Current Edition >> Archive Section >> Special Features >> April 2005
Kenmerkend van die nuwe kompleks is die byderwetse Tuscan-voorkoms, terwyl binne die kompleks reeds 'n nuwe “vibe” tasbaar is.
Die bestaande ankerhuurders - Pick 'n Pay, Virgin Active en Clicks - bly aan terwyl ander groot SA kettinggroepe aangedui het hulle wil binne die eerskomende maande in die kompleks vestig.
Daarbenewens kry Northridge Mall ook vier nuwe rolprentteaters, wat later tot agt opgegradeer gaan word terwyl 'n kegelbaan langs die teaters geopen gaan word, omring deur restaurante en koffiewinkels. 'n Speletjies-arkade word naby die teaters ingerig.
Fokuspunte met water word rondom die kompleks beplan, terwyl dakligte ook opgegradeer word - alles om 'n kalm en ontspanne atmosfeer te skep.
Toegang tot die parkeerterrein van die kompleks sal in die toekoms vanuit vier punte van die gebouekompleks wees en wat bedien word deur feitlik onbeperkte geteerde parkeerterrein.
Meer toegangspaaie
Volgens 'n woordvoerder van Property House, word samesprekings tans gevoer met die Mangaung Plaaslike Munisipaliteit oor nuwe toegange aan die westekant van die kompleks. O.m. word beoog om twee nuwe strate te bou om die kompleks regstreeks te verbind met Heliconhoogte en Pentagonpark. Ook word beplan om Olympusweg te verleng om by die kompleks aan te sluit.
Voorheen kon grond wes van Northridge Mall nie ontwikkel word nie omdat dit in private besit was, maar intussen is dit aan die munisipaliteit verkoop. Na verwagting kan tot 2 000 nuwe wooneenhede binne die volgende vyf jaar in die omgewing van die Mall opgerig word.
Northridge Mall is slegs sowat 2 km vanaf die N1 snelweg.
Unieke kombinasie
'n Woordvoerder van Property House het gesê dat Northridge Mall tans in totaal 22 000m² onder dak beslaan, maar dat aansienlike verdere uitbreidings met addisionele parkeerterrein beplan word.
Hy sê daar is besluit om die Mall op te gradeer en uit te brei, aangesien daar tans groot residensiële ontwikkeling in die noordelike deel van Bloemfontein plaasvind. “Die ligging van die Mall is reg vir toekomstige ontwikkelings,” sê hy. Samesprekings oor meer toegangsroetes tot die Mall word tans met belanghebbendes gevoer.
Die Mall bied iets anders aan kopers, aangesien dit ruim is en in 'n stil omgewing langs Bloemfontein geleë is. Die klem val op die gesin, met ander groot prioriteite sekuriteit en veilige, gratis parkering. As sulks behoort die nuwe kompleks 'n groot bydrae te maak, nie slegs in Bloemfontein nie, maar ook in die hele omringende streek.
Die bestuur van Northridge Mall wil graag die publiek bedank vir hulle geduld tydens die bouwerk en vra om verskoning vir enige ongerief wat dit mag veroorsaak.
The Northridge shopping experience
Shopping at Northridge Mall is guided by the overriding principle - huge variety catering for the entire family. Accordingly the mix of shop tenants has been selected and that is also the maxim of the nearly 40 individual shops and stores already in place - with ample shop space still in a process of being filled up.
Amongst those advertising in this feature, the following could be highly recommended:
Hannes van Tonder's Cyclotech sells a wide range of brands and consists of a full workshop. They also collect and deliver bicycles for repairs. With 12 years of experience in the bicycle industry, customers are guaranteed to get the best service and advice.
Torga Optical of André Roos is the easiest venue to shop for all your eye care needs. No guessing of the price is necessary, while he also gives cash discount for private patients.
The Managing Director of Extremeline, David van Wyck, says that their shop is the place to go to for all your extreme sports' merchandise. They sell bike and skateboard accessories and customers can also design their own stickers at the store.
As a tenant who has been in the mall for years, Piet Cronjé of Safari Drankwinkel, is excited about his new store next to Pick 'n Pay. “This means that people can buy their groceries and find us nearby for all the extra's!”
Douglas Lamb of Eric Lamb says that besides their excellent gardening products, one has the advantage of free advice based on years of experience in Bloemfontein and the Free State.
For the latest fashion, both shoes and accessories, Miss Mod is definitely a must. Emily Tsai, the owner, says their merchandise is truly exceptional and the younger generation is bound to find something to impress their friends.
Anel van den Heever, the owner of Dada points out that they provide free consultations for matric farewells and weddings. Nothing is too big or too much for them: Bridesmaids, ring-bearers and the mother of the bride will all find that something special.
For this and much more….. Northridge Mall is the call!
Eerste kegelspelbaan open in Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein kry uiteindelik 'n kegelspelbaan by Northridge Mall. Die opening is voorlopig geskeduleer vir vroeg in Mei en dit sal die enigste kegelspelbaan vir die Vrystaat en Noord-Kaap wees.
Volgens mnr. Kenneth Venter, bestuurder van Let's Go Bowling:Northridge Mall, behoort die baan baie voete na die Mall toe te trek, aangesien dit 'n nuwigheid vir Bloemfonteiners is.
“Die baan gaan 'n stylvolle beeld hê met 'n sitkamerarea en 'n kroeg vir persone ouer as 18,” sê Venter. Sy doelwit met die baan is om goeie gesinsvermaak te bied. “Almal in die gesin sal op 'n gelyke vlak kan kompeteer en Bloemfontein het 'n leemte aan sulke vermaak vir die hele gesin.”
Nog 'n unieke kenmerk van die baan is dat dit in die middel van Northridge Mall geleë is. “Die spasie vir die baan is spesiaal so ingeruim.”
Die baan gaan spesiale aanbiedinge vir studente, skoliere, jeuggroepe, verjaarsdagpartytjies en besighede bied, terwyl gereelde spelers by 'n klub kan aansluit om afslag op speelpryse te kry.
“Daar sal ook 'n liga wees waar mense die geleentheid sal kry om provinsiale kleure te verwerf en teen ander provinsies te kompeteer,” sê Venter.
Vir meer inligting oor Let's Go Bowling kan Venter by 083 957 3264 gekontak word.
Behalwe dat die landbou in SA 'n strategiese bedryf is in die sin dat dit die voedselverskaffer vir die nasie is, is dit ook een van die grootste werkgewers in die land. Aan die ander kant is dit, vanweë 'n verskeidenheid van faktore, 'n feit soos 'n koei dat die landboubedryf in SA - ook in die Vrystaat - tans in die spervuur is soos nooit tevore in die geskiedenis nie en trouens veg om oorlewing.
Wat die Vrystaat betref, word dit as die “spens” van SA bestempel, vanweë die feit dat die provinsie 36% van die mielies, 50% van die sorghum, 42% van die koring, 23% van die wol en 18% van die suiwel in die land produseer, terwyl dit die naasgrootste produsent van sonneblom, grondboontjies en droë bone is. Naas mynbou en toerisme, is landbou die derde grootste enkele bydraer tot die BNP van die Vrystaat.
Hoe lyk die milieu waarbinne landbou in die Vrystaat huidiglik funksioneer en wat is die vooruitsigte?
Die volgende word basies gesien as bedreigings tot der mate dat landbou in 'n oorlewingstryd gewikkel is:
Bo-aan die lys is die misdaadgolf sonder weerga. Sedert 1994 is sowat 1 100 kommersiële boere in SA op hul plase vermoor die hoogste moordsyfer per capita vir enige beroep ter wêreld. Daarmee saam enorme diefstal van vee, plaaswerktuie en vragmotors wat - volgens Statistieke SA se jongste landbousensus het misdaad boere in 2002 sowat R1,2 miljard uit die sak gejaag .
Geweldige druk word deur die vereistes vir grondhervorming toegepas en hoewel die Vrystaat hiermee uitstekend tred hou en opdatum is met sy teikens, word met groot moeite eskalasie tot 'n onbeheerbare situasie afgeweer.
Swak staatsbeskerming van SA landbouprodukte teen gesubsidieërd ingevoerde landbouprodukte het 'n verwoestende effek op plaaslike produkpryse, met o.a. 'n 3 miljoen ton mieliesurplus vanaf 2004 na 2005 oorgedra en wat die mielieprys tot so laag as R600/ton afgedwing het met die gevolg dat talle mielieboere vanjaar nie eens 'n pit geplant het nie.
Landbou-insetkoste wat die hoogte inspiraleer, met die netto effek dat landbouskuld in SA tans meer as R31 miljard beloop.
Die uitfasering van die kommandostelsel in SA, met 17 kommando's en twee groephoofkwartiere wat einde Maart 2005 landswyd gesluit het. In die Vrystaat het die kommando's Bloemfontein Stad (operasioneel sedert 1848) en Edenburg, asook Groep 36 hoofkwartier te Bloemfontein, gesluit. Met geen daadwerklike alternatief op hierdie stadium nie, maak dit landelike veiligheid prakties weerloos.
Die nuwe Vuurwapenwet skep kennelik 'n menigte probleme vir die wetsgehoorsame burger (en ook Vrystaatse boer) om sy eie vuurwapen aan te hou en te gebruik, veral ter beskerming van huis en haard. Sonder twyfel verswak die netto effek van hierdie Wet die vermoë tot selfverdediging van die gewone burger in SA soos nooit tevore nie.
Oor veral die haglike grenssituasie met Lesotho, het Vrystaat Landbou twee maande gelede 'n afvaardiging gestuur na Premier Beatrice Marshoff, maar Vrystaat Landbou sê nou dat tot op hede niks konkreets uitgekristalliseer het nie.
Teen hierdie agtergrond het die Vrystaat Sake Bulletin die President van Vrystaat Landbou, mnr. Louw Steytler, met die volgende vrae genader, waarop hy soos aangedui gereageer het:
Vraag: Met die snelstygende insetkoste en die afwaartse druk op graanpryse, wat reken u staan die Vrystaatse graanboer te doen?
Antwoord: Eerstens moet graanprodusente hulle trots in hulle sak steek en onmiddellik in gesprek tree met kredietverskaffers, kommersiële banke, Landbank en landbou besighede. Feit van situasie is dat daar groot surplusse mielies tans verwag word. In belang van al die betrokkenes moet hierdie jaar se mielieoes oor die volgende twee bemarkingsjare bemark word. In ruil vir die finansiering van die rente en opbrengskomponent sal boere moet onderneem om ten minste 50% minder mielies in die volgende seisoen te plant, indien mielieprodusente winsgewend is. Tans is dit moontlik om mielies vir ± R400 / ton te koop terwyl dit ± R700 - R900 kos om te produseer. Dit sou wys wees gegewe hierdie feit om eerder fisiese mielies of Saffex posisies aan te gaan eerder as om te produseer.
V: Hoe sien u, kortliks, die effek op Vrystaatse boere van die uitfasering van die kommandostelsel en die implementering van die nuwe Vuurwapenwet?
A: Dit is kommerwekkend dat weinig kommandolede volgens die polisie by die reservistestelsel aangesluit het. Die kwessie rakende die vergoeding van reserviste is nog nie opgeklaar nie en is waarskynlik die grootste probleem hoekom so min kommandolede tans oorskakel na die reservistestelsel van die polisie. 'n Mens is dus met reg bekommerd oor die “vakuum” wat kan ontstaan met die oorskakelingsperiode.
V: Hoe sien u realisties die pad vorentoe wat betref die suidoosgrenssituasie met Lesotho?
A: Die Regering het 'n plig om sy burgers te beskerm en elke landsinwoner het 'n reg om op alle terreine beveilig te word. In die geval van die situasie aan die Lesotho-grens, het dit duidelik geword dat die Regering sy plig versuim in hierdie verband. Na afloop van 'n onlangse besoek aan dié gebied, is dit duidelik dat die haglike omstandighede in hierdie gebied nie langer geduld kan word nie. En as ons regsmening aanbeveel dat ons as belange-organisasie ons lede se regte moet beskerm, sal ons nie huiwer om die Regering voor die hoogste hof te daag om hulle te dwing om hul verantwoordelikheid na te kom nie. 'n Finale besluit hieroor sal binne die volgende paar weke geneem word.
V: Die tema van die Vrystaatse Jongboer Kongres wat op 6 Mei 2005 te Bloemfontein gehou word, is “Jongboer, wat is jou toekoms in Afrika?” Wat sou u in 'n neutedop 'n jongboer in die Vrystaat aanraai?
A: Bepaald sal ons toekoms in Afrika bepaal word deur ons vermoë om die stem van ekonomiese redelikheid te vestig. Alleenlik sal ons as belangegroep dit bereik deur betrokkenheid op elke vlak van die samelewing. Ek bly positief, dis my land ook.
Background
The Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF), an initiative from the Presidency to capacitate young people to contribute towards the reconstruction and development of South Africa by increasing their own competencies and opportunities for economic activity, has been launched for the Free State at an illustrious event in Bloemfontein.
The Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF) was established in January 2001 by the South African government to facilitate and promote the creation of job and skills development and transfer among young South Africans (ages 18 - 35).
The UYF fulfils its mandate by making strategic investments that facilitate opportunities for young people to acquire skills, to access job opportunities, and pursue meaningful self-employment through various enterprise initiatives.
The UYF's activities are executed through three focus areas:
·Contact Information and Counseling (CIC)\
· Skills Development and Transfer
·Youth Entrepreneurship Programme
To this end. the UYF has various products available for relevant categories of young people.
With the launch of the Business Development Services Voucher Programme (BDSFP) in the Free State, it means that the Voucher Programme is now directly accessible for Free State youth between the ages 18 to 35, subject to the laid down criteria.
Maximiz as Allocating Agent of the UYF for the Free State, is a marketing and development company focusing on marketing, brand development, business development, capacity building, training and life skills development. Maximiz, being a SETA- accredited service provider, helps young entrepreneurs gain access to quality business support, ranging from accounting and bookkeeping services to business plan development.
As Allocating Agent for the UYF, Maximiz executes the BDSVP through accredited service providers, of whom there are already 13 in the Free State, but more applications are being invited.
In the roll-out process of the UYF in the Free State, a number of Youth Advisory Centres (populary known as YAC's) are also to be established in the province.
Meanwhile companies and corporates wishing to support or sponsor the implementation of the UYF in the Free State in any way, are welcome to do so by contacting
Alfred Pesa and his team at Maximiz. This also applies to any other enquiries.
The offices of Maximiz are situated at the Business Partners Building, cnr. East Burger and Henry Streets, Bloemfontein. The tel. no. is (051) 448 1500. For full detail on the UYF, visit also website www.uyt.org.za.
Sustainable Human Settlements Plan
This led to the adoption of the Human Settlements Plan by Cabinet, as proposed by the Dept. of Housing, in terms of which inter alia all informal settlements in South Africa is to be upgraded by 2025 into quality, serviced and sustainable human settlements. Thus the Plan provides for all South Africans an opportunity to access homes in well-located, designed and serviced areas. At the same time the Plan is designed to accelerate the delivery of housing as a key strategy for poverty alleviation and major job creation. As the Plan, also, is to impact in a major way on the Free State province once implementation is in full swing. The basic lines of the Plan is sketched herewith for public and developmental information purposes. The new subsidy bands to come into force as from 1 April 2005, would be as follows:
The Plan prioritizes the development and provision of quality housing as opposed to quantity. This is a non-negotiable principle and the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) is the institution developed to ensure that this approach is enforced. Other set objectives of the Plan include bringing workers closer to work, upgrading of hostels, employer - assisted housing and transfer of old government houses to people.
Rounding up informal settlements
With the implementation of the Plan, disadvantaged communities will begin to have access to essential services, greater choice in the type of housing and, more importantly, a better life. The objective is to ensure that in 10 years, many of the informal settlements would have been replaced with formal housing structures. This is a new phased developmental approach that will firstly address emergency services and shelter needs, and ultimately deliver full service to people living in informal areas. As for the Free State, the Grassland informal settlement at Mangaung has been identified as a pilot project for Informal Settlement Upgrading. For development purposes, the previous informal settlements area had been sub-divided into seven sub-areas, viz. JB Mafora 2, Kagisanong Ext. 5, Turflaagte 2, Isithwalandwe, Turflaagte 1, JB Mafora 1 and Chris Hani 3, each with a designated private developer.
Through the various subsidy programmes under the Reconstruction Development Programme about 7250 houses had to be built in the year 2004 and 2005 within Manguang Municipality's areas of Rodenbeck, Turflaagte, Mafora, Thaba Nchu and Botshabelo. However, due to various problems and constraints only less than half of these designated houses have been built.
FS Strategic Housing Plan for 2005
The Dept. of Local Government & Housing has formulated a Plan for its human settlement development programme which includes strategic objectives, housing planning research, housing performance subsidies, urban renewal and housing asset management.
Within this ambit the department is required to target 71 675 households to receive allocated funds of R398 908 375, 80 for the years 2005 to 2006. The expected outcomes
• Negotiate and acquire land in June 2005.
• Alienation and town registry opening June 2006
• Infrastructure installation by June 2006
• Housing construction June 2006
• Socio-economic facility construction by November 2006
These objectives are in line with directives from National Government.
Partnerships
Crucial to the success of the Sustainable human Settlement Plan, in the Free State, is effective partnerships not only between government and the public, but pertinently also between government and the private sector - notably the financial and construction sectors. To this end, the Dept. of Local Government & Housing would welcome proposals and inputs from roleplayers and stakeholders in the Free State.
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