 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
down 3km into the tunnel. Tuncor's monitering operators immediately noticed the problem and dispatched a fire team as well as an unit to guide people to safety. The drivers of heavy vehicles stuck behind the burning truck, were taken to safety by the emergency teams. "This is the second major fire we've had, the other being the busfire in 1994," tunnel manager Andries Mars said. "Once again Tuncor - and other emergency rescue teams - learnt valuable lessons. "The biggest problem remains the handling of the motorists." More than 10 000 motorists use the tunnel on an average Sunday, the busiest day of the week. The closure of the tunnel could not have come at a worse time, with the Pass open for single lane traffic only since roadworks had started earlier this month. According to Mars emotions ran high at times. "We broadcast the closure on the radio, television and in the newspapers, but I do think the traffic department could have shown more initiative. "Late on Sunday afternoon they suggested alternative routes to motorists at Worcester. That immediately made a difference in the congestion on the Pass." Earlier in the day, motorists had up to a two hour delay on the Pass. Many motorists did not have sufficient fuel for the detours over Wellington, Tulbagh or Villiersdorp. In the tunnel, damage was contained to a single section of the concrete structure, which is divided into separate panels. With the damage to lighting, the 7km tunnel was shrouded in darkness when emnergency units arrived on the scene. By Monday 30m of the road surface that had cracked, had been retarred. "The air ducts are clear and the tunnel is absolutely safe now," Mars said. "We are not concerned about the loss of toll fees. More important is the service we offer to the motorist." Drakenstein fire officer Derick Peceur said: "It is always difficult to work in a confined space. "The fire trucks and rescue units however, had easy access from the adjoining service tunnel. "Luckily no-one was injured in the blaze." The tunnel was reopened for traffic at noon on Monday. |
|
|
|
|
|
ACCORDING to the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights uncertainty and rumours regarding progress of claims being circulated in the community are unnecessary, as local land claims will be paid before the end of the year. The Commission also reported on the status of tenancy claims in Paarl and Wellington. Firstly, the claims of both Paarl and Wellington had been processed and referred to the Minister of Land Affairs for approval. Upon approval by the Minister, the Commission will start a process that will culminate in the payout of claims to all the beneficiaries relevant to the specific claim. Hence, the Commission is confident that the payout of all financial claims will be finalised during this year in compliance with the presidential directive. For this reason the Commission would like to dispel rumours by certain individuals and groups in the communities that a payout of claims is imminent. Only upon approval by the Minister, will the commission inform claimants via their respective elected committees, or individually in cases of individual tenancy and ownership claims, about subsequent dates for payouts. For this reason, the Commission urges claimants to liaise with their elected committees to find out what progress is being made regarding their specific claims. Furthermore, claimants are invited to direct any communication regarding their claims to Willem Nero or Sivuyile Mbobo at the Commission on 426-2930 or fax 424-5146. |
|
|
|
|
|
RATES and taxes in Drakenstein will rise by 7,5% according to the budget recently adopted by the Drakenstein Municipal Council. The Draft Integrated development Plan Review and Budget for the Drakenstein area recently adopted by the Council will be presented for discussion at public meetings starting on Wednesday 2 March. For the dates and venues of meetings, see page 22. The final budget will be tabled at a council meeting in May for implementation on 1 July. The operational budget will increase from R538,3 million in 2004/5 to R567,3 in 2006/7 (5,4%) to R609,2 in 2006/7 and to R645,5 in 2007/8. To finance the budget, tariffs had to be increased with 7,5% for rates, infrastructure, sanitation, refuse removal and sundry tariffs. The increase for water is limited to 10% and for electricity to 4,5%. It was decided that tariffs which are still to be brought in line with overall tariffs must be increased over a further three year period. Big household The expected monthly account for a big household (use as basis 1094 sqm, 317 sqm improvements, 1000 units electricity and 30kl water) will be as follows: Property rates will increase with 7,5% from R499.10 to R536.53; the electricity basic levy will increase from R100.65 to R105.18 (4,5%) and electricity consumption from R326.03 to R340.70 (4,55). The basic levy for water rises from R9 to R9.90 (10%) and for water consumption from R470.38 to R517.41 (10%). Sanitation increases from R92.84 to R99.80 (7,5%), refuse removal from R84.10 to R90.40 (7,5%) and other from R84.10 to R90.40 (7.42%). The total sum increases by 7,45% from R1733.71 to R1862.81, an increase of R129.10. Small house In the case of a small house (use as basis 215 sq/m erf, 58 sq/m improvements, 498 units electricity and 25kl water), the total account should rise from R598.81 to R638.62. This is an increase of R39.81, or 6,65%. Property rates will increase from R157.15 to R168.94 (7,5%). The basic electricity levy (prepaid) will increase by 4,5% and the consumption fees will rise from R203.75 to R212.92 (4,5%). The basic water levy increases with 10% from R9 to R9.90 and consumption also with 10%, from R56.65 to R62.32. Sanitation goes from R33.92 to R36.46 (7,5%) and refuse removal from R84.10 to R90.40 (7,5%). Capital budget The capital budget for 2005/2006 will be R40,392 million, compared with last year's R38,698 million. This will increase to R43,936 million in 2006/7 and R46,357 million in 2007/8. The budget also makes provision for capital projects financed from grants and other funds. These projects are budgeted as ad hoc projects and amount to R62,599 million for 2005/6; R54,425m for 2006/7 and R36,439m for 2007/8. * The Draft IDP Review is available for inspection and comment at the public libraries in Paarl, Mbekweni, Wellington, municipal offices, the RDP office in Huguenot, the Safmarine multi-purpose centre in Wellington and at the Hermon postal agency as well. Inputs must reach the IDP manager at the Paarl civic centre (idp@drakenstein. gov.za) by 29 March. |
|
|
|
|
|
MEER as 220 Wellington-inwoners van veral Berg-en-dal, Uitsig en Ranzadale, het verlede Woensdagaand in die skoolsaal van Hugenote Laerskool saamgetrek om met lede van die Wellington SAPD te gesels oor die misdaadsituasie in hul woonbuurte. Aspekte soos verbeterde kommunikasiekanale met die SAPD, samewerking tussen die publiek en die polisie om misdaad te bekamp, asook 'n moontlike buurtwagstelsel is uitgelig. 'n Beroep is gedoen dat mense toenemend weer die oë en ore ook van hul bure sal word, en verdagte persone sal rapporteer. Die vergadering volg kort na die moord op dr Lizbé Smuts-Smith twee weke gelede. Organiseerder Deon van Rooyen het verduidelik dat hoewel hierdie skokgebeurtenis inwoners geruk het, so 'n vergadering reeds 'n geruime tyd oorweeg is omdat inbrake in hierdie woonbuurte ernstig toegeneem het. Die plaaslike polisiekorps is onder meer verteenwoordig deur stasiekommissaris superintendent Nelson Govender, insp Eugene Munnik van die Misdaad Inligting Analise Sentrum (MIAS) wat misdaadstatistiek ontleed, kapt Carine le Grange van die Misdaadvoorkomingseenheid, en kommunikasiebeampte insp Jonty Rhode. Patrick Abrahams, ondervoorsitter van die Wellington Gemeenskapsforum (GPF), was ook teenwoordig. Sterk menings is uitgespreek teen stygende voorvalle van veral inbrake, met positiewe én negatiewe kritiek op die Polisie se hantering daarvan. "Dit is 'petty crime' wat nou gelei het tot moord," het 'n vroulike lid van die gehoor gesê. In sy spreekbeurt het supt Govender beklemtoon dat die plaaslike polisiekorps van 130 lede wat skofte werk as speurders, administratiewe beamptes of met sigbare polisiëring, hul bes doen met die middele tot hul beskikking. Volgens hom kan dieselfde strategieë nie gebruik word vir die uiteenlopende misdaadprioriteite van die dorp se verskillende woonbuurte en plase nie, wat dus gefokusde polisiëring bemoeilik. Aan die een kant is daar eiendomsverwante misdade in die meer welvarende deel van die dorp, wat inbrake uit huise en motors insluit, asook winkeldiefstal. Aan die ander kant is daar geweldsmisdade soos verkragtings, ernstige aanrandings en moord wat veral met alkoholmisbruik verband hou. Terwyl sigbare polisiëring 'n beduidende effek op inbrake het, is misdaadvoorkomingsaksies soos die toeslaan op smokkelhuise en inligtingspraatjies by skole en kerke metodes om aanvalle teen mense te verminder. Polisiereserviste en die nege buurtwagte wat uit lede van die gemeenskap bestaan en by die GPF geaffilieer is, word ook by hierdie sogenaamde brandpunte ingespan. Een van hierdie buurtwagte, Weltevrede, bestaan reeds vyf jaar net uit vrywilligers. "Dit is bitter moeilik om sigbare polisiëring elke minuut van die dag te kan doen," het supt Govender beklemtoon. Hy het inwoners aangemoedig om groter verantwoordelikheid te neem vir hul eiendom deur te sorg dat deure en hekke gesluit is, en nie besittings oop en bloot in motors op straat te los nie. "Diewe is opportuniste wat rondloop en kyk vir geleenthede," het hy gesê. 'n Buurtwagstelsel vir hierdie woonbuurte het sterk steun gekry van die gehoor. Praktiese implikasies soos finansiële ondersteuning en logistiek is egter uitgewys deur Noorder-Paarl Buurtwag se Robert Larke. Omdat hierdie 24-uur diens, wat spog met 'n 99% afname in misdaad in Noorder-Paarl sedert dit drie jaar gelede begin is, finansieel ondersteun word deur lidmaatskap van inwoners, is dit geregistreer as 'n sekuriteitswagstelsel. Inwoners doen egter nie self patrolliediens nie. Tydens die vergadering is 'n komitee saamgestel om die pad vorentoe te bespreek en korttermynaksies te loods. |
|
|
|
|
|
THE old Paarl Prison in Berg River Boulevard will soon open its doors to new inmates. The department of Public Works has finally, after years of negotiation, agreed to sell the land for development. The tender to purchase the prime site was awarded to Mbekwempower Investment CC, with Small Medium Macro Enterprises (SMME) building contractor Moeftagudien Arnold as director. Other members of the company are education inspectorate Makhosandile Ndzuzo, security officer Mzwandile Tiyo, World Vision co-ordinator Pumla Mgayi, building inspector Robert Meyer and labour relations consultant Jongihlanga France. Paarl architects Malherbe Rust has been involved with the planning of the upmarket security village with office blocks since the beginning of 2004. The main section of the historic prison, with its granite walls, heavy metal studded entrance door and courtyard, will remain intact. A final decision has still to be taken on the best use for the structure with its thick walls, small windows, iron doors and concrete ceiling. The developers propose erecting 18 housing units of approximately 150 sq/m on 340 sq/m plots. Nine of the three-bedroomed units are to have access from Fourth Avenue and the other nine from Patriot and Devine Streets. A further four studio apartments with roof gardens will be erected above the single level offices, with parking underneath. Texture and paving, flat and pitched roofs, louvred windows and roof gardens are all mixed into the Cape style. The final go-ahead for rezoning is being awaited from Drakenstein Municipality. Tenants now lease the former warder's houses on a monthly basis from the Department of Public Works. A first presentation of the proposed development was met with approval from Heritage Western Cape, who has to grant permission to rebuild the nearly 70 year old "Hof Street" Prison. Historical data dates the prison site to 1804, when the farm De Straat, as it was then known, was allocated to Stephanus P Jordaan. Ownership was transferred to the State in 1936. The only building then on the land, a homestead at the corner of Patriot Street and Fourth Avenue, has long since been demolished. For the past 13 years, after the last prisoners were moved, the prison has fallen into disrepair. Except for the occasional video and film being made behind the walls and in the cells, the prison has stood empty, allowing space for squatters to move in. People with knowledge of the social history or significant heritage issues concerning the prison site, can contact the heritage consultant, Elzet Albertyn (fax 021 872-0904 or email to lzalb@ mweb.co.za). |
|
|
|||||||||||