Current Edition >> Archives Section >> Spot Coverage >> 1-15 September 2005
The planning stage for a hydro power plant at Bethlehem, to trade as Bethlehem Hydro (Pty.) Ltd., has just been completed with the appointment of Ninham Shand Consulting as project engineers. The R45 million project has now moved into the construction phase and once commissioned in 2007, is expected to generate up to 20% of Dihlabeng Local Municipality's power needs at a tariff competitive to that of Eskom. The plant will consist of two separate power-generating sites, the first on the As River consisting of a run-of-river plant, while the second site will be a 1,7 MW generating plant located at the Saulspoort Dam wall. As a first of its kind in South Africa, Bethlehem Hydro will generate green power with no carbon dioxide emissions. Funding for the project is from NuPlanet, a Netherlands-based group, the DBSA and the Central Energy Fund. Once complete, the hydro plant will only employ two full-time staff, but during the two-year construction period, it is expected to generate some 150 jobs as well as invaluable skills training.
Toenemende kommer bestaan oor die status van plaaslike bestuur in die Vrystaat as noodsaaklike onderbou vir enige sosio-ekonomiese vooruitgang enverbetering van lewenstandaard. Veral die volgende sleutelaspekte is betrokke :
ˇVolgens 'n pas vrygestelde verslag van die staande komitee op openbare rekeninge (Skoor) in die Vrystaatse Wetgewer oor die geldstate van munisipaliteite in die provinsie, het van die munisipaliteite nie eens die vermoë om maandeliks hul eie bankrekonsiliasies te doen nie. In baie gevalle het munisipaliteite nie eens beheer oor hul afwagrekeninge nie. Van die munisipaliteite wat egter uitgesonder word as redelik, is Tswelopele, Ngwathe, Letsimeng, Nketoana en Mantsopa.
ˇDie totale uitstaande skuld aan Vrystaatse munisipaliteite beloop tans meer as R2,5 miljard, luidens 'n verslag van die Vrystaatse Dept. van Plaaslike Regering en Behuising. Hiervan beloop die skuld aan Matjhabeng munisipaliteit meer as R680 miljoen en aan die Mangaung munisipaliteit sowat R427 miljoen. Hoewel geen munisipaliteit agterstallig is by Eskom nie, word die waterrade na skatting in totaal sowat R80 miljoen geskuld deur Vrystaatse munisipaliteite.
ˇGroeiende twyfel word uitgespreek of die watersuiweringsaanlegte en rioolstelsels van talle Vrystaatse dorpe voldoen aan die toenemende behoeftes van hul inwoners. Talle berigte word ontvang van rioolwater wat op plekke direk in die drinkwateropvanggebiede gestort word. So bv. word gesę dat die Vaalrivier so besoedel is dat elke mens wat water daarvandaan kry 'n eie huishoudelike watersuiweringstoestel behoort te hę. Voorts word beweer dat die Valsrivier deur besoedeling morsdood gemaak is en dat dit tot sowat 20 jaar kan neem om te rehabiliteer. Op plekke soos Kroonstad, Welkom, Tweespruit en Jagersfontein kla inwoners oor arthritis, borsprobleme, maagprobleme en veral velprobleme direk as gevolg van swak watergehalte.
In sakekringe word die mening uitgespreek dat die probleme op plaaslike bestuursvlak die moontlikheid van buitelandse beleggings in die Vrystaat as stimulus vir ekonomiese groei erg ondermyn. Daar word gesę dat basiese infrastruktuurprobleme soos hierdie eers oorkom moet word voordat die Vrystaat enigsins op 'n geloofwaardige groeipad kan kom.
Duplo kopieërders, soos verskaf deur Toshiba Vrystaat en Noord-Kaap, blyk toenemend gewild te word by skole in die Vrystaat en Noord-Kaap en is duidelik besig om markaandeel te wen. Volgens Mnr. Juri Jordaan van Toshiba Vrystaat en Noord-Kaap toon hul verskaffingsyfers in die verband ´n konstante groeikurwe.
Jordaan sę die terugvoering wat van skole ontvang word, is besonder gunstig en dit is ´n tendens wat nie slegs streeksgebonde is nie, maar landswyd na vore kom. Die gewildste Duplo modelle is veral die DP 430 en DP 203, wat gekenmerk word deur hul vermoë om swaardiens kopieërverkeer te dra, hul minder bewegende dele in vergelyking met ander produkte op die mark, die feit dat onderdele en verbruiksitems nagenoeg 40% goedkoper is, ´n 10-jaar waarborg op onderdele en die feit dat Duplo die enigste soortgelyke produk is wat ingevoer en versprei word deur ´n maatskappy met 100% Suid-Afrikaanse eienaarskap.
Meer besonderhede van Jordaan by tel. (051) 4334411 of sel. 0834440150.
Pictured right, a view of the good turnout at the Xhariep Water Summit held on 20 September 2005 at the Municipal Offices in Trompsburg. The summit addressed water supply issues faced in the Xhariep district, covering the Kopanong, Letsemeng and Mohakare local municipalities. The area is challenged with problems concerning groundwater management, water demand management, status of water, conservation, backlogs and water quality management. These issues, together with widespread unemployment, severely affect socio-economic development and municipal revenue base in the area.
With the daily media being inundated with complaints by residents of littering and general decay in Bloemfontein, the Free State Business Bulletin made one short detour through the city and took these three photo's easily at hand. The idea is not to be selective or hyper critical, but merely to reflect the situation on the ground.
In April 2004 the Mangaung Local Municipality was handed an official audit report from the University of the North West's Centre for Environmental Management about the environmental situation in its municipal area. According to the report the municipality was failing to comply with 44 aspects of environmental standards legislation, indicating also that some officials concerned were not even aware of legislative measures dealing with environmental and health affairs.
One of the disturbing cases reported was where it was found that a graveyard at Heidedal is built on an old petrol depot without an impact study ever conducted. This directly violates the Environmental Protection Law, 73 of 1989.
It was recently reported that although the environmental audit report by the University of the North West is in a process of being addressed by the Municipality, no concrete action has as yet materialised on any of the failings identified.
The bigger problem is that Bloemfontein is but a case in point for the Free State. Perhaps readers can enlighten the Free State Business Bulletin about the situation at other centres.
The heart of the University of the Free State is back where it started 100 years ago in the main building on campus. Renovations of the main building began during the University's centenary year in 2004 and recently the offices of the top echelon of the University, including that of the Rector, moved into the customised revamped premises. Warm light, strong wooden floors and desks, soft paint and distinct bright art features and furniture create a sense of quality, welcoming and hard work in the building. Situated at the core of the campus, it serves as the heart through which all the channels of work flow, thus generating increasing productivity.
Back to Main || About Webmaster || Disclaimer || Back
This site is best viewed at 800x600 pixels. This site was optimized for IE 5.5 or higher.
Copyright Š 2005 Web D-Zign Inc. All rights reserved.
