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Yzerfontein Residents' Association

Annual Report 2012

The past year proved to be a very active year again for the association with a substantial workload for the committee. Committee members were: Chairman: Edward Brittain Deputy Chairman: Willem Badenhorst Secretary: Mara Roothman Treasurer: Ben Roothman Members: Pietie Burger Dirk Heath Bernard Mouton Maureen Thelland Ben Tromp Mr. Hendrik van Schalkwyk resigned during the year due to personal commitments. The committee achieved a number of successes but some matters still have to be finalised and will have to be addressed by the incoming committee. The committee again, as in the past, focused on matters of common interest to the members. This included municipal matters, community safety and security as well as other miscellaneous matters and this report will address matters under these headings. 1. Municipal Matters.

1.1 Swartland Municipal Budget 2012/3 Your committee again did an in-depth analysis of the budget and compared it to

the budgets of other municipalities. Comprehensive input was submitted to Swartland Municipality (SM) on the budget. The Council is obliged to discuss the input in terms of legislation. A delegation of the committee attended both the budget information session and the council meeting in Malmesbury and we can report that all our input has been duly considered. We received a letter of appreciation from the Municipal Manager as well as in invitation to discuss the matters with him and the Mayor, should we so desire.

1.2 Differentiated Propery Tax After two years of negotiations the Council approved a reduction of 7.1% for

residential property tax for the current year. The Council also decided to keep increases for residential tax below that for business for the next five years, after which residential tax will be some 20% below business property tax. Your committee is still of the view that the difference should be 50%, as is the case in Cape Town and Mossel Bay.

The Council furthermore approved an additional rebate of R200 000 on valuation

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for owners older than 64 years, subject to certain conditions. This amounts to an annual saving of R1102.40 for effected owners.

The standard rebate for all owners remains at R15,000 as is required in terms of

legislation. The Council however approved a rebate of R200,000 for indigent households. We proposed a rebate of R50,000 for all owners, or R200,000 for all, should the Council extend such a rebate to indigent households. Although we would refrain from accusing the Council of racism, the fact remains that the current rebates mainly affect white owners negatively. We believe that this is an unfair practice and the committee should continue to address the matter. It is noteworthy that Cape Town has been allowing a rebate of R200,000 since last year for all owners.

Without the total reductions in property tax increases that the committee

managed to negotiate during the past five years, owners would now be paying 26.8% more. This amounts to R1455.00 on a property valued at R1 million. Your membership fee for R100 has thus proved to be an outstanding investment.

1.3 Provision For Capital Asset Replacement (Depreciation). We compared this item on the SM Income Budget with other Western Cape

municipalities and calculated the provision as a percentage of total revenue. It transpired that SM is the highest as is demonstrated by the table and graph below.

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Depresiasie Vergelykings – 2012/13

Munisipaliteit Omset(Revenue) Depresiasie % van Omset

Swartland 385,473 76,853 19.94

Overstrand 695,427 107,515 15.46

Saldanha 654,877 99,986 15.27

Mosselbaai 682,410 48,704 7.14

Kaapstad 23,901,656 1,444,096 6.04

Swartland Overstrand Saldanha Mosselbaai Kaapstad0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

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As a result, SM will end the year with a deficit of R25.5 million. Should the percentage be the same as that of Cape Town, it would result in Swartland property tax rate being halved and you would pay about half as much in property tax compared to now. We discussed this matter in a meeting with the mayor and the Municipal Manager in Malmesbury on 20 November 2012 and the latter undertook to arrange a meeting with the Director, Finance, to investigate the matter further. It did transpire that SM and other municipalities contracted with consultants to calculate the particular provision.

1.4 We once again proposed that Volstruis Avenue be tarred and will keep it on the list until it happens.

1.5 Unfunded Mandates. SM continues to address this matter with the central government which

continues to be incapable of making a simple decision, notwithstanding the fact that it is a contravention of existing law for municipalities to provide and fund such services.

1.6 Increasing Personnel Costs. This expense continues to rise but is subject to collective bargaining and

thus outside the control of SM. SM has however decided maintain present personnel numbers. Personnel cost nonetheless is well over 50% of operational expenditure.

1.7 Traffic Circles. The Director, Civil Engineering Services, personally visited Yzerfontein to

discuss this matter and four crossings have been identified for test circles. Yield signs, as a less expensive alternative, are also being considered.

1.8 Surveillance System. SM has budgeted an amount R40,000 for the 2013/14 year for this purpose.

We do however receive substantial and indispensable help from SM for our camera surveillance system.

1.9 Conservancy Fence. The Yzerfontein Conservancy requested the committee during, the year to

negotiate with SM for funds to erect a fence to protect the dunes, which they are rehabilitating, at the caravan park. We are grateful that in our discussions on the matter with the Municipal Manager, he was able to make surplus funds, for a similar project, available. The fence has now been erected by the YC and is both functional and attractive.

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1.10 Other Matters. Other matters discussed with the Mayor and Municipal Manager at our

meeting of 20 November 2012 were the harbour as a tourist attraction, policy documents, basic tariffs and availability fees, public toilet facilities, by-laws and availability on the SM website, rehabilitation and utilisation of Erf 495 and the erection of an attractive entrance to Yzerfontein, with a map of the town and suitable parking at the map.

2. Community Safety and Security.

2.1 Thirteen cameras are now in operation and we recently extended coverage of the network to Pearl Bay. As a result of two recent particularly large donations by members, we were able to acquire equipment and software to install the Visec number plate recognition system. Poles to mount the cameras on have already been planted at the Park Road entrance by Wiehan Carstens of SM and his team. Installation of a conduit under Yzerfontein Road will follow soon and then we will be able to install two cameras. We plan to install two more cameras at the R27 crossing in the new year together with overview cameras at both sites.

2.2 Camera donations amount to R105,983 for the year, primarily as a result of

donations of R50,000 by Mr Pieter van der Merwe and R27,000 by Mr Robert du Preez. A number of members also contributed between R100 and R1000 and those who contributed large amounts are listed as we have done in the past. All residents, including those who still experience no motivation to contribute to our safety as a community, owe our sincere appreciation to those who contributed so generously. I personally am at loss to know how we can ever suitably thank Mr Van der Merwe and Mr Du Preez for their generosity and confidence. Without their donations we would have a long road ahead to achieve what is now possible. We trust that others, who have not donated yet, will be motivated by the total donations of the year.

The following donors contributed R1000 or more: Mr CA Agenbach 2,500 Mr E Burger 2,000 Me JM Coetzee 1,100 Mr M Delle Donne 1,000 Mr JA Dempers 1,000 Mr R du Preez 28,000 Mr HW Louw 1,000 Mr BBS Tromp 2,000 Mr PJ van der Merwe 50,000 Dr FJ van Niekerk 3,000 Mr MD van Rooyen 1,150

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2.3 Camera Monitoring. Monitoring of cameras remains largely an unresolved problem. SM intends

deploying three or four reservists in Yzerfontein and during our discussions with the Mayor and the Municipal Manager, we requested that the reservists also be utilised to do monitoring. The two gentlemen undertook to consider our request.

At present the cameras are monitored on a part-time basis at the control room

of Yzerfontein Armed Response and by the Neighbourhood Watch during operations. We recently installed a network connection at the home of Mr Fred de Beer, chairman of the Neighbourhood Watch. Both Bernard Mouton and I have computers with the monitoring programme in operation at our homes and movements on some cameras are being recorded on these computers. We are in discussions with Neighbourhood Watch to get a monitoring group going on a full-time basis. Kindly contact the committee if you are prepared to help.

2.4 Communications Network. Communication between members of the Neighbourhood Watch when on

patrol is a real problem. We are experimenting with network nodes, developed by the Shuttleworth Foundation, for the purpose of installing a network to cover the whole town. The specific equipment does not require a radio licence and therefore will eliminate a substantial amount of red tape.

2.5 Law Enforcement Success. It was particularly gratifying that the SAPS under the command of Col. Jakkie

van Litsenborgh, together with Yzerfontein Armed Response, recently arrested three suspected burglars after a burglary at an unoccupied residence. This followed after a series of burglaries in the town. It appears that the suspects operated from a shelter near the Tygerfontein border and more than a kilometer inland from the coast. The following photos illustrate what we are now being subjected to.

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3. Other Matters.

3.1 Our membership is to 261 at present after removal of all members in arrears.

Our sincere appreciation to Anita and Ria of Lewens-Essens B & B who have relentlessly and successfully recruited members. Also to Pietie Burger who initiated the recruitment drive. Membership fees are now due and we would encourage all members to recruit as many of their neighbours and friends as possible. Since there are in excess of 2000 houses and erven in Yzerfontein, that is the number of members the association should have.

3.2 Communication by mail is expensive but e-mail simplifies it enormously.

Members are requested to send their e-mail addresses to yzerfontein@iafrica.com

3.3 Three newsletters were distributed during the year but the committee will

endeavour to increase that to four during the next year. 3.4 The website has been commissioned during the year and will be used

increasingly for communications with members. Members are requested to forward news or matters of importance for publication.

4. Thanks.

4.1 Firstly to you the members of the association as well as the donors for your

support and donations to the surveillance system for the safety of all. 4.2 The Committee for all their hard work during the year. A special word of thanks

to Bernard Mouton for the many hours he contributed to the camera system. 4.3 Maureen Thelland for all the time she spent on creating and updating the

website as well as the layout of the most recent newsletter. 4.4 Anita de Jager and Ria Kruger for an outstanding marketing campaign and

membership recruitment. 4.5 Wiehan Carstens and his team for exemplary management of the town and all

the assistance with the camera system. We also thank Daniël Mostert, the electrician and the operators of the cherry picker for their invaluable help with camera installation and maintenance.

4.6 Mayor Tijmen van Essen and Municipal Manager Joggie Scholtz who were always

willing to discuss matters, concerning residents, with us and trying to find solutions to problems.

4.7 SM Director Electrical Engineering Services, Roelof du Toit, for his ongoing

support of the camera system. The help of members for recruitment of new members will benefit us all

immensely. The more members we have, the stronger the position from which

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we can negotiate with government entities, local or otherwise. Help from members with the necessary skills with the installation of cameras would be much appreciated. By acting together as a community, we will succeed in maintaining our living standard to a substantial degree in Yzerfontein.

On behalf of the committee I would thank you for your interest and support and

wish you a happy and prosperous new year. Thank you.

Edward Brittain Chairman Yzerfontein Residents' Association