1. Welcome
Sheila Swanepoel welcomed those present and adjourned the meeting pending enquires being made to committee members whether they would be attending the meeting. The meeting was reconstituted, and Sheila Swanepoel opened the meeting.
2. Attendance register and apologies
In attendance: Corrie Swanepoel, Bill Northrop, Dalien Pachonick, Sheila Swanepoel
Apologies: Lotter Wepener, Kevin Bates, Ference Toth and Jack Dell
3. Confirmation of previous minutes
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of 15 June 2019 be approved and the chairman authorised to sign them. (Any matters arising from the previous minutes will be discussed under the relevant agenda items.)
4. Correspondence
4.1 Correspondence received:
4.1.1 A letter from Infrastructure Development setting out the conditions relating to the reporting of vagrant unattended roaming cattle.
4.1.2 An email from the Municipal Managers’ P.A. acknowledging receipt of correspondence regarding the roads in Boesmansriviermond.
4.1.3 Copy of email from M.M.’s P.A. to Director, Community Protection Services, regarding illegal signage in Rivers bend.
4.2 Correspondence sent out
4.2.1 A letter sent to the Municipal Manager regarding the road to the slipway and Hertzog road in Boesmansriviermond
4.2.2 A letter was sent to the Municipal manager regarding the Municipality’s obligation to remove green refuse. This content of this letter also included the dysfunctionality of IWARS and the terrible state of the IWARS site and its surroundings.
4.2.3 An appeal for funds for the repair and upkeep of the roads in Boesmansrivier and Rivers Bend had been sent out via email. A second appeal was sent a week later with good results: just as much was raised with the second letter which was only sent to un-opended emails. More donations were raised after the newsletter containing the same appeal.
4.2.4 Appeal for membership – There will be an appeal in all newsletters and a special appeal going out next week. The chairman has undertaken to contact the two members who undertook to run the membership drive for BRRAG.
4.2.5 The June Newsletter has been sent out.
4.2.6 A formal appointment letter was addressed to Andrew Wessels who has been appointed as the bookkeeper for the Association.
4.2.7 A letter addressed to the Municipal Manager and the Speaker regarding the unsatisfactory way the Ward 3 Committee is being organized to the detriment of the community at large.
Matters arising from correspondence:
a) Dalien requested that members be informed of the amount of money that was raised from the appeal.
b) It was again agreed by the committee that if any work could not be undertaken personally by members, quotations had to be tabled for committee approval prior to work commencing.
c) Bill advised that verbal complaints had been raised regarding the unsafe pavement at the side of the slipway road and the urgent need for repair.
d) Some of the steps in Bridge Park are unsafe and require attention.
e) It was suggested that a register be maintained noting the incidents of roaming cattle.
5. Legal Matters
On Hold until August
6. Municipal issues
On hold until August
7. Other legal issues
On hold until August
8. Finance
8.1 Income and expenditure
The income and expenditure statement were noted.
8.2 Budget status
Nothing to report
8.3 Membership
Lӧtter will follow up with Ray and Glen.
Current membership, year to date, stands at BRM 159 compared to a 2018 figure of 180 and Rivers Bend sit at 27 compared to a 2018 figure of 38.
8.4 Fundraising
Funds raised from the Father’s Day braai in June amounted to R1,450.00. The next fundraiser is the Soup and Sherry Evening which will be held in the Tennis Club on the 23rd August 2018
8.5 Other Financial matters
Nothing was raised
9. Village Maintenance
The committee gave approval for safety boots and protective clothing be purchased for the BRRAG workers.
9.1 Grass cutting and bush clearing
All is under control.
9.2 Road markings and street signs
A plea for financial assistance will soon go out. Road painting will begin in August.
9.3 Refuse removal
Green refuse dumped by residents on their pavements is still not being collected by the Municipality.
9.4 Other maintenance issues
9.4.1 The condition of the slipway carpark has degenerated with large chunks of rock protruding from the surface. The slipway itself is also in need of attention. Bill advised that the slipway parking was requested to be included in the Municipal Plan. The committee requested that a letter be written to the Municipality requesting if they are going to undertake the repair/rehabilitation of the slipway car park.
9.4.2 The village and Riversbend are both in need of road signs, particularly “Beware of Pedestrians”. There are no pavements and residents and visitors are forced to walk on the road.
9.4.3 Bill advised that BRRAG submitted items for the Municipal Plan. The committee requests that a letter be written asking the Municipality if they have been accepted and when will rehabilitation of all items start?
10. Village Infrastructure
See point 9 above
11. Ward committee
The Ward Committee is not functioning. The next meeting will be held on the 6th August.
12. IDP
Regarding the plan for 500 new R.D.P. houses, Bill reported that after studying the Environmental Impact Assessment, he believes that this development will not affect or aggravate the already existing propensity for flooding from the Marselle catchment area to any great extend when the area involving the 500 houses is concerned.
13. Ablution blocks
Inspected regularly, repaired as necessary and nothing to report.
14. Water, sewers and storm water drainage
The storm water drains at the bridge (next to Andrew Murray) is constantly blocked, causing debris to flow into the River. Bill will settle a letter, with co-ordinates regarding the area, for Lӧtter to send to Sanral.
It was noted that Mike White was serving on the local water workshop.
15. Security
15.1 Liaison with Hi-Tec
Dalien read the report from Ference which he had sent to her via cell phone.
15.2 Security incidents
No report tabled
15.3. Camera fund
The acquisition of cameras is on hold pending a reconsideration of an overhaul of the whole security system. The committee is of the opinion that some of the cameras are not working. The overall situation regarding cameras and the camera fund is very unsatisfactory and the Chairman be requested to apply his mind to this very important matter as to best protect the interests of the clients of Hi-Tec, who monitor the cameras. The committee is aware that currently there is no representation from BRRAG on this forum.
15.4 Security fence maintenance
The entire matter regarding the fence cutter will be addressed at the next meeting when the chairman is present.
Jack has undertaken to walk the fence line with Bill Northrop (when Bill is available) to determine the current status of the said fence line.
Jack has also undertaken to mark all of the containers to ensure that all the various items are kept together. The sprayer must be located, returned to BRRAG and stored with the other equipment.
15.5 Liaison with SAPS
Nothing to report.
15.6 Liaison with local security groups
Nothing to report
16. Firefighting
The trailer has been moved to the Fire Station.
17. Website
All website articles have been made current. All articles that are for publication on the website must be sent to the chair who will liaise with the webmaster.
18. Newsletter
The next newsletter will be prepared for the end of September.
19. Estuary Care
Bill will ascertain the Estuary Care position regarding complaints of sewage leaks at certain riverfront dwellings.
20. Ndlambe Ratepayers’ Forum
Nothing to report
21. Chamber of Business
Nothing to report
22. Any other business
The CEN Integrated Environmental Management Unit draft basic assessment report for the mixed-use development of the land between the R72 entrance to Boesmansriviermond via Aloe Street and the entrance to Alexandria Road from the R72 was discussed.
Questions raised: where and how are the entrances to be renovated; if the road is to be widened where this will take place, the dirt road or the tarmac surface.
After discussion is was agreed to request that the chairman send a letter emphasising that, in the opinion of BRRAG, the tarmac road in question is in very poor condition and requires resurfacing in order to bare the weight of fuel delivery vehicles.
23. Closure and next meeting
Future meeting dates
The meeting closed at 11h00 and the following dates confirmed:
Saturday 31st August at 10h00
Saturday 28th September at 10h00
Saturday 26th October at 10h00
Saturday 30th November at 10h00
Saturday 14th December at 09h00
Chairman
