DIT moes baie dapper diewe gewees het wat Maandagnag by die Drakenstein Leeupark by Klapmuts ingebreek en goedere ter waarde van R20 000 gesteel het.

Die inbrekers het eers oor 'n veiligheidsdraad geklim en binne 'n meter van die leeus gekom voordat hulle tot op die boonste verdieping van die gebou kon klouter.

Uit die winkel en kafee is aandenkings, T-hemde asook gereedskap wat gebruik word vir aanbouings, bymekaargemaak. Die inbrekers het hul buit met 'n elektriese verlengingskoord grond toe laat sak.

Dit was om 03:00 toe die koord teen die leeus se omheiningsdraad kap, en die alarm afgaan in die woning van die leeupark-eienaar, Paul Hart, dat hy onraad gemerk het.

Hart het dadelik ondersoek ingestel, maar die diewe het in die nag ontvlug. Polisie-spoorsnyers kon nie hond haaraf maak in die stortreën nie.

Indien iemand een van die 30 swart T-hemde met leeumotiewe op herken, of inligting oor die inbraak kan verskaf, skakel die ondersoekbeampte, insp Rogerio Carosini, by 875-5555.

* Burglars hit the lion park near Klapmuts.

THE Drakenstein Town Council is to hold an emergency meeting tomorrow afternoon at 14:00 in the civic centre to discuss the decision by Province to veto the municipal police service.

The public is invited to attend.

Provincial government has vetoed the plans on the grounds that it is "unable to satisfy itself that municipal policing is financially viable."

Provincial Community Safety Minister Leonard Ramthlakane last week refused permission for the establishment of municipal police services in four municipalities outside of Cape Town, including Drakenstein.

Drakenstein Municipality had applied for funding for such a service and had been in constant contact with the relevant parties since the beginning of the year.

Fifteen local residents have already completed six-month training at the Phillippi College while ten recruits from the Paarl and Wellington traffic departments have undergone the required two-months course.

They were ready to start policing the municipal area this Monday, only days before Ramatlakane put a spoke in the wheel.

He informed the Municipality that their business plan to implement a municipal police service had not been approved because the ANC/NNP provincial government is "unable to satisfy itself that municipal policing is financially viable".

In the same letter he recommended that the candidates be "put to use" to deal with traffic law enforcement, by-law enforcement, crime prevention and other duties as accorded to a Peace Officer.

Town councillors were shocked by the decision.

"The Minister goes against the injunction by President Thabo Mbeki to establish municipal police services throughout the country," said the DA in a joint press release by the four rural municipalities.

"By recommending we use the candidates at all is admitting that we are able and in a financial position to provide these services.

"We sent our candidates for training with the full support of the provincial government. They helped create the expectations and now, at the last possible minute, these highly trained municipal police officers must serve in a lesser role.

"Minister Ramathlakane needs to reconsider his decision because holding out on approval for the establishment of a municipal police service in our rural areas benefits only the criminals."

At tomorrow's Council meeting the decision to provide for R2,2 million in the current budget for the new service will have to be reconsidered.

Council must decide whether to create an interim law enforcement unit until formal approval for municipal police is obtained. The recruits can then be contracted for at least one year until 30 June 2003.

They can be issued with police uniforms, but identified with special name tags.

For the Council "a law enforcement unit will still be beneficial to our community in helping to provide safety and prevent crime, just what we want to achieve with the police service."

The cost of supporting the additional ten recruits who had been scheduled to start training this week, must also be considered. Training has now been put on hold.

DIE stof wil maar nie gaan lê in die Drakenstein stadsraad nie en die politieke paadjies sal snuif getrap word tot daar uitsluitsel is oor die oorloopklousule.

Die grondwetlike hof se besluit om die saak tot Augustus uit te stel, beteken dat heelwat politici hulle nou in 'n lugleegte tussen twee politieke partye bevind.

In die oog van die plaaslike storm is nog steeds burgemeester Chris Leander.

Die plaaslike bestuurskomitee van die DA het verskeie beëdigde verklarings teen Leander ontvang. Die klagtes word nou ondersoek en sodra dit afgehandel is, sal die uitslag openbaar gemaak word.

Dit bly 'n ope vraag oor wie waarnatoe gaan oorloop sodra die groenlig gegee word.

Wat wel duidelik is, is dat daar heelparty raadslede is wat jeuk om oor te loop. Na verneem word, lê hul getekende vorms klaar geteken in kluise.

Redes vir die oorlopery is natuurlik legio: politieke lojaliteit en finansiële voordele is maar twee.

Nou loop daar ook 'n storie rond dat een van die senior DA-raadslede gedwing sou voel om haar by die NNP aan te sluit.

Haar seun huur 'n woonstel in die Nasionale Party-gebou en sou na bewering sy blyplek kan verloor as moeder nie van politieke tuiste verander nie.

* Complaints concerning defection issues are being investigated agaisnt mayor Chris Leander by the DA.

DIT wil voorkom asof Jan Alleman nie baie geneë is met die nuwe neiging onder politici om te wil oorloop nie.

Tydens 'n meningsopname oor die beoogde oorloopklousule was die algemene gevoel onder die publiek dat dié optrede, indien dit moontlik word, onvanpas en oneties is.

Politici is herdoop as 'draadsitters', 'tweegesigte', 'narre' en 'verraaiers'.

Daar word selfs bespiegel dat die politici van verskillende partye kop in een mus is.

Soos een kieser dit stel: "Almal wil maar net op die soustrein klim en 'n lekker vet salaris verdien.

"Maak nie saak watter kompartemente nie, dis mos in elk geval net een trein. Op die einde van die dag is hulle almal groot vriende."

Heelparty het gevoel dat hul verteenwoordigers verwaand optree deur hul vertrouensverhoudinge te misbruik en die kiesers se belange te misken.

Dit blyk dat die meeste kiesers nou hul verkose verteenwoordigers wantrou - en dat vertroue moeilik herstel sal word.

Claude Kleynhans meen dat politici wat dit oorweeg om van party te verander, sou die Oorloopklousule in Augustus deur die Grondwetlike Hof goedgekeur word, 'n dubbelrol speel.

"Raadslede moet goed daaroor nadink wat dit aan hul kiesers gaan doen wat klaar vir hulle gestem het omdat hulle 'n sekere party verteenwoordig het, en nou wil hulle van politieke party verander.

"Dis blote verraad. Ek voel dat raadslede moet bedank by hul huidige party en heraansoek moet doen by die nuwe party, eerder as om net oor te loop. Ek is glad nie gelukkig daaroor nie," meen hy.

Ook Kevin Scott meen dis 'n klugspel.

"Dit begin lyk asof kiesers dink alle politici is net 'n klomp narre.

"Toe ek my kruisie getrek het, was dit tog vir die betrokke kandidaat en vir die party wat hy verteenwoordig.

"Ek sou graag wou toesien dat die Grondwetlike Hof hierdie oorlopery moet beveg," het hy gesê.

Olga Botes is nie so op hoogte van die politiek nie, maar meen dat dit beslis die vertrouensverhouding wat raadslede met hul kiesers het, skade aandoen.

"Dit skep gemengde gevoelens onder kiesers, want skielik wil die kandidaat vir wie hulle gestem het, oorloop na 'n ander party," was haar mening.

Steven Rogers meen dat geld deesdae die spil is waarom alles draai, politiek ingesluit.

"Dit gaan nie meer oor dit waarvoor die party en sy kandidate staan nie, maar eerder waar hulle die meeste geld kan maak.

"Elke party het tog sy eie beginsels. Hoe kan jy dit verontagsaam deur oor te loop?," was sy ontevrede mening.

André Wessels meen ook dat dit uit blote selfsug is dat raadslede wil oorloop na 'n ander party: "Dit is definitief verkeerd dat hulle so optree. Die Konstitusionele Hof moet dit teenstaan."

Nog 'n kieser meen dat politieke partye wat 'n alliansie met mekaar gevorm het, liewer net weer moet ontbind, in plaas van dat oorlopery toegelaat word.

"Ek is eerder ten gunste daarvan dat die partye weer ontbind en terugkeer na hul ou weë.

"Dit sal beslis die vertroue van die kiesers skend as die kandidaat waarvoor hulle gestem het, eenvoudig oorloop na 'n ander party.

"Dit sal veroorsaak dat kiesers die betrokke raadslede nie weer ernstig sal opneem nie, want hy kan nog weer en weer 'n keer in die toekoms oorloop na 'n volgende party," was sy mening.

"Ek stem vir die party waarvoor die persoon staan, nie die persoon en sy eie waardes nie," sê Granville Johannes, wat meen die oorloopklousule is 'n klug.

"Dit is nie reg dat hulle net kan oorloop soos hulle wil nie."

'n Fabriekswerker sê: "Ek het geen vertroue in die persone wat ons wette en regulasies maak nie.

"Ons stem vir die persoon vir die party wat hy verteenwoordig, en die waardes waarvoor daardie party staan.

"Maar vir die verteenwoordiger gaan dit nie meer oor die party nie, maar oor die geld.

"Dis geen wonder dat die Rand-waarde so swak is nie; daar is onenigheid in die land. Wat het geword van die gemeenskap se belange? Die 'leiers' doen alles vir eie gewin."

Natasha Goliath wonder of raadslede nog steeds al hul beloftes wat hulle aan die kiesers gemaak het, gaan nakom nadat hulle oorgeloop het.

"Dit moet maar gesien word of die betrokke raadslede nog steeds dieselfde standaarde gaan handhaaf, wanneer hul lid van 'n ander politieke party gaan word," het sy gesê.

Nog 'n mening is dat die oorloopklousule die kieser se demokratiese reg van hom wegneem.

"Daar is geen sprake van vastigheid nie. Hierdie verraaiers moet summier uitgeskop word en van voor af hul eie potjie leer krap," het nog 'n dame gesê.

Reneé Sendin, 'n restaurantbestuurder, sê: "Ek stem nie saam met die oorloopklousule nie. Ons stem vir die persone wat verteenwoordigend is van die partye wat ons belange op die hart dra.

"Deur oor te loop na 'n ander party word die kiesers verontreg.

"Hulle het 'n doel voor oë gehad vir die persone vir wie hulle gestem het, en nou word hulle verraai."

* In an opinion survey, by far the majority of voters were opposed to the removal of the anti-defection clause for political parties.

SOWAT 'n kwart van die Drakenstein Munisipaliteit se werksmag van 1770 was verlede week betrokke by die staking wat die Dinsdag begin het.

Hierdie tendens is voortgesit op 3 Julie, maar die meeste stakende werknemers het teen Donderdag en Vrydag verlede week na die werkplek teruggekeer.

Maandag is die staking voortgesit, maar teen Dinsdag is diens hervat en alle noodsaaklike dienste word gelewer.

Die stakers is almal lede van die SA Munisipale Werkers Unie (Samwu) wat deelneem aan die landwye staking vir hoër lone.

Lede van die ander munisipale unie, Imatu (Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union) het 'n salarisverhoging van 8% aanvaar, met verhogings bo die inflasiekoers vir die volgende twee jaar, maar Samwu het die aanbod verwerp en begin staak vir 'n 10% verhoging met 'n minimumloon van R2 200.

Salga (SA Local Government Assocation), wat die werkgewers verteenwoordig, en Samwu het vandeesweek in Johannesburg samesprekings gevoer om die dooiepunt te probeer oplos.

Salga het die naweek in 'n volblad-advertensie sy standpunt verdedig en gesê die begrotings van sy 284 munisipale lede is reeds onder druk as gevolg van die beperkings wat deur die Departement van Finansies opgelê is.

Die gevolg hiervan is dat belastingbetalers reeds 'n verhoging van sowat 12,5% in eiendomsbelasting in die gesig staar.

Munisipaliteite het 'n jaarlikse salarisrekening van R18 biljoen uit 'n totale bedryfsbegroting van R52,7 biljoen vir die 2001/2 boekjaar.

Verlede Woensdag het die polisie rubberkoeëls en traangas gebruik om oproerige stakers in Lady Greystraat onder bedwang te bring.

Twee munisipale werknemers, Wele Galada van Chris Hani 2111, Mbekweni, en Manus Pieters van Hantambergstraat 5A, Wellington, is in hegtenis geneem en aangekla van openbare geweld.

Twintig lede van Samwu het verlede week ook die kantoor van die munisipale bestuurder, Jacques Carstens, asook dié van ander hoofde beset. Plante en parkeermeters is ook verniel.

'n Woordvoerder van die Munisipaliteit het gesê hulle sal 'n rekening aan Samwu stuur vir enige skade.

Imatu het beswaar gemaak teen intimidasie van sy lede.

'n TOERGROEP uit Stellenbosch is Dinsdag sonder wiele gelaat toe hul kombi by Boschendal wynlandgoed gesteel is.

Volgens insp Charlie Pietersen van die Groot Drakenstein polisie het die nuwe Toyota Hi-Ace met die toergroep die oggend om 12:30 buite die taphuis parkeer.

Ooggetuies het gesien hoe 'n blou bakkie met drie insittendes minute later agter die wit kombi stilgehou het.

Een van die mans het in die bussie geklim, dit aan die gang gekry en daarmee weggery.

Die bakkie met sy makkers is agterna.

Skakel insp Pietersen by 874-1016 met inligting. Die registrasienommer van die gesteelde bussie is CL 36249.

* 'n MAN op pad na 'n skrootwerf op Wellington is sy handvol koper en sy vryheid kwyt.

Speur-insp Heinie Coetzee het onraad vermoed toe hy die man in Lombaardstraat, Wellington-Noord, sien stap het.

Hy het hom gekonfronteer en op 'n handvol splinternuwe koper vensterknippe met handgeskrewe pryse daarop, afgekom.

Marius Fransman (20) is in hegtenis geneem.

Hy is onlangs ook aangekeer en voor die hof gebring vir huisbraak.

Die knippe kan by ondersoekbeampte insp Sandra Fourie (873-1141) uitgeken word.

COMPLAINTS about the business practises of DFT Building Supplies in Huguenot continue to surface while the owner, Goolam Mohammed Doola, is appearing in court on fraud charges.

Doola's legal representative this week requested a further postponement of the case in the Cape Town Regional Court. Doola will appear in the Cape Town Regional Court again on 14 August.

Meanwhile, a Cape Town resident laid a charge of theft against Doola on Monday after she had answered a DFT advertisement, ordered and paid R3000 for bricks, but never received the material.

"I want every newspaper to print this," she said. "I smelt a rat and went to the police, but how many innocent people are conned and never receive the material, or get their money back?

"And I was only reimbursed after driving to Paarl, waiting in vain at DFT in Klein Drakenstein Road, and then reporting the matter to the police. Only then did he suddenly deposit the money in my account.

"I want to make people aware that they can lose money if they react to this man's advertisements, now also appearing in Cape Town newspapers.

"I made dozens of telephone calls to suppliers of bricks to check DFT's claim that my bricks were 'on their way.'

"The calls revealed that no order had even been placed for my bricks, but the brickfields in Paarl were all aware of the modus operandi of DFT."

THE empty site at the junction of Pastorie Avenue and Main Street in Paarl, property of La Rochelle Primary School Trust, is to be developed into a block of flats.

The school has applied for the rezoning of the site of 1431 square metres for the purpose of a four-storey block of flats (eight units per floor).

The school was the only party which reacted to an advertisement requesting tenders for the land when it was advertised by the Municipality, and in 1998 it was sold for R30 000 for educational purposes. It was originally the site of a wagon factory.

Although the school had intended to construct netball courts on the remainder of the site, it was recently decided that it was too isolated for this purpose and should be sold instead.

In March the Municipality decided to waive its pre-emptive right to repurchase the property on the grounds that it would be a cumbersome process unnecessarily delaying much-needed development in Paarl.

"The development of the property will be an asset for Paarl as a whole and a positive step to alleviate the shortage of suitable residential units in central Paarl," the Council decided.

"It will also positively contribute to Drakenstein Municipality's image as a local authority which is serious in attracting developers."

Residents of the neighbourhood are not so positive about the decision, however.

Stephanie Siegruhn, who owns the adjoining property Laan Rust art gallery at the corner of Pastorie and Du Toit Street, also wanted to tender for the land when it was advertised in 1997.

"But I was put off by the clause stipulating that the purchaser had to develop the site within a fixed number of years.

"If I had known La Rochelle was going to sell the site for a huge profit of more than R400 000 without being held to the conditions of the sale, I would have tendered myself.

"I was hoping to develop the land for a sculpture garden adjoining the gallery. Now I am going to have a four-storey building towering over the gallery, which is a historic building in its own right.

"The house was the home of Ernst du Toit, brother... of SJ du Toit who founded Die Afrikaanse Patriot, the forerunner of the Paarl Post newspaper."

Another resident of the area, Luc Bouckaert, was shocked when he heard that the property was being sold for profit.

"I was on the management board of La Rochelle High at the time it was advertised and negotiated with the Municipality to approve the tender of R30 000, although the land was valued at more than R220 000 at the time, in the interests of education.

"The profit on the resale of the land should have gone into the municipal coffers, but now it is going to the school instead.

"This is nice for the school, but will the building the developer plans to erect, be an asset to the neighbourhood and attract tourists to the historic core of Paarl?

"I hope it's not going to be another art deco look-alike, but rather something which fits in aesthetically with the area."

The developer who plans to purchase the property, Johnny Smook, was unavailable for comment, but architect Christof Albertyn, said that the building would be no higher than the block of flats across the street.

"The school has decided that the site is too small to accommodate an educational building, and that they are in need of funds to upgrade their sports facilities."

Albertyn, who is known for his modern, colourful architectural style, said that contemporary architecture should not copy traditional styles.

Said a consultant town planner resident in Paarl: "People are too negative. Don't forget that the school had the right to develop the site, and could just as well have erected a multi-storey school building there."

Objections to the rezoning, if any, must reach the municipal manager at PO Box 12, Paarl 7622 by 24 July.