News from Residents’
Association of
rahb@houtbay.org.za
www.houtbay.org.za
December 2008
SPIRIT
OF PLACE AND COMMUNITY
With
residential land under pressure from new residents and developers and our
infrastructure pushed to its limits, it is important to remember what we share
as a community. Whilst there are vast
differences in the income levels and quality of living for residents of
As
Christmas approaches with its focus on giving and caring, it is an appropriate
time to remember the community of
SHACK FARMING
Minutes before the fire erupted in IY on the 20th of November, Chairman, Len Swimmer received an e mail from a resident:
“I
regularly visit Imizamu Yethu in the course of my work, but had not visited for
2 weeks or so, primarily due to the bad weather/rain we have recently
experienced.
On Wednesday 19th November, I was somewhat shocked to see up to 40
new shacks (and I mean 'new'!) now occupying the front yards of (only) the
Niall Mellon-built houses.
Apparently, the cost for now 'renting' a front yard is R400-00 per
month, confirmed by two separate locals. I believe this is called
"Shack-farming".
The shacks are all using brand new 'Zinc', bright new metal, and the
shacks are very, very close to the front doors (primarily) of the front doors
of the Mellon houses. Less than 6 feet in 2 cases.
Upon leaving I.Y., a truck was delivering and helping, on the side-walk,
making up pre-assembled wooden panels that make up the internal structure of
the shacks. The company truck belongs to a well-known Wendy-House company, and
this seems, and I stress 'seems', to be a highly organized initiative.
So, far
from reducing the numbers, there appears to be a 'densification' of the
'formalised' part of I.Y. 40 shacks x approx. 4 persons per shack = another 160
people.
They start at the beginning of the now-resurfaced
Len immediately responded with a letter to Ward Councillor, Marga Haywood
asking what the City of Cape Town is doing about the matter:
“The Minister of Housing, Lindiwe Sisulu, who coined the phrase “shack
farming” stated that she was entirely against this development. My question is:
what is the City of
Minutes after this e mail was sent 200 shacks were burnt to the ground in Imizamo Yethu. Since then there has been another fire - what will it take for the City to do something about the situation in IY that is spiralling out of control?
‘BEACH CLUB’ & proposed Hotel
The Association submitted a further letter to the Department of Environment Affairs and Development Planning
“On the basis of our
exchange of correspondence and other communication on the Hout Bay Beach Club
matter our information is that DEADP and the City are content to accept that
the zoning rights for a hotel are intact and that the NEMA regulations do not
apply to any development of the ‘hotel’ erf 7743
All the information presented to us recently suggests that DEADP (and the City) are wrong on both counts.
A letter of ‘reply’ (dated 1 Dec) was received from DEADP, but it did not address any of our queries, so another letter has been dispatched demanding a proper & appropriate reply.
Justin O’Riain (Ward Forum representative for the environment & ExCo member of RAHB) explains the real issues in his letter to The Sentinel “Opposition to Inappropriate Development”
The Beach Club is situated at the confluence of a river, the ocean
and dune fields of Hout Bay’s beach – a meeting point of three dynamic and
unpredictable natural forces that make it completely unsuitable for hard
development. A
1956 aerial photograph shows the Hout Bay River in full spate passing directly
through where the beach club has since been built. While
the City officials may have lacked intimate knowledge of the area the same
excuse cannot be used by a local civic organisation such as the Rate Payers
Association who we have learnt offered no objections to the proposed
development which includes a hotel in the middle of Hout Bay’s beach.
It is important to bear in mind that each and every objector to a
given development has themselves benefited from development in the past simply
by virtue of living in a house that is accessible by a road and provided with
other basic civil services. Thus
arguments levelled against the Beach Club and their proposal to build a hotel
on the beach and houses within a wetland may not be dismissed as being
“anti-development” but simply anti-
“inappropriate development”.
The current rate payers within this development have had to dig deep
into their own pockets to pay for the damages wrought by wind-blown sand. At present their safety is compromised
because their security fence has been rendered useless by both undercutting and
inundation. This year the combination of
floodwaters and high seas exposed the foundations of the estate, washed away
irrigation pipes and damaged the protective gabions designed as a rampart to
the oceans advances. In meetings with the Home Owners Association of the Beach
Club certain residents have conceded that the estate should not have been built
and that together with the City (i.e., rate payer’s money) they are now
compelled to seek expensive solutions to their ongoing environmental
challenges. Unfortunately for these
residents the only voice at the time (Rate Payers Association) that could have
warned the city and subsequent home owners was inexplicably mute. Perhaps then it is time that the Rate Payers
Association explained to the current owners of the Beach Club units why they
did not object given the glaringly obvious environmental pitfalls of developing
in this area. Furthermore it would prove
insightful if the Rate Payers Association could explain to the Hout Bay
community what exactly they would classify as an inappropriate development and
why they consider a hotel below the high water mark in the middle of Hout Bay’s
beach as acceptable.
Len Swimmer, spoke to Gregg Oelofse, the Head of Environmental
Policy and Strategy for the City of Cape Town, Gregg said, “the Beach Club development does indeed fly
in the face of The Coastal Protection Zone (CPZ) which is being presented to
the City in February 2009.
The CPZ outlines the
Cost vs Benefit and what it will cost the City if developments continue as they
do at present – eg. Milnerton Golf Course is about to fall into the sea - it’s
got a very short life left – as it certainly is facing an uncertain future and is exceptionally
vulnerable to the next large storm (see photos on RAHB website www.houtbay.org.za). The question is, where does the decision making and liability lie? The
golf club is already saying they are going to make major claims on the City for
damages. The CPZ defines aspects where existing developments and buildings
already are - and shouldn’t be.” Just like on Hout Bay beach and the Beach Club.
SAFETY AND SECURITY
from Rob Patterson
The new structure concerning Neighbourhood Watch is expected to be announced very shortly. The reason for the change was fundamentally to ensure that a smaller group was responsible for the planning and way forward compared with the old ExCo. In addition the change will enable new blood into the Hout Bay Neighbourhood Watch with a focus on the WAY FORWARD.
Outside intervention forces in the form
of Metro have been paying regular visits to
As summer
approaches fire remains our biggest threat in the Valley.
VICTIMS OF UNFINISHED PROJECTS
In the wake of
unfinished developments,
The Black South Easter that blasted
The corner of
And, then there are a further 3 sites (two in Empire Avenue and one in Royal Avenue) where the Developers have demolished perfectly good houses and now left fallow for vagrants and hide-outs for the criminal element in our village to use at their discretion.
In an economic climate when Banks and Financial Lending Institutions eagerly granted money to developers, they now often end up with the repossession of their clients’ sites (sometimes half demolished as in the case with the Loxton Liquidation in Clyde and Victoria Avenue) – a ‘wonderful’ view and entrance to Hout Bay! The City Council and the Health Departments promised to complete the demolition of this site and were to recover the costs from the Banks, but when this will be done, is anyone’s guess? The slogan, ‘the City works for you’ sometimes comes to mind. We believe that the City should require all developers who demolish existing structures and those who commence structures over a certain value on vacant erven to pay a deposit to the City before commencing work as an insurance against the costs of making good if the developer does not finish the work.
A classic earlier example of this type of disaster was the first attempt to develop the site on which No.1 Chapman's Peak Drive now stands. It seems the lessons of the past are just never learned.
MILITARY ROAD B&B
application refused
RAHB recently
objected to the application for a temporary land use departure to allow a
B&B in
The Councillors
all agreed to refuse the application on the grounds of ‘the area not being
suitable for a B&B as the traffic impact is too onerous to be able to
support’.
NSRI ‘Ken Brady Base’
On the 29th
of November,
The NSRI also took the opportunity to name their new 7.3m boat ‘Albie Matthews’. This customised semi-rigid boat is a welcome addition to the Station.
‘FIREWORKS’
appeal
The Association has written to Councillor JP
Smith & Ward Cllr Marga Haywood, requesting
that Hout Bay Beach be removed from the list of beaches allowed by the City to
fire off fireworks on Guy Fawkes (5 November).
There are very good reasons for this delisting.
STONE THROWING
Please be aware of a report of suspects
throwing stones onto the roofs of houses to evaluate the alert status of
residents. Stay alert and report any
suspicious activity to WATCH CON tel. 021 790-9333
BEST
WISHES FOR THE HOLIDAYS!
Since this will be the last “Hout
and About” for 2008, the Residents' Association Executive Committee and
I, wish to thank all those who have given of their time to contribute to
community efforts. We wish the whole Community a restful, secure and
joyous festive season and a prosperous and happy New Year. Please be
careful with regards to personal and house security. Remember to notify your
Neighbourhood Watch if you are going away and leave contact details. Have
fun and a well-earned holiday, remembering those in need.
(R50 per couple, R30 per individual)
Forms from Chairperson or
Library. Association’s Banking Details:
FNB,
Subscriptions may be paid electronically (please use
your full name as a reference on the payment – to ensure that we correctly
credit your membership as this information appears on our Bank Statement
If you prefer, payment may also
be dropped into our wooden box at the Library (next to the Hall doors) or
posted to our Post Office Box: 27031
Chairperson,
Residents’ Assoc of
Tel:
790-0268, Email: