October Newsletter 2026

The kiosk has been doing brisk business since July, when Mel Botes had the bright idea of finding a little sugar to help the medicine go down. The medicine is her online work, which she made more enjoyable by setting up a unique office on the beach.

Mel clocks in at around 6am every morning – just in time for sunrise, which she shares on Boesmans Buzz. “It’s a pop-up”, so there are no set operating hours, but she is usually there from sunrise to late afternoon, weather dependent.

Boesman’s master bakers supply the rusks, and a new filter coffee machine keeps the connoisseurs happy. Instant coffee, tea, cold drinks and snacks are for sale, as well as beach toys for the youngsters, whilst umbrellas, beach chairs and kayaks can be hired.

Keys for the toilets at the slipway are available at the kiosk.

We are planning for our usual additional security during the holiday season. Why so early? Because we need to advise the service provider of the number of guards that we will require in good time as they must hire them in and ensure that they are properly trained to comply with the relevant legislation regarding security guards.

This cannot happen overnight. We urge members to commence contributing towards the December security fund so that we can assess our resources for the project by the end of October 2025.

We welcome all donations to make this possible, we require approximately R200,000.

Payment can be made as follows:
BRRAG
Bank: Standard Bank, Port Alfred
Branch Code: 051117
Account Number: 281116393
Reference: Guards.xx.Street.Name

Please send an email notification to brrag@boesmans.co.za to help us identify the correct houses that are contributing towards this protection plan.

Riversbend owners, please encourage neighbours to assist – we have traditionally contracted for fewer guards for a shorter period due to a lack of contributions.

Also note, that the amount above only allows for guards at night (18h00 – 06h00) and a slipway and sea carpark guard during the day. If we receive more than the amount above, daily roving guards can be added.

Before Christmas, markings will be placed in the street outside the houses that contribute for easy identification by the guards during December. There is no magic in the different colours that we use – we use the paint that’s available!

Good day to all the Riversbend residents.

Another year has almost flown by. Soon it will be the summer holiday filled with happy holiday makers, but also, alas, increased criminality.

Our extra December guard system has been very successful in previous years. For your own peace of mind please contribute to this worthy initiative.

It has become apparent that the municipality is not performing their basic functions, and even more so during this year.

Thankfully BRRAG is trying to step in and help with basics, such as the painting of streets centrelines etc. Removal of ongoing illegal garden refuse all over… What a shame!

Where possible the cutting of overhanging tree branches and the cleaning of stormwater drain.

There is little we can do to fix the deterioration of the streets, other than constantly bringing it to the attention of the municipality official responsible for roads.

A big applause to the “old” members and a warm welcome to new ones. We truly appreciate your support but need more members.

Please strengthen our hand by joining Brrag.

Bring any initiative to improve Riversbend to our attention.

On this subject, thank you to those residents who at their own cost are helping to make our suburb safer and more attractive.

‘Till next time, keep safe and healthy.

The Boesmans Caravan Park is now open for camping once again, thanks to the Cabin Owners’ Association and the great effort they have put in to make the park COC certified for all electrical and gas installations. They have also upgraded all ablution blocks with new septic tanks and general improvements and solutions put in place. Please put the word out our caravan park is OPEN for camping. There are limited camp sites – so get your site while you can, as the sites are being booked fast.

We hope that our caravan park will be in for a bumper festive season – just like our special town.

We have reported extensively on the water supply in our area. Please see our last newsletter – https://bushmansratepayers.co.za/august-2026-newsletter/

We have two major problems: the production of water for the entire area and the infrastructure in Boesmansriviermond.

John Wesley described it aptly recently:

“Ward 3 gets its water from 2 basic sources. The first is from the Reverse Osmosis Plant in Bushmans itself (very expensive water, but of high quality). The second is from wells in the Diaz Cross dune fields (more affordable but does have a high mineral content and not suitable to be used on its own). In both cases the output is pumped to the 2 mixing tanks in in Kenton where the outputs are mixed to produce the water supplied to the residents. For Bushmans and surrounds, the water is pumped back to the reservoir in Bushmans and then distributed from there to the residents. Sizwe are only responsible for the output at the reverse osmosis at the plant. From leaving the reverse osmosis plant, the distribution and mixing becomes the municipalities responsibility. The Municipality contracts Sizwe for running, maintaining and upgrading of the reverse osmosis plant. What remains largely invisible on the reporting system is the performance of the Diaz dunes site. When I last involved with the water supply about 10 years ago, the dune water accounted for about 55% of the supply and RO plant 45%. Both are under the control of the Ndlambe municipality, and the municipality thus remains solely accountable to the residents for supplying water. I hope this helps to explain”.

Your BRRAG committee members have been actively involved in both the production of water and our infrastructure or access to water (when there is water). This led to the Municipal Manager appointing a dedicated official to inspect our infrastructure. On the production side we have also urged Ndlambe to allow for water to be pumped directly from the RO plant to our reservoir instead of the huge costly effort to first pump it all to the Kenton reservoirs and then back to our town. This is being looked at by Ndlambe.

The second issue is the infrastructure that has deteriorated and does not allow for water to reach certain areas. We have been submitting a regular waterlog to Ndlambe for some months and had discussions with the municipal manager in September.

An investigation based on reports and contained in our waterlog has been done under supervision of our committee member, Desmond Heunis, and has led to certain improvements. However, the repairs and improvements required to be made to the infrastructure to ensure water also to the higher lying areas require in excess of R 100 000 just for Alexandria Road and we have submitted a motivation to Ndlambe to allocate the funds required for the project. We are following up. However, please get ready for December by storing as much rainwater as you can as it is difficult to get the required action to attend to the remedial steps. But we are continuing to put pressure. Desmond and Ndlambe staff went through our waterlog and visited the sites.

The results were as follows:

• 100 River Road is resolved.
• 3 Aloe Road had water yesterday morning for the first time in 3 years. Took Ndlambe there to test pressure at the meter at 2pm yesterday but test couldn’t be carried out as the whole area was not receiving a supply. Meter has been exposed and owner has been advised that we will run a test next week to check the water supply and pressure at the meter.
• 5 Smuts is resolved. New ball valve was replaced after the meter. The owner is delighted.
• 7 Smuts the water feed and pressure at the meter is confirmed. Ball valve after the meter is badly corroded and will be replaced this coming week.
• 9 Smuts will be checked this coming week. Other homes in Smuts resolved.

Key takeaway for Smuts appears to be ball valves post meter having reached the end of their lifecycle and hydrants that need flushing to get rid of air locks.

Cnr Wit and Hertzog (water leak) has been pointed out to Ndlambe and affected area will be excavated next week to check the pipe. Owner has been provided feedback.

Alexandria Road will keep pressure on Ndlambe officials to install additional hydrant and pressure valve which they claim to be the root cause of the problem.

Will also followed up on the installation of the pressure release valve at 68 Second Avenue RB. Repairs are in the pipeline.

The supervisor sent Fundile yesterday as he couldn’t make it and Fundile is doer not just a talker as I got him to dig up to check supplies. He also came out this morning and worked in the rain to sort 5 Smuts. He had to leave his vehicle running as the bakkie’s ignition is shot and struggles to start the car. A bit of circus but Fundile deserves a bucket of KFC at the end of the water project.

We are continuing and will get to all areas where the infrastructure requires attention. Hope there are sufficient funds to replace all the ball valves!

The third water aspect is the pipe bursts and leaks. We have a water group where we report these as they occur and they are (mostly) attended to – the re-instatement of areas where work was performed remains a difficulty, but we have made a list of these for the department responsible for repairs.

Innocent the Sandman visited our beach recently and showed what he can do.

Innocent promised to visit us again during December when he will be part of a competition for all holidaymakers – watch our notice board at the town hall for details.

First prize R1095 – Lucy Andrews
Second prize R695 – Allan Marais
Third prize R505 – Natie Ferreira

Congrats to our winners! If you have not joined the 100 club, please consider doing so. See the article on our website.

Garbage is collected as follows:
Riversbend – Mondays
Boesmans Old Village – Tuesdays
River Road – Wednesdays

BRRAG Account
STANDARDD BANK
Acc. 281116393

• 16th Harvest Market at the town hall
• 23rd Christmas Market at the town hall
• 28th BRRAG AGM – 17h00 in the town hall
• 31st 23h45 to 00h15 Slipway Fireworks/music/Happy 140th Anniversary Boesmans (Dependant on approval from relevant authorities).
• 3rd Jan 2027. Duck Chowles in the town hall.