process, for example when a domestic worker is employed by three employers at the same time.

"Should a housekeeper be working at three households at the same time and works for twenty-four hours or more a month at each individual household, each employer should register her at the UIF.

"Should the employee lose her job at one of these households, she must apply for UIF within six months."

Forms can be collected from the office in Main Street (872-2020 or 872-2074 or fax 872-6290). Alternatively, phone (012) 337-1680.

Registration forms are also available from  www. labour.gov.za and can besent to (012) 337-1850 or domestics @uif.gov.za.

ONTWIKKELING van 'n nuwe dorp vir werkers en oudwerkers van Anglo American Plase by Lanquedoc teen 'n koste van R43 miljoen, is in 'n gevorderde stadium.

Die woongebied tussen Boschendal en Pniel bestaan tans uit 166 huise, maar gaan uitgebrei word tot meer as 600 huise met behulp van Amfarms, Boland Distriksraad en die staatsubsidie vir eerste huiseienaars.

Amfarms self dra R25,5 miljoen by tot die kostes. Die eiendom wat gratis aan die projek geskenk word, word beraam op sowat R15 miljoen markwaarde.

Die huidige inwoners van die 166 huise sal eiendomsreg kry, terwyl werkers wat tans op Amfarms se plase in Groot Drakenstein woon, ook hier gevestig sal word in nuwe huise.

Die dienste vir die nuwe huise in die woongebied word tans aangelê deur Boland Distriksraad, terwyl bestaande huise se dienste ook opgegradeer word voordat die eiendomme aan die nuwe eienaars oorgedra word.

Interne dienste soos strate, stormwaterdreinering, water- en rioolnetwerke word ook opgegradeer.

Hulle sal na oordrag self verantwoordelik wees vir die betaling van dienste soos water en ligte verskaf deur Stellenbosch Munisipaliteit.

Die nuwe huise word in verskillende groottes opgerig, afhangend van die grootte van die huise wat werkers moet opgee.

Dit wissel van die kleinste eenheid van 28 vk meter tot drieslaapkamer-eenhede van 71 vk meter.

Die nuwe inwoners is almal lede van die Lanquedoc Behuisingsvereniging, wat ook die toekenning van huise sal hanteer.

Een van die vereistes vir toekenning van behuising is dat die ontvanger van 'n huis 'n huidige of voormalige werknemer van Amfarms moet wees met 'n "goeie rekord".

Op hierdie basis het Amfarms gepoog om 'n hofbevel te kry om 15 werkers met 'n "onbevredigende werksrekord" uit die woongebied te laat sit sodat huise nie aan hulle toegeken sal word nie.

Die werkers het egter hul uitsetting beveg in die Grondeisehof.

Die saak is verlede week buite die hof geskik en die 15 gesinne is nou weer op die lys van begunstigdes wat elk 'n gratis huis sal ontvang.

Regshulp aan die groep is verskaf deur die Vroueregteprojek van die Legal Resources Sentrum in Kaapstad en die Stellenbosch Regshulpkliniek.

Volgens 'n woordvoerder van Amfarms, Sharon Hosking, is besluit om in 'n gees van samewerking die saak terug te trek sodat almal kan deel in die projek.

* More than 400 new houses are to be built for workers at Lanquedoc, Groot Drakenstein.

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