Business - Sakenuus

• Hulle is ernstig oor veiligheid
• Concern over Paardeberg
• Besproeiing vervang
• Dam project is a 'fiasco'
• Oorlog teen papsakke
• Pontac amongst top sleepovers

brandweerpersoneel en dié van Terason is na die tyd uitgewys.

Rudolph Geldenhuys, Terason se besturende direkteur, sê as 'n ISO 14001-geakkrediteerde maatskappy is dit vir hulle belangrik om vir die gemeenskap en direkte bure te wys dat hy ernstig is met die veiligheid van sy dag-tot-dag besigheid

MEMBERS of the Paardeberg Conservancy have expressed concern about the impact of the proposed Blydskap 4x4 trail on the environmentally sensitive mountain.

A draft scoping report to be submitted to the Department of Environmental Affairs is nearing completion, following a public meeting on 19 April, where many objections were raised.

"Paardeberg is regarded as one of the core areas of the Cape Lowlands Conservation Plan, as well as part of Nature Conservation's Renosterveld Plan," says the chairperson of the Conservancy, Judy New.

At the meeting objections were raised to the bulldozing of firebreaks into roads, the diversion of streams, the illegal commercial land usage, the illegal commercial access across two neighbouring farms, the possible damage to veld and erosion, as well as a possible increase in refuse.

There were also objections to the construction of lapas, where braais could cause fires and septic tanks could cause pollution by seepage.

Fears were also expressed that animal and plant life would be disturbed and flowers illegally harvested.

There is already infestation of aliens on Blydskap farm and these could spread, New said. Specialist archaeological and botanical surveys should be carried out first, before the project is considered.

'n NUWE organisasie, die Bergrivier Waterverbruikersvereniging, gaan die Bergrivier Besproeiingsraad vervang, ingevolge die Nasionale Waterwet.

'n Openbare vergadering word môre om 14:00 in die Paarl Ontspanningsklub in Du Toitstraat gehou en alle belangegroepe is welkom.

Dit sluit in besproeiers, landbouers, individuele gebruikers, plaaswerknemers, die munisipaliteit, sport- en ontspanningsklubs en kleinskaalse landbouers.

Die voorgestelde grondwet van die nuwe organisasie gaan voorgelê word, asook die nominasieprosedures vir belangegroepe om lede in hul area van belang te nomineer vir die bestuurskomitee.

Afskrifte van die grondwet is ter insae by die sekretaris,  Melinda Dreyer tel 871-1233.

ANGER over the way the Berg River Dam contract is being managed, resulted in 14 local members of the Environmental Monitoring Committee (EMC) walking out last week.

The R550 million contract was recently awarded to a consortium including Grinaker-LTA, Group 5 and WBHO.

"It's a fiasco," one of the members told Paarl Post.

"The grievances of the previously disadvantaged are not being addressed.

"There is enormous time pressure on the consortium, and shortcuts are being taken."

At the meeting Rev Wilfred Moses said the Franschhoek First Policy with regard to employment and procurement was not being implemented in the main dam contract.

"Members of the EMC have spent a lot of time and energy assisting in the project process, only to be ignored when it comes to the point where the previously disadvantaged community could reap benefits from the project."

"The TCTA is not creating human and business opportunities for the previously disadvantaged members of the Franschhoek community.

"Despite assurances to the contrary, the TCTA has, in the past eight months awarded a number of contracts, including those for the refurbishment of its offices in Franschhoek, to contractors based outside of the Franschhoek area," a committee member said.

"Most of these contracts could easily have been carried out by contractors from previously disadvantaged communities in the area."

"The main contractor for the dam has, in the first two weeks of being awarded the contract, itself awarded the first two contracts to sub-contractors from outside the Franschhoek area.

"These two contracts are for stone crushing and for bush clearing and fall exactly into the category of contracts that could be carried out using local resources."

In reaction, Mike Moody (project manager of the Berg River Project Joint Venture) said: "We as the contractors subscribe to the "Franschhoek First Policy" as per the conditions of our contract with TCTA.

"In line with this policy and our requirements of capacity, competence and financial ability we choose those sub-contractors/suppliers we require for the contract.

"Notwithstanding that some of these sub-contractors or suppliers might be from other parts of the Western Cape, these sub-contractors are required to employ 75% of their labour required for this contract from Franschhoek and the Dwars River Valley".

According to TCTA spokesman George van der Merwe, they are committted to preferential employment opportunities for local individuals and businesses. Penalties are applicable if targets are not achieved.

In the case of the main contract, the contractor has six months to achieve the set targets for training and skills enhancement. TCTA does not prescribe which individuals or businesses are used.

The scorecard to date is 122 local individuals (74%) employed on the construction of the access road.On the dam contract 45 local individuals have been employed and this number will increase to 400 by September.

IN een van die vernaamste stappe tot nog toe om drankmisbruik in Suid-Afrika te bekamp, het die Suid-Afrikaanse Wyn- en Brandewynmaatskappy oorlog verklaar teen die verkoop van wyn en foeliesakke (papsakke) in minderwaardige plastiekhouers.

Volgens dr Johan van Rooyen, uitvoerende hoof van die Suid-Afrikaanse Wyn- en Brandewynmaatskappy (SAWB), kan die verkoop van goedkoop, lae gehalte wyn en papsakke en minderwaardige plastiekhouers reeds so vroeg as Julie aanstaande jaar as 'n wetsoortreding in Suid-Afrika beskou word.

"Die verkoop van wyn in foelie- en minderwaardige plastiekhouers het nie alleen tot alkoholmisbruik en sosiale disintegrasie in veral lae inkomste en plattelandse gemeenskappe bygedra nie, maar het, en gaan steeds voort om die reputasie en integriteit van die Suid-Afrikaanse wynbedryf skade te berokken."

Van Rooyen sê die SAWB, wat as verteenwoordiger vir die plaaslike wynbedryf dien en die arbeid-, produsente-, verspreiding- en bemarkingsektore insluit, het 'n werkgroep bestaande uit verskeie verteenwoordigers op die been gebring om 'n plan van aksie en tydskaal te beraam om papsakke en lae gehalte plastiekhouers in die ban te doen.

"Die SAWB geniet in sy stryd teen hierdie houers die steun van die bedryf, sowel as dié van die plaaslike- en nasionale regerings. Die owerhede is maar te bewus  van die situasie en die bydrae van die ongewenste houers tot alkoholmisbruik en gemeenskapsverbrokkeling," sê hy.

Sowat 48 miljoen liter wyn word in papsakke op die plaaslike mark verkoop. Dit is na aan 17% van die totale Suid-Afrikaanse gebruik.

'n SAWB-werkgroep onder leiding van André Matthee, uitvoerende bestuurder: regulatoriese dienste van SA Wynbedryf Inligting en Stelsels (SAWIS), beveel aan dat die verkoop van alkoholiese produkte in foeliesakke verbode verklaar word ingevolge die Wet op Handelsmetrologie van 1973. Houers moet beperk word tot 5 liter.

Om te slaag, sal die regering sy voorneme moet uitvoer om voldoende infrastruktuur en menslike hulpbronne te skep sodat die regte standaarde op die markplek afgedwing, en onwettige brousels uitgehou kan word.

ONE of the best-loved pearls in Paarl's crown, Pontac Manor Hotel & Restaurant, was this year voted amongst the top ten Wineland's Sleepovers by South Africa's prestigious lifestyle publication, Wine Magazine.  

Said Sophie Barnard, GM of the hotel, "We are proud to represent the hospitality of Paarl at such a high level, nationally and internationally."

In addition to being one of the best rated four-star boutique hotels in the region, Pontac is also well known to locals and hotel guests for its excellent dining facilities. 

The hotel is also opening a dedicated Guest Service Centre and gift shop.

Commenting on recent developments at The Restaurant at Pontac, said Deseré Orrill-Legg, managing director of Pontac Manor Hotel & Restaurant: "Adding to our culinary team, which has built up a great reputation over the past four years, we have recently expanded the creative pool in our kitchen with the appointment of Craig McGeean as head chef. Allister Adams joins our service team as restaurant manager." 

The new menu includes a variety of creative dishes with unique food combinations and seasonal ingredients, whilst retaining the most popular Pontac Classics.

The 'Lazy Sunday Lunch' held on the first Sunday of every month, offering a set menu and separate, supervised Playland for children aged from 3 to 12, has proven a big hit with families. 

Although other dining venues in Paarl will be closing during July, the doors at "The Restaurant at Pontac" will remain open to welcome loyal guests throughout the winter months.

Harking back to the estate's historic roots, the hotel's other dining venue, "Café du Pontac", welcomes guests with typical French Provencal country atmosphere and cuisine. 

Open every day from 7am to 6pm, the emphasis is on comfort:  diners can relax in the warm winter sunshine on the verandah, sit at tables inside or snuggle comfortably by the fireside in an armchair, with a café au lait and their favourite magazine. 

The hotel has added a guest service centre catering to guests' additional requirements such as tours, golfing, property, tickets, shopping, car hire as well as from next month a creative gift store called 'The Manor Shoppe' offering art, music, produce, clothing and crafts by local talents plus special products to pamper the body, soul and taste buds.

[ Top ]