Thursday: 29 May  2003

This site will be updated on: 5 June 2003 at 17:00

Business - Sakenuus

• Successful housing project celebrated in Franschhoek
• KWV tien jaar oud blink uit
• Boschenmeer caters for winter golfers
• Leer van kweekhuise

THE Cape Province's Minister of Housing, Nomatyala Hangana, and the Mayor of Stellenbosch, Willie Ortell, were the guests of honour at a function held recently by the low income housing developers, NewHco, at their Mooiwater project in Franschhoek.  

This was to mark the official handover of the 771 homes to the last project participants and of the scheme as a whole to the Stellenbosch/Franschhoek

Dr Willie Els, Executive Director of Inframax DMS which handles all development management for NewHco, said that the new homes had been well received by the community.

He said it was encouraging to note that many homeowners had started gardens or invested in some form of further embellishment while others, usually the more affluent, have already started adding to and extending their homes in accordance with the prescribed methods laid down for the project.

"All these" said Els, "are signs that a certain stability and confidence is felt by the people and that they intend to stay on and make something of their lives here. 

The houses vary in size from 27 m2 to 41 m2, the most inexpensive units having only one room without subdivisions, while the top of the range houses have two bedrooms, a separate bathroom and a habitable loft.  

All houses have fibre cement roofs in a corrugated pattern and all are painted with a charcoal coloured water-resistant paint.

 Internal partitioning and doors are standard in the larger units but ceilings and hot water geysers are an optional extra.  

All houses are wired for electricity with an electric ready board which operates on prepaid meter cards.

Els retraced the long, often-difficult history of the project for which discussions began as far back as 1994 but which had to wait until 2001 before work could start on site.

 "This development shows the benefit of true public private sector partnership.

"I am fully aware that in certain Government circles there is a view that the private sector should be excluded from low income housing development and that Government should go it alone to avoid exploitation and corruption. 

This view, while well intentioned, is not in the best interests of housing the poor.  While there are unscrupulous private developers, there are many like NewHco who operate with integrity and a blend of commercial interest and social commitment. 

"Since the subsidy scheme's new procurement policy has put the onus on public authorities to act as developers for low income housing, the delivery rate, already unacceptable low, has become far slower.  

"Even when private firms are involved as project managers to the public authorities, as is now being encouraged, they tend to be held up by the politics and other matters in which the public authorities inevitably become embroiled. 

"I really do believe, therefore, that, for the sake of the country as a whole, it is now crucial that private developers be allowed more scope while continuing to report to the authorities or acting in partnership with them".

At Franschhoek, the local authority and NewHco, said Els, had been able to structure an innovative package in which the sale by the municipality of land suitable for private up-market residential development to NewHco and another developer had resulted in a further R5,8 million being made available for Mooiwater housing. 

This in turn had made it possible to raise the average value of the homes provided to about R38 000 despite the fact that the provincial housing subsidies had a ceiling of R18 400 - with some higher income earners getting only  R6 325.

"Had we relied on the subsidies alone" said Els, "the project would never have got going".

Following the success of the Mooiwater project, NewHco in partnership with the Local Authority are pursuing the potential to upgrade the adjacent Langrug informal settlement. 

Should this project materialise, it would involve the formalisation of the area and the provision of infrastructure and housing for between 300 and 500 families.

KWV se 10 Jaar Oud Brandewyn is die derde agtereenvolgende jaar as die Beste Potketel Brandewyn ter wêreld by die International Spirits Challenge (ISC) in Londen aangewys. 

Hierdie driekuns is 'n merkwaardige prestasie omdat daar nog nooit sedert die ontstaan van die ISC agt jaar gelede 'n goue medalje in hierdie kategorie toegeken is nie. 

Die Tien Jaar Oud het in 1997, 2001 en 2002 silwer medaljes verower en is nou uiteindelik deur die beoordelaars met goud bekroon - die eerste brandewyn nog wat 'n goue medalje in hierdie kategorie wen.

Die toekenning getuig van die gehalte van hierdie beroemde brandewyn, naamlik dat dit met goud kon wegstap en boonop in 'n kategorie wat voorheen nooit enige goue medaljewenners gehad het nie.

Die KWV 20 Jaar Oud Brandewyn is met 'n silwer medalje in hierdie kompetisie bekroon. Geen ander toekennings is in hierdie kategorie gemaak nie, gevolglik is slegs twee medaljes toegeken en beide aan KWV-produkte.

Slegs ses goue medaljes uit altesaam 220 inskrywings is vanjaar toegeken. Die toekennings word op 25 September by die Royal Courts of Justice in Londen oorhandig.

Kobus Gelderblom, KWV se brandewynkenner, sê: "Die aantal inskrywings neem elke jaar toe en so ook die gehalte. Dit is dus 'n besondere prestasie dat KWV 10 en 20 Jaar Oud Brandewyn so goed gevaar het, synde die enigste toekennings in hierdie spesifieke kategorie. 

"Ek is regtig in my skik dat die beoordelaars, veral die Franse cognac-kenners, so positief op die Tien Jaar Oud gereageer en dit as een van die beste brandewyne wat hulle nog ooit geproe het, met aromas en geure vir elke palaat, beskryf het."

WITH the completion of the first Estate Lodges at Boschenmeer Golf and Country Estate in the Paarl Valley, some of the luxury units have been put in a rental pool and are now available as five-star self-catering accommodation, right on the Cape's only 27-hole golf course.

The Estate Lodges are available from R1100 per night for a unit with two en-suite double bedrooms, to R1750 per night for a unit with four double en suite-bedrooms.

Sleeper couches are available on request to accommodate additional guests or children in the spacious living areas.

During the low season winter months of June, July and August, rates will be offered at 40% discount to guests who want to enjoy the ambience of roaring log fires and red wine in the heart of the winelands.

All lodges are equipped with fireplaces and stocked with firewood.

The self-catering accommodation rates include the use of a golf cart, as well as membership privileges to the golf club and golf fees at only R30 per person for 18-holes.

This provides an unbeatable value-for-money offer to golfers and their partners who are looking for a short break to experience life on a golf estate, with easy access to more than 20 top wine estates and the historic towns of Paarl, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch, the gourmet capitals of the Western Cape, within close proximity.

The Estate Lodges are located adjacent to the scenic 19th fairway with views of the Drakenstein and Franschhoek mountains.

The units are luxuriously furnished and fully equipped to a five star hotel standard, with satellite television in all bedrooms.

For reservations contact  863-1133 or  liwerma@mweb.co.za.

 'n OPLEIDINGSKURSUS oor die basiese beginsels van kweekhuisverbouing word van 3 tot 5 Junie deur die Assosiasie vir Intensiewe Plantproduksie (AIPP) by die Kweekhuis Sentrum op Welgevallen Proefplaas, Stellenbosch Universiteit, aangebied.

Kweekhuisverbouing is 'n gespesialiseerde bestuurstelsel waar gewasse onder beskerming verbou word en alle groei en ontwikkelingsfases van gewasse voortdurend beheer en gemonitor word.

Die tegniek om gewasse in 'n grondlose medium te kweek, bekend as hidroponiese verbouing, vereis bepaalde vaardighede en uiters noukeurige bestuur.

Entrepreneurs sal voor verskeie keuses te staan kom wanneer hulle die tipe produksiestelsel, struktuur van die kweekhuis, die bepaalde gewasse en bestuurstelsels oorweeg, aangesien hierdie faktore die vlak van tegniese en finansiele insette bepaal.

Hierdie driedaagse kursus is daarom spesiaal saamgestel om aan al die basiese faktore aandag te gee sodat voornemende boere en bestaande produsente met die nodige tegniese vaardighede toegerus word om hulle ondernemings suksesvol te kan bestuur.

Vir verdere inligting en registrasie kontak Retha Venter by tel 855-4472 of 084-512-3012 of reventer@netactive.co.za.

Business Index