Following Japan's massive earthquake, the subsequent Tsunami and now ongoing nuclear crisis, Capetonians have recently found out that their very own nuclear power station sits alongside a geological fault. One which caused an earthquake in 1809, measuring between 6.3 and 6.5 on the Richter scale; a similar magnitude to the recent earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. The fault line lies in Milnerton about 8km offshore of Koeberg.
Apparently a few earthquakes have already been recorded from this fault including a small one in May 2009. Experts say the earthquake risk is rare but a very real threat.
Not sure whether that is encouraging or scary news. Either way, despite the risk Koeberg has already been selected as one of the possible sites where additional nuclear stations may be built.
As the Japanese are finding out, no matter how prepared you think you are for any scenario, you never can predict the future and their ongoing nuclear nightmare should be a lesson to us all. The Germans appear to be watching and learning and have closed seven of their nuclear plants built before 1980 and is reconsidering its nuclear strategy.
Eskom says it has built Koeberg to withstand an earthquake of seven. I'm not sure how reassuring that is?
Not sure what all this news is doing for Milnerton property prices.
Illegal Shebeen - house forfeited to state
Most of us, at one time or another has needed beer in a hurry, when all liquor stores are closed and options are few. So we turned to the old faithful; the much loved (by the consumer) and hated (by the authorities) shebeen, an informal often illegal drinking establishment, which have felt the harsh end of the authorities stick in recent years.
Now the law has caught up with one such place in Athlone, Cape Town. Well I say caught up but the couple who ran the illegal shebeen from their home, have been raided by police 52 times before and are now being forced to forfeit their home to the state.
This is after the High Court ruled that they had used the property illegally for the past six years.
The shebeen was the couple's main source of income, although they do run a vegetable store alongside the house, but the court decided the only way to stop them selling alcohol illegally was to take away their house. They will be missed but there are plenty others to choose from.
Family "sells" properties they didn't own
Another family in trouble with the law is Capetonian Andries Marais and his children Reginald Marais and Karin Joubert. This industrious trio allegedly sold two properties that apparently did not belong to them.
The family pocketed about R4m from selling the two properties in Stellenbosch and Port Elizabeth. The three have pleaded not guilty.
One of the victims Magda van der Walt apparently paid the trio R3.5m as part of her plan to build a training centre for adults. Businessman Andre Mans invested R500 000.
