THANK YOU to all who continue to contribute funds, support, positive inputs, and workable solutions. With this letter I appeal to all to sign up as active members to the Ratepayers’ Association. R100 per year per person.
I would like to thank the Betty’s Bay Emergency Support Team (BEST) and the volunteer fire team for their extraordinary assistance given to our community.
Thank you to the residents who have reported leaning Eskom and Telkom poles. These matters may seem small but could have an unpleasant negative effect on our community if not attended to. I can, and do, report directly to the relevant teams in Eskom and Telkom to have these matters seen to.
WELCOME to those who are new to Betty’s Bay and the BBRA. This is a platform where you may engage with your volunteer leadership in the BBRA and find a platform for you to exercise your passion in the service of this community. Our meetings take place every 2nd Wednesday of the month at 17:00 at the Crassula Hall. We have created a slot for you prior to our committee meetings. Spread the word and join the TEAM.
BANK DETAILS
Account Name: Betty’s Bay Ratepayers Association
Branch: ABSA Hermanus
Account type: Cheque
Account Number: 4066616439
Our Ref: Your Surname & Erf Number or your erf number and your course (BBNW, BEST etc)
A DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHY
As easy as things may seem to be, the practicalities are often misunderstood or we are greatly misinformed. The BBRA have partnered up with our Kleinmond administration to resolve, solve and help schedule work to be done on our stormwater system and roads. Once a week our portfolio members for roads and stormwater meet with the Kleinmond Engineering Department to discuss work done and work to be done. Our constant challenges are material, machinery, and money, not to mention the curved balls of breakdowns and bad weather. Together we agree to have work done by taking all these factors into consideration. Each stormwater pressure point and road is on our list. Some pressure points and roads need more urgent attention than others and some are more challenging than others, but these are discussed and plotted onto a priority list for action.
Let’s talk briefly about Edward Rd. This road has been destroyed time after time by the strong mountain water making its way to the lake. There have been many expensive and time-consuming endeavours to sort out this problem with not much success to date. We are not convinced that any more time and money be spent on this road until a suitable and permanent engineering solution is agreed upon by our portfolio principals and the Kleinmond office for Engineering. In the meantime, we will proceed to fix gravel roads plotted on the list in order of priority.
There are many aspects to consider when discussing the roads:
- Do we have the funds?
- Do we have the substrate?
- Is the equipment available?
- Access to property
- Traffic safety issues
- Criminality safety issues and access
- Poaching activities and access
- Emergency services access
If larger fixes cannot take place due to one of the above considerations, then minor or less important fixes further down the list will be attended to until things get back to normal.
In days gone by one could pick up the telephone or send a fax to the Municipality and make a complaint. Within a relatively short time they would respond and attend to the complaint. Today we have many different elements to consider before we leave the municipal yard. As I have stated before, this is not going to get better. We can do two things here. We can throw our toys out of the cot or we can work together to systematically fix things. Now, we are behind the curve, and it will take a lot of time, money, and effort to catch up, and then be able to be proactive.
This could take many years yet. Our rates and taxes and provincial and capital funding at present are just not enough for the work that needs to be done. We can only stand together and do the best we can with what we have.
PICKLEBALL: The BBRA is introducing a community sport called Pickleball.
Pickleball is a paddle sport in which two or four players hit with paddles a perforated, hollow plastic ball over a 34-inch-high net until one side is unable to return the ball or commits an infraction. Google it and join in by contacting Alexandra Watson on 083 270 3112 for more details.
Although this sport is not unique to the country, we are certainly one of the first villages to have it here in Betty’s Bay. So, for all the ex-tennis and badminton players, and ex-squash players like me, we have an alternative to keep fit and rekindle the competitive nature within us.
The court is currently under construction next to the Crassula Hall and should be ready in a month or two. This court could also double as a volleyball court. A little birdy told me that Kleinmond are considering doing the same and I suspect that our first competition will be against those from the other side of the Palmiet. It is early days and once we understand who is going to play the game, we will establish groupings, but for now let’s just go and enjoy this sport together.
(Image from Wikipedia)
THE TEAM
Meet the Exco.
Rob Boyd Vice Chairman BEST and Engineering
Adrian De Kock Treasurer Finance and Membership
Karon Scholefield Secretary Administration and Property development
Wayne Jackson Chairman Oversight, direction, development, and safety & security
Portfolios: The portfolios are independent interest groups under the BBRA umbrella. The portfolios form part of the committee which holds meetings once a month on every 2nd Wednesday after public engagement.
Portfolios
Betty’s Bay Volunteer Fire and Rescue Team Jorika Rabie
Betty’s Bay Emergency Support Team Rob Boyd
Betty’s Bay Neighbourhood Watch system Wayne Jackson
Stormwater and Roads Amund Beneke
Water and Sewage Graeme McGill
Property Development Karon Scholefield
Social Development Cheryl Gleeson
Conservation Liezel Bohdanowicz
Business Laura Brown
IT and Social media Wendy Lucas
Events Shameez Joubert
Newsletters Vivienne von der Heyden
Crassula Hall Claudele Jackson
DEBATES: Every month there is a public debate on a matter of importance to Betty’s Bay. Please join these debates. Keep in mind that our debates are not spaces to vent, but rather where we find solutions and engage with new ideas and concepts for Betty’s Bay. Debates take place every 3rd Wednesday of the month at 18:00 at the Crassula Hall. You may also email your thoughts to me on the day. The debates have not been attended by many and the emailed inputs have been a great help. The feedback from you has been positive. Our volunteers will continue to engage on matters important to Betty’s Bay. We do acknowledge that some of the content is contentious and sensitive, but these matters must be dealt with whether they are favourable to us or not.
To date we have debated:
- Power outages
- Party houses
- Spaces for dogs to run off leashes
- Domestic animals
- Contractors
- Home security
- Problems on rubbish collection days.
All these outcomes have been emailed to all. The last debate was about problems on rubbish collection day and all the ins and outs about that.
THE NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
Every ratepayer and resident is a passive member of our Neighbourhood Watch. You are our eyes and ears and camera monitors.
We have active members. These are the volunteers that man the radios, monitor cameras and respond to issues.
We have an active partnership with the four security companies and together much is done during any given night. We have a good radio network and an expanding camera network. We have the WATCH groups to keep you as informed as possible and for you to report crime, suspicious activity and to call when you need help. We have just added a drone to our arsenal of equipment to service our community better.
We do need a representative for Bass Lake and Jock’s Bay please.
We need some young blood to take over the reins of the Neighbourhood Watch operations coordinator. If you think you are up to it, please contact me on 082 928 1260.
OVERSTRAND MUNICIPALITY EMERGENCY NUMBERS: Saving OM’s emergency service numbers on your phone, means you are prepared for any situation.
028 312 2400 Fire, flood, or medical emergency
028 313 8980 Security and safety and disaster management issues
028 313 8996 Law enforcement day-to-day complaints
069 151 5962 Baboon hotline
028 313 8000 For general enquiries / accounts
028 313 8111 Emergencies relating to basic services / municipal infrastructure.
For Eskom we use Alfred. Once you have a reference number we can follow up with our friends at Eskom.
For Telkom we use their Facebook page to communicate. We also have friends for infrastructure.
Marie Le Roux has also instituted two WhatsApp groups with emergency numbers and a whole host of numbers of services that we are constantly asking for on the groups.
BBRA GROUPS
We have 3 official groups for each zone: the Watch groups, the Community groups, the R44 WhatsApp groups.
Please, do not offload your frustrations here or bad mouth the organisations that are trying to support you. This sort of thing does not help me in the least and it is so disheartening to think that we have some very
nasty people living amongst us. Give me possible solutions to the problems you, and we all, are trying to deal with. This I can work with. May I also thank you for the great suggestions that have been communicated to me. Look at the portfolios in the BBRA and see where you think your skill set will be best utilised and offer your help. This is all voluntary and if it takes volunteers to sort out Betty’s Bay problems then let’s be up for it.
BB SENIOR CARE GROUP: We are also launching a group for our senior members under the guidance of Professor Ethelwynn Stellenberg. The intention is to ensure that all our senior members are fully cared for in times of need. Prof Stellenberg and the BB Senior care Group will be operating under the Community Development portfolio as a subcommittee. Once this group is up and running it will connect and work with other similar groups in the area to ensure that all aspects of care for our senior members are addressed.
THE BBRA NEWSLETTER
I would like to see our local business community benefit from this newsletter in terms of advertising and promoting their businesses. Ratepayers and residents may also apply for certain articles to be mentioned in our newsletter. The latter will be discussed and approved by the Exco and Vivienne.
Your business card size advert will cost R1000 per year to be placed in the newsletter each month and on our new and improved website.
Review and re-prioritise current Integrated Development Plan (IDP) ward priorities for the 2024/25 review.
It is Integrated Development Plan and Budget time again. Below is a list of what is on the table for Ward 10.
WARD 10 IDP: BBRA Committee inputs for the Review and re-prioritising of current IDP ward priorities for the 2024/25 IDP review: this could change as items are debated and argued.
|
Current 2023/ 24 |
New 2024/ 25 |
Description | Area | Note |
| 1 | 1 | Water pipe replacements (ongoing and making good progress) | PB, RE, BB | Ongoing |
| 4 | 2 |
a) Municipal fleet & equipment to render basic service b) Cut red tape for rapid turnaround time on repairs c) Explore automation of septic tank monitoring d) Upgrade of Municipal Works Yard |
Ward wide | We need the equipment to do the work |
| 2 | 3 | Upgrade / New stormwater infrastructure. (To identify HIGH priorities) | PB, RE, BB and Overhills | Stormwater solutions may positively impact on road quality |
| 3 | 4 |
a) Upgrade of roads. b) Paving of roads. c) Maintenance of gravel roads/dust control. d) Explore alternative road surface solutions. |
PB, RE, BB, Overhills and Mooiuitsig | Good road surfacing is essential to save on damages to our mobile investments |
| 6 | 5 | Proper delivery of sewerage and sanitation services: New toilet blocks for Overhills and conservancy tanks for Mooiuitsig |
Overhills Mooiuitsig |
|
| 26 | 6 | Maintenance of community halls/ buildings/ ablutions/ ECD facilities | PB, BB, Mooiuitsig and Overhills | Communities need meeting spaces and if we don’t attend to them shortly our capital investment will end up being a capital expenditure. |
| 12 | 7 | Upgrade beach ablution facilities. Communities are encouraged to enter co-management agreements for this item. Consider co-management agreements with communities. | Ward-wide | We are a tourist attraction and need to be proud of our spaces. |
| 13 | 8 | Paving coastal parking areas | PB and BB | Tourism |
| 18 | 9 | Replacement/maintenance of boardwalks. Add new walks to improve accessibility | Ward-wide | Tourism and nature conservation. This will assist in dune rehabilitation |
| 27 | 10 | Alien Clearing. To be done all year round by local teams of unemployed people. No money to be spent on contracts. Before removing from IDP, consolidate procedure and authority. No cost to the municipality and the sale of wood becomes the income generator. | Ward-wide | Local employment reduces the need to commit crime and gives local unemployed people their sense of pride back. |
| 5 | 11 |
Provision and upgrading of sport and recreation facilities: a. Upgrading of existing playparks to large playground. b. Sportsground and new playground. c. Further upgrades/ rounding-off of Kleinmond Soccer Field. d. Netball Field (Multi-purpose sport facilities) |
Mooiuitsig and Overhills | Healthy body, healthy mind is important for any community |
| 7 | 12 | New Fire Station Betty’s Bay | BB | Proximity to a fire is paramount. It also doubles as a communications centre during disasters and our medics may also be housed in this facility |
| 11 | 13 | Fencing of municipal facilities | Ward-wide | |
| 20 | 14 | Protection of the Environment: The areas around the coast, at the Kopje and on the Rooiels River estuary (all currently zoned for nature) to be officially proclaimed as protected nature reserve and included as an extension of the Rooiels Nature Reserve (RENR) | RE | |
| 21 | 15 | Protection of the Environment and Character of the Area: Rooi Els Heritage Overlay Zone to be adapted and extended to ALL of Rooiels – as submitted to OM as a Conservation Overlay Zone (RECOZ) – and also Hangklip Conservation Overlay Zone for protecting dark skies. Please remember this is not cast in stone and will be debated and finalised through a process of engagement within the municipal structures | RE |
Provincial and National Government
|
Current 2023/ 24 |
New 2014/ 25 |
Description | Area |
| 10 | 1 | Traffic calming (Ward-wide), plus R44 Provincial Road. May be moved to item 32 for Province and National. | Ward-wide |
| 28 | 2 | Housing | Mooiuitsig and Overhills |
| 29 | 3 | Community electrification | Overhills |
| 30 | 4 | High School | Ward-wide |
| 31 | 5 | Public transport | Ward-wide |
| 15 | 6 | Bus stops (new project) | BB, Mooiuitsig and Overhills |
| 8 | 7 | Upgrade of Taxi Rank | Overhills |
Move to community projects.
|
Current 2023/ 24 |
New 2014/ 25 |
Description | Area |
| 14 | 1 | Wi-Fi hot spots | Mooiuitsig and Overhills |
| 23 | 2 | Improvement of Law Enforcement Services (For the management of the environment and waste) | Ward-wide |
| 25 | 3 | Animal proof bin project for communities and residents to sort out | Ward-wide |
PRE-PAID METERS
The upgrading of our electricity meters will start in our area from about 2 November 2023. In effect we will be upgrading from one software version to another, from Version 1 to Version 2. At some point soon when you buy your electricity the number will be published on that same slip as your purchase code. The entire project will start on 1 July 2023 and must be completed by 30 November 2024. This gives us ample time to have the change done in our holiday homes. Eskom has adopted the process of doing the smaller towns and villages first as it will be easier to sort out teething problems. The first roll-out will be in Macassar and we are not too far behind them as we too are relatively small. There will also be media releases to this effect, and all will be on the Eskom web page.
ESKOM
Always check with your neighbours if their power is also out.
If it is out, then please report as MULTIPLE HOUSEHOLDS, otherwise Eskom will treat the fault as a single household, which means they will not prioritize the fault.
CRASSULA HALL
We are still looking for some sort of entrance furniture to place at the hall. An appeal to those who use the hall: please pack the chairs away in the alley from the toilet side and not in front of the storeroom door.
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
We have 7 Zones and for this reason I invite people to become representatives and leaders for their respective areas on the BBRA. As we develop, the dynamic and workload becomes more intense for the few volunteers. It would be nice to share the load as far and as widely as possible to be more effective and relevant. Please consider becoming a community leader.
LIVING ON THE EDGE
Don’t forget to include your edges and pavements in your gardening plan. Let us strive to do as much as possible ourselves in every aspect of our lives here in Betty’s Bay.
MARKET PLACE
The markets will start in September and the contact person is Shameez Joubert. Contact her on 073 199 0896.
Kind regards
Wayne
LOCAL IS LEKKER
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