AGM - 17 March

Dear Residents,

Our AGM was yesterday evening. Many thanks to the 13 residents who attended. Below is the Chairman's Report. A resolution was undertaken that we would again meet in 6 month's time to decide the future of the Residents Association as our committee is far too small. As indicated, we need more people to come and help us but sadly, with a few exceptions, there appears to be a lack of interest. Don't forget to regularly check the "www.myweltvreden.co.za" website for other information pertaining to the PRA.

Apologies:

Keith Rowe, Anne Wood, John Tuck, Alan Naismith, Clr Tonkin,Clr White

Chairman’s Report - Aim is to have open, frank discussion.

Crime:

Due to the moratorium on crime statistics it’s impossible to gauge the level of crime in the area but recent incidences that I am aware of include the following:

Teak Ave – burglars lifted gate off rails to gain entry

Scooter Ave – new resident burgled on 2 occasions

Brampton Gate Complex – Gate was tampered with

Sure Slim clinic – on one occasion, a Golf was stolen and burglars were observed trying to steal a Toyota. Method used was to slip a knife underneath the bonnet and cut the wires leading to the horn. The thieves could then carry on without anyone being alerted. Luckily they were spotted and leisurely drove off in their car (HAVING WAVED TO THE PERSON WHO SHOUTED AT THEM)

Post boxes stolen in Kuils, Wildisering and Swaarthaak

Theft from Vehicles parked behind walls or fences in Scooter and Ruikpeul Ave.

Attempted poisoning of dogs in Sandpeer.

Beagle Watch:

Beagle Watch now have over 220 members which means they are now able to operate a 2nd 24 hr patrol car in the area. The plan is to have one car covering the area from Haak-en-Steek to Bergkaree and the other car from Haak-en-Steek to Hillfox.

As a Residents Association, we don’t just want to be a neighborhood watch, we also want to try and do something about Service Delivery by pressurizing Local Government to do what they are supposed to do with our taxpayer’s money. Issues such as grass cutting, pothole repair, signage and illegal dumping are topical at the moment. However, we can’t do this in isolation. We need residents to become more involved in pursuing these issues.

Noupit Street Park (at the Methodist Church):

A case in point is the Noupit Street Park which was neglected for years. Jenny Davies a local resident who lives adjacent to the Park, approached a maintenance contractor for quotes to clean up the park, which she submitted to us. Fortunately, we were able to supply the funds and get the job done. You may say that this is a City Parks problem, not ours, but ultimately it’s the residents who live next to the Park who sit with the problem. Since then, City Parks have come to the party and the park is now maintained on a regular basis thanks in no small part to Jenny and the relationship she has built up with them.

Panorama Pikitup Site:

Many of you are familiar with the appalling conditions at the Pikitup Garden Refuse site in Panorama where you have to negotiate huge potholes and sit in the queue for half an hour because there is no room for your vehicle to pass. Fed up with these conditions we went to the Pikitup Head Office in Braamfontein to lodge a formal complaint with the communications officer. After further pressuring from the Northside Chronicle I am happy to report that it looks like the site will soon be fixed up as I see truckloads of bricks and sand have been delivered – watch this space!

GDE Grass Cutting:

Similarly, we have been actively trying to get the Gauteng Dept of Education to cut the long grass on the corner of Lemoendoring and Jim Fouche Roads at the the Sasol Garage and also at Abel Removers in Cornelius Street. As you know, every year we sit with the same problem. Not only is the long grass an eyesore but it encourages builders to dump their rubble in the veldt which only becomes evident during the dry winter months when the grass catches fire. More importantly, it hides criminals who are intent on burgling houses surrounding the land. Apparently, the GDE do not have a budget for grass cutting so they have to find a BEE contractor to do the job. As one of the residents said to me it’s a case of the “rustiest hinge getting the most oil” so we will just have to keep nagging them. We were promised that the grass would be cut last week.

Sunset Valley Complex:

Another issue which is in the process of being addressed is the ongoing flooding situation at the Sunset Valley complex which happens during heavy rains. The problem is caused by blocked stormwater drains and reeds which results in a build-up of water which then runs into the complex and seeps into individual units. Marna Kuhn Chairperson of the Body Corporate has been actively trying to get the Municipality to do something about it for years but without success. In desperation she contacted us and we put her in touch with the Urban Development Manager at the Municipality. Yesterday I learned that the Engineers had been out to look at the property. They agreed there was a problem and new storm water drains would be constructed along JG Strydom however they couldn’t do anything about the reeds because they are part of a Conservation Area. Since the reeds are mostly responsible for the problem, our next port of call will be City Parks and Jenny Davies’ contact!

Rooisering Park/Open Space:

As regards the issue surrounding the Rooisering Park and the burglaries which have taken place there over the years, we want the park fenced off. We submitted a proposal to City Parks last year but unfortunately we simply don’t have the funds to do it ourselves so Clr Dee White also submitted this request as part of her IDP submissions. We met with City Parks and they toured the area and said that they would put forward a Capex Request which should go through this next financial year but not before June 2009 as there is no more money. We will continue to keep chasing them up.

Election of Committee:

The PRA in its present form has been in operation for 5 years now and was established initially to do something about the level of crime in the area by, amongst other things, establishing a 24 hr Patrol Car. We think we have established this through Beagle Watch. The question now arises, what now? Do you think we should continue, bearing in mind that we are a very small committee, or do you think that the Residents Assn has run it’s course and is not really contributing anything further to the community?

If you decide that we should continue then we seriously need more residents to join us and get involved.

In previous years, due to the small size of our committee, we found it impractical to have definitive portfolio designations but we could institute something like the following:

Chairman

Vice Chairman

Financial co-ordinator

Database co-ordinator

Newletter

emails

Information Board co-ordinator (black PRA boards)

Yellow membership board co-ordinator

Grass cutting pressure group (to apply constant pressure to the council to cut the grass regularly)
Pothole/roads/stormwater drains group (to pressure JRA)
Vagrants/loiterers (to pressure the Honeydew Police)

Parks and Open Spaces group/s –
What we're looking for here are residents to take "ownership" of the open spaces bordering their properties and to apply pressure to council to fix up problem areas. Failing which, to persuade council to give residents the funds allocated to City Parks for a particular area, and do the job themselves eg. by employing labourers on a casual basis. The residents would then be responsible for the upkeep.

Many of these proposed portfolios are just a matter of constant nagging to the council by phone, fax or email, but trying to find the right person to complain to is the challenge…..