NKRA Communique – July 2021

Hi everyone

The 3^rd Wave of the Covid-19 pandemic seems to be fading in Gauteng. However we still need for many more people to be vaccinated, because having significant numbers of unvaccinated people apparently allows for the development of further Covid variants. I have read that the next Covid variant is already showing up around the country. In the meanwhile, we all need to continue to observe social distancing, to wear masks in public and to regularly sanitise our hands.

There has been fresh communication with the Killarney Mall. This has not yet solved the problem of the illegal drinkers on our pavements, but the following has been agreed:

1. There will be monthly meetings (by Zoom) between the Killarney Mall Management and representatives of the community, to facilitate two-way communication and to build up a harmonious relationship going forward.
2. The Mall is busy with a due diligence process to update and clean up their various planning documents and records. This process will also ensure that their various regulatory parking requirements are complied with.
3. There are currently no short-term or medium-term plans for any further development or expansion to the Mall, or on any area of the Mall’s property. If in future any new developments are decided upon, the community will be informed as part of the two-way communication process. (This is in addition to our legal rights to object through the municipal process to any developments which might be damaging to us.)
4. The Mall owners are currently researching a location on the property of the Killarney Mall to establish a taxi holding area. The community will be consulted through the agreed channels before any commitments are entered into with the taxi associations, and before any work commences, so as to ensure that the rights of residents are protected. There is no time-frame for this as yet.
5. Killarney Mall Management will discuss with representatives of the community the various options for keeping the current illegal taxi rank area clean in the interim.

We will keep you informed of developments.

We have been notified that a firm is about to apply to the City of Johannesburg for permission to erect a telecommunications mast and base station on Portion 7 Erf 14, Riviera Township. This is the area of the derelict electrical sub-station, at the corner of Main Road and North Road. You can get the plans and details on our website, at http://www.nkra.org.za/important-documents-for-downloading/.

If you wish to object, or if you need more information, you can contact them at:

Department of Planning and Urban Management – Building Control: Outdoor Advertising

6th Floor of A Block of the Metropolitan Centre

158 Loveday Street

Braamfontein

Telephone – 011 407 6360.

Please see also their formal letter attached. The deadline for comments is 16 September.

In a previous communique we proposed to repair the steel palisade fence at the traffic circle in 4^th Avenue, which was damaged by a car some time ago. This has now been done, and that corner obviously looks very much better than before. However we noted that the new concrete dustbin which we recently placed on that corner has been smashed already by a vehicle. Perhaps we need to place large rocks or concrete bollards on that pavement, to protect the new fence?

As Spring is now arriving, and will hopefully bring rain, we will soon start to refresh the park. We welcome all donations of plants, and especially of seeds. We also thank the residents of Whitehall Court for their donation of a wheelbarrow to the park.

As part of our Spring efforts, we once again encourage all buildings to plants colourful things on your pavements and along your boundaries, and to water and weed the existing flower-beds. A small cluster of bright flowers makes an enormous difference to an entire vicinity.

In particular, we encourage buildings to consider rehabilitating areas where the pavement trees are damaging the tar pavements quite badly with shallow lateral roots. The tar on pavements is thin, so it is relatively easy to carefully chop out large neat squares into the cracked and damaged tar around those trees, with a garden pick. This will enable an area of unsightly damaged tar to be turned into a neat flower-bed around the tree roots, where colourful plants or green ground-covers can be added. Please do however ensure that you retain a clear unobstructed pathway past every tree, wide enough for pedestrians and for people with trolleys or baby strollers.

Since a CAP patrol project for Killarney-Riviera is unaffordable, we have approached other security companies for a similar but more affordable service. What we need at a minimum are marked vehicles conducting “preventative patrols” to create visible deterrence, and to ensure very rapid response to actual incidences of crime so as to catch the criminals in the act. We are currently in discussion with one company to fine-tune a suitable plan, but we have not received any quotes as yet from any security company.

Meanwhile, every building needs to take steps to protect its perimeter and gates as best they can, and every individual resident needs to keep alert when you go out. In particular, please be especially careful about your phones and handbags while outside on the pavements, and when you are in the shops.

If you do notice anything that looks like a crime in progress, please call your security company, as well as the SAPS on 10111 (or 112 from your cell phone). You can also call the Killarney SAPS sector manager (Sergeant Mdlolo) on 082 355 5646.

31 buildings out of the 55 sectional title buildings in Killarney-Riviera are currently paid-up members of the NKRA – about 56% of the total. Many thanks indeed to all these buildings for your on-going support. The current list of the members for 2021 is as follows:

1. Beverly Heights
2. Brenthurst Court
3. Bretton Woods
4. Canterbury Close
5. Chartwell
6. Chelston Hall
7. Christina Court
8. Cranwell Hall
9. Daventry Court
10. Devon Place
11. Dumbarton Oaks
12. Gleneagles
13. Glenhof Gardens
14. Hampshire Mews
15. Hatherley Hall
16. Hyde Court
17. Interlaken
18. Killarney Court & Gardens
19. Killarney Hills
20. Killarney Park
21. Killarney Village
22. Kingsborough
23. La Camargue
24. Mentone Court
25. Monviso
26. Portofino
27. Rapallo
28. Riviera Mansions
29. Santa Margherita
30. Sevenoaks
31. The Rivieras

If your building does make a membership contribution, please ask your managing agent to include the reference number, so as to facilitate the allocation of the payment on our side.

Please would NKRA members give us feedback on the issues described above? We also welcome all suggestions from all residents, on all issues.

Keep well, and keep safe.

Wayne Ford