Minutes of a meeting of the executive committee of BRRAG held on 3 November 2023 via zoom.

1. Welcome

Lӧtter Wepener welcomed those present.

2. Attendance register and apologies

In attendance: Lӧtter Wepener, Jacques de Wit, Sarel Marais, Sue Muirhead, Dalien Pachonick, Ferenc Toth, Willie Enright, Sarel Marais, Duard Scholtz

Apologies: Wanda Nezar. Rowene Johnston, Robbie Schroeder, Gibbon Schickerling.
Jacques will approach Aaron to quote for a speaker system that will allow meetings to be held in the office with proper sound quality.

3. Confirmation of Minutes

The minutes of the meetings of 19 September 2023 were confirmed and the Chair authorised to sign them.

4. Correspondence

Nothing to report.

5. Legal Matters

• 5.1 Caravan Park
  A meeting with the municipal manager has been arranged for 8 November. A document outlining the costs of getting the park in a reasonable condition was prepared by Jacques in conjunction with Robbie and will be presented at the meeting. Gas and electricity installations are non-compliant and in a dangerous, terrible state. Roads, ablution facilities and general maintenance are in urgent need of maintenance.
• 5.2 TOWN HALL
  BRRAG has renovated much of the building. Outstanding issues include the sanding and sealing of the town hall floor. Lötter thanked Jacques and those who supported him for the huge efforts to get this project off the ground. Agreed that steps be put in place for BRRAG to attempt to purchase the townhall building.Noted that a voter registration drive will be accommodated on 18 and 19 November – we are to ensure that the daily tariff is paid by the users.We must ensure sufficient contributions to cover maintenance, municipal account, water and electricity costs. The fee for function use of R 1 500 may have to reconsidered after the December holidays.

  Jacques and Sue will attend the Kenton Hall to ascertain the whereabouts of the tables and arrange for storage at our hall. Cas to be advised that we need storage space at the rear veranda.

  AGREED that the office areas / rooms be given names for easy identification.

  Jacques will follow up the Wi-Fi problem experienced at the hall during the meeting. The piano and pool table need attention. Income from art on the veranda is slowly coming in. It will be R 1 000 per day for three days – 15, 16, 17 December. Sue will follow up so that payment is made prior to the use. All users must make some contribution towards the use to cover our expenses. Persons who must be thanked for donations: committee members to advise chair of letters of thanks to go out. The renovation of the floor will be considered when we receive the municipal funds promised to us. A minimum cost of approximately R 10 000 is foreseen.

6. Finance

The financials were tabled and appear to be healthy. The undertaking by the municipality to contribute funds towards the repairs at the Skinderboom, jetty, parking area and tow path was noted. Once received, amounts may be allocated to the camara and lights at the slipway. AGREED that R 5 000 be transferred to the camera fund in the meantime.
Jacques is obtaining a quote for repairs to the board walk.

DECIDED that the annual membership fees be set at R 500 as from 1 December 2023.
Jacques will submit the section 18A application directly to the SARS tax exemption unit in Pretoria.
Jacques will source local electricians to assist with the Christmas lights. Willie suggested, and it was accepted, that we concentrate on the townhall area.

DECIDED to pay

• Cas Castelyn an amount of R 1 000 towards fuel costs for all the carting work that he has done for BRRAG.
• Debbie an amount of R 500 for her assistance with the UIF returns.

7. Village Maintenance

It was noted that Ndlambe has assisted with road markings as well as potholes in the past few days. Robbie will attend to secondary roads left out by Ndlambe.

Estuary Care employees assisted with the tow path removal of debris and builders’ rubble. Robbie also intends painting the second tennis court before the holiday season.

8. Village infrastructure

Jacques will ensure that the toilets cisterns system in the tennis club building be replaced.

Ndlambe condemned the dune toilets which will be demolished and removed by the start of the holiday season. Ndlambe will construct new toilets in or near the dune parking area in due course. In the meantime, Ndlambe undertook to make available fully serviced mobile toilets available during December, January and April holidays. There is uncertainty regarding the availability of maintained portable toilets during the holiday period as undertaken and a formal letter will be directed to Ndlambe in this regard.

The discussion with the municipality regarding the waste management and a transfer site is ongoing. Committee members (Robbie, Duard and Ferenc) will source contractors to advise regarding the jetty repairs. The water supply problems are continuing and Amatola is not performing.

9. Estuary

A special purpose vehicle to address the sewage spills and chemical spills into the river must be established, by law any sewerage spillage must be reported to DWS.

The sewerage problem at Klipfontein, Marselle and Riversbend is serious. Spillages need attention but Ndlambe is not on top of the problem.

Estuary Care is becoming more focused and has good support from the community. The dune issue is under the control of EC and receiving attention.

There is no Estuary Management Plan for the Bushman’s River in place. Ndlambe will make available the Kowie Estuary Management Plan as a starting point for us to look at.

Willie has arranged with a Dept Water Affairs person (Lukas) to visit us and have a look at our problems.

10. Riversbend

Dalien is obtaining quotes for refuse removal.

11. Ward

A ward committee meeting was held with little progress.

12. Security

DECIDED not to accept the December security quote from Kobus (Alpha Security) due to the many uncertainties and to put out a tender specification for security services in the future.

Lötter to follow up the HiTech quote with Chris. The camera and light installation damage at the slipway requires urgent attention. Ferenc is attending to this through the camera fund. Agreed that if we received sufficient funds from the municipality for repairs, that an amount can be allocated to this project.

13. Firefighting

Ferenc will follow up the whereabouts of the fire tender. The decision to house it and the equipment at the caravan park was reiterated.

14. IDP & Budget

The document carefully prepared by Jacques is ready for submission. Ferenc to furnish Jacques with info regarding security for inclusion in the IDP submission.

15. Chamber

Sue to ask the Chamber to hold onto the donation for the name sign at the entrance as it is not possible to finalise it this year.

16. Website and News

A newsletter will go out at mid-November. Contributions to be sent to the chair by 10 November. We must be on the look-out for a secretary. Sue will laminate the BRRAG newsletter and place it on the notice board.

17. General

Chairperson