BBRA Newsletter - Newsletter/Nuusbrief March 2020
COVID-19 has made its dramatic impact on the whole world, South Africa and even Betty’s Bay. There is no escape barring being locked into your own home. How fortunate are the people living in Betty’s Bay! We have homes, individual erven and the most magnificent sea and/or mountain views to counter claustrophobia. May we all have a renewed appreciation of life and our environment.
To ensure that the lockdown sacrifices are meaningful, violations should be brought to the attention of the authorities as the non-observance places other people’s lives at risk.
For those readers who are absent landlords we wish you well and stay safe and healthy wherever you may be. May your return to Betty’s Bay be a happy and fulfilling experience.
As a result of the State of Disaster many activities had to be cancelled or postponed.
BBRA committee meeting and communication
No meeting of the BBRA committee took place although a few matters were dealt with by way of round robin emails.
To supplement this newsletter and the website we are proud to announce that our own Facebook page has gone live.
You can find it at: https://www.facebook.com/BettysBayRatepayers
Please visit it and then like or share so that we have real time interaction with our members.
All planned talks have been postponed indefinitely. Hopefully the new data projector and screen and upgraded sound system will be put to good use in the not too distant future. Our hall manager, Manda Malan, can be contacted on 082 781 4597 to do bookings once the situation has normalised.
The Hangklip Community Care Centre (HCCC) will, subject to current limitations, continue with its activities at the Lakeside Chapel. This includes the distribution of chronic medication and cooked meals for those in need thereof but strictly only on a take away basis to those currently receiving same in this manner.
Lockdown and Employees
Residents are urged, if at all possible, to continue paying the wages, whether in part or in full, of their domestic workers and/or gardeners. They are the most vulnerable segment of our community. Many have already done so prior to the commencement of the lockdown. EFT payments can also be made where they are holders of bank accounts. These employees will be house bound and unable to earn any income. Many of them are already on the breadline and by losing their current incomes they can really land in dire straits.
Assistance could also be in kind (food parcels) or even by making a credit arrangement to buy/ collect food at a food store in Betty’s Bay or, where such employees come from Kleinmond, at a store in Kleinmond.
Due to current restrictions the Neighbourhood Watch may not operate but most security companies have improved their patrols and vigilance.
Overstrand Municipal Spatial Development Framework (SDF)
The SDF, which proposes a developmental framework until 2050, was advertised for public comment and comments have to be submitted by 7 April. As the committee was unable to meet an application for an extension of time was submitted together with interim comments. In general the SDF appears to be in accordance with the existing character being part of the Kogelberg Biosphere. A relatively small area indicated as “new urban development” is somewhat contentious as it is in conflict with various other considerations contained in the SDF. These aspects are being brought to the Municipality’s attention.
Baboon and Refuse Collection Matters
The baboons are currently the envy of all locked-in residents as they freely roam through our area without any restrictions or permits. Residents are once more urged to protect their doors and windows and to place refuse only in baboon proof bins. The Municipality has amended its refuse collection days during lockdown as follows:
Sunny Seas area on Tuesdays.
Remainder of Betty’s Bay on Wednesdays
This project to create new coastal footpaths and link existing ones has come to a standstill and the implementation will be reviewed once the lockdown has been lifted.
The BBRA’s initiative to review the existing commercial and community nodes has been slowed down. A meeting of all stakeholders scheduled for 25 March had to be cancelled. Fortunately the consultants are, as far as it is possible to work from home, proceeding with their study.
The issue of the recently erected illegible street name signs on Clarence Drive has still not been addressed by the Municipality.
If not yet done, please renew your membership at a nominal amount of R75,00 per person per year.
REMAIN VIGILANT AND HEALTHY!
COVID-19 het ‘n dramatiese impak op die hele wêreld, Suid-Afrika en selfs Bettysbaai. Daar Is geen wegkomkans nie behalwe om jouself in jou huis te verskans. Ons, as inwoners van Bettysbaai, is egter bevoorreg. Ons het huise, eie erwe en die mooiste berg- en/of see-uitsigte om die benoudheid teë te werk. Mag dit daartoe bydra dat ons die lewe en ons pragtige omgewing opnuut waardeer.
Hierdie opofferinge is egter vrugteloos wanneer mense die inperkings ignoreer en sodoende andere se lewens op die spel plaas. Rapporteer dus die oortreders aan die owerhede.
Eienaars wat elders woon, word goeie gesondheid en sterkte toegewens en mag jul terugkeer na Bettysbaai ‘n vreugdevolle en vervullende ervaring wees!
As gevolg van die Ramptoestand kon verskeie aktiwiteite nie plaasvind nie en is dit gekanselleer of uitgestel.
BBBV Komiteevergadering en Kommunikasie
Geen vergadering kon plaasvind nie, maar enkele sake is wel op ‘n rondomtaliebasis per e-pos afgehandel. Ter aanvulling van ons nuusbrief en webtuiste het ons nou ook ons eie Facebookblad. Die besonderhede is: https://www.facebook.co./BettysBayRatepayers
Besoek dit gerus, laat weet wat jy daarvan dink en volg ons.
Gemeenskaps-en kulturele sake
Alle beplande praatjies is onbepaald uitgestel. Die BBBV se nuwe dataprojektor en skerm asook die verbeterde klankstelsel sal hopelik wel eersdaags gebruik kan word. Ons saalbestuurder is Manda Malan en sy kan by 082 781 4597 bereik word om besprekings te doen sodra omstandighede terug na normaal is. Die Hangklip Community Care Centre (HCCC) sal, onderhewig aan beperkinge, met sy besondere werk by die Lakeside kapel voortgaan.
Dit sluit in die verspreiding van kroniese medikasie asook gekookte maaltye vir persone wat daarvoor kwalifiseer.Dit is egter slegs op ‘n wegneembasis vir persone wat dit tans op hierdie wyse ontvang.
Inperking en werknemers
Inwoners word aangemoedig om, indien moontlik, die lone van hul huishulpe en/of tuinwerkers òf ten volle òf minstens gedeeltelik tydens inperking te betaal. Hul is die kwesbaarste deel van ons gemeenskap. Talle werkgewers het dit reeds voor inperkng gedoen. EFT betalings kan steeds gedoen word waar werknemers ‘n bankrekening het. Terwyl hul huisgebonde is, kan hul geen inkomste verdien nie. Baie van hulle lewe reeds van die hand tot die mond en, met die verlies aan inkomste, vererger die ellende.
Bystand kan ook by wyse van voedselpakkies gegee word of ‘n kredietreëling kan by voedselwinkels in Bettysbaai of Kleinmond getref word sodat hul daar kos kan koop of afhaal.
Ingevolge afgekondigde bepalings mag geen Buurtwag bedryf word nie, maar die meeste van die sekerheidsfirmas het hul patrolliedienste en waaksaamheid verskerp.
Overstrand Munisipale Ruimtelike Ontwikkelingsraamwerk (ROR)
Die ROR is ‘n voorgestelde ontwikkelingsraaamwerk tot 2050 en is vir kommentaar geadverteer met 7 April as sluitingsdatum.
Aangesien die BBBVkomitee nie kon vergader nie, is ‘n aansoek om uitstel met tussentydse kommentaar ingedien. In die algemeen lyk dit of die ROR in ooreenstemming met die bestaande karakter van ons dorp as deel van die Kogelberg Biosfeer is. ‘n Relatiewe klein area is as nuwe stedelike ontwikkeling aangedui, maar dit is strydig met talle ander oorwegings wat in die ROR vervat is. Hierdie aspekte is wel onder die Munisipaliteit se aandag gebring.
Bobbejaansake en Vullisverwydering
Tans word die bobbejane deur die ingeperkte inwoners beny wanneer hul vryelik en sonder ‘n permit deur ons gebied kuier-kuier beweeg.
‘n Dringende beroep word weer eens op inwoners gedoen om te sorg dat vensters en deure beveilig word en om slegs bobbejaanbestande vullishouers te gebruik.
Tydens die tydperk van inperking is die Munisipaliteit se nuwe reeling vir die verwydering van vullis soos volg:
Sunny Seas op Dinsdae
Die res van Bettysbaai op Woensdae
Die inisiatief om nuwe kuswandelpaaie te skep en bestaandes te verbind, het tot stilstand gekom en die verdere implementering sal eers na afloop van inperking plaasvind.
Die BBBV se inisiatief om bestaande kommersiële en gemeenskapsnodes te hersien, is vertraag. ‘n Vergadering met belanghebbendes wat vir 25 Maart gereël was, moes gekanselleer word. Die konsultante sal, tot die mate wat dit moontlik is, hul ondersoek vanaf hul wonings voortsit.
Die beswaar oor die onleesbare straatnaamborde wat op Clarencerylaan aangebring is, is steeds nie deur die Munisipaliteit gehanteer nie.
Indien jy dit nog steeds nie gedoen het nie, kan jy jou lidmaatskap teen ‘n nominale bedrag van R75,00 per persoon per jaar hernu. Doen dit asseblief!
Moedig asseblief vriende en bure aan om by ons aan te sluit en sodoende ons getalle en stem te versterk. Aansoekvorms kan op ons webtuiste www.bettysbay.info gevind word.
Terugvoer op ons nuusbriewe sal verseker dat ons die werklike behoeftes van die gemeenskap aanspreek.
BLY WAAKSAAM EN GESOND!