News of yesteryear

This week we look back at the Herald of November 21, 1997.

• School leavers opt for further education

Brakpan matric pupils started job-hunting early this year, with many starting to check out opportunities for employment in September, even though the bulk of applicants are expected in January and February.

According to the owner of an East Rand personnel agency, there has, however, been a definite drop in the number of matrics wanting employment immediately after leaving school.

Read: News of yesteryear

More are now opting to study further.

Even boys who enter apprenticeships for various trades seem to want to add to their qualifications, in order to stand a better chance of getting a good job.

Pupils are quickly finding out that, except in some cases, having a matric certificate is not enough if they have ambition.

Most local matric pupils interviewed said they were optimistic about the future, especially as there were opportunities in fields such as computer training.

But they all agreed on the importance of further education, if it is affordable.

• Businesses must clean up their premises

Unsightly litter outside premises will not to be tolerated by the Brakpan Health Department.

In several areas of the town large refuse containers, obtained from the council, are left standing until the refuse overflows onto the pavements.

Residents who have to suffer the stench coming from these containers are up in arms about the situation.

They complain that large containers are often left for long periods and not only attract vermin, but become hunting grounds for many people.

Hoboes dig in them for food and other goods and throw out the rubbish in the process.

Children also climb into them, not knowing they are a health hazard, while stray dogs tear open bags and cartons.

The result is an unhealthy mess.

Refuse bags piled outside business premises long before the due date of removal are also a common sight.

Sometimes they are placed in alleyways.

According to the head of Brakpan Health Services, the matter is being addressed urgently by the environmental health officer.

• Pensioner loses R500 to ATM thieves

A Brakpan pensioner became the latest victim of ATM thieves in the centre of town last week.

The 66-year-old is still bewildered by the fact that she lost R500 in only a few minutes without even knowing it.

She went to the Volkskas Bank ATM in Voortrekker Road and waited until two men had finished a transaction and moved away, before going to the machine and entering her PIN.

She heard them saying something about an “old lady” and immediately cancelled her transaction and told them to go away, which they did.

She then re-inserted the card, but was unable to complete the transactions because the receipt said there were no funds available.

The time was 1.57pm.

The victim thought something was wrong and went to the nearby Trust Bank ATM, where she received the same information at exactly 2.01pm.

When she queried the transaction with Volkskas, she was told that R500 had been withdrawn from her account at 2pm.

“I had possession of my card the whole time,” she said.

“No one saw me enter the PIN before I cancelled the first transaction.

“I’m still shocked and can’t believe it happened.”

• Robbers strike at post office

A 36-year-old man was robbed of a .38 revolver and R200 in cash outside the Brakpan Post Office on Monday.

He was stopped by a man who asked him for a light.

Another men then joined them and the two robbed him.

• Supermarket is robbed of R12 000

Three armed men held up the proprietor of a Brakpan supermarket on Monday morning, and stole R12 000.

The owner and four other people were held at gunpoint at 9am, while the thieves took cash from the tills and left in a car.

Have a story?

Contact the newsroom by emailing: Thelma Koorts  (editor) brakpanherald@caxton.co.za

or Stacy Slatter (news editor) stacys@caxton.co.za

 or Miné Fourie (journalist) minev@caxton.co.za

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