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- Bomdreigemente ruk Helderberg
- Dr Paul’s gift is a lift for quiet Strand (photo)
- Tergende vrae oor Mackor verdwyning
- Bomb threats ‘disgusting’ (photo)
- Water crisis for Somerset West
- By-election in ward 15 next week
- AECI’s triangle gets a new ‘heart’
- Police now operate from behind locked gates (photo)
- Skors John Pretorius, vra mede-raadslid
- Robbers take off with R110 000 after Helderberg Village heist
- Oud-adjunkhoof sterf (foto)
- A resounding cheer for the Kogelberg Reserve (photo)
Bomdreigemente ruk Helderberg
’n VLAAG vals bomdreigemente het die polisie in die Helderberg die afgelope week aan die skarrel gehad en groot ontwrigting by sake ondernemings veroorsaak.
Die motief agter die dreigemente is nog onbekend. Die polisie is met ’n intensiewe ondersoek besig en vra die publiek om te help. Alle inligting sal as vertroulik behandel word.
Die voorvalle is wyd deur politici van alle partye veroordeel.
Dit was veral Somerset-Wes wat deurgeloop het. Sewentien dreige-mente is die afgelope week hier ontvang. Oor die naweek alleen is nege aangemeld. Maandag is drie binne ’n uur ontvang.
Daar was groot paniek toe die snuffelhonde by Checkers in Hoof Weg gaan lê het. Dit word beskou as positiewe aanduiding dat die hond iets geruik het wat met plofstof verbind kan word.
Die winkel is ontruim en afgesper, maar ondanks die gevaar van ’n moontlike ontploffing het honderde nuuskieriges in die omge-wing saamgedrom. Daar is later vasgestel dat van die huishou-delike produkte op die winkelrakke bestanddele bevat wat ook in plof stof gebruik word.
Kaptein Wendy Strauss, speur-hoof in Somerset-Wes, sê die vals dreigemente plaas geweldige druk op die polisiediens, wat reeds onder moeilike omstandighede moet werk. Hulle moet elke waarskuwing as eg beskou en ondersoek.
Omdat patrollievoertuie na die betrokke persele moet haas om ondersoek in te stel, laat dit die res van die dorp kwesbaar vir kriminele wat ander misdade wil pleeg.
Huisbrake
Mense wat bomdreigemente maak, is volgens die Wet op Plof-stowwe, Artikel 27 (1A) van Wet 26 van 1956, strafbaar met gevange-nisstraf van 3 tot 15 jaar, sonder die keuse van ’n boete.
In die Strand is Maandag vier bomdreigemente ontvang. Van die plekke wat deurgeloop het, was Absa Bank, Eerste Nasionale Bank, Shoprite en Friedman & Cohen.
Die Polisie se skakeloffisier in die Strand, inspekteur Mary-Ann Williams, vra dat mense kalm moet bly as hulle só ’n dreigoproep ontvang. Toesighouers en werkers moet dadelik in kennis gestel word.
As jy ’n bomdreigement ontvang, moet jy fyn luister sodat jy die volgende inligting aan die polisie kan oordra:
Huisbrake in Somerset-Wes het die afgelope tyd met 76% toege-neem, en heelwat meer diefstalle is uit voertuie aangemeld.
Dr Paul’s gift is a lift for quiet Strand
First came the brothel in Gordon’s Bay (GB). Now THIS in the Strand! And to think for decades these two towns Haus Düssel’s secretive nocturnal sexcapades in GB may have been abruptly halted, but a new - highly reputable - clinic across the Magistrate’s Courts in Strand may now provide a lift for sexually fustrated spirits.
No longer do Helderberg sufferers of sexual dysfunction need travel afar or seek the misguided “help” of local ladies of ill repute.
Frolicking among the bed-sheets may well become a very legitimate daylight occupation for many an octogenerian.
So how could this happen to a tranquil village filled with “little retirement houses by the sea”? Who on earth could make such goings on socially acceptable?
No one but Dr Paul.
Yes. There’s hope in Strand.
The practice of Dr Danie Morkel and partners is the latest to be accredited as a Dr Paul Virility Medical Centre - the second in the Helderberg. The other centre is Dr Swanepoel and partners in Caledon Street, Somerset West.
What is it, you may ask? It means this particular practice - at 3 Gordon’s Bay Road, Strand - has been equipped with training and products to deal with sexual dysfunctions among men and women.
Dr Paul - sex therapist, author and lecturer - made his entrance into people’s lounges some years ago as the pioneering presenter of the television programme “Sex Talk with Dr Paul”.
He also presented “Sexually Speaking” on Radio 702 for seven years. And his sex manual, Better Sex - a guide to enhance your lovemaking, was a bestseller in South Africa - and believe it or not, sold 50 000 copies in Russia!
Dr Paul (not his real name) is registered with the South African Medical and Dental Council as a clinical psychologist.
Speaking to the DistrictMail this week, he predicted lively business for the new centre in Gordon’s Bay.
One of the reasons’ the magical V-product. Viagra is to be released within the next few weeks and clinical centres have geared up for it.
For a preview, visit Dr Paul’s website at www.virility.co.za.
were seen as quiet little villages by the sea...
Dr Paul
Tergende vrae oor Mackor verdwyning
DIE baie vrae rondom die raaiselagtige verdwyning van mev Veronica Mackor en haar twee jong seuns sal waarskynlik nooit opgeklaar word nie.
Inspekteur Hannes Niemand, die speurder wat drie weke onverpoosd na die vermiste drie gesoek het, moes sy dossier ná hul veilige terugkoms sluit.
Hy sal die saak nie verder ondersoek nie, omdat mev. Mackor besluit het om geen klag van mense-roof teen haar en die seuns se vermeende ontvoerders aanhangig te maak nie.
Van die vrae wat steeds onbeantwoord is, is hoekom die ontvoerders nie mev. Mackor se motor of radio gesteel het nie, waarom hulle die aanvallige jong vrou en haar kinders ongedeerd sou vrylaat en hoe dit gebeur het dat al drie toevallig hul stapklere gedra het, ten tye van die ontvoering.
Ook hoe dié tengerige drie dit reggekry het om later hul rugsakke, tent en ander kamptoerusting van die bakkie af te gooi, insluitend watersuiwerings- en malariapille; en hoe hulle die swaar toerusting vir drie weke met hulle kon saamdra. Nog ’n vraag is hoe hulle drie weke in die berge kon ronddwaal sonder dat hulle iemand raakgeloop het, of by enige van die plaashuise om hulp aangeklop het.
Mev. Mackor en haar kinders sou dié week met ’n tante na Van der Bijl Park vertrek om daar aan te sterk en oor hul toekomsplanne te besin.
Mnr. Dimitri Mackor, wat Vrydag tydens ’n kort, emosionele besoek met sy seuns in die hospitaal herenig is, het gister gesê hy weet glad nie waar sy kinders hulle tans bevind nie en dat dit vir hom onder die omstandighede baie moeilik is om hom te motiveer om met sy werk aan te gaan.
“Almal het simpatie met my gewese vrou en glo al haar stories, terwyl ek as die skurk afgemaak word en in ’n stadium selfs as ’n verdagte beskou is.
“Maar wat van die regte van ’n pa ten opsigte van sy kinders? Ek sou dit graag in die hof opneem, maar het nie geld vir ’n prokureur nie.”
Bomb threats ‘disgusting’
HELDERBERG mayor Leon Deacon on Tuesday strongly condemned the spate of false bomb threats received by several local businesses this past week. In Somerset West 17 threats were made, while the Strand also had its share with four bomb threats on Monday.
He accused those involved in the actions of “not realising what they’re doing to the Helderberg. We need to encourage investments and create employment ... things like this are chasing people away instead of attracting them.” He said the daily threats not only disrupted business, but also cost a fortune and created panic amongst residents.
DP counsellor Gisela Jesperson joined Mr Deacon in his ALL interested parties are invited to attend a public meeting scheduled in the Somerset West Town Hall on February 4 at 19:00 about the launch of the APELL programme in the Helderberg.
The aim of the meeting is to implement an APELL (‘Awareness and Preparedness for emergencies at Local Level) programme in the Helderberg. Dr Ernst Goldschmidt, consultant to the United States Environmental Programme: Industry and Environment, will be the guest speaker. ‘Pure intimidation’
The Police were this week baffled about the motive for the continued telephonic threats. According to a spokesperson they are investigating a possible Pagad link after the organisation was allegedly mentioned in some of the threats.
Captain Wendy Strauss of Somerset West warned that anyone found guilty of making a bomb threats, can be sentenced to between three and 15 years in prison without the option of a fine.
False alarm: Members of the bomb squad, local Police Services, and Fire and rescue teams wait as sniffer dogs search the Checkers Centre in Somerset West on Monday this week. The Checkers threat was one of no less than 17 received by Somerset West businesses this past week.
“I condemn it in the strongest possible terms and was dismayed and disgusted to learn of the threats,” he said on Tuesday afternoon.
Waiting around: Pick ’n Pay Somerset Mall received a false bomb threat on Saturday afternoon and shoppers and employees had to evacuate the area and wait outside while the Police searched the shop.
criticism of the bomb threats and said she would be tabling an urgent motion in favour of council support for the South African Police Service and the anti-crime action, Operation Good Hope, at Thursday’s council meeting.
Prepare for emergencies
“Five to seven policemen have to attend the investigation of every threat,” she said. “That means that they’re kept from fighting crime somewhere else. This is pure intimidation and I will urge my fellow councillors to support the Police where possible.”
Water crisis for Somerset West
ANOTHER hot spell is being predicted for the Helderberg as Somerset West faces a water crisis.
Council was forewarned in 1997 that the town would face a water shortage in the summer of 1998 if the upgrading of its bulk water supply was not upgraded in time.
The Helderberg Council approved an R18 million bulk water project in May 1998. But although the project was immediately launched, it is still in its final stages of completion.
Now - two years later - the water crisis which was predicted in 1997 could become a reality if residents of Somerset West do not heed a warning by the local authority to use water sparingly.
Mr Harry Carstens, the Helderberg’s CEO, has requested all residents and businesses of Somerset West to take extra care when opening their taps and to use water sparingly over the next two weeks.
Residents are also requested to water their gardens with only half the amount of water normally used.
By-election in ward 15 next week
RESIDENTS IN the Helderberg’s
Die nuwe nasionale party se hoofleier, marthinus van schalkwyk, spreek maandag, 1 februarie, ’n openbare vergadering in die Somerset-Wes stadsaal toe.
Die vergadering begin 20:00 en hy sal oor verskeie sake van nasionale belang gesels met die oog op die komende algemene verkiesing.
Die party se kandidaat vir die tussenverkiesing wat volgende week in wyk 15 gehou word, mnr. Boudewijn de Vries, sal ook by die vergadering praat. The two candidates in the election are the New National Party’s Boudewijn de Vries, a former Parel Vallei headmaster, and independent candidate Johannes (Hannes) Barnard, a local businessman.
The voting stations are at the Somerset West Town Hall, the Garden Village community hall and the NG Moederkerk Hall in Somerset West. The polling stations will be open from 7:00 to 22:00 and vote counting will take place at the Somerset West Town Hall.
Only residents who are on the municipal voters’ roll, will be eligible to vote in the by-election.
ward 15 will go to the polls in a municipal by-election next week on Wednesday, February 3.
NNP vergadering
AECI’s triangle gets a new ‘heart’
The pace to convert vacant land almost the size of the Cape Town city bowl into the commercial centre of the Helderberg has been stepped up.
AECI Limited announced recently the formation of a property development company, appropriately called Heartland Properties Limited. It’s primary objective: “to accelerate the disposal of AECI’s properties which, due to changed circumstances, are surplus to its core business requirements.”
The formation of the company signals a change for the explosives and chemical manufacturer whose marketing machinery have become used to dealing with controversy and public scepticism.
Heartland’s Western Cape Manager, Michael Tyler, met with local media this week and said the new company would be occupying a “higher profile”.
Heartland emerged from what used to be known as AECI Properties - a division which began active planning for the development of AECI’s Somerset West site around three years ago.
The AECI Properties team transferred to Heartland on January 1.
Their first task will be to focus on what has been dubbed “The Triangle” - around 65 hectares of land bounded by De Beers Road, the R44 and the N2. Apart from the Somerset Mall, a service station, the new McDonald’s franchise and the golf village (to house the PGA Tour headquarters) which is under construction, further development will include a tiling store, office park development and value centre development.
Heartland has been granted commercial rights on properties spanning 24 000m² in the Triangle.
“The Triangle has the ability to become a serious node in the Western Cape,” said Mr Tyler.
He said they had fielded a large amount of enquries regarding the development.
“We’re trying to stimulate the interest of developers and retail enquiries are therefore passed onto developers.”
Activities underway on the AECI site (other than the traditional uses such as Kynoch and Vynide) include:
Police now operate from behind locked gates
THE Macassar Police this week resorted to keeping their station gates locked (see photo) after a telephone threat that the station would be attacked was received during the weekend.
According to superintendent Jonathan van der Rheede several security measures have been taken as a result of the threat. “We apologise for the inconvenience, but we have to take these threats seriously and rather be safe than sorry.”
Strand police also this week announced that the police station gates will be in future be locked. Members of the public who wish to gain entry, will have to ring a bell which will alert members of the community service centre to their presence.
Skors John Pretorius, vra mede-raadslid
DRUK is aan die toeneem dat mnr. John Pretorius, omstrede politikus, as lid van die Helderberg Stadsraad moet bedank, na hy die afgelope naweek saam met drie ander mense met 44 ongeskulpte perlemoene by Maasbaai, Hangklip, in hegtenis geneem is.
Mnr. Pretorius en drie ander mans het Maandag in die landdroshof Mev. Gisela Jespersen van die DP het na sy verskyning ’n beroep op die ANC gedoen om mnr. Pretorius van hul proporsionele lys te verwyder.
Sy sou Woensdag ’n mosie by ’n Helderberg raadsvergadering indien dat die stadsraad die moontlikheid moet ondersoek om Pretorius te skors tot na die hofsaak afgehandel is.
Die ANC het hom reeds vroeër tydelik geskors en hy moes tydelik van alle leierskap posisies in die orga-nisasie afstand doen. Die stap het gevolg na hy ook vroeër die maand met ’n oorgetal krewe betrap is en voor die hof in Caledon verskyn het.
Hy is boonop verlede jaar in die Strand landdroshof in die Strand skuldig bevind op ’n oortreding van die Wet op See-visserye.
Die hof hom toe ’n opgeskorte vonnis gegee. Volgens ’n amptenaar van die Helderberg stadsraad kan mnr. Pretorius se plek op die raad ingedrang kom indien dié opge-skorte vonnis nou in werking ge-stel word.
Ook Pretorius se voorheen lojale kamerade is besig om hulle van hom te distansieer.
ANC-lede van die Strand-tak waarvan hy die voorsitter is, sê nou openlik dat hy die trekpas moet kry.
Lede van die ANC se Macassar en Sir Lowry’s Pass-tak het ook hul misnoë oor mnr. Pretorius se optrede uitgespreek.
Na verneem word gaan die saak nou na die ANC se dissiplinêre komitee, waarvan adv. Johnny de Lange die voorsitter is, verwys word.
Die saak dien ook Donderdag voor die dagbestuur van die ANC se uitvoerende komitee van die Wes-Kaap.
• Mnr. Pretorius dien ook op die beheerliggame van die Primêre skole Rusthof in die Strand,waar hy die voorsitter is, en by Danie Ackermann in Somerset-Wes, waar hy die onder-voorsitter is. Volgens inligting is dié posisies nou ook in die gedrang.
op Caledon in verband met die klagtes verskyn. Hy is nie gevra om te pleit nie en die saak is uitgestel. Hy en sy maats is op eie verantwoordelikheid vrygelaat.
Previous articles [Afrikaans]
Robbers take off with R110 000 after Helderberg Village heist
A REWARD is being offered by the Police for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the robbers who got away with a payroll of R110 000 during a daring armed robbery at Helderberg Village on Thursday morning.
According to Inspector Beckmann of the Murder and Robbery Squad, at least six men were involved in the heist. The robbers gained access to the property by masquerading as telephone technicians.
They arrived at Helderberg Village at about 08:20 in a stolen Telkom van, only half an hour after payroll money had been delivered to the administrative offices. Two men, wearing Telkom overalls, sat in front, while their accomplices allegedly hid in the back.
They produced Telkom identity cards to gain access through the security gates and then drove to the administrative offices. The doors were still locked, but there were about twelve people inside the building. While some of the robbers waited outside, the others entered the office through a window.
At gunpoint
While the robbery was in process, two women arrived at the offices and were taken hostage by the men waiting outside. They were only released when the other robbers emerged from the building with the bags containing the wages. The suspects drove off before the security guard at the gate could be alerted.
The Telkom van, a white Toyota Venture, was later found abandoned at the Firgrove Station where the robbers climbed into a white minibus.
Anyone with information is asked to call Inspector Beckmann on 083-773-6007 or on 951-6665.
• The robbery at Helderberg Village, followed four days after an armed robbery at the Total Filling Station in Main Street, Strand on January 17, when four men in a green Toyota robbed the attendants of R400 in takings.
Anyone with information, is asked to call Detective Sergeant Nieumann on 854-6451.
Staff members were told to lie down on the floor and Ms Dawn Jardine who was counting the wages, was ordered at gunpoint to hand over the money. At least three people were manhandled and Ms Lucille Matthews received a blow to the head and later had to receive medical attention.
Oud-adjunkhoof sterf
Jannie Blignaut, geliefde Sy begrafnisdiens vind Vrydag omstreeks 15:00 in die Strand Noord NG Kerk plaas en word voorafgegaan deur die teraardbestelling in Goedehoopbegraafplaas om 14:00.
Mnr. Blignaut laat sy vrou, Aletta agter,ook drie seuns, Niel, Jurgen, en Hanré, en vyf kleinkinders.
oud-adjunkhoof van die Laerskool Lochnerhof en begaafde houtsnee kunstenaar van die Strand, is Dinsdag in die Vergelegen Medikliniek Hospitaal oorlede, nadat hy Sondag ’n hartaanval gehad het.
A resounding cheer for the Kogelberg Reserve
For the Helderberg, more importantly, it will ensure that no unwanted developments like the controversial “Oude-kraal option”, is ever likely to take place in the pristine Kogel Bay coastal area.
Peter Delahunt, Deputy Director Environment Recreation and Amenities, yesterday said the Helderberg was a signatory to the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve and as such is fully aware of the implications of its land being incorporated into the reserve.
“The declaration of the area as a biosphere has as its aims, the protection of the natural environment as well as providing areas for scientific and technological studies and also the human values placed on the area,” he declared.
The Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve stretches from Gordon’s Bay to the eastern shores of the Bot River Vlei, and inland to the northern foothills of the Groenlandberg - covering about 92 000 hectares.
The land owned by the Helderberg municipality is the buffer zone known as Kogel Bay Reserve, together with 2 500 ha of fynbos, stretching from the coast to the mountains.
This land is already managed by the Council’s Conservation section using accepted conservation methods, and its inclusion in the Biosphere will have little or no effect on its management. Developments in the area would, however, have to be acceptable to the Kogelberg Biosphere Committee, Mr Delahunt stated.
“The ongoing investigation of the Council’s resorts and Reserves by the consultants Bowren International, has shown that the recommended long-term strategy plan for the area is that of no development at Kogel Bay. This recommendation has still to be debated by Council.”
While the Biosphere status will have no impact on civil services, it will have possible implications on the electrical network which has to be expanded and on Town Planning, as the Helderberg’s new zoning regulations will have to be amended to make provision for a new zoning with special reference to the type of uses, buildings and architecture to be allowed.
Gerhard Visser, the Helderberg’s Chief: Town and Regional Planner said the announcement should however be welcomed, as it will also open the doors to international funding for nature conservation projects.
“This is what we have been waiting for,” Mark Johns, Manager of the Kogelberg reserve, exclaimed this week. “But there is lots of work still to be done. We would, amongst others, like to see the biosphere concept brought into structure plans of the various municipalities.”
He said Ruida Pool from Cape Nature Conservation’s Scientific Services, who has over the past two years prepared the Biosphere application, will continue to act as coordinator.
“But we still need to find a biosphere manager. He will be elected by the committee and must be dynamic a person as he will have to address everything from development, to management of land and tourism.”
THE declaration of Kogelberg and surrounds as a biosphere reserve, the first of its kind in the RSA, has been widely welcomed by conservationists and is regarded as a major boost for the whole area. It will undoubtedly also result in an upswing in the Western Cape tourism.
Biosphere: Mark Johns, Manager of the Kogelberg Reserve, would like to see the concept of the reserve adopted by other municipalities. In the photograph, Mr Johns stands in the heart of the scenic biosphere reserve along the Palmiet River. Click here for more.