"Hulle moes gesien het dat daar 'n trein van voor af aankom," het Gaynor se hartseer moeder, Greyda April, gesê.

"Daarom het hulle aan die linkerkant bly stap. Maar hulle het nie die trein gehoor wat van agter af aangekom het nie.

"Die treindrywer wat hulle raakgery het, het gesê hy het sy toeter geblaas, maar hy kon niks doen om die ongeluk te keer nie.

"Hulle het gedink hulle hoor net die toeter van die trein voor hulle."

Altwee die meisies is op slag dood toe hulle getref is en deur lug getrek het tot langs die spoor.

Hulle klasonderwyseres, June Abrahams, het gesê die twee se maats by Charleston Hill Primêr is erg geskok deur die tragedie.

"Hulle was sulke lieflike kinders. Gaynor het 'n sterk persoonlikhied gehad en het uitgeblink in sokker.

"Bianca, wat in die Lovelife basketbalspan opgeneem was, was weer meer teruggetrokke. Hulle was so geheg aan mekaar. Dit is 'n geweldige slag vir die skool."

Gaynor laat haar ouers Greyda en Gerald April, broers Elrico (10) en Gihano (4) en suster Annastacia (1) agter.

Bianca word oorleef deur haar ma Rachel van Wyk, pa Matthys en broers Adrian (17) en John-Morgan (7).

Die tuisdienste vir die meisies is Saterdag om 08:30 op Klein Parys en 09:00 op Nancy, en om 10:00 uit die VGK Zionskerk in Klein Drakenstein.

* Two young friends will be buried together on Saturday morning after they died while walking on a railway line between their homes in Suider Paarl last week.

DIÉ naweek word daar groot fees op Wellington gevier tydens die heel eerste Stokkiesdraai-kunstefees.

Die opwindende feesprogram maak voorsiening vir elke smaak en skop reeds vanaand af met die musiekgroep Gas! wat by Detour optree om studente en jonges van gees te vermaak. 

Die groep bestaan uit Stéphan en André, twee talentvolle manne wat hul eie alternatiewe musiek en lirieke skryf, maar die klem val steeds op mooi klanke. Die optrede word deur Tassenberg moontlik gemaak en begin 19:00 - en dié wat weet, sê daar gaan tot laat gekuier word. 

Vrydagaand 18:00 is Helena Hettema in die Goodnowsaal te sien in haar produksie The Bridge. Dit sinspeel op 'n brug tussen die toekoms en die verlede - die hede.

Later die aand tree Danie Niehaus en Kevin Leo van Drie van die Bestes-faam op in die CP van der Merwesaal (21:00) en wys dat twee net so goed soos drie is. 

Saterdagmiddag 15:00 tree Soli Philander in dié saal op. Saterdagaand is Karin Hougaard om 20:00 in die stadsaal te sien "In Konsert", met 'n verskeidenheid van haar nuutste komposisies, asook ou treffers en musiek uit haar bekroonde produksie, Metamorph.

Kaartjies van R40 en R80 is beskikbaar (die R80 kaartjies sluit in port, ligte aandete en wyne uit die Wellington omgewing). 

Na die vertoning word die verhoog vir die gaste in 'n dansbaan omskep en word daar geskiedenis gemaak - Wellington se heel eerste verhoogdans!

Vir die fikses en meer avontuurlustiges is daar aktiwiteite om die adrenalien aan die pomp en die spiere aan die bult te kry.

Neem deel aan die bergfietsren, 4x4 avontuur,  straatmyl of die kiskarwedren. 

Kuier in die Pik-en-Sluk biertent, waar allerhande heerlike lekkernye op die spyskaart is. 

Saterdagmiddag 14:00 word Stoepstories vertel. Leon Beukes en Wikus van der Merwe sal die geselswerk doen, terwyl "Die Donkielonge" onder leiding van André Victor vir die boeremusiek sal sorg.

In die Hugenote Kollegesaal is 'n kunsuitstalling van bekende kunstenaars se werk, onder meer dié van Tillie Schler, Isabel le Roux, Hennie Nieman Snr, Gerrit Roon, Kaffie Pretorius, Pat van der Merwe, Herbert Coetzee, Johnnie de Kock en ander Wes-Kaapse kunstenaars en beeldhouers.

Vir die vroue is daar Saterdag 'n spesiale oggend by Provence, saam met tydskrifmoderedakteur Jackie Burger en refleksioloog Retha Visser.

Dit word deur die Wellington VLV aangebied en kaartjies vir die oggend vol bederf kos R80 (ligte middagete ingesluit).

Vir navrae en besprekings skakel die Stokkiesdraai-feeskantoor by 873-3988 of 873-7572 (volledige program op "Lifestyle").

Laat waai en kom maak 'n draai!

* The first Stokkiesdraai festival starting in Wellington today, offers lots of family fun and well-known entertainers.

THE Paarl Post was awarded the Cronwright Trophy for excellence in newspaper design and production by the Community Press Association in Johannesburg on Friday night.

The trophy is awarded for overall excellence in respect of design and content among community newspapers with a weekly circulation exceeding 8000. Paarl Post was adjudged the winner among the 47 entrants in this category.

The runners up were Vaalweekblad (second) and Tygerburger and Vaal Weekly (joint third).

Paarl Post journalist Malané Bosman also scooped two awards for individual writing at the Sanlam Awards banquet - for human interest features and local government reporting.

The Sanlam Awards reward excellence in journalism, photography and advertising within community newspapers.

Bosman and colleagues Anne Kruger and Susan Botha featured among the top ten in a number of writing categories including outstanding headlines and best editorial comment.

Botha and Bosman were also among the top ten finalists for Journalist of the Year, achieving sixth and tenth place respectively among the 312 journalists from 112 newspapers who entered for the awards.

Photographs by Bosman and Alwyn van Zyl also featured among the top ten human interest photographs. A total of 846 photographs were entered.

Another Paarl Post staffer, advertising manager Ilse Fourie, was listed among the top ten entrants advertisement design.

She achieved sixth position in the categories for best small advertisement and best promotion page. A total of nearly 2500 advertisements were entered.

Commented Graham Langmead, CEO of Print Media SA (of which the Community Press Association is a division): "There is no doubt of the strength of community newspapers within their respective communities.

"Advertisers who ignore this medium do so at their own peril and to the disadvantage of their brands, because by advertising in these papers the rub-off between publication and brand is automatic. Consumers do support their local advertisers."

IT could have been armed robbers escaping. It could have been a hi-jacking. A mystery panelvan certainly provided drama in Berg River Boulevard on Thursday.

The white panelvan with a CY registration number, no markings and with the windows tinted pitch black, was flagged down by traffic officials when it exceeded the speed limit and was caught in a speed trap in Suider Paarl at 10:00.

The traffic official walked up to the vehicle and found himself looking at his own reflection. To his consternation the windows and the doors remained firmly closed.

Eventually the aid of a tow truck operator was enlisted and André le Roux hitched up the mystery vehicle.

However, when he tried to move it, the van's driver engaged both foot and handbrake and the tow-truck broke a pulley.

By now one lane of the Boulevard was closed to traffic and the police were on their way.

Motorists who slowed down to catch a glimps of the drama, were hurriedly waved on.

"There could be a ligitimate reason for their behavior," a traffic officer said. "But one cannot take any chances."

Shortly after police inspector Lucas Lourens had explained the situation to the faceless men through the closed window, they agreed to be escorted to the Paarl police station.

There, traffic officials could hand over the R60 speeding ticket.

"The men transport money for a bank group", a police spokesman said later.

"For security reasons, they follow instructions not to open the windows or doors when stopped during transit, no matter who tries to stop them.

"One can understand that, but this time it caused a lot of unnecessary upheaval. We advised them to use more efficient measures of communication in future."

WANNEER die moordenaar van jou geliefde man en pa deur die hof lewenslange tronkstraf opgelê word "weet 'n mens nie hoe om te voel nie."

Die gesin van Carlo van Litsenborgh (69), wat op 24 September 2000 op sy kleinhoewe by Klapmuts doodgeskiet is, is verlig, maar ook hartseer.

Simphumelo Mvumri (31), 'n taxikondukteur van Franschhoek, is nie net Maandag lewenslange tronkstraf vir die moord opgelê nie, maar ook 15 jaar vir roof, twee jaar vir huisbraak, vyf vir menseroof en twee jaar elk vir klagte van die onwettige besit van vuurwapens en ammunisie.

Die vonnisse sal tegelykertyd uitgedien word.

"In my hart is ek vir die man jammer," het Peggy van Litsenborgh (64) ná die uitspraak gesê.

"Maar ons is bly hy gaan tronk toe sodat hy nie dieselfde aan 'n ander familie kan doen nie."

Mev Van Litzenborgh is ernstig beseer in die roofaanval, waaroor waarnemende regter André Oosthuizen gesê het: "Dit was 'n onnodige, koelbloedige daad. Die familie sal vir die res van hul lewe die gevolge dra."

Sonja du Toit van Wellington sê: "Ons ma het haar beste maat en haar inkomste verloor. Ons het nie meer ons pa nie. Sy (Mvumri) mense kan hom darem nog in die tronk besoek."

Vir die ondersoekbeampte, Klapmuts speurtakbevelvoerder insp Rogerio Carosini, is daar nie rus nie.

Mvumri het getuig dat ene Mzwandile Oxford (Zwai) Tukwayo saam met hom op die rooftog was.

Zwai was destyds 'n taxibestuurder tussen Langa, Franschhoek en die Paarl. Hy het kort na die moord verdwyn.

DRIE kleuters het hul vader verloor toe Desmond Adams (28) Saterdagaand in Paarl-Oos vermoor is.

Adams, 'n langafstandbestuurder van Springbokwoonstelle, is die aand om 22:00 op kort afstand in die kop geskiet. Hy het gesterf by die smokkelhuis in Ribbokstraat bekend as Bennie Boy se Jaart.

Volgens die ondersoekbeampte, insp Brucene Beukes, is die verdagtes bekend. Sodra ooggetuies na vore kom en verklarings geneem kan word, sal arrestasies volg. "Getuies kan anoniem bly," het insp Beukes verseker. "Hulle kan onder 'n getuiebeskermingprogram geplaas word."

Adams se vriendin is ses maande swanger. Hy word ook oorleef deur sy ouers en drie broers.

'n Tweede moordslagoffer, Quinton Krotz (in sy 20's), word ook oorleef deur 'n swanger vriendin.

Krotz, van Waterbokstraat, is Saterdagaand dood aangetref op die hoek van Bosbok- en Springbokstraat, Paarl-Oos. Hy het met 'n steekwond in die bors en ernstige kopbeserings gesterf.

Inligting oor die voorval kan aan insp Beukes (807-4000) gegee word.

* Daar is gevrees vir die lewe van 'n vrou wat Sondagoggend om 02:00 aangerand is op 'n veld in Groenheuwel. Sy is vermoedelik verkrag, teen die kop geslaan en vir dood agtergelaat. Drie verdagtes kan binnekort in hegtenis geneem word.

* Daar word ook ondersoek ingestel ná die ontdekking van die liggaam van Matin Solomons (51) in sy woonstel in Gemsbokstraat, Paarl-Oos.

Solomons is dood in die badkamer aangetref. 'n Asmapompie is langs die liggaam gevind.

LOCAL residents concerned over the proposed construction of a toll gate on the N1 to Cape Town can attend a public open day to discuss the impact of the project in Paarl on Monday.

Should the current proposals of Protea Parkways Consortium for tolling of the N1 be approved, a new toll plaza is likely to be constructed in the vicinity of Joostenbergvlakte.

The final phase of the scheme development on the proposed toll road project has been completed and an open day will be held in Paarl on Monday from 15:00 to 20:00 at the Zionsaal in Klein Drakenstein Road to discuss the impact assessment (environmental and socio-economic) and the specialist studies concerning the scheme.

These include topographical surveys, materials assessment, geo-technical drilling and preliminary design.

Comment sheets will be available for the public and can be placed in the comment boxes provided.

Protea Parkways Consortium has made the unsolicited proposal with the approval of the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL).

It is proposed that toll will be payable from the Old Oak interchange west of the R300 in Bellville to Sandhills near De Doorns, a distance of 104 km.

Scheme developer status was awarded to Protea Parkways Consortium in April 2000 to develop the consortium's unsolicited proposal to upgrade, maintain, operate and toll the N1 and N2.

The proposal has been made because the government lacks the finance to upgrade these roads. The proposals include doubling the Huguenot Tunnel on the N1, construction of interchanges at Rawsonville and Worcester, and completing the Somerset West bypass on the N2.

After due consideration of the project's feasibility, SANRAL gave approval to the consortium in October last year to proceed with the final phase of scheme development.

As part of the EIA, 13 specialist consultants have been appointed to assess the impact of the project on the environment, which includes both the socio-economic and bio-physical environment.

The findings of these specialist studies and all other relevant information are presented in a draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) now available for public comment. The report can be viewed at the Wellington Library and the Mill Street library in Paarl.

Comments from the public, together with responses to these comments, will be incorporated into a final EIR for submission to DECAS and DEAT.

They will then consider the report and through a Record of Decision either issue an authorisation, with or without conditions, or reject the project.

The public will be allowed a period of 30 days in which to appeal against the decision should they wish to do so.

If the project is authorised in terms of the EIA Regulations, tenders will be invited for the concession contract. Protea Parkways Consortium would then have to tender for the work along with other consortia.

Comment can also be sent to Nomi Muthialu and Associates on fax 0860-102-928 or e-mail nmacpt@global.co.za. For enquiries, phone 0800-005-668.

"THESE horses were like children to me and my daughter," says Colleen Bainbridge of the farm Windmill in Agter Paarl, after the death of two horses on the busy R44 route between Wellington and Klapmuts.

A sad Colleen relates how she was on her way to feed the horses on Thursday morning 12 September at about 04:30, when she noticed that the gate leading to their camp was open.

The padlock and chain on the gate were also missing.

"All the gates on the farm are firmly secured and we suspect that someone opened the gates on purpose.

"If the horses had broken out by themselves, it would have been in their nature to just graze around the area.

"Upon inspecting their hoofprints, we came to the conclusion that the horses had been driven away by somebody.

"I was hysterical when I noticed that the animals were gone. Later I heard that there had been an accident on the nearby road in which two horses were killed on impact.

"The other two horses, who belong to friends of ours and escaped harm, were so traumatised by the incident, that they only started eating again after a week."

The two horses that died, Dusty and Armistice Day, were respectively 14 and 12 years old.

The driver of the truck and the car that killed them, did not sustain any injuries.

A charge of stock-theft is being investigated.

Only a week after this incident, another farmer suffered a major loss when one of his stud horses also landed in front of a vehicle on the same road.

According to owner Wynand Fourie of De Hoop farm, one of his workers had accidentally left the farmgate open, after which the animal had got out and onto the road at about 05:30 in the morning.

"What makes it even more sad, is that the horse, Develon's Extra Fancy, was due to foal in about ten weeks' time.

"Now the foal has died along with the mare. My children are in a state over the accident," he said.

According to a spokesperson for the Traffic Department, traffic tends to travel at high speed on this road, the Wellington-Klapmuts route.

GEKRUIDE taal, smokkelhuise wat vlak teenaan hul agterplase floreer en daggadampe wat oor hul huise hang, is van die probleme wat inwoners van Amstelhof nou al met hul hande in die hare laat sit.

Inwoners wat so te sê bure is met die Chester Williams plakkerskamp in Paarl-Oos, is nou al raadop nadat hulle glo al telkemale die munisipaliteit genader het vir hulp.

Volgens een inwoner in Kwikkiestraat is dié plakkerskamp 'n broeiplek vir kriminele aktiwiteite.

"Die polisie het al op twee geleenthede beslag gelê op gesteelde voertuie hier, asook gesteelde vis wat deur van die inwoners in hul hokke weggesteek was.

"Hier vlak agter my huis se muur is 'n smokkelhuis. Hier word dag en nag gedrink, dagga gerook en die lelikste tale word gebruik. Die mense raas ook tot in die vroeë oggendure," het hy moedeloos gesê.

Volgens hom het hulle al verlede jaar, toe daar nog slegs vier opslaanhutte op dié oop stuk grond opgerig was, die munisipaliteit gevra om dit af te breek.

"Dié plakkers word van basiese dienste soos vullisverwydering voorsien, terwyl hulle glad nie belasting betaal nie. Van die omliggende huise voorsien hulle ook van krag.

"Verder is die plek so onhigiënies, met die plakkers wat in die openbaar urineer. 'n Mens is ook glad nie verseker van jou veiligheid nie."

Dié plakkerskamp het sowat agt jaar gelede ontstaan en huisves ongeveer 500 inwoners. Verskeie kennisgewings is al deur die munisipaliteit aan die plakkers gerig dat hulle die gebied moet ontruim.

Jacques Carstens, munisipale bestuurder, het by navraag gesê dat die Raad gedurende Julie vanjaar besluit het dat daar nie op dié stadium oorgegaan sal word tot die aanvra van 'n uitsettingsbevel nie.

Die subkomitee wat reeds aangewys is vir die finalisering van die stadsraad se Behuisingsplan, moet eers hul werk voltooi en aan die Behuisingskomitee verslag doen.

Dit impliseer dat daar as 'n alternatief tot uitsetting, eers vasgestel moet word of daar alternatiewe grond beskikbaar is waarheen die plakkers verskuif kan word.

* Residents of Amstelhof are up in arms over the illegal squatter camp in their backyard.

THE Drakenstein Heritage Foundation has applied for Paarl's Main Street and the farms in the urban area to be declared National Heritage Sites.

"The Foundation has applied to the SA Heritage Resources Agency (Sahra) for the combined areas to be declared as the area has qualities so exceptional that they are of special national significance," according to committee member Len Raymond.

Currently all the farms within the original municipal boundaries are zoned for single residential purposes, but approval for subdivision is at the discretion of the municipal council. Three farmers have applied for and are awaiting approval for subdivision.

According to the draft policy on the Paarl "town" farms currently being prepared by a consultant, the development of the farms for residential purposes will detract from the town's cultural heritage.

The draft policy reflecting the proposed guidelines is to be released for comment within the next month.

'n RESERVIS kan sy lyf self speurder hou as iemand by sy huis inbreek en waardevolle juweliersware en klerasie steel. So het 'n reservis van Klapmuts, Willem Ockhuys (25),gemaak, toe 'n dief sy lang vingers op drie ringe en ontwerpersjeans gelê het.

Die grootpratery van die dief by sy maters was die doodskoot en die lang arm van die gereg het hom bygekom.

Ockhuys van Bien Donné vertel: "Ek het die oggend besef dat dié juweliersware en broek weg is. By nadere ondersoek het dit geblyk dat 'n jeugdige by die leë skakelhuis langsaan ons s'n deur die solder toegang tot ons woning verkry het," het hy vertel.

Die volgende dag het hy by 'n kennis verneem van 'n mannetjie wat loop en spog oor ringe wat hy gesteel het, wat glo presies gelyk het soos Ockhuys s'n.

"Ek het toe tot by die die huis van die 17-jarige, ook van Bien Donné, gegaan. Hy het gesê dat hy die ringe by iemand anders gekry het.

"Ek het egter volgehou en later het hy die ringe aan my teruggee, asook my jeans, wat hy êrens in sy klerekas versteek het. Hy is die volgende dag deur die polisie in hegtenis geneem."

'n Sewentienjarige het onlangs in die Paarlse streekhof verskyn op aanklagte van diefstal.