will give anything - except our skateboards, of course - to have a place to play," a frustrated skateboarder said.

"I really want to help these guys," Paarl restaurateur Pieter van der Westhuizen, said. "It is terrible that they are screamed at and chased away with nowhere to go."

Van der Westhuizen said he had already told Drakenstein mayor Chris Leander that he was willing to help.

"If the Municipality would just set aside a small piece of land, I will approach businessmen for the funding to build a half-pipe or whatever it is that the skateboarders need."

Marika Buys of the Paarl Municipality said: "We would love to help, but we are not experts on skateboarding. We need input from the community and then we can become involved.

"We have to know what type of surface the skateboarders need. Do they want a fenced-in park, controlled and with entrance fee? Should there be ablution facilities?"

The first formal request for a skateboard park was received from the RDP Forum a fortnight ago, Buys said. She has since also contacted the Junior Town Council for their recommendations.

"Anyone with a skateboard or who is interested in commenting should telephone, write to PO Box 1, Paarl, or meet with us," she said.

Albert van der Merwe and Bischoff Bosman (807-4837) will handle the enquiries.

* The Paarl Magistrate's Court's senior prosecutor has yet to decide whether a Paarl businessman will be brought to trial for confiscating a boy's skateboard recently.

John Phillips saw boys playing on the stoep of his Patriot Building in Main Street. He confiscated a skateboard and asked the boy's father to contact him.

The irate father retaliated by laying a charge of theft and assault against Phillips.

The incident happened only days after a large window in the building had been smashed for the second time, allegedly by skateboarders.

TWO Paarl Post reporters excelled at the annual Sanlam Awards for the Community Press, which were presented in Cape Town on Friday.

Malané Bosman was placed first in the section for humorous writing ("Stoep Stories") and received second prize for a photograph entered for the Humour section.

Her photographic portfolio was placed third in the category Press Photographer of the Year. She was also highly commended in the business category.

Susan Botha scooped the award for best municipal reporter in a tightly contested category and was fifth in the category investigative reporting.

She was also highly commended in the categories news, features and editorial comment.

Paarl Post was placed fourth in the stakes for best newspaper (design and production) in which the winner, Sandton Chronicle, was awarded the Cronwright Trophy.

A total of 25 newspapers entered this category for newspapers with a circulation over 8000.

Graham Langmead, CEO of Print Media SA, said: "There is no doubt of the strength of community newspapers within there respective communities and to this end the relationship between these papers and their communities. 

"Advertisers who ignore this medium do so at their own peril and do so 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 papers' advertisers."

KLEIN Johan Joubert (9) van Wellington was die appel van sy pa se oog. Vrydagaand het sy pa, Johan senior (40), sy lewe geneem nadat hy sy seun ernstig gewond het.

Sy ma, Anel (37), het uit die gesin se woning in Genl Hertzoglaan gevlug toe sy met 'n pistool gedreig is. Sy was buite toe die twee skote geklap het.

Ook in die huis was die twaalfjarige Jonel. Sy het histeries uit haar kamer na buite gehardloop.

Die Jouberts se oudste dogter, Thea (15), het by die Pretoriusse oorkant die straat kinders opgepas dié aand.

Johan was 'n bekende in die Paarl en Wellington terwyl hy tot vier jaar gelede as Telkom tegnikus gewerk het. Hy was daarna in die rekenaarbedryf werksaam.

Die gesin meen persoonlike probleme het Johan, 'n depressielyer, tot die tragiese daad gedryf.

Hy het sy seun die aand om 11:00 met 'n ernstige kopwond in die deur van die hoofslaapkamer gelaat en toe homself in die eetkamer om die lewe gebring.

Bure het komberse om die ma en dogter, wat net in hul nagklere uit die huis gevlug het, gevou. Ds John Comninos van die Presbiteriaanse kerk het op die sypaadjie 'n gebed gedoen terwyl dr Gerrit Dekker die verbouereerde gesin bygestaan het.

Klein Johan het die volgende oggend om 07:15 in die trauma-eenheid van die Tygerberg Hospitaal gesterf met sy moeder by sy bed, sonder om sy bewussyn ten volle te herwin.

Sy ma en susters het Maandag hul pa en boetie in die polisie-lykhuise in die Paarl en Tygerberg gegroet.

"Johan is vir my vir nege jaar geleen," sê Anel. "Ek berus my daarby dat hy en sy pa nie sonder mekaar sou wou wees nie."

Johan se skoolmaats by Hugo Rust Laerskool was hierdie week stomgeslaan. Die seuntjie wie se pa hom elke oggend afgelaai en smiddags kom haal het, was nie meer saam met hulle in die graad 3 klaskamer nie.

Pa en seun sal vandag saam ter ruste gelê word. Die roudiens is om 11:00 in die NG Kerk Wellington-Noord.

Hulle laat benewens Anel en die twee dogters, Joubert se ouers Louwtjie en Dea van Wellington, sy susters Elrina Heubner van Duitsland en Aretta Theron van Tulbagh en klein Johan se oupa, Lucas Meintjes en sy tannie Ansie Basson, ook van Wellington, na.

* A Wellington father killed his son, himself.

THE World Trade Centre fell before his eyes, a still shaken grade eleven pupil at Paarl Boys' High, Lawrence Lotze, said on his return to South Africa.

Lawrence (17) was one of many South Africans who were in the United States at the time of the terrorist attacks that shook .

He had travelled with another sister and his parents, Alan and Linda of Tygerberg, and they were staying with Tarryn in New Jersey, within view of Manhattan Island.

On the day of the attack, Tarryn's husband, who works at a construction site in New Jersey, phoned to tell them of the events that were unfolding.

They rushed outside and witnessed the second attack as well as the collapse of one of the World Trade Centre buildings.

"It was unbelievable and unimaginable to see the destruction occur before our eyes," Lawrence told Paarl Post after his return this week.

He was due to fly back to South Africa on Saturday, and feared that their flight would be rescheduled because New York airports were closed until Friday.

Says Lawrence, "My greatest fear was that we wouldn't be able to get home, that we'd be stuck in America. But fortunately we could leave as planned.

"Confusion and uncertainty reigned at the airport.

"People were sleeping on the floor and on makeshift beds, and there were security guards and US marshalls everywhere.

"The flight itself was also quite scary as it was the first one to leave New York after the attacks, and one couldn't help fearing that something might go wrong."

The flight took them to London, where there was even more confusion and chaos, with the airport packed with delayed passengers and security personnel.

"I was very relieved to be back on home soil again. It felt good. I just wanted to get out of America, because you know nothing can happen here in South Africa."

According to Lawrence, the Americans were angered by the attack on their country by terrorists and were ready to go to war.

"Some people want to rebuild the twin towers and make them even bigger than before.

"Hopefully the situation will not develop into a Third World War and the conflict will remain in the Middle East," he said.

ANOTHER South African who was in America at the time of the terrorist attacks, is Martina Swart (29). Her parents, Blackie and Kotie, reside in Wellington.

Martina, who matriculated at Huguenot High and studied law at Stellenbosch, works as a lawyer at the Credit Suisse Bank in Manhattan.

She said to her mother, "When we looked out the window and saw the smoke coming from the first tower of the World Trade Centre, we thought it was only a fire, but then I saw a second plane crash into the other tower.

"I was extremely scared and shocked."

She phoned her mother, who was working in the garden and missed the call. Says Mrs Swart: "Later I visited a friend and saw what had happened on television. I immediately rushed home and tried to call Martina, but we couldn't get through. We were very anxious.

"Later that afternoon we received phone calls from acquaintances in Dallas and England, who told us that Martina had called them after the first crash and that she was unscathed.

"At about 17:30 Martina called again, much to our relief."

Martina said to her mother, "Mom, we're okay but this place is in absolute chaos. It's terrible."

At two o'clock one morning last week a hysterical Martina phoned her parents again: "It's raining, there's hail and thunder. We thought that more bombs were being dropped."

She said that the situation in the city was still bad: "The place is filled with smoke and there are posters of missing people everywhere. It's terrible."

DIE hondegeleiers van die Paarl Polisie sit die rowers en inbrekers in die Paarl ore aan. Hulle het in drie dae se tyd elf verdagtes in hegtenis geneem en gesteelde eiendom van meer as R50 000 teruggekry.

Vier vermeende ro-wers, met 'n gesteelde vuurwapen en balaklavas in hul motor versteek, is Maandag in Milkytown, Paarl-Oos, in hegtenis geneem.

Die deurbraak het gekom nadat 'n lid van die publiek die Polisie ingelig het oor sy onrus oor 'n VW Golf met 'n ND- registrasienommer wat heen en weer voor die Stokkiesdraai Kafee in Daljosafat gery het.

Sers Jacques Coetzee, wat toe verklarings geneem het by die nabye Bergville-plaas waar gewapende rowers vroeër verlede week toegeslaan het, het dadelik die Polisie se honde-eenheid ingeroep.

Drie van die Golf se insittendes is intussen by die kafee afgelaai. Honde-geleiers insp Gert Knoetze en sers Jacques Lume het opgemerk hoe die motor na Milkytown ry.

Die bestuurder is naby sy woning in Cocktailstraat afgetrek en die ander drie verdagts is langs die pad opgelaai.

In die kattebak van die voertuig het die polisiemanne drie balaklavas, 'n ,38 rewolwer en 'n groot plastieksak gevind. Die vuurwapen is verlede jaar uit 'n wo-ning in La Modestraat in Sentraal-Paarl gesteel. Navraag word nou gedoen oor die moontlikheid dat die voertuig ook gesteel is.

* Insp Jan Burden en sersante Wessel Fourie en Godfrey Jacquire was Maandagoggend in Noorder-Paarl toe hulle verdagtes in Grawestraat sien hardloop het.

'n Klagte oor die polisieradio het hul vermoedens bevestig. Naby die Berlynstraatsentrum het die polisiemanne die verdagtes te voet agternagesit.

Terwyl twee oor heinings verdwyn het, kon Fourie sy man inhardloop. Dele van 'n motorradio, motorpolitoer en 'n opvousambreel is in sy besit gevind.

Die polisiemanne het die omgewing gepatrolleer en opgemerk dat daar by 'n Toyota in Mertensstraat ingebreek is. Die eienaar, nog onbewus van die inbraak, het sy eiendom geïdentifiseer.

Die beamptes het nog drie voertuie ontdek, in Boschstraat en Bassonstraat, waar dieselfde verdagtes vermoedelik ook ingebreek het.

* Ses verdagtes is vasgetrek en eiendom ter waarde van R40 000 is teruggekry toe hondegeleiers Uli Lotz en Spyker Bredenhann 'n smousbakkie by die tonnelhekke deursoek het. Sien bl 8.

* Local police dog handlers have been a thorn in the flesh of robbers and burglars in Paarl.

AS legal aid was this week appointed for the two alleged murderers of a middle-aged woman on an Agter Paarl farm, Police are investigating every possible motive for the seemingly senseless slaying.

A memorial service for Dr Liz Ploughmann (50), world renowned expert on business ethics, will be held in the Catholic Church St Nicholas in Stellenbosch at 11:00 today.

She was beaten and strangled to death in her cabin on the communal farm Evergreen on Monday night last week.

Janna Badholdt (31), the Danish owner's daughter who lives in a wooden shack near that of Ploughmann, regained consciousness hours after she too had been attacked and left for dead.

Ploughmann obtained a doctorate in business ethics and leadership from the University of Stellenbosch earlier this year.

She was offered employment at the university, but declined, saying that she preferred to be a part of the communal farm where she could live out her passion for community development.

Privately funded by Danish money, upliftment projects for homeless and unemployed adults and children were started on the farm.

More than 120 people, not only South Africans, but also people from Denmark, Scotland and America, have found a home there.

Residents described Ploughmann as "an angel". who was always there for everyone.

The accused, Eric "Boeka" Hsashile, a former resident at the farm, and Siyabulela Mphayene, both 25 years old and from Khayelitsha, were arrested within hours after the savage attack.

AN alert farmer and swift policemen proved too much for six burglars who made off in their victim's car with valuable loot, only to be arrested at the Huguenot tunnel.

Fred Uhlendorff, owner of the Palmiet Valley farm in Klein Drakenstein, was not at home when burglars broke in through a window on Sunday night.

They loaded television sets, video machines, a TV satellite dish, binoculars, tape recorder, flare gun, imported shoes and clothes including 30 ties, toiletries and other items in Uhlendorff's Mercedes Benz.

A neighbouring farmer noticed the car, which had run out of petrol, at the entrance to the tunnel. He became suspicious when he saw how goods were being transferred to a bakkie.

He contacted the Police and within minutes Insp Spyker Bredenhann and Sgt Uli Lotz of the Dog Squad were on the scene.

Five men and a woman - residents of neighbouring farms and Paarl East - were arrested. The stolen property, valued at R40 000, was recovered.

The bakkie belongs to well-known Paarl informal trader, Leon Carl Cupido.

His son, the alleged driver of the bakkie at the time of the raid, was released on R2 000 bail on Monday.

The other accused remain in detention while the woman was released on conditions of co-operation.

A beaming Uhlendorff could not believe his ears when he received a phone call from the Police on Monday morning, informing him that his belongings had been found.

DRIE handwapens is Saterdag onder die neus van winkelassistente op Wellington weggedra.

'n Man wat hom as 'n klant voorgedoen het, het die oggend net na 09:00 deur Dick & Allsop in Kerkstraat na die vuurwapenafdeling gestap.

Die assistent was besig met ander klante toe die drie vuurwapens wat agter 'n werkswinkel-toonbank gelê het, ongemerk in die verdagte se sak verdwyn het.

Die .32 rewolwer was daar vir herverkoop en 'n pa en seun se 3.57 magnum revolwer en 765 pistool was vir herstelwerk ingehandig.

Daar is Vrydagaand ook by die woning van die eienaar van Slabbert Burger Transport in Stokeryweg ingebreek.

Die kluis wat in 'n muur vasgebout was, is uitgebreek en is met twee jaggewere daarin, weggedra. Insp Heinie Coetzee ondersoek die sake.

Daar is ook ses inbrake en vyf diefstalle uit motors die naweek op Wellington by die polisie aangemeld.

Verlede week is daar deur 'n venster by die Wellington Landdroshof ingebreek.

'n Faksmasjien, rekenaar en toerusting is weggedra. Die inbrekers kon nie daarin slaag om die hofkluis oop te breek nie.

Insp Leonard Dampies en sers Francois Pietersen van die Polisie se misdaadvoorkomingspan het teen dagbreek Donderdag opgelet hoe 'n man in Vanwyksvlei 'n swaargelaaide swart sak versteek.

Hulle het die area gefynkam en die man in hegtenis geneem toe hy weer na sy buit toe teruggekeer het. Die sak was volgeprop met die rekenaartoerusting uit die landdroshof.

DIE buurtwag in die Weltevrede omgewing van Wellington het verlede naweek met mening toegeslaan toe hulle nie minder nie as 15 gevaarlike messe van jeugdiges afgeneem het terwyl hulle die strate patrolleer om hulle omgewing te beveilig. 

Die groep van 16 mense wat sedert November hierdie vrywillige diens aan hulle gemeenskap lewer, het sedertdien die Polisie se hand in vele opsigte gesterk. 

Onder hulle suksesse tel die opsporing en rapportering van ongelisensieerde voertuie, aanmelding van roekelose bestuur en voorkoming van inbrake. 

Die buurtwag sal graag in die toekoms doelgerigte projekte wil loods om gewoontemisdadigers op 'n positiewe manier in hulle eie gemeenskappe te betrek. 

Belangstellendes in die gebied word genooi om betrokke te raak by hierdie verdienstelike organisasie. Skakel insp Marchell Rhode by 873-2913.

* Wellington residents confiscated a number of knives from youths.