BBRA Newsletter - Newsletter July/Nuusbrief Julie 2019
Newsletter July/Nuusbrief Julie 2019
Daar was voorheen al twee nuusbriewe uitgestuur en dit word vertrou dat jy dit insiggewend gevind het en ook waarde tot jou lidmaatskap gevoeg het. Indien jy een of meer daarvan misgeloop het, kontak asb Werner Zybrands/Two newsletters have previously been sent and it is trusted that you found them informative and added value to being a member of our association. If you wish to receive back copies please contact Werner Zybrands
There is now a Betty’s Bay Baboon Action Group and we have a Facebook page. We encourage members who have baboons in their area or other residents that would be interested in following the baboon information or volunteer to help us monitor them, to start following us.
We are working with the municipality and the other villages to find solutions that work best for people and baboons to live together without constant conflict. Yesterday we had an informal meeting in Sunny Seas which was also attended by Grant Cohen, Tamzyn Zweig, Charmaine Redsand and Fanie to at least see how we can all work together.
Die versoek aan die Munisipaliteit om eienaars wat bykomstige water verbruik het om òf die brand te bestry òf om die skade aan hul tuine te herstel, word nog oorweeg en deur die BBBV opgevolg.
Beleid vir skoonmaak van erwe vir brandgevare.
Die Munisipaliteit hersien tans hierdie beleid en die BBBV het reeds omvangryke voorstelle ter verbetering gemaak wat ‘n balans tussen omgewingsoorwegings en die realiteite van brandvoorkoming, sal skep. Daar word beoog dat ‘n werkswinkel met al die rolspelers gereël word om tot die mees sinvolle oplossing te kom.
Die Ombudsman vir die Wes-Kaapse Polisiediens het kennis gegee van ‘n ondersoek na beweringe dat die Polisiediens in die Overstrand munisipale gebied, wat die Kleinmond Polisiestasie wat Bettysbaai bedien, insluit, nie sy mandaat na behore kan uitvoer nie. Die BBBV komitee is veral verontrus oor die onbeheerde massastroping van perlemoen langs ons kusgebied met inbegrip van mariene reservate, die styging in misdaad in Bettysbaai en die negatiewe effek van ontwrigtende protesoptredes.
Ons Voorsitter, Bill Steyn, wat ook voorsitter van ons Buurtwag is, het ‘n omvattende vertoë ingedien en dit is ook met kommentare van individuele lede aangevul.
Tydens ‘n sitting van die Ombudsman op 1 Julie in die Crassulasaal, wat goed deur inwoners bygewoon is, is verskeie sterk standpunte deur die teenwoordiges, met inbegrip van ons vereniginglede, geopper en is dit uiters simpatiek deur die Ombudsman en sy kundige span aangehoor.
Die aanbevelings van die Ombudsman sal hopelik binne enkele weke gemaak word.
Op versoek van die BBBV is weerkaatsende straatnaamtekens op randsteenvlak by aansluitings op Clarencerylaan aangebring. Dit is ‘n besliste verbetering, maar steeds nie ideaal nie.
Vertoë sal nou gerig word dat by die belangrikste aansluitings byvoorbeeld, Porter, Disa, Cliff, High Level, Sea View, Albertyn, Luckhoff en Oyster weerkaatsende straatnaamtekens op pale aangebring word. Indien goedgekeur, sal dit nooddienste en besoekers baie help om hul weg in ons straatliglose dorp te vind.
Die saak teen die eienaars wat bogenoemde aktiwiteit steeds onwettig bedryf, is op 30 Mei tot 27 Junie uitgestel omdat die verteenwoordiger van die trustees versuim het om die hofverrigtinge by te woon. ‘n Voorlopige lasbrief vir haar arres was uitgereik en op 27 Junie was sy weer nie in die hof nie en is gelas dat die lasbrief nou uitgevoer word.
Dit lyk al hoe meer waarskynlik dat die Munisipaliteit ‘n Hooggeregshof aansoek sal moet bring om die onwettige gebruik te stop. Die BBBV volg hierdie saak deurlopend op.
Staats- en Munisipale erwe
Daar is talle staats-en munisipale erwe in die hele Bettysbaaigebied. Dis hoogs onwaarskynlik dat al hierdie erwe ontwikkel of bebou gaan word. Gevolglik het die BBBV besluit om ‘n volledige opname daarvan te doen en dan met die Munisipaliteit in gesprek te tree oor die toekoms daarvan. Van die erwe kan vanweë vloedlyne en ander faktore, soos laagliggende vleigebiede, nie ontwikkel word nie. Die meeste van hierdie erwe dra by tot die natuurprag in die skilderagtige Kogelberg biosfeer in die algemeen en Bettysbaai in die besonder. In enkele gevalle skep dit egter ‘n brandgevaar en ook ‘n wegkruipplek vir misdadigers. Die doel van die ondersoek is juis om ‘n balans te vind en te poog dat die oop erwe werklik tot ‘n bewaringswaardige oopruimtestelsel gesoneer word.
Na die groot brand het die bobbejane in veral die omgewing van Harold Porter Botaniese Tuin, Jock se Baai en Sunny Seas ‘n groot oorlas geword. Dit kon aanvanklik deur ‘n voedseltekort in die brandbeskadigde gebiede veroorsaak gewees het, maar al hoe meer berigte word ontvang van mense wat die bobbejane voer en/of nalatig is met die hantering van huishoudelike vullis. Die gevolg is dat die bobbejane voortdurend poog om “maklike kos” by huise te gaan soek tot groot ergernis en frustrasie van huiseienaars. Maak asb seker dat jy nie deel van die probleem word nie. Die bobbejane het tans voldoende kos in hul natuurlike habitat en moet beslis nie gevoer word nie!
Ons volgende nuusbrief in Augustus gaan laat wees omdat die opsteller oorsee sal wees.
The request that the Municipality assist residents who used additional water to fight the fire or to save badly damaged gardens is still being considered by the Municipality and followed up by the BBRA.
Plot clearing policy for fire risks
The Municipality is currently reviewing this policy and the BBRA has made significant adjustment proposals which, if accepted, will not only clarify vague aspects but also make it a working document that balances environmental considerations with the realities of fire prevention. It is envisaged that a workshop for all role players be held in order to arrive at a meaningful solution.
The Ombudsman for the Western Cape Provincial Police Service has given notice of an investigation into the adequacy of the Overstrand police service area which includes the Kleinmond station that serves Betty’s Bay. The committee is specifically concerned about the unbridled poaching along our coast line, including protected marine reserve areas, and the increase in crime in Betty’s Bay and also the negative effect of the disruptive protest actions.
The committee’s chairperson, Bill Steyn, and who also chairs the Neighbourhood Watch, has made substantive representations and this has been supplemented by inputs from other committee members.
At the well-attended public hearing at the Crassula Hall on 1 July various points of view, including those of our committee members, were clearly conveyed and very sympathetically heard by the Ombudsman and his competent team.
The recommendations of the Ombudsman will hopefully be made known within the next few weeks.
Street name signs on Clarence Drive (R44)
At the request of the BBRA reflective street name signs were provided at kerbstone level at intersections on Clarence Drive. This is a definite improvement but still not ideal.
Representations will now be made that at some of the more important access roads such as Porter, Disa , Cliff, High Level, Sea View, Albertyn, Luckhoff and Oyster reflective pole mounted signs be erected. Should this request be acceded to, it should assist emergency services and visitors in finding their way in our unlit village.
The case against the owners for the continued illegal use of this centre was on 30 May postponed until 27 June due to the non-appearance of the representative trustee member. A provisional warrant of arrest was issued pending her appearance on the postponed date and an order for the execution thereof was issued when she again failed to appear.
It is becoming increasingly obvious that the Municipality may be compelled to bring a High Court action in order to stop this illegal use. The BBRA is actively pursuing this matter.
State and Municipal owned erven
There are numerous state and municipal owned erven in the whole Betty’s Bay area. It is highly unlikely that all these erven will be utilised or developed. As a result, the BBRA decided to conduct a comprehensive survey of all such erven and then to discuss the future use thereof with the Municipality. Due to flood-lines or being in vlei areas some of these erven cannot be developed. Most of these erven contribute to the beauty of the picturesque Kogelberg biosphere in particular and to Betty’s Bay in general. In some instances these erven do, however, present a fire hazard and are used as hiding places by criminals. The objective of this study is to strike a balance and to endeavour to have some of these erven rezoned to public open spaces worthy of conservation.
After the big fire the baboons have become a major problem especially in the Harold Porter Botanical Garden, Jock’s Bay and Sunny Seas areas. Initially this could have been ascribed to a food shortage in the burnt mountain areas, but more and more reports are received of people feeding the baboons and/or being negligent in their manner of disposing waste foodstuffs. The result is that the baboons are constantly searching for such “easy” (take away?) food to the great frustration and anger of homeowners.
Please ensure that you do not become part of the problem. The baboons now have enough food in the mountain and there is no need to feed them!
Our next newsletter will be a bit later in August as the compiler thereof will be overseas.