| News archive 5 February 1999 |
[Archive Index 1999]
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Articles on this page
- Revamp for Somerset West CBD (graphic)
- Web site gets a whopping 114 300 hits
- Nuwe N2 skop plakkers af (foto's)
- Bomb threats decrease
- Water Minister visits hot spots (photo)
- Herrie oor publiek ‘nie sê het’ oor reuse-ontwikkeling
- Police behind bars
- NNP-leier waarsku oor registrasie
- Nomzamo residents are keenest to register
- Honderde staan tou vir werk by Somchem
- Miss Valentine (photo)
- Om te sny of nie te sny nie
Revamp for Somerset West CBD
A revamp of the Helderberg’s largest central business district - Somerset West - is underway.
Two new projects in Main Road, one valued at Businesses within the traditional CBD’s of the Helderberg - Somerset West, Strand and Gordon’s Bay - have long kept a wary eye on the giant development on AECI property around the Somerset Mall.
Many customers appear to be choosing the convenience of the all-in-one centres with ample parking and easy access.
This leaves outside businesses with the decision to move to these generally more expensive centres or be satisfied with a lower turnover or worse.
The odds on Somerset West’s town centre fizzling out may now have changed somewhat.
The cash injections of two major projects may indicate renewed faith in the CBD of Somerset West and are sure to bring optimism in a depressed national economy.
The first is the R15 million rejuvenation of the old Shoprite store and surrounding buildings, at the intersection of Main Road and Victoria Street.
One of the country’s leading architectural companies, DHK headed by Derick Henstra, is behind the design of the new upmarket Helderberg Village Walk centre. The same company recently won a R175 million contract for a waterfront development in Venice, Italy.
Continental feel
Some 20 individual stores will be constructed and will feature a skylighted walkway from Main Road to Caledon Street. There will also be a 100 bay parking area.
Completion has been scheduled for July this year.
A few blocks or so from the Helderberg Village Walk, a second project valued at around R2 million will see the 20 year old Riverside Centre in Main Road get a face-lift.
According to Hein Truter of centre owner, Metropolitan Life, the investment is being justified “to keep the centre competitive with other centres of the same extent”.
“The idea is not to become competitive with centres such as the Somerset Mall. We would rather prefer to remain a convenience shopping centre,” he said.
The face-lift includes adding a roof over the open walkway, modernising the existing ablution facilities, placing new tiles in the walkway, repairing and resealing of the parking area as well as other cosmetic work.
The date of completion has been set at May 1999.
For information regarding Helderberg Village Walk, contact Deonette le Riche at (021) 919-0309.
R15 million, are leading the renewal - and perhaps ensuring the survival - of Somerset West’s CBD.
New CBD: An artist's impression of the planned development for the Somerset West CBD.
The new centre, designed to exude a distinctly continental feel complete with a piazza, fountains and landscaping, will incorporate (and complement) the building currently occupied by fast food outlet, KFC.
Web site gets a whopping 114 300 hits
THE DistrictMail’s pioneering web site helderberg.com recorded an all time high in visitors during the first month of the new year. Traffic to the site increased to a massive 22 225 page impressions and 114 366 hits during the period from January 1 to 31.
The number of page impressions increased by 7 000 from 15 529 during December last year. January’s daily average of page impressions was 716, compared to 500 per day during December.
“People are certainly reading helderberg. com, and what’s more they are returning to it regularly because it offers loads of value and regular updates. Our statistics clearly indicate that Internet surfers are also bookmarking pages for an easy return,” says Les Gottlieb of Statistical Services in Cape Town.
According to Les the most popular pages are the home page, news, diary and tourism. The site also shows a very high number of visitors from overseas. Apart from South Africa, thetop five countries generating page impressions are the United States, Hong Kong, UK, Australia and the Netherlands. Virginia once again topped the log for the USA state with the highest number of visitors to helderberg.com, followed by California, Illinois and Pennsylvania.
Popular Power Smalls
Some of the top referring sites leading to the local site were: www.altavista.com, www.naspers.com, www.dieknoop.co.za, and www.infoseek.com.
The helderberg.com home page received the most visits, followed by the news page, real estate, the PowerSmalls (especially the categories for vacancies, houses to let and vehicles for sale), the Business Index, followed by the HelderPos and tourism pages.
The advertiser who attracted most attention was Erinvale, with Philwest’s Chico ad coming in at a close second, followed by Somchem’s Farm page offering information about Farm 790’s conservation, and George Hazelden’s Heritage Park.
Apart from advertisements and home pages on helderberg.com, Friedman & Cohen and Graham’s Panasonic also have links generating traffic to their own web sites.
To advertise on helderberg.com, phone Val, Annie, Telia, Liezel or Berdéne on 851-6041. Another option is to or send an e-mail to ad-dmail@iafrica.com.
Nuwe N2 skop plakkers af
AANDUIDINGS word al sterker dat die nuwe N2 verbypad volgens die oorspronklike beplanning en teen ’n koste van minstens R170 miljoen gebou gaan word.
Dit was altans die afleiding wat vandeesweek gemaak is toe die SA Padvervoerraad uitsettingsbevele bedien het op twee gesinne wat hulle Die gesinne Jacobs en Du Preez is voormalige inwoners van die Cloetenberg Karavaan Park, wat gehersoneer is tot ligte industriële ontwikkeling en tans bemark word.
Na raming woon daar ook meer as duisend gesinne by Nomzamo binne die padreserwe.
Na verneem word, word hofstukke tans voorberei om ook hierdie mense uit die padreserwe te verwyder. Gemeenskapsleiers het egter gewaarsku dat as dié saak nie op die regte manier benader word nie, dit “groot probleme” kan veroorsaak.
Was dit nie vir ANC threatens to stay away if agenda issues remain unresolved Harde woorde val
Daar is toe besluit om die mense sewe dae grasie te gee om alternatiewe reëlings te tref.
Na verneem word, sal die stadsraad op sy maandvergadering op 25 Februarie oor die saak beslis. Kenners van die plaaslike politiek en sakelui in die Helderberg aanvaar dit egter as feit dat die snelweg volgens die oorspronklike beplanning verlê gaan word.
Hulle wys daarop dat die nuwe pad ’n ekonomiese noodsaaklikheid is en dat die druk op alle politieke partye aan die oplaai is dat die besluit nou spoedig geneem moet word.
Dit blyk dat indien die raad op sy komende maandvergardering wel so ’n besluit neem, amptenare van die Departement van Vervoer dadelik aan die werk sal spring om tenderdokumente op te stel.
In die proses sal ook uitsluitsel kom of die pad ’n tolpad moet wees.
in die padreserwe gevestig het.
Chaos: (bo) Mense wat onwettig op die N2 padreserwe woon, moes Woensdag alles in die stryd werp om te verhoed dat die balju hul huise met stootskrapers platstoot. Foto onder: Die balju se werkers dra die Jacobsgesin se huisware uit.. 
die ingryping van raadslid Norah Juries nie, sou dié gesinne se huise reeds vandeesweek onder die stootskrapers deurgeloop het.
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Dinsdagmiddag het harde woorde op die terrein, tussen raadslid Juries en die Padvervoerraad se prokureurs, geval.
Bomb threats decrease
Bomb threats in the Helderberg Basin This follows the spate of bomb threats that earlier had the police and emergency services in the Helderberg rushing all over the area.
A total of 23 bomb threats were reported in the Helderberg from January 12. Of these 17 were in Somerset West and six in the Strand.
The bomb threats have not only inconvenienced the public and the business sector but in the incident at the Spur it also had big financial implications for the owners of the restaurant, which had to be evacuated at 21:45 on Friday.
According to the owners this is one of their busiest times.
More than 300 patrons were asked to leave the building while police sniffer dogs searched the area.
Left without paying
The Police have again warned that bomb threats are regarded in a very serious light, whether true or false. This crime is punishable with up to 15 years in jail and culprits will be jailed without the option of a fine
•The Strand experienced a spate of crime this past weekend. There were 12 burglaries (ten at residential homes and two at businesses), nine cars were broken into and two stolen. There were also two robberies, one armed robbery, an attempted murder and a rape.
decreased this past week, except for an incident in the Strand where 300 diners had to evacuate the Spur on Friday night.
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It is alleged that many people left the restaurant without paying, and many orders had to be replaced when hundreds of people later returned to their tables.
Water Minister visits hot spots
National Minister of Water Affairs, Prof Kader Asmal, paid a visit to the Helderberg recently to look at problems in the area.
His tour - part of the ANC’s registration drive - took him to two areas plagued by controversy.
His first stop was an informal settlement near Macassar called The residents, many who have lived there for 12 years, have no formal ablution facilities or telephones.
Prof. Asmal then visited Sandvlei - home to the Zandvliet Sewage Works, that has featured in the news on a number of occasions after it leaked sewerage into a nearby river.
In the photograph, taken at Sandvlei, community leaders fill in the gaps for the Minister. They are (from left): Desmond Stevens, Prof. Asmal and Ganief Darries of Sandvlei.
Madalah’s Bos where water is delivered to the residents three times a week by the local authority.
Herrie oor publiek ‘nie sê het’ oor reuse-ontwikkeling
’n Groot nuwe dorpsontwikkeling tussen die T2 hoofweg en Die Bos woongebied is Dinsdag by die raad aanbeveel sonder dat enige van die 542 beswaarmakers teen die plan uitgenooi is om hul mening te lig.
Al die partye in die raad se beplanning en werkekomitee het sterk kapsie gemaak teen die eensydigheid van die voorlegging.
Volgens die betrokke amptenare wou hulle dat die komitee die aansoek bloot uit ’n tegniese oogpunt aanhoor, om meer inligting oor die ontwikkeling te kry.
“Dis ’n uiters belangrike ontwikkeling vir die Helderberg en noodsaaklik dat al die partye, ook vir die mense van Nomzamo en Lwandle, die kans kry om vrae aan die ontwikkelaars te stel,” het raadslid John Brits van die ANC gesê.
Brits het voorts gesê dis ’n dringende saak wat nie uitgestel moet word nie, maar so gou moontlik voor die volle raad moet dien.
Die debat rondom die saak is nou na die Beplanningskomitee se volgende vergadering op 16 Februarie verwys, wanneer die betrokke partye afvaardigings daarheen kan stuur.
Die ontwikkelingspan van Urban Dynamics het in opdrag van die eienaar, Albie Lake van ASLA, wel ’n tegniese voorlegging van die ontwikkeling gedoen. Die komitee het ook kennis geneem van die amptenare se aanbevelings, wat onder andere voorstel dat die raad die aansoek vir goedkeuring na die Premier verwys.
Voorgestelde herbelyning
Die hersoneringsaansoek maak voorsiening vir 2469 residensiële erwe vir laekoste behuising, 100 ligte industriële erwe, 12 erwe vir kerke, nege vir besighede, 12 vir publieke oop ruimtes, drie skoolpersele, twee vir bewaarskole, ’n sportveld, taxi-staanplek en gemeenskapsfasiliteite.
Die amptenare sê in hul verslag dat die hoë digtheid projek die kritieke behuisingsnood in Nomzamo, Lwandle en Solly’s Town sal aanspreek.
Hulle beveel aan dat die raad die aansoek steun, maar nie verantwoordelikheid aanvaar vir die infrastruktuur vir grootmaatdienste nie; ook dat die raad die aansoek vir provinsiale behuisingsubsidies steun, solank dit nie inbreuk maak op die R65 miljoen wat reeds vir die volgende drie jaar deur die Behuisingsraad aan die Helderberg toegeken is vir prioriteitsbehuising nie; en dat al die besware aan die premier gestuur word.
“As sy mense vir meer huise vra, sê die raad altyd daar is nie grond beskikbaar nie,” het raadslid Sipho Ntantiso gesê.
“Ons is nou in die bevoorregte posisie dat ’n private ontwikkelaar grond vir laekoste behuising beskikbaar stel wat ons behuisings- en die plakkeryprobleme kan oplos, maar daar is mense wat beswaar daarteen maak.”.
Hy het gewaarsku dat sy mense siek en sat is oor die behuisingsnood en dat diegene wat aanhou om besware te maak, die gevolge sal moet dra as die mense net op enige plek begin plak. “Ek doen ’n beroep op almal om die aansoek te steun.”
Die betrokke erf, erf 18834, is ’n 102,56 hektaar stuk grond, geleë tussen die spoorlyn in die Strand, die T2 hoofweg en voorgestelde herbelyning van die N2 langs die Boswoonbuurt.
Police behind bars
ADDITIONAL safety measures have been implemented at all 24 police stations in the Eastern Metropole - including those in the Helderberg, to safeguard police stations after threats of violence and two bomb explosions at police stations.
The Area Commissioner: Eastern Metropole, Assistant Commissioner Niel van Heerden, says the way in which the police were becoming the targets of ruthless persons, is totally unacceptable and intolerable.
He added that it has become necessary to safeguard police stations in the area, to ensure the safety of the community and policemen and women.
The following measures have been implemented:
NNP-leier waarsku oor registrasie
DIE Nuwe Nasionale Party en die ANC loop kop-aan-kop in die registrasie van kiesers in die Wes-Kaap en indien NNP lede nie registreer nie, kan die party beheer in die Wes-Kaap verloor.
Só het mnr. Marthinus van Schalkwyk, die party se hoofleier, Maandagaand in Somerset-Wes gesê.
Hy was die hoofspreker by ’n verkiesingsvergadering wat gehou is ter ondersteuning van die NNP kandidaat, mnr. Boudewijn de Vries, in die wyk 15 tussenverkiesing wat Woensdag beslis is. Ongeveer 180 mense het die vergadering bygewoon. Mnr. Van Schalkwyk het gesê as die NNP in die komende verkiesing in die Wes-Kaap nie meer as 50 persent van die stemme op hom kan verenig nie, sal die DP en die ANC ’n koalisieregering vorm in die provinsie.
Hy het ook aangekondig dat die NNP Vrydag ’n aansoek voor die Kaapse Hoërhof gaan bring oor die geldigheid van staafkode ID boeke, asook die onafhanklikheid van die Verkiesingskommissie.
Nomzamo residents are keenest to register
A TOTAL of 15 584 Helderberg residents registered over the weekend. The initial voter count during the first round of registration in December last year, was 32 000.
The most enthusiastic turnout last week was recorded at Nomzamo where 3 569 people registered at the Community Hall.
This is more than the 3 206 who registered at all ten stations in Somerset West, or the 3 214 people who registered at the nine stations in the Strand.
A total of 1534 voters registered at Lwandle’s two stations while 826 voters registered in Gordon’s Bay at three stations. Other figures are Sir Lowry’s Pass 789 (two stations), Macassar, 2 078 ( five stations) and Firgrove 320 (two stations).
Electoral staff were “caught with their pants down” on Sunday afternoon when the Independent Electoral Commission announced the registration process would continue during February.
On Monday it was “back to business as usual” for the electoral offices, but only at the Municipal Offices of the Helderberg in the Strand. Mr Frank Oosthuizen, local Electoral Manager, has announced that eight permanent electoral offices are now operational at municipal offices in the Helderberg.
The stations are at Macassar, Somerset West, Strand, Rusthof (at the Suider-Strand Library), Gordon’s Bay, Lwandle, Nom-zamo and Sir Lowry’s Pass. The offices will be open for registration on weekdays (Monday to Friday) from 13:00 to 20:00.
Mr Oosthuizen says the total registration percentage in the Helderberg, according to the IEC’s latest statistics, is 53%.
“So we still have a lot of work to do.” He believes that voter apathy is not the biggest problem, but rather the process of issuing the bar coded ID Books.
The Department of Home Affairs has agreed to provide a service for the issuing of bar coded ID books in the Phil Morkel hall at the Charles Morkel Stadium every weekday from 09:00 till 17:00 till the end of the month.
This only applies for the issuing of ID books, and not for new ID applications or passports.
Honderde staan tou vir werk by Somchem
HONDERDE mense het ná die onlangse bekendmaking van die R1 miljard Britse wapenkontrak met Somchem by dié firma se hekke in Macassar opge-daag om werk te soek.
Mnr. Albrow Camelo, skakelpersoon vir Denel in die Wes-Kaap, sê mense het op 11 Januarie reeds van douvoordag by die hoofhek gewag.
Volgens ’n verklaring wat in Desember verlede jaar deur Somchem uitgereik is, sal 130 mense aangestel word. ’n Honderd is reeds op kontrak in diens van die maatskappy.
Mnr. Camelo sê 500 aansoekers is na die klubgebou geneem waar hulle deur mnr. Paul Jacobs, transformasiebestuurder, bedank is vir hul belangstelling.
Volgens mnr. Jacobs word kontrakte nog geprosesseer en is daar nie ommiddellik ’n behoefte vir bykomende personeel nie.
Hy het aansoekers meegedeel dat aanstellings in fases sal geskied na gelang van die produksiebehoeftes en die vaardighede wat benodig word.
Mnr. Camelo sê daar word ontvangserkenningsbriewe aan al die aansoekers, wat intussen tot 850 gestyg het, gestuur.
Miss Valentine
Nathaly Levendal, Junior Miss SA Western Cape, will be hosting a Miss Valentine Beauty Contest, on February 12 at Girls between the ages of 12 and 16 are invited to enter. Entrance fee for the contest is R10 per person. Sponsors for prizes, food and money are still needed for the event.
For more information contact Nathaly at tel 857-1698. Proceeds from the contest will be used to provide food for hungry children.
The food will be distributed to the children on Valentine’s Day with the help of Child Welfare.
20:00 in the old civic hall in Macassar.
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Om te sny of nie te sny nie
DIE geskilpunt oor die sny van gras op sypaadjies in die Helderberg - of dit deur inwoners of die munisipaliteit gedoen moet word - In November verlede jaar het ’n voorstel van mnr. Peter Delahunt, die adjunk-direkteur van omgewing, ontspanning en openbare geriewe, dat inwoners aangemoedig moet word om self hul sypaadjies te sny en sypaadjies wat nie in stand gehou word nie met plantdoder bespuit word, groot opslae gemaak.
Sy motivering was dat sy departement nòg die mannekrag, nòg die fondse het om alle sypaadjies in die Helderberg te sny, omdat sy begroting besnoei is.
Regsmening oor die geldigheid van dié raadsbesluit is toe ingewin.
Daar is bevind dat die raad se besluit strydig was met ’n vorige raadsbesluit oor gelykheid in dienslewering en met die land se grondwet. Dié mening is Donderdag aan die raad oorgedra.
Die saak is na die staande komitees terugverwys.
het al ’n draai by die raad se regskonsultante gemaak, maar is steeds nie opgelos nie.
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