Hout and About
News from Residents’
Association of
rahb@houtbay.org.za
www.houtbay.org.za
July
2009
Beautiful Historic
Bain’s Road
Investigations by the RAHB have brought to light the illegal closure of the Bain’s Road public servitude by Ruyterplaats Private Estate. It is alleged and reported to RAHB that the electric gates and guard house of the Estate have been erected on Public Open Space. In addition, at the refuse disposal point in the estate, barbed wire and seals off the public passage.
The RAHB approached Cllr Amira requesting
the matter be urgently investigated. A meeting was held on the 26th
of June with Cllr Amira, Neil van der Spuy, members of RAHB and the HB Heritage
Trust. The group walked through the Estate identifying three plinths with faded
inscriptions and proclamations from the Province describing the
significance of the old road.
Ruyteplaats have closed off the servitiude in favour
of the Public on the southern boundary with an electric gate/fence which has a
button that rings a bell and is viewed by a CCTV camera at the main guard
post. There is no sign board indicating to persons that they have
right of way and they must ring the bell for access to the historic Bains Road.
The main drive in the estate that has been paved has
been called Ruyteplaats Drive when it is, in fact, the old Bain’s Road. On the
northern boundary of Ruyteplaats the estate has effectively closed off all
access and one must leave the Old Bain’s Road and exit and enter through the
Estate’s Guard house booms.
The road from this point takes a short way to its end
which is Victoria Drive - the signs pointing out the way were found face down
and in the wrong place. This is also the start of a mountain hike and both
points need to be correctly sign posted or the signs re-erected correctly. In
addition the access at the commencement of the road at the Victoria road end
was completely overgrown to the extent that the one cairn/plinth on the eastern
side is virtually covered.
On the western side (across the road) the original
farm gateway was completely overgrown and one is not even aware of its
existence. There is no signage to point this historical/heritage spot out to
anyone passing.
Cllr Amira commented “I wish to add that I accept that
in this day and age personal and home security is a priority, but I believe
that a win-win situation can be reached if we have discussions with the
Estate on access and that the spirit of the servitude as well as the security
of the residents are both addressed.”
Further investigations will take place into the
contravention of the conditions. The RAHB
supports the opening up of public
access to this historical servitude and restoration of the plinths and other
historical points of interest along “Thomas Bains Road”, as it does with all
public paths that have been closed off by the community.
Military Road
Trail
It has
been established by our attorney that the ‘Private Passage’ which forms part of
the original public path, is in fact a public
facility and not a private facility as was suggested and in spite of the
wording ‘Private Passage’. RAHB will work to ensure that this Military
Road trail is also opened to the public, as it will in the case of the Bain’s
Historic Road through the Ruiteplaats Estate.
In fact
all this opening of spaces for the public’s benefit, is in line with the City
of Cape Town’s policy for “Civic spaces to inspire a sense of community” says our Mayor, Dan Plato. “The
Quality Public Space Programme is an accelerated project to open community
space in each sub-council over three years as part of preparations for the 2010
World Cup”-
Cape Times Wednesday 15 June 2009
Chappies update
Following a newspaper article by John Yeld on Chapman’s
Peak Drive, the RAHB emphasized the following points in a letter to Robin
Carlisle, MEC for Transport and Public Works:
1. The continued free vehicular access to the
picnic sites and mountain trail start points should be guaranteed (this is
operating now), and not discontinued once the toll gates are built (as
we have been informed will be the case).
2. A ‘non frequent-user’ pass at a nominal rate
(e.g. R20 for 4 one-way passages) as negotiated previously (and then denied)
should be re-instituted. It should be valid from date of purchase for a
month (not a calendar month).
3. If there is going to be a toll gate, it should
be smaller (not a huge plaza) and only on the Noordhoek side where disfiguration of the Drive will be minimized.
4. Alternatively number plate recognition
technology should be investigated for use so there is no need for a physical
gate on either side.
We anxiously await a
response from the MEC, but nothing received to date.
Planning Issues
Oudekraal
Development
Oudekraal (mountainside between
Len
Swimmer and Penny Brown of the RAHB Exco attended a presentation (by invitation
only) on 4 June at
RAHB will
be vigorously objecting to any development on this World Heritage site.
Planning
applications
Erf 7794 Harmony (old Panache),
Erf 3074 Andrews Road subdivision approval:
The previous MEC for planning dismissed the various appeals on this
decision. Letters requesting reasons for
decision have been received
Erf 9194 Fisherman’s World proposed
development for a Pick and Pay: Subcouncil supported this
application in May and SPELUM in June (10 June).
Encroachment of public land:
City Director of Roads, Chris Atkins accompanied RAHB on a site visit to
examine Coral Close and Victorskloof Road encroachments. We hope to see some action on these issues.
Erven
at risk of hard development on the Beach Dunes: A
UCT student has elected to use the information available on the proposals to
develop the dune erven for an honours project.
We shall help facilitate this by providing some of the documentation she
will need.
Another Cell phone mast
The RAHB has submitted an objection to a
further Vodacom mast installation in
A temporary land use departure is sought in
terms of Section 15 of LUPO by the developer to install a 35 m high mast with
12 antennae and 3 equipment containers on the property.
Len Swimmer commented on behalf of the RAHB “Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this application. We are aware of the Policy to co-locate multiple masts on cellular base stations and acknowledge that this has merit; however, the accumulation of increasing amounts of radiation must also be taken into account, particularly in residential areas.”
“We request that a new public process be required of the applicant and corresponding Council officials so as to adequately inform the local community (particularly the people living nearby - at least within 400 metres of it) and give them an opportunity to comment/object should they so wish. Some of these residents are aware of and anxious about the dangers of continuous low-level radiation impacting local inhabitants living within the 50-400 metre radius fall-out area. These concerns need to be addressed.”
The RAHB noted that paragraph 6.4 of the City Councils Cellular
Telecommunication Infrastructure Policy required that projected RF emission
levels (certified by a qualified person) be provided as part of each and every
application for the erection of cellular base stations The Association cannot find any such projected emission levels in
the application.
The same paragraph says that Council shall cause regular measurements to be made to ensure that the operation of all cellular telecommunication infrastructures complies with the ICNIRP public exposure standard (paid for by the network provider).
We would like to enquire whether this regular checking of RF
emissions is being carried out by an
independent.
The RAHB is reluctant to give support to any new base until we know these important checks are actually happening at other base stations.
Paragraph 6.26 of the policy dictates that each network operator shall supply
to Council an electronic spreadsheet indicating the latitude and longitude
co-ordinates of their cellular communication.
The RAHB would like to ask whether
this has been complied with as it is an important tool for monitoring the
proliferation of base stations.
We are led to believe that alternative satellite technology is not far off and will not require such infrastructure
We
are also concerned that the Council does not have records of how many base
stations are in operation (especially as there are cases of ones operating
without approval), nor the locations of each one nor how many are shared by all
the networks.
Vodacom Mast
“Forest”Baviaans Close
A local resident has strongly objected to the proposed construction of three further cell phone masts in the Baviaanskloof area and will in the coming month be mobilising other affected residents to ensure their objections are heard.
A public participation process to approve the construction of a
cellular base station in Wood Street Scott Estate elicited the following
response from a resident “I find it amazing that my
objections were due to health impact questions and that has not even be
addressed in the report. My comments have been added under another heading of
impact to existing networks and that is not what I said at all. Amazing how
things can be twisted to suit a report.”
Residents question why an EIA was not done for the existing 3 MTN
masts and cite a lack of public consultation in their erection. The council at the time advised residents
that a structure can protrude up to 3 metres above a building, deeming an EIA
unnecessary.
The key documentation for the proposed development is available in hard copy at EnviroAfrica’s offices in Somerset West making this a remote site for local Hout Bay Residents. Comments must reach EnviroAfrica before 28 July 2009 and the RAHB will object in the strongest possible terms to this proposal.
Electricity tariff
increase
The RAHB unsuccessfully appealed to the National
Energy Regulator of South Africa to refuse the 34% increase in tariffs by
Eskom. Citing the cumulative knock-on effect of such a decision, the
Association urged the Regulator to explore
alternative energy sources.
In “light” of
the approval, we urge residents to make their own attempts to reduce
electricity consumption and explore the installation of solar power and other
energy saving devices.
Safety and Security
We have experienced a significant impact with greatly increased crime in the last couple of months.
Neighbourhood Watch sectors have experienced a drop in active patrol and the HBNW will shortly be pushing a major recruitment drive for new and active members. RAHB appeals to those in the community who have not done so yet, to get involved.
This Association also urges B & B’s and Guest Houses to inform their guests on a regular basis about crime in the local area. Each guest house is urged to have a small hand-out (which is available from the Tourist Offices in Hout Bay) containing information advising visitors that IPods, cameras and laptops visible in vehicles or on their person is an invitation for criminals to attack and rob them of these items. Tourists are specifically being targeted due to the fact they do not go to the Police Station or will not stay around and open a case docket after being robbed of their possessions.
Reservists
working at weekends have been very successful and have made several arrests.
Winter weather
and slippery conditions coupled with low shift numbers have made crime
prevention by the walking patrols in IY and Hangberg extremely difficult.
The radio base station for the HBNW has been transferred from the front desk of SAPS to the rear office where the data typist sits in an attempt to have better communications.
We do not
receive weekly figures on crime from SAPS at present; however look at the HBNW
Blog site which gives a good update on incidents. For those who have not looked
at the Blog site you are advised to look under www.houtbayblogroll.blogspot.com
RAHB advises: Call Metro 021-596-1999 to deal with complaints/problems and Law Enforcement matters.
Keep outside lights on especially around Garage Doors and Gateways at night.
Activate house alarms and beams if you have them, especially at night and also during the day.
Anti-land invasion unit
With just under half a million families on the
housing waiting list the City of
“In fairness to the majority of law abiding people on
the waiting list, the City is adopting a zero tolerance approach to the
minority trying to invade City-owned property,” says Mzwandile Sokupa, the
City’s Manager:Informal Settlements.
The City’s Anti-Land Invasion Unit (ALIU) is aimed at
preventing the illegal occupation of City and Provincial land and housing
projects which are meant for residents on the waiting list.
Its main role will be to monitor and patrol vacant
land, enforce the rule of law with respect to illegal occupation of land and
illegal shack building, and provide backup to housing officers during
evictions, relocations and the demolition of illegal structures.
It will also assist with the planning of services and
emergency services during flood and fire disasters on City-owned land.
The unit is headed by Stephen Hayward and Joseph Ross,
with its headquarters in Bellville. Additional staff are being recruited and at
full strength the ALIU will consist of 97 members - 57 from the City’s Housing
Directorate and 40 from the City’s Specialised Services Unit in the Safety and
Security Directorate.
When fully staffed it will provide a 24/7 service,
covering the City’s eight planning districts across the
“Most importantly, the City will follow the letter of
the law in obtaining interdicts and eviction orders. The law is very
clear on this and we will continue to abide strictly according to the
Prevention of Illegal Evictions from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act, as
well as the provisions of the Constitution,” says
“During the past year, the City addressed 29 land
invasions - 17 in Helderberg, six in Tygerberg, two in the South/Central region
and four in Blaauwberg. In every instance, the City successfully removed
the land invaders from City-owned land. It also obtained eight court interdicts
to prevent people from further occupying land.
“Many communities across the city are thoroughly fed
up with on-going land grabs and illegal structures mushrooming overnight on
their doorsteps,” says
Members of the public
can report land invasions anonymously to the ALIU’s
toll-free line on 0800 225 669.
IY housing
Houses
are currently being built by Masekane on parcels 2b, 5a and 8c in IY but the
erven/houses have not yet been allocated to individual beneficiaries because
the ‘list of beneficiaries’ has still not been finalized.
The RAHB
attended a meeting on this matter with the IY civics, SANCO and Sinethemba, and
Heritage Trust in the Iziko Lebome Hall on Tues 9 June. It appears that the City’s original list of
beneficiaries has been ‘corrupted’ and needs to be rectified. The meeting examined together the two lists
(the original and the second list) and observed irregularities with some new
names replacing original beneficiaries.
SANCO and
Sinethemba are determined that the process of rectifying this situation must be
transparent and must be based on the long-since agreed upon principle of ‘first
come, first served’. They have our full
support. They indicated that the
replacement names would also be accommodated in time, but that this would be in
the next phase of development (the Forestry and Buffer sites).
IY: Forestry and Buffer sites
The final Basic Assessment Report will be available for review during 19 June – 13 August. The Environmental Conservation Group (ECG) of which RAHB is a member, has proposed a 6th option but has not had absolutely no feed-back from the City. This is still being pursued.
We invite you to join the
Resident’s Association by sending an email to rahb@houtbay.org.za and we can send you details re
membership and alert you to some of the important issues that might affect you
as a resident of Hout
Bay
You might also want to use your
skill to help the Association operate and participate in community affairs
MEMBERSHIP
(R50 per couple, R30 per individual)
Forms from Chairman or
Library. Association’s Banking Details:
FNB, Hout Bay (code 204009) A/c: Residents Association of Hout Bay, A/c Number – 5345 1027 173.
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
Len
Swimmer
Chairperson,
Residents’ Assoc of
Tel:
790-0268, Email: lens@telkomsa.net