Membership fees
You are encouraged to pay your 2022 annual membership fees of R350 (or any amount more than this would be greatly appreciated). Please do payment electronically as we do not have the facilities to receive cash. We owe Veronique Jones a huge thanks for contacting members / residents and reminding all to pay subscriptions. Please notify us of your membership subscription when making payment. All fees received are put to effective use for maintaining the Village. Reference: Subs.xxStreet.Surname.
December Christmas market
Our December Christmas market will be back on 23 December 2022. More info later in the year.
If you have contributions to make to our jumble sale / white elephant table, please drop us a line and we shall arrange to collect.
Whatsapp group for members
We have established a WhatsApp group for BRRAG paid up members. If you want to read our communications and communicate with us, please send your name and surname and cellular number to us by return email. Click here or send it to our email address bushmansratepayers@gmail.com with the words WhatsApp Group in the subject line.
Please note that any conduct that causes a nuisance or is unseemly will lead to the removal of the person responsible therefor. The App is there to share information about Boesmansriviermond, and BRRAG in particular.
What’s happening?
Please be reminded that you can read the committee minutes of meetings on our website Google Brrag! You can also see the tide table, local weather, and other items there.
Kenton dune
We have formed an Action Group consisting of BRRAG, KOSRA, Natures Landing, Merryhill, Chamber of Business and others to oppose the plan to push sand towards the River and then cart it through Kenton for disposal. Please read all about it in our previous newsletter that appears on our website. WE REQUIRE FINANCIAL SUPPORT to stop this ugly construction site across the Boesmans River. Please assist. We have appointed MER environmental consultants and Dr. Jeremy Ridl as our environmental lawyer.
Thank you to all who have made financial contributions. It placed us in a position to get the ball rolling.
Petition
Please read about and support our petition if you have not done so by now. How? Read all about it on our website and find the link to sign the petition. Click on Info & News, Bushmans News and then on Kenton Sand Dune Petition article.
110 club draw end of June – congratulations to all.
1st – Des Alcock – R525
2nd – Cherie White – R380
3rd – Helen Kannegieser – R295
Thanx Cas Castelyn and team to remove all the rubble from our beach and public areas
Service delivery
Water Management: Jacques reported on the continued water management issues dealt with by the SDSG Water (Service Delivery Support Group). Engagement by the TTT (Technical Task Team) with Ndlambe, Amatola and DWS were ongoing.
An action plan is in place and managed actively by the TTT to restore water production at the plant. The SDSG also had the ear of the Minister, which resulted in direct involvement of the newly appointed Amatola Board Chairlady.
TTT are working closely with the chair of Amatola Water who has made the CEO directly responsible to have the water situation restored by the end of July 2022.
Graham Cowley was appointed as Plant manager (6-month contract) on demand of the TTT, which should assist with the implementation of the recommended interventions and proper running of the plant.
The main issue was to get sufficient raw water of the desired quality to the plant, and to get all water production elements on line.
New filters for the RO are on site, a critical pump ordered from Dubai is still being awaited.
Environmental permission is required to perform testing and installation of a new Raw Water Extraction Well Point system and causes delays.
Jacques spearheaded the implementation of corrective actions as reported in the TTT Social and Environmental Report issued to Ndlambe and Amatola.
Ndlambe received R80M grant which will be used to upgrade the Ndlambe water reticulation system. It is unfortunate that some of the money is not allocated for the production of water, which is the critical aspect.
Risk mitigation: Appointment of alternative and additional water providers are being investigated in close collaboration with Ndlambe and SDSG to ensure adequate water provision for Ward 3&4 in the future.
By Jacques de Wit
Ndlambe Ratepayers and Service Delivery
Service Delivery failure is a national problem, which need and can be turned around
Inadequate service delivery by Municipalities in SA have reached critical levels and is of major concern to Government, citizens, and ratepayers.
Service delivery is often negatively affected by corruption, mismanagement, administrative irregularities which leads to a breakdown of service delivery. These transgressions are often pointed out by unfavourable Auditor General Reports but with disappointingly little consequences.
Municipalities across South Africa use ratepayer contributions to balance their budgets and as a method of distributing wealth to the wider community, which is respected but unfortunately also exploited.
Ratepayers often do not receive the service they are paying for.
Municipal rates in our area rates amongst the highest in South Africa for smaller municipalities and are becoming unaffordable to more ratepayers with resulting growing resistance and dissatisfaction.
Ndlambe has limited sources of income with the economy which is mainly tourism driven not by industry.
Adequate service delivery and proper environmental management especially of the estuaries, beaches and nature sanctuaries are critically important to attract and retain investment in our area, which is also a prerequisite of job creation.
Critical areas of Service delivery include Water provision, Sanitation, Roads and infrastructure, Estuary Care, Safety and security and Town maintenance.
Government increasingly supportive of collaborative service delivery models inclusive of PPP’s which must be investigated and developed between municipalities and rate payers.
Establishment of Service Delivery Group (SDSG)
As owners of the villages and towns, ratepayers are committed and entitled to proper service delivery, and to support fair treatment of the total community.
With this in mind, the various community organisations realized during 2021 that in order to address the problems facing ratepayers effectively a combined and united, hands on, service delivery model must be developed and pursued.
The leadership of BRRAG, KOSRA , Riversbend, Kenton/Boesmans Chamber of Business & Tourism and Estuary Care formed a combined representative body, SDSG (Service delivery Support Group) to engage with Ndlambe in a constructive and collaborative manner to improve service delivery to the community.
The united SDSG is important to remain relevant and to utilize scarce resources optimally, which the participating organisations cannot afford to duplicate.
The objective is to establish and maintain a collaborative environment and approach to address identified areas of concern rather than by litigation, which is the last resort, harnessing the combined strength of the community and Ndlambe in a constructive manner.
Alternative models of Service delivery must be investigated agreed and implemented to ensure the required standards of service delivery to ratepayers.
Quotation from a friend summarizes the objective of SDSG
“There is no free in this world, if you still believe in this fairy tales, you need to wake up from your deep sleep!
Get up and take control of your destiny and as a community. “
Positive developments
Some positive developments resulted from the establishment of the SDSG and includes the establishment and maintenance of good working relationship between Ndlambe and SDSG.
Examples of Success
- Establishment of the water Management Committee and subsequent conclusion of the Terms of
reference agreement (TOR) between SDSG, Ndlambe, DWS and Amatola. - Combined Sand dune challenge through Estuary Care
- Establishment of SDSG Safety and Security combined forum
- Positive daily interaction and collaboration with Ndlambe on a wide range of Service Delivery matters
- Imminent formalization of collaborative forum with Ndlambe to address and avert a Sanitation crisis in Ward 3&4
SDSG intends to extend a collaborative work relationship with Ndlambe in a number of areas, which includes Sanitation, Road infrastructure, Estuary management, Town maintenance and more.
SDSG member organisations commented on the Ndlambe proposed budget of 2022/2023. Comments were made on spending, cost containment, income growth, concerns of the growing unaffordability of rates and taxes and more. The comments are available on the BRRAG Facebook page and NRF Blog.
SDSG members promoted a collaborative working relationship on 28 April 2022 with Ndlambe Municipal Manager and Directors during a working breakfast session.
Examples of alternative collaborative service delivery models to be investigated
- Active and timely involvement of ratepayers during planning and budgeting processes
- Ensure that adequate and a fair portion of budget is allocated to ratepayers
- Communities contract with Ndlambe to prioritize and improve identified areas of service delivery
- Utilize PPP model which is gaining support from Government
- Participate in joint lobbying for Government funds
- Access unspent Government funds to increase municipal income
- Access specific funding options for example small town development funding
- Appointment of additional water service providers
It is important that the whole community take ownership of their towns and get actively involved to ensure a proper living environment with levels of good service delivery. Join and support your ratepayer and other service delivery organizations and make a difference.
Donations required – Child Welfare
We will be having monthly Jumble sales outside the Child Welfare office behind the post office so please donate the following items amongst other things:
- Blankets
- Sheets, linen
- Clothes from 8 years upwards
- Kitchen utensils: pots, glasses, plates etc *Furniture *Curtains *Any thoughtful items of value
If you have, please contact Andrew directly at 071 452 5389 and we can arrange a drop off.
Night watch notice – by the NW team
NW is in desperate need of funds and would greatly appreciate your donation to this worthy cause. With your help we can help in securing our neighbourhood.
Hi Tec has the mandate to look after their clients and support our mandate as a Neighbourhood Watch to look after our greater community streets. We are also a Disaster management team in response to Fire Fighting and accident response. We are not just glorified security specialists as we have been labeled. When your house is burning down, we will be the first to be there or any other incident for that matter. Our own Fire Fighting equipment that was sponsored for use is stored at the fire station and in all strategic spots around our communities.
Night Watch is the official registered Kenton-on-Sea and Bushman’s River Neighbourhood Watch, CPF member affiliate of Afriforum GVE nationally. NW is a member of the East Cape Security Network, NCA (National Crime Assist), NAVIC integrated surveillance systems Eastern Cape, SDSG (Service Delivery Support Group) for community safety and security, Community Camera monitoring team.
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the people that donated to our Night Watch fund for fuel and equipment to keep us operational. Our team thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
If you wish to donate to our worthy cause, please see account details below.
BRRAG
STD BANK
Acc No. 281116393
BC. 051117
K.O.S.Ref. N-watch / NAME.
Our financials are kept and audited by BRRAG and a CA. The public are welcome to view our financials anytime they wish for accountability. Corporate support would be greatly appreciated.
