business

Thursday 10 June 2004

This site will be updated on 17 June 2004 at 17:30

Business - Sakenuus

Water learnerships launched

R550m contract for dam signed

KWV finalises BEE partners

De Poort is op pad

Water learnerships launched


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THIS is the beginning of a journey - please enjoy it and stay focused, I want to see you successful and committed, said Nonhlanhla Dube, Water Chamber Manager of the Local Government Seta, to the prospective learners at the recent launch of Water Learnerships at the Drakenstein Municipality.

Fifty men and women are embarking on these exciting new pilot project of the LGWSETA (Local Government, water, sanitation and related services Seta).
There are three water learnerships on



	LEARNING. Cedric Morkel (senior superintendent, waste water treatment for Drakenstein) shows some of the intracies of a filter to Frans van Rooyen and Darries Jantjies.

NQF Level 2: Waste Water Process Operations, Water Reticulation Services and Water Purification Process Operations. Drakenstein will only be involved in the first two.

A learnership extends over twelve months and reflects the workplace needs as expressed by employers and employees.

Eighteen workplaces expressed interest in the water learnerships, three in the Western Cape. Drakenstein was singled out to be the first to implement the project.

Boland College will provide the theoretical classes, while personnel of Drakenstein Municipality were trained to facilitate the practical side.

"This will not only benefit yourself, but the community," said Sedick Jappie (Manager Western Cape, LGWSETA), addressing the students.

"We are in need of technical skills on the highest level in South Africa."

He said water is a scarce commodity and he urged them not to waste the opportunity.

Most of the learners, 24 are from the Municipality's waste water treatment section, with seven from water and four from sewerage.

The remaining 15 learners are from civil society. They are jobless people who have been selected from applications received by the Municipality.

"The learnerships give people the opportunity to think wider," said Graham Tong (Head of Engineering), at the launch.

He emphasised that promotion will not necessarily follow completion of their studies, but workers will have a better chance.

The same is true for the civil component. While they are not guaranteed work after completion of the learnership, they will have a marketable skill.

And, as Mayor Herman Bailey emphasised, skills make people employable.

R550m contract for dam signed


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THE contract for the construction of the R550 million Berg River Dam on the Berg River near Franschhoek has been awarded to a consortium of leading South African construction companies.

The project, implemented and funded by TCTA as the agent of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF), will increase the yield of the Western Cape Water System by 18%.

The winning consortium, Berg River Project Joint Venture (BRPJV), comprises Grinaker-LTA, Group 5, WBHO and an empowerment group known as Western Cape Empowerment Contractors (WCEC).

WCEC will afford smaller contractors from the area an opportunity to gain experience and share in the benefits of the project.

They are Vusela Construction, DA Civils, Quanita 4 Project, A&R, Westland Civils, Shar Civils, Rea Construction, Darson Construction, Sihlange CC, Abantu Civils and Paradigm.

It is expected that mobilisation will be underway before the end of the month. The first water is due to be delivered to Cape Town and the downstream water users by the end of 2007.

The R1,8 billion project will be funded by TCTA and the debt will be serviced from the sale of water to the City of Cape Town and surrounding towns.

In 2003 the three parties signed two bilateral agreements guaranteeing water delivery and payment. This unique public-public partnership paves the way for similar agreements in future between entities in the public sector.

Access road

The Berg River Dam in the La Motte forestry area will be the highest concrete-faced rockfill dam in South Africa with a dam height of 60m. It will have a capacity of 130 million cubic metres and will have a surface area of 535 hectares.

The dam wall will be nearly 1 km long (990m) and the rockfill volume will be 3,2 million cubic metres.

The Department of Water Affairs is currently constructing the access road to the Berg River Dam site as part of an agreement between the Department and TCTA to utilise the technical resources of the former.

Eighty construction houses will be built in the village of La Motte. Tenders for the construction will be issued in July.

To facilitate the participation of smaller contractors the tender will be split into four blocks of twenty. The houses should be ready for occupation in January.

TCTA has formulated a strategy to ensure full participation of the local communities in the project.

The contractor will source at least 75% of his workforce from a database of local inhabitants (Franschhoek and Dwars River valley) through a dedicated labour information office, and 5% from the rest of the Western Cape.

The contractors are obliged to train local job seekers to meet the quota to ensure compliance with the contract. Failure to comply would result in severe penalties.

Working for Water has already embarked on an extensive programme in the former Assegaaibos State Forest. This four year programme will clear the dam catchment of alien trees and shrubs and provide jobs for 180 people.

KWV finalises BEE partners


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THE financing arrangements regarding a black empowerment consortium's offer to purchase a substantial stake in KWV Limited, will be announced soon.

The empowerment consortium Rowmoor Investments, trading as Phetogo, plans to purchase a substantial stake (25,1%) of KWV Limited, the unlisted holding company which holds 55% of the equity in JSE-listed KWV Investments.

KWV Limited CEO Dr Willem Barnard said it was gratifying to have reached general agreement after a long and intense process, with both the KWV Board and the South African Wine Industry Trust having approved Phetogo as preferred empowerment partner.

Yesterday KWV chairman Danie de Wet said KWV shareholders could expect a firm offer of R1,85 for their shares.

Shareholders are currently selling to Anglo African Trading (AAT) of Stellenbosch, who wish to obtain 11% of KWV shares by Monday, at R1,60.

AAT has already snapped up shares worth about R30 million and the pace of sales was expected to pick up by closing of the offer on Monday. They aim to obtain shares worth R80 million.

According to de Wet, Phetogo satisfied a number of stringent criteria, including broadly based empowerment, innovative entrepreneurship and representation of key stakeholder groups, according to a statement by KWV.

Phetogo, which in the Setswana language means "change", is headed by Victor Christian, one of South Africa's first black chartered accountants and an audit partner of a leading audit firm until his retirement in 2002.

Christian said: "We are delighted with the developments around our offer to buy a meaningful stake in one of South Africa's leading liquor companies and to create a vehicle for broad-based economic empowerment.

"Phetogo represents diverse stakeholders, including farm workers, liquor traders, women's business groups and community development organisations who are committed to making a positive long term contribution to KWV's future development."

Aside from groups of individuals, the consortium includes the Black Association of the Wine and Spirits Industry (Bawsi), the KWV Employment Equity Trust, the Epa Development Group, Kumnandi Liquor and Leisure Investments, the National African Farmers Union of South Africa (Nafu Western Cape) and the South African Liquor Traders Association (Salta).

De Poort is op pad


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DE POORT is in die wedren - dit was die tema van die voorsittersverslag by die pas afgelope algemene jaarvergadering van die De Poort Projek.

Tenders vir die konsep-ontwerp van die erfenisdorp wat beoog word in Pinestraat, het op 31 Mei gesluit.

Frances Graves het aan die vergadering gesê dat die aansoek vir hersonering van die De Poort grond in Suider-Paarl uiteindelik 'n hupstoot gekry het deur die positiewe ingryp van die Wes-Kaap Provinsie se Erfenisbewaringsliggaam. Sy het verder verslag gelewer oor die vordering wat die afgelope tyd gemaak is. Dit sluit in die ondersteuning wat van die Drakenstein Munisipaliteit ontvang is vir verlede jaar se Erfenisdag, asook die nuus dat De Poort gesien word as een van die Munisipaliteit se vlagskipprojekte.

'n Groot hulp van munisipale kant is die Verkeersimpakstudie wat aan die gang is en deur die Munisipaliteit gefinansier word.

Die ondersteuning van die Boland Distriksmunisipaliteit vir die Vergete Grootpad Projek van verlede jaar asook die finansiële ondersteuning om De Poort aan die gang te kry in die vorm van 'n kantoor en personeellid, help De Poort verder om goed te hardloop in die wedren.

Die genooide spreker, Shareen Parker van African Equations, het die boodskap oorgedra dat Erfenistoerisme nie net gaan oor geboue nie, maar ook oor waardes en interaksie.

Industriële Erfenistoerisme is 'n nuwe konsep op die mark wat 'n tipe sosio-kulturele ondervinding daarstel. De Poort kan baie goed inskakel by so 'n konsep.

De Poort is verder gekomplimenteer op die manier wat die proses aangepak is deur deursigtig en inklusief te wees met gemeenskapsinsae as 'n belangrike bousteen van die projek, wat die dorp kan verenig in lyn met die staat se oproep van "Een stad, Een nasie" (One City, One Nation).

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Tel: (021) 871-1170 - e-mail: edit@ppost.co.za


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