These were some of the local stories making headlines in years gone by.
• Pay day is hellish for pensioners
Hundreds of old and disabled people are forced to wait for hours on end every month to receive their pensions at the Service Centre, Tweedy Park.
On Thursday, last week, the situation was intolerable for many, as one of the two payout machines was not working.
Payments could only be made to those with ID books, and not bard-coded cards.
A 71-year-old man collapsed in the middle of the endless rows.
But the pensioners say this is not an unusual occurrence.
“A man had an epileptic fit while waiting,” said one woman.
“There are many who feel ill, but just have to sit for up to five hours.
“They are scared even to go to the toilet, in case they lost their seats.”
The Herald visited the payout point after numerous complaints about the system.
The pensioners say the switch from the post office to another paypoint started off well last year, but now the numbers have increased and pensioners from other towns can make use of any payout point.
The old system also divided pensioners into categories such as age and disability and they received their pensions on different days at the post office.
Now all the payouts are done on the same day.
There are no complaints about the venue, but the waiting has become intolerable.
Read: News of yesteryear
• Herald told to leave
• The Herald was given a cold reception by officials at the pension payout point at Tweedy Park.
When taking a photograph, the camera was pushed into the photographer’s face by the centre manager, who said no pictures must be taken.
A security guard said: “Put the camera away, otherwise you will be removed.”
This was done, but both photographer and reporter were then rudely told by another security guard to “get out” anyway.
• Inbrekers gaan lustig voort
Inbrekers in Larrendale stuit vir niks — nie eens vir sekuriteitswagte en lemmetjiesdraad op die heining nie!
‘n Inwoner van hierdie buurt is behoorlik die hoenders in nadat daar die afgelope naweek twee keer by sy huis ingebreek is — en dit ten spyte van die feit dat die woonburt onlangs omhein is en dat sekuriteitswagte die plek patrolleer.
“Dit is doodeenvoudig nie aanvaarbaar nie,” het die persoon wat in Norfolkstraat woon gesê. (Hy het versoek dat die Herald nie sy naam publiseer nie).
Volgens hom is die buurt ‘n paar weke gelede afgesper — juis om inbrake en motorkapings hok te slaan.
Sekuriteitswagte is ook by die enigste ingang geplaas en daarbenewens is sy erf omring deur ‘n twee meter hoë heining en lemmetjiesdraad.
“Saterdagaand het iemand twee fietse uit my erf gesteel and Maandagaand is daar by my karavaan ingebreek,” het die ontstoke man gesê.
Talle goedere is uit die karavaan verwyder.
Die inbrekers het die lemmetjiesdraad op die heining geknip en daaroor geklim.
• Crime by the hour in Brakpan
A crime was committed at least every hour in Greater Brakpan last year, according to the Democratic Alliance.
A statement by the DA says “A total of 7 921 crimes were committed in Greater Brakpan during 2000.”
The official statistics of crime reported in Greater Brakpan in 2000 are: murder 119, rape and attempted rape 326, hijackings 162, assault with intent 1 238, burglaries of residences 2 193, all other robberies 1 485, theft of motor vehicles 696, common assaults 1 045, culpable homicide 45, malicious damage to property 586 and drug-related crimes 26.
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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