 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
MEER as die helfte van plaaslike uitvoervrugteboere het die afgelope seisoen teen 'n verlies uitgevoer, weens die ongunstige wisselkoers. So sê landbou-ekonoom Daan Louw. "Dit is die tweede swak uitvoerseisoen vir vrugteprodusente en sommiges is lelik in die knyp en sukkel om te oorleef. "Maar ons moet positief wees - hierdie terugslag maak ons boere meer kostebewus en veroorsaak dat mense meer doeltreffend werk en beter stelsels benut. "Mense leer nou om elke sent om te draai, en as die rand omdraai sal hulle sterk daar uitkom," sê hy. "Lean and mean" is hoe produsente voortaan daar gaan uitsien, meen hy, want dis 'n bedryf waarin daar 'n uitskudproses aan die gang is, en net die bestes sal oorleef. "Ek is optimisties oor die langtermynvooruitsigte van die bedryf, maar mense sal konserwatiewe besluite moet neem. "Ons sal moet kyk daarna om nuwe markte soos die Ooste te ontgin, hoewel dit moeilik is om jou voet in die deur te kry. "Ons sal sterker klem moet lê op insetkostes, marktoegang en akkurate inligting oor die mark." Die kompetisie in Europa die afgelope seisoen tussen Suid-Afrikaanse uitvoerders (wat 'n goeie oes beleef het) en dié van ander lande soos Chile was vanjaar besonder straf, weens die sterk Euro. Daar was gevolglik opeenhopings van druiwe by tye, wat ook die verkoopprys nadelig getref het. Maar hoewel boere se inkomste gedaal het, het hul onkostes dieselfde gebly en is baie van hulle vasgevang in 'n kosteknyptang. Graham Retief, voorsitter van SA Tafeldruiwe, stem saam dat die ooraanbod van uitvoerdruiwe gelei het tot spekulatiewe aankope deur invoerders, wat pryse laat val het. Ook die pruimmark is swaar getref. Volgens Retief is die probleem van produsente in die Paarl-streek dat hulle in die middel van die seisoen val, wanneer baie ander streke en lande se produsente ook vrugte lewer. "Plaaslike produsente het reeds begin oorskakel na ander kultivars en ander produkte soos wyndruiwe, maar selfs wyn is tans in ooraanbod. "Lande soos Chile het ook meer gunstige toegang tot die EU as gevolg van die handelsooreenkoms wat hul regering gesluit het. "Terwyl ons in die verlede staat gemaak het op 'n verswakkende Rand om ons winsgewend te hou, kan ons dit duidelik nie meer doen nie. "Alleenlik nuwe marktoegang en gepaardgaande verlaagde aanbod in die EU sal pryse laat herstel tot winsgewende vlakke. "Ons vertrou dat ons regering ons sal ondersteun in ons pogings om nuwe markte, veral in die Verre Ooste, te open." |
|
|
|
|
|
DRAKENSTEIN is een van 50 munisipaliteite wat op 1 Julie moes begin om die nuwe Wet op Munisipale Finansiële Bestuur in werking te stel. Die wet is ingestel om dienslewering op plaaslike regeringsvlak in Suid-Afrika te verbeter. Deursigtigheid in die finansiële en die begrotingsbeplanningsproses is een van die maniere hoe die wet toegepas gaan word. Die munisipale bestuurder sowel as die Raad sal nou ook verandwoordlik gehou word vir hul aksies. Die inwoners sal nou 'n veel groter sê in die munisipale begroting as in die verlede hê. Inwoners sal ook munisipale amptenare tot verantwoording roep as dienste nie doeltreffend gelewer word nie en as doelstellings nie gehaal is nie. Die nuwe begrotingsvereistes van die wet gaan 'n groot rol speel in die regering se stryd teen armoede en om dienslewering aan inwoners te verbeter. Drakenstein sal 'n langtermynplan en 'n korttermynplan vir geïntegreerde ontwikkeling moet opstel. Die begroting sal van nou af toekoms- en uitkomsgedrewe wees. Teikens sal nou geskep word en in 'n sekere tydstip gedoen moet word. Die burgemeester en sy raad se rolle gaan ook nou geskei word van dié van die munisipale bestuurder en sy personeel. Die burgemeester en sy raad sal in die toekoms verantwoordelik vir die beleidmaking en uitkomste wees, terwyl die munisipale bestuur moet fokus op inwerkingstelling van die uitsette wat betref lewering. Raadslede sal in die toekoms ook nie meer deel wees van tender-komitees nie en sal nie die toekennings van tenders kan beïnvloed nie. Daar sal ook nou nie-uitvoerende raadslede wees, wat die inwoners gaan verteenwoordig en sowel as die raadslede verantwoordelik hou vir hul prestasie in die maandelikse vorderingsverslae. |
|
|
|
|
|
DIE toerismebedeling in die Paarl kan in die toekoms heelwat anders daar uitsien, volgens die voorsitter van Paarl Toerisme, Stephen von Schlicht. Von Schlicht het onlangs in 'n omsendbrief aan lede daarop gewys dat die Drakenstein Munisipaliteit in die jongste begroting begroot het vir 'n toerisme-bemagtigingskantoor. Daar word beoog om 'n nuwe toerismestruktuur met ses poste te loods. Paarl Toerisme funksioneer tans met behulp van 'n munisipale subsidie op salarisse. Volgens Von Schlicht sal nou met die Burgemeester onderhandel word om 'n nuwe model, waarin Paarl Toerisme kan saamwerk met die munisipale kantoor om meer inklusief te wees. "Paarl Toerisme het hom nog altyd beywer om die dorp bo alles te bemark tot voordeel van die totale gemeenskap en sy lede," het Von Schlicht gesê. |
|
|
|
|
|
THE South African Revenue Service (Sars) is to clamp down on taxpayers who fail to accurately and honestly reflect details relating to the travel section on their tax return forms. Sars spokesperson, Sechaba Nkosi, says some taxpayers have been dishonest in the past when furnishing travel specific information. Nkosi says Sars is giving taxpayers a chance to voluntarily comply in this regard as this could lead to penalties if the suggested SARS guidelines not be followed. "Taxpayers who fail to record an opening and closing odometer reading on their tax returns will not be considered for deductions on travelling expenses," says Nkosi. Nkosi says taxpayers should not be dishonest about the kilometres they have travelled during the last tax year, because Sars can easily verify this information. For example, Sars could request a copy of the invoice from one's last car service and together with a physical inspection of the kilometres of the vehicle in use determine the reasonability of the kilometres claimed. Individuals will be randomly selected for examinations and inspections. Sars will also be scrutinising travel allowances this year. "If the value of a travelling allowance is significantly greater than the number of kilometres the individual travels for business purposes, he/she will have to pay back taxes to SARS when the individual tax assessment is made," Nkosi says. The distance travelled between home and work is regarded as private travel and SARS recommends that taxpayers keep a logbook to ensure accurate calculations. "However, if accurate records of travelled kilometres are not kept, claims will be limited in accordance with the guidelines specified in your brochure." If a taxpayer did not keep a logbook, there will be limitations to a claim. If more than 32 000 kilometres was travelled during the tax year, the first 18 000 km will be deemed business travel and the difference private travel. If less than 32 000 kilometres was travelled during the tax year, the first 14 000 kilometres will be deemed private and the difference business travel. If no records were kept, sections 1, 2 and 3 of the travel section in the tax return must be completed. If accurate records of travelling expenses were kept, only sections 1, 2 and 4 of the travel section must be completed to calculate claims. "In terms of running expenses, if you don't use the tax tables to claim these, you must also keep all receipts for petrol, repairs and servicing if you wish to base your deduction on actual costs," Nkosi says. These receipts do not have to be submitted with the tax return, but must be made available upon request. The logbook however, book must be submitted. "A travel allowance provides a cash flow advantage, because monthly PAYE tax is only calculated on 50% of your monthly allowance," he says. "However, this can work against you if travelling is not part of your everyday work or your kilometres travelled do not add up toyour allowance received," Nkosi points out. "In such a case the outstanding tax will be collected from you when you submit your tax return." For example, if a total distance of less than 14 000 kilometres is travelled during the tax year and a logbook is not kept, a taxpayer will not be able to claim against their travelling allowance and will be taxed on the full amount. "The travelling allowance is intended to compensate taxpayers for the use of their own vehicles for business purposes. It is not intended to increase a taxpayer's cash flow, which is how many employers often view it," Nkosi says. For additional information on travel claims, taxpayers can contact their local SARS branch office, visit their local SARS outreach initiative, or go to the SARS website at www.sars.gov.za. |
|
|
|
|
|
DIE ontkieming en opkoms van die koring in die Swartland het goed afgeloop na reën in Junie, maar opvolgreën tot einde September sal 'n bepalende faktor wees, volgens die Elsenburg graanmarkverslag. Indien reën langer wegbly mag die potensiële opbrengs nadelig be‹nvloed word. In sekere gedeeltes van die Swartland is 'n hoër aanplantingsyfer behaal as teenoor die vorige jaar, maar as gevolg die laat reën is die ontwikkeling van die gewas egter met tot soveel as twee weke vertraag. Die koue weerstoestande het die ontwikkeling van die koringplant en gevolglike oespotensiaal bevoordeel. Die poduksietoestande en reënval in Junie was vanjaar aansienlik beter as teenoor Junie verlede jaar en dit kan as 'n gemiddelde maand beskryf word. Die reënvalverspreiding was goed maar opvolgreën is nou dringend nodig. Boere is ook bekommerd oor die swak prys vir koring weens die sterk rand. |
|
|
|
|
|
NEDERBURG has won five medals on this year's International Wine & Spirits Competition in London, as well as three commendations for excellence. The gold medal – one of just eight awarded to South African wines – went to the 2002 vintage of Edelkeur, the famous nectar-like wine originally launched at the first Nederburg Auction in 1975. Both the 2001 Private Bin Cabernet Sauvignon and 2003 Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc took silver, while bronzes were awarded to the 2001 vintage of the Private Bin Shiraz and the Private Bin Petit Verdot. Commendations for excellence were given to the 2002 Private Bin Chardonnay and the 2001 vintage of the Classic Shiraz and auction wine, Private Bin R121 Shiraz.ing |
|
|
|
|
|
THE SA Heritage Agency (Sahra) has announced plans to provisionally protect the cultural landscape of the Dwars River Valley in Groot Drakenstein, as well as Idas Valley, for a period of two years . This could affect the proposed development of parts of Boschendal wine estate for a housing estate and hotel. The purpose of the proposed provisional protection is to allow Sahra to investigate the national declaration of the heritage resources in the area as protected areasin terms of the National Heritage Resources Act (NHRA). This follows a decision taken by the South African World Heritage Convention Committee to apply to the World Heritage Convention Committee to grant world heritage status to the Cape Winelands Cultural Landscape. The Dwars River Valley together with Idas Valley comprises the most significant cultural landscapes and heritage sites within this Cape Winelands Cultural Landscape, according to Beverley Crouts, provincial manager of Sahra. Heritage resources authorities are tasked with the duty to ensure the protection, conservation and sound heritage management of this unique and irreplaceable South African heritage. Investigation into the national protection of the valley has therefore become a priority with Sahra, an initiative supported by Heritage Western Cape (HWC), the provincial heritage resources authority and the responsible local authority. The implications of this provisional protection are that any work, alterations, subdivisions or activities proposed for the sites would be subject to Sahra approval. Sahra must also be informed of changes in ownership, while sufficient maintenance must be carried by the owner. The Act also ensures general protections that apply to all heritage resources of cultural significance where changes, subdivisions, excavations and alterations are concerned. For enquiries, contact bcrouts@ sahra.org.za or call Solayman Ebrahim on 462-4502. |
|
||
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
[ Top ] |
|||
|
[ Top ] |
|||