In Langebaan a Skipper swims almost 4km for friend

A skipper swam 3.7km to get help for his friend when his boat capsized at a popular diving reef called Needles near Langebaan yesterday.

Robert Guthrie, 47, of Langebaan and his friend Deon Louw, of Hopefield, were spear-fishing when their open-decked boat capsized at about 1.30pm yesterday.

Leaving Louw perched on the hull of the boat, Guthrie, a member of the defence force, swam to the nearby Malgas Island raise the alarm.

But the NSRI's spokesperson Craig Lambinon said when Guthrie reached the island, he found no one there, so swam on to the mainland at Malgas to the naval base, where he alerted the duty officer, who raised the alarm.

The navy launched its harbour patrol boat while the NSRI Mykonos launched its rescue craft Gemini Rescuer.

Darius van Niekerk, Sea Rescue Mykonos station commander said when they arrived on the scene, Louw was still sitting on the upturned hull and was taken on board the navy patrol boat.

The NSRI and the navy personnel righted the craft and the NSRI towed it back to its base at Mykonos harbour.

"Neither of the two men was injured and, once safely ashore, they required no further assistance," he added.

Earlier, NSRI volunteers were called to a stricken I&J fishing trawler, St Blaize, which was drifting without power between Plettenberg Bay and St Francis Bay after fouling its propellers with a rope. It had a crew of 11 aboard.

Gary Ryder, Sea Rescue St Francis Bay station commander, said: "At approximately midday, sea rescue Plettenberg Bay was placed on alert to monitor the progress of the I&J fishing trawler.

"The vessel and her crew were in no immediate danger. The rope is believed to have fouled the propellers while they were fishing."

NSRI St Francis Bay volunteers and a diver launched the Spirit of St Francis II, and once the rescue boat reached the trawler, the diver went down and cleared the prop.

"The trawler then motored safely to St Francis Bay, escorted by our sea rescue boat, where damage will be assessed."

Source .iol.co.za

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ArcelorMittal to close Saldanha steel plant

Within hours of Anglo American-controlled Kumba Iron Ore (KIO) dropping the bombshell that it wanted payment in advance for higher interim iron-ore prices, South Africa's largest steelmaker ArcelorMittal (AMSA) announced that it was taking immediate steps to close its Saldanha export steel works and to cut domestic steel production drastically, which puts 3 000 to 4 000 jobs at risk, and which leaves the South African government "gravely concerned".

After five months of barren negotiations between JSE-listed KIO and AMSA – which chose not to take up a government mediation offer – the saga took a new turn at the weekend when KIO insisted that AMSA, from August 1, pays KIO subsidiary, Sishen Iron Ore Company (SIOC), in advance for iron-ore supplies, and settles outstanding debts brought about by the higher interim iron-ore prices that KIO has been unilaterally imposing.

South Africa's Department of Trade and Industry called on both parties – "as a matter of urgency" – to resolve the dispute in a manner that did not lead to negative economic circumstances for the country and said it continued to be available to mediate.

A meeting between Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies, KIO and AMSA is reported by Bloomberg News to be on the cards.

But AMSA said that, although supplies of 2,5-million tons of iron-ore a year would continue from SIOC's Thabazimbi iron-ore mine at the cost-plus-3% price, and that scrap metal feedstock would also continue to be supplied, those inputs would be insufficient to meet current sales orders and future steel demand.

As a consequence, AMSA CEO Nonkululeko Nvembezi-Heita said that AMSA had initiated plans for:

• the immediate closure of AMSA's Saldanha export steel plant at the coast;
• the curtailment of all exports; and
• a drastic reduction in steel production for South Arica's domestic market, resulting in market allocations.

A spokesperson told Engineering News Online that AMSA, which employs 10 000 people, had already begun communicating the looming job losses with labour unions.

Nyembezi-Heita said: "I'm profoundly disturbed with Kumba's decision as it will have a wider impact on the economy of South Africa. It will result in definite job losses in our business and the downstream industries. At this stage, I am expecting that about 3 000 to 4 000 jobs will be affected."

SIOC had earlier requested AMSA to pay into an escrow account the difference between the disputed "cost-plus-3%" portion of the price and the market price, but AMSA did not take up the offer.

AMSA did, however, impose a R600/t steel surcharge to cover the higher price from May 1.

KIO made a second July 15-deadline discounted-price offer to AMSA, which the steelmaker again did not take up.

Now KIO, headed by CEO Chris Griffith, said that its SIOC would only load trains destined for AMSA's plants on condition that payment - based on its second discounted-price proposal - was made on a "pay-and-take" basis. The discounted price SIOC offered was $50/t for AMSA's Saldanha coastal steel plant and $80/t for its inland Vanderbijl and Newcastle steel plants.

That would apply from August 1, from which date AMSA would have to prepay at least 48 hours in advance.

By that date, AMSA would also have to have paid up the accumulated amounts due for the iron-ore delivered between March 1 and July 15 at a higher interim price.

AMSA said that, while the $50/t would have been sufficient to keep the Saldanha plant at a financial break-even point, the $80/t would result in the possible closure of its inland steel works.

The $50/t amounted to a 69% increase over the cost-plus-3% iron-ore price and the $80/t price an increase of 171%.

Nyembezi-Heita added that steel prices had declined by $100/t since AMSA's interim pricing negotiations had begun with KIO in March.

South Africa's Department of Trade and Industry said in a media release that it was "gravely concerned" about the KIO announcement and that the dispute between KIO and AMSA should not result in iron-ore previously processed locally being exported in unbeneficiated form.

The department also did not want to see any disruption of local steel production nor did it want the dispute to result in the domestic steel price rising above internationally uncompetitive levels.

During the negotiation period, SIOC has continued to deliver iron-ore to AMSA, but the steelmaker has not paid the invoiced price reflecting the higher interim price, but has instead continued only to remit the cost-plus-3% price.

SIOC delivered 337 402 t of iron-ore to AMSA's Saldanha plant and 1 115 180 t of iron-ore to AMSA's inland plants from March 1 to June 30.

"There is considerable commercial risk to SIOC and its shareholders if it continues to supply iron-ore to AMSA without an agreement on the terms of supply," KIO said in a Stock Exchange News Service announcement.

KIO notified AMSA in February that it was no longer entitled to receive 6,25-million tons a year of Sishen iron-ore at the cost-plus-3% arrangement because of AMSA failing to convert its old-order mining rights to new-order mining rights.

KIO attempted to acquire AMSA's former rights, but these were awarded instead to Imperial Crown Trading, which KIO is contesting in the North Gauteng High Court.

The cost-plus-3% agreement has been in place since 2001 based on AMSA's now-forfeited ownership of an undivided 21,4% interest mineral rights at the Sishen mine, which KIO contends became inoperative from May 1, 2009 – a matter which has been referred to arbitration.

However, AMSA has yet to file its answering papers to SIOC's statement of claim.

An AMSA spokesperson told Engineering News Online that the filing of its answering papers was now imminent and that the company's arbitrator had been appointed.

Pending the outcome of the arbitration, SIOC has invoiced AMSA at the higher interim price price and AMSA has charged South African steel consumers R600/t more for steel.

Meanwhile, South Africa's Competition Commission is giving "priority attention" to dealing with AMSA's unilateral imposition of the R600-plus surcharge on every ton of steel sold domestically.

A preliminary investigation is under way into the possibility that the surcharge may constitute an abuse of dominance.

Edited by: Creamer Media Reporter
Source engineeringnews.co.za

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ArcelorMittal to close Saldanha steel plant

Within hours of Anglo American-controlled Kumba Iron Ore (KIO) dropping the bombshell that it wanted payment in advance for higher interim iron-ore prices, South Africa's largest steelmaker ArcelorMittal (AMSA) announced that it was taking immediate steps to close its Saldanha export steel works and to cut domestic steel production drastically, which puts 3 000 to 4 000 jobs at risk, and which leaves the South African government "gravely concerned".

After five months of barren negotiations between JSE-listed KIO and AMSA – which chose not to take up a government mediation offer – the saga took a new turn at the weekend when KIO insisted that AMSA, from August 1, pays KIO subsidiary, Sishen Iron Ore Company (SIOC), in advance for iron-ore supplies, and settles outstanding debts brought about by the higher interim iron-ore prices that KIO has been unilaterally imposing.

South Africa's Department of Trade and Industry called on both parties – "as a matter of urgency" – to resolve the dispute in a manner that did not lead to negative economic circumstances for the country and said it continued to be available to mediate.

A meeting between Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies, KIO and AMSA is reported by Bloomberg News to be on the cards.

But AMSA said that, although supplies of 2,5-million tons of iron-ore a year would continue from SIOC's Thabazimbi iron-ore mine at the cost-plus-3% price, and that scrap metal feedstock would also continue to be supplied, those inputs would be insufficient to meet current sales orders and future steel demand.

As a consequence, AMSA CEO Nonkululeko Nvembezi-Heita said that AMSA had initiated plans for:

• the immediate closure of AMSA's Saldanha export steel plant at the coast;
• the curtailment of all exports; and
• a drastic reduction in steel production for South Arica's domestic market, resulting in market allocations.

A spokesperson told Engineering News Online that AMSA, which employs 10 000 people, had already begun communicating the looming job losses with labour unions.

Nyembezi-Heita said: "I'm profoundly disturbed with Kumba's decision as it will have a wider impact on the economy of South Africa. It will result in definite job losses in our business and the downstream industries. At this stage, I am expecting that about 3 000 to 4 000 jobs will be affected."

SIOC had earlier requested AMSA to pay into an escrow account the difference between the disputed "cost-plus-3%" portion of the price and the market price, but AMSA did not take up the offer.

AMSA did, however, impose a R600/t steel surcharge to cover the higher price from May 1.

KIO made a second July 15-deadline discounted-price offer to AMSA, which the steelmaker again did not take up.

Now KIO, headed by CEO Chris Griffith, said that its SIOC would only load trains destined for AMSA's plants on condition that payment - based on its second discounted-price proposal - was made on a "pay-and-take" basis. The discounted price SIOC offered was $50/t for AMSA's Saldanha coastal steel plant and $80/t for its inland Vanderbijl and Newcastle steel plants.

That would apply from August 1, from which date AMSA would have to prepay at least 48 hours in advance.

By that date, AMSA would also have to have paid up the accumulated amounts due for the iron-ore delivered between March 1 and July 15 at a higher interim price.

AMSA said that, while the $50/t would have been sufficient to keep the Saldanha plant at a financial break-even point, the $80/t would result in the possible closure of its inland steel works.

The $50/t amounted to a 69% increase over the cost-plus-3% iron-ore price and the $80/t price an increase of 171%.

Nyembezi-Heita added that steel prices had declined by $100/t since AMSA's interim pricing negotiations had begun with KIO in March.

South Africa's Department of Trade and Industry said in a media release that it was "gravely concerned" about the KIO announcement and that the dispute between KIO and AMSA should not result in iron-ore previously processed locally being exported in unbeneficiated form.

The department also did not want to see any disruption of local steel production nor did it want the dispute to result in the domestic steel price rising above internationally uncompetitive levels.

During the negotiation period, SIOC has continued to deliver iron-ore to AMSA, but the steelmaker has not paid the invoiced price reflecting the higher interim price, but has instead continued only to remit the cost-plus-3% price.

SIOC delivered 337 402 t of iron-ore to AMSA's Saldanha plant and 1 115 180 t of iron-ore to AMSA's inland plants from March 1 to June 30.

"There is considerable commercial risk to SIOC and its shareholders if it continues to supply iron-ore to AMSA without an agreement on the terms of supply," KIO said in a Stock Exchange News Service announcement.

KIO notified AMSA in February that it was no longer entitled to receive 6,25-million tons a year of Sishen iron-ore at the cost-plus-3% arrangement because of AMSA failing to convert its old-order mining rights to new-order mining rights.

KIO attempted to acquire AMSA's former rights, but these were awarded instead to Imperial Crown Trading, which KIO is contesting in the North Gauteng High Court.

The cost-plus-3% agreement has been in place since 2001 based on AMSA's now-forfeited ownership of an undivided 21,4% interest mineral rights at the Sishen mine, which KIO contends became inoperative from May 1, 2009 – a matter which has been referred to arbitration.

However, AMSA has yet to file its answering papers to SIOC's statement of claim.

An AMSA spokesperson told Engineering News Online that the filing of its answering papers was now imminent and that the company's arbitrator had been appointed.

Pending the outcome of the arbitration, SIOC has invoiced AMSA at the higher interim price price and AMSA has charged South African steel consumers R600/t more for steel.

Meanwhile, South Africa's Competition Commission is giving "priority attention" to dealing with AMSA's unilateral imposition of the R600-plus surcharge on every ton of steel sold domestically.

A preliminary investigation is under way into the possibility that the surcharge may constitute an abuse of dominance.

Edited by: Creamer Media Reporter
Source engineeringnews.co.za

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Langebaan and Struisbaai fishers granted permits

Langebaan and Struisbaai fishers granted permits

Published in: Legalbrief Today Date: Tue 06 July 2010 Category: In Court Issue No: 2596 Artisanal net fishers from the Langebaan and Struisbaai areas have been granted permits to fish by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries after a protracted court battle, says a Cape Times report. Judge Nathan Erasmus said an order had been made by agreement between the parties to give permits to 41 fishers, who could demonstrate historical dependence and reliance on net fishing. Said Erasmus: 'This order will stand pending the promulgation, implementation and rights allocation in terms of a new policy framework that would accommodate traditional artisanal net fishers in an effective and comprehensive manner...' The parties would report progress about the finalisation of the policy, including the draft, which was to be circulated by 31 July. The report notes the fishers applied to the High Court after the department had failed to provide relief packages after the original application to the court in December 2004. According to court papers, that application was instituted to counter 'unfair discrimination' against artisanal fishers when they were not included in the Marine Living Resources Act.

Green Scorpions coming to Langebaan

A knock on the door by the Green Scorpions was probably the last thing the owners of a dozen Melkbosstrand seafront properties were expecting.

But they are all alleged to have infringed environmental regulations by illegally extending the footprint of their properties into the proclaimed public open space on the adjoining coastal dune, and to have caused some degree of ecological damage to the sensitive dune vegetation as a result.

While a few of these encroachments are just one or two metres, others involve big swathes of manicured lawn and substantial landscaped gardens extending 20m or more into the coastal dune. In some places, irrigation systems, wooden and stone pathways, and even a children's jungle gym and a trampoline were installed well beyond the properties' cadastral boundaries.

One resident has put up a "no entry" sign along an illegal wooden boardwalk leading through the dune between the beach and his house, while large amounts of lawn clippings, dead palm fronds and other garden refuse have been dumped into the dune vegetation.

On Thursday, a joint task team of the province's Green Scorpions - environmental management inspectors - and colleagues from the City of Cape Town's environmental resource management unit visited 12 sea-fronting properties in Harold Ashwell Boulevard, where alleged contraventions of the National Environmental Management Act (Nema) regulations had been identified from aerial photographs and other sources.

"Listed activities" in the coastal zone for which special environmental authorisation is required include construction or earth-moving activities within 100m of the high-water mark, and preventing the free movement of sand by planting vegetation and/or removing or damaging indigenous vegetation of more than 10m2, also within 100m of the sea.

Thursday's "ground truthing" inspection, after the initial identification of a possible transgression, was the second step in the legal process of having the affected areas restored to public open space, and rehabilitated.

Now the department will send the property owners "pre-directive" warning letters, pointing out the alleged offences and inviting them to respond.

Then, should any owner not respond appropriately to that warning, he or she will be issued with a formal compliance notice. And if that notice is ignored, the province can levy a fine as high as R5 million, team leader Achmad Bassier explained.

There were similar problems along the whole of the province's coastline, including at places like Paradise Beach in Langebaan and at Clifton, he said.

"Some residents are not aware that what they're doing requires authorisation, and so our visits are a bit of a surprise to them.

But as environmental inspectors we have a mandate, it's our work. And we do also create environmental awareness," he said.

The city's coastal management specialist, Mr Darryl Colenbrander, said it was important to address transgressions of this nature early.

"Actions that these residents have taken create a problem for us because it's an encroachment into public open space and can cause coastal erosion that ends up as a problem on the city's doorstep, so we need to address this now.

"And part of the problem is the incremental growth (into public space) that is quite hard to keep track of. That's why we need a handle on this."

While several of the 12 properties visited on Thursday were unoccupied or had visitors staying there, Bassier said he was satisfied that they had been able to make contact, and were prepared to send formal warning letters.

Dale Wakefield, one of the Green Scorpions, said one of the residents who had been at home had been very upset by the visit, and had insisted that the family had built their property 17 years ago, long before the Nema regulations had come into effect.

"I suspect we're going to be thrown this curved ball at every house. But the cadastral boundaries are defined, and they are encroaching into public open space," he said.

Source iol.co.za

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Trematon makes a move to buy Club Mykonos Langebaan

ALTHOUGH I'm (unfortunately) not a shareholder in the PSG Group, enormous value can be garnered just by glancing through this adventurous investment company's annual report.

Executive chairperson Jannie Mouton is always refreshingly candid about corporate matters, and you won't find the stuffy executive-speak that usually characterises an annual review.

I've always keenly anticipated PSG's annual report, ever since the company won my undying admiration for quoting my all-time favourite musician - the late, great Frank Zappa - in a previous annual report. But let's not go there right now (and no, the quote did not have anything to do with yellow snow).

What caught me eye this year was Mouton's admission that PSG might have made a mistake in unbundling its major stake in promising mass banking specialist Capitec in 2003.

He said the company believed it was the right decision at the time to unbundle Capitec – adding, rather intriguingly, that PSG was then a potential hostile takeover target. (Hmmm... would that have been Absa, perhaps?)

While most chairpersons would probably prefer not to highlight the painful past, Mouton reminded shareholders that "before then, we owned 58% in this great company as opposed to 34.9% today".

He did add, though, that PSG shareholders remain in a neutral position if they held onto their unbundled Capitec shares.

PSG, on the other hand, had to incur quite a cost – not to mention the dismantling of its original empowerment partner, Arch Equity - to rebuild a strategic stake in Capitec. So far, it's clearly been worth the effort.

Of course, one should perhaps look at another examples of letting go, where the company initiating the unbundling might really regret the decision in later years.

A classic example would be automotive components manufacturer Control Instruments, which split off vehicle tracking firm Mix Telematics about three years ago.

Mix looks a nifty little business (so much so that Imperial recently bought a strategic stake), and I suspect Control must have missed its steady annuity income when the global financial crisis smashed prospects in the automotive sector.

Life after Life?

More recently, there was the proposal by Cape-based empowerment group Brimstone (I'm purposefully ignoring Mvelaphanda, because it is intent dismantling its investment portfolio to realise underlying value) to sell off and unbundle the bulk of its stake in newly-listed private hospitals group Life Health.

Brimstone is set to retain only a small stake in Life, which, in view of Life's underwhelming listing, may seem a reasonable option at the moment. But could there be regrets over the longer term?

Of course, Brimstone (and they're a great bunch of operators) may well clinch such convincing future deal flow that shareholders are satisfied that there is indeed - as one shareholder at the recent annual general meeting (AGM) put it - "life after Life".

Another Cape-based investment group, Trematon, may well have come under question for recently selling off its strategic stake in listed property group Ingenuity - especially since the transaction took place at the bottom of the real estate cycle.

This week Trematon made a move to buy outright control of Club Mykonos Langebaan (which must have enormous long-term development potential), signalling to shareholders that the proceeds from the Ingenuity deal would not lie idle. But back to PSG. I think after the Capitec lesson the company will be playing for keeps.

Consequently, shareholders attending next week's AGMs for the various PSG groupings (Zeder and Paladin specifically) may be wasting their breath in pitching questions around the possibility of unbundling or separately listing promising and valuable investments like KWV Holdings, CapeVin and the much-mooted private schools business, Curro.

Of course, a more pertinent enquiry might be whether PSG - fresh from a R200m preference share issue - intends increasing its exposure to Capitec's fast-growing mass banking business.

- Fin24.com

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Langebaan Lagoon could suffer massive environmental disaster

A "shocked and embarrassed" Public Works Minister, Geoff Doidge, says he was unaware his department was constructing a R100-million boat yard for the SANDF's Special Forces in Langebaan Lagoon without the necessary environmental approvals.

He has now asked his Water and Environmental Affairs counterpart, Buyelwa Sonjica, to set up a joint task team from their departments to undertake a "thorough" investigation.

Sonjica's officials are furious that Doidge's department reneged on its promise last year to stop work on the project, other than to stabilise the roof of the boat yard, until the required environmental authorisations were approved.

And the breaking of this commitment also caused Sonjica unwittingly to give an untrue answer to a parliamentary question by the DA in March.

Doidge's department has already paid a R93 000 fine for starting the project without doing the necessary environmental impact assessment and without authority to work in a protected area: the West Coast National Park.

Langebaan Lagoon is also proclaimed as a internationally important bird conservation site under the Ramsar Convention, which South Africa has signed.

"Green Scorpions" - environmental management inspectors - were told during a site visit last August that the project had been started without applying for environmental approval "as a result of time constraints". However, it has been on the cards since at least 2006.

After the inspectors' visit, Water and Environmental Affairs deputy director-general Joanne Yawitch sent Doidge's department a formal letter, notifying it of her intention to issue a compliance notice under the National Environmental Management Act because of the "unlawful" construction and contravention of "numerous provisions of the protected areas legislation".

The notice would have forced all work on the project to stop until environmental approvals were given.

But spokesman for Sonjica's department Albi Modise said it had decided not to issue a compliance notice because the public works department (DPW) had responded promptly with an appeal.

"The decision not to issue the compliance notice was also based on the fact that DPW has a firm undertaking that work would only continue on the roof stabilisation and that other activities would cease pending the outcome of the appeal.

"The department recently became aware that DPW has reneged on their commitment... it appears as if the DPW has proceeded in direct contravention of its undertaking and failed to inform this department until recently.

"This is viewed in an extremely serious light and will be taken into account in determining enforcement action moving forward."

By John Yeld
Environment & Science Writer

Source http://www.iol.co.za

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Langebaan skate park nearly finished

Here are some more photos from Kevin Schnider of the Langebaan park which is about 1.5hours up the West Coast. This has been in the works for a while and the guys at Cape Sports Club are the ones behind this project. It's still going to be a couple of weeks before it's done. I've approached them about doing some kind of demo at the Grand Opening, so we'll see. There is accommodation across the road from the park and a cheap camp site nearby too. I can see some good weekends away happening soon. Thanks for the shots, Kevin.

If anyone goes to this park, or any other park, please go with a good attitude, don't snake the locals, don't litter and don't balls it up for everyone else. Thanks.

Source http://wcbmx.blogspot.com

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Curro Private Schools in Langebaan sells 26% to Paladin Capital

Cape Town - Paladin Capital, PSG's preferred investment vehicle, has bumped up its stake in Curro, a private education venture, to 76%.

In releasing results for the year ended February on Tuesday, Paladin, which already owned 50% of Curro, disclosed the purchase of a further 26% stake for R52m.

The latest transaction infers a value of around R200m for Curro, which operates private schools in Durbanville, Roodeplaat, Hazeldean and Langebaan.

Curro, which has set a medium-term target of opening 15 schools around SA, is set to open schools in Hermanus and Bankenveld next year.

Paladin has also helped Curro to secure a R73m ten-year, fixed rate loan facility from the International Finance Corporation.

Paladin reported that the intrinsic value of its portfolio had leapt 140% to R1.17bn. With additional shares in issue following Paladin's listing on the AltX in September last year, the increase in intrinsic value on a per share basis was 65% to 203c/share.

Paladin holds 13 investments. These include other investment companies (Thembeka and Spirit), service companies (CIC, IQuad and African Unity), mining/construction interests (Precrete, Petmin, Erbacon and Topfix), manufacturing (GRW, Lesotho Milling and Protea Gietery) and education (Curro).

It reported that its most recent intrinsic value estimation, which is after the financial year end, was 212c/share.

That means Paladin's shares, which closed at 230c on the JSE on Tuesday, are trading at a premium to the last stated intrinsic valued.

It's unusual for an investment company to trade at a premium to the underlying value of its investments, unless the market is certain the company is markedly undervaluing one if its unlisted investments.

-Source Fin24.com

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Langebaan’s Villa Diamante residents unhappy about poor building quality

Unfinished construction and massive losses of income have owners of units in Langebaan’s Villa Diamante residential development furious, out of pocket, and taking legal action.
Owners say the development has been characterized by shoddy workmanship from the start, and the builder and the developer have dodged their commitments and continually made excuses.
Some owners have instituted legal action against the developer, while others have said they’d like to engage a lawyer, but their loss of income due to their inability to rent their units, has prevented them from being able to do so.

Owner of a two bedroom townhouse in Villa Diamante, Leverne Gething, said she was “flabbergasted” at the way she and her property have been treated.
She said she agreed to let her unit to the contracted builder, Chris Snyman (owner of Boukon), as a showroom from August 2008 to February 2009, at which point he allegedly “skipped without paying one red cent”.
“Whenever I spoke to him he’d say ‘Sorry it’s taken so long, I will do something’. He owes me R40 000. One day I arrived and there was a family living there with a boat parked outside,” she said.
Gething said before she could rent the unit to a new tenant she had to hire a cleaning service as it was “filthy” and uninhabitable, and various fixtures, such as shower heads and wall sockets, had been removed.

Heinrich Koorts, managing director of Seeff West Coast, said substandard workmanship was evident in many of the units, and that the Saldahna Bay municipality had stopped the development “several times”. These problems had prevented owners from being able to profit from their investments, he said.
“Clients are frustrated because they want units with tenants in them. Some need garage doors, others need towel rails - small things that need to be done but simply are not. We have had problems with the buildings right from the start,” said Koorts.
He said various letting agents had lost “astronomical” amounts of money in the last three years.

The developer, Jeremy Steenkamp, said only units with moneys still owing were missing necessary fixtures, and that tardy payments by owners had left him R5-million in arrears.
“When people don’t pay me the money is taken off my account. I have the fittings on site and will put them in when people pay,” said Steenkamp.
He admitted to problems with the contracted builder, but said he was in the process of addressing the complaints.
“I appointed Boukon and they have caused me a lot of heck. But I am now finished with 90% of the houses,” he said.

But Koorts contested Steenkamp’s version of events.
“Many of the units were paid for upfront, and even in these cases we have had to pay extra money for electricians and plumbers to get the places livable. No stoves, no taps, no water, no shower doors, no power. The list goes on and on,” said Koorts, who had himself owned one of the properties but cancelled his contract after losing two years’ worth of interest. He said units were left in a “pigsty” after the contractor had been in them and that he was owed almost R2-million in commissions, and that one tenant had moved into a guesthouse.

Another letting agent, who wished to remain anonymous said “every single house rented out is a nightmare”. He said some owners have been unable to put tenants in their units for more than two years and had lost a substantial amount of money.

A tenant who also wished to remain anonymous described dealings with the developer as “all lies and crap”.
“Some owners simply don’t have the financial capacity for legal representation,” said the owner.
Contractor Chris Snyman refused to comment on the allegations against him.

Source http://westcapenews.com

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West Coast Langebaan Lagoon Festival Paddle Challenge

SUP Race in Langebaan this weekend. We have some spare boards to rent and will be holding demos after the race. Come join in this fun race! Only 6kms and weather is looking perfect for SUPs on Saturday. If you want to reserve a board, contact peter@sup-sulture.co.za See you in Langebaan this weekend! West Coast Lagoon Festival Paddle Challenge 1. WHERE : Registration & Start - Main Beach, Langebaan (in front of Pearlys Restuarant) 2. DATE : SATURDAY 27 MARCH 2010 3. TIME : Reg: 08h00 - 10h00 @ Pearlys Start: Guppies:- 09h00 Short Course:- 10h00 (SUP Paddlers also welcome!) Long Course:- Briefing at 10h30, race won't start before 11h00 4. COURSES : Guppies will be decided on the day according to conditions (+/- 2km’s) Short Course:- 6km's in the protected waters of the Lagoon, start and finish at Main Beach (in front of Pearlys) Long Course:- +/- 12km's, course will be decided on the day, possible Downwind with finishes either at Mykonos or Saldanha PFD's/LIFEJACKETS TO BE WORN BY ALL COMPETITORS! SUP's need to wear shortie wetsuit or full suit. LEASHES, CELL PHONES AND FLARES REQUIRED BY LONG COURSE PADDLERS IF DOWNWIND IS DONE!

5. ENTRY FEE : R50, Guppies R20 (NB: Those guppies not enrolled in the Langebaan Guppie Program must provide their own equipment and be proficient paddlers, those that are part of the Guppie Program must book a boat, paddle and lifejacket with Rob on a first come, first serve basis) 6. PRIZES : There will be R4 000 CASH in prize money, medals for category winners and other lucky draws! News sponsored by West Coast Office National for all your printing & stationery needs.www.pencil.co.za

Langebaan Lagoon festival

Where Langebaan When 2010/03/26 08:00 am to 2010/03/28 05:00 pm Get to the West Coast for one of the wildest music festivals in the Cape. Friday’s awesome line-up of performers includes David Fourie, Wicus vd Merwe, Chereè, Wynand Strydom, Die Broers, Lianie May, Snotkop & Band, Watershed and Ray Dylan. On Saturday Dewald Dippenaar, Anton Botha, Piet Plagiaat, DJ Ossewa, Arno Jordaan, Eden, Jakkie Louw, DR Victor & Rasta Rebels, Juanita, Kurt Darren and Bok van Blerk will be jamming into the early hours. On Sunday Dixie Hillbilly Trio, Freddie Nest, Sasha-lee Davids, Kalahari Orkes, Andries Botha & Nedine Blom, Emo Adams & Band, Bobby van Jaarsveld and Romanz take the stage. How fast are you? Try your skills at the West Coast Lagoon Festival Kite Surfing Challenge, the Hobie Cat Speed Challenge or Kayak race. Apart from theses races and the array of popular musical acts, there will also be many other fun things on the go as well as lots of kids activities to look forward to. Need to know? Venue: Club Mykonos Die Fees word aangebied vanaf 26 tot 28 Maart 2010 in Langebaan en benewens gewilde Musieksterre, word ook baie ander tydverdrywe en pret in die vooruitsig gestel! Contact Person Contact Details 022 772 0654 sunshinepro@mweb.co.za Event website www.weskuslagoonfees.co.za

Source www.safarinow.com

Langebaan lagoon. Save SharkBay from the developers

Please help, its now or never...

A fresh attempt is being made at developing Shark Bay in Langebaan Lagoon.

You can help to prevent the destruction of this pristine natural beauty (and world class kitesurfing venue) by following these steps:

1. Download the SaveSharkBay objection document (Our experts have prepared a prewritten response which address all the legal problems with the development)
2. "Cut & Paste" the information into an email. (We encourage you to add your own comments as well, but if you don't have time there is no need)
3. You then need to email it to: lindsay@dougjeff.co.za and CC savesharkbay@gmail.com

Midnight tonight 10th March is the last day of objections, so please email your objection today, as in NOW!

Together, we can stop this development.

Thanks for your support

The SaveSharkBay team

Langebaan Downwind dash cancelled, and replaced by “No Ordinary Weekend” sponsored by Resolution.

R15,000 of cash to be won!

The Saldanha Beach Sailing club welcomes PKRA race director as part of the organising team for the up-coming “No Ordinary Weekend” sponsored by Resolution.

Join in the festivities starting at Lagoon Sports on Langebaan main beach this evening from 5pm.

Witness Marc Avella’s world record attempt for a long distance ski, starting from main beach Langebaan at 11H00 as well as parasailing demos for everyone.

Also, kiteboarders and windsurfers from around the county will battle it out ina mixture of slalom racing, long distance and extreme free style kiting from the pro’s.

Come to Club Mykonos Taverna on Saturday eve for a “Dash Thrash” with live entertainment from Nungarin and live on the decks, Ruben Len10 from the Netherlands. Family and friends welcome to join in the fish braai from 18H30.

Source www.gust.co.za

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