MINUTES FOR THE MEETING OF THE 18th SEPTEMBER 2024

MINUTES FOR THE MONTHLY PUBLIC MEETING OF THE

NEW KILLARNEY-RIVIERA ASSOCIATION

HELD VIRTUALLY OVER THE INTERNET

ON WEDNESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2024 at 18H30

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PRESENT:   Wayne Ford (Killarney Village); David Spencer (Brenthurst Court); Mark Baard (Devon Place); Floh Thiele (La Camargue); Trish Terry (Gleneagles); Iqbal Omar (Brenthurst Court); Ismail Randeree (Castlerosse); Ian Morison (Killarney Park).

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1. WELCOME

• Wayne opened the meeting and welcomed the attendees.

2.  APOLOGIES RECEIVED

• Charles Whyte (Beverley Heights)

3. DISCUSSION OF TIME CONSTRAINT

• We will try to keep the meeting to one hour if possible.

4. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES, AND MATTERS ARISING

• The minutes of the previous meeting have been circulated to all attendees, and have been approved by them. The details thereof were incorporated into the monthly newsletter.

5.  STATUS OF OUR SUBURB, AND LIST OF ISSUES REQUIRING ACTION

• Water outage -: Thankfully the latest crisis seems to be over, but since we still don’t know what caused it, we cannot be sure it won’t happen again. We all need to learn from this, and since we cannot rely on the municipality to provide consistent services, each building and household needs to develop our own Plan B. This could range from families storing cooldrink bottles filled with tap water under their beds, to buildings installing large JoJo tanks in their garages, to boreholes. We have learned what it is like to depend on a tanker truck, so perhaps we should try to install our own “tankers” in the garages or gardens, to ensure that we have a reasonable degree of water-independence.
• Street and pavement repair project -: This project was completed successfully, at a cost of R22,600. We were not able to complete every item on our list, because we ran out of asphalt, so we will need to consider doing another project in the new year.
• Repainting street names on kerbs -: Our best proposal is to hire a service provider to do this work, at R11,500. This has been publicised and nobody has objected, so it was resolved to proceed with this project. The service provider will need to be directed and supervised, so skilled volunteers will be needed please.
• Community upliftment initiative -: One of the most valuable upliftment projects in our neighbourhood is the “Themba Cleanup Project”, which was started by residents and paid for out of their pockets. Themba on his own costs R400 per day, and he has done various cleaning and repair projects. It was previously proposed that the NKRA should support this project with funding, at the level of R2,000 per month for 12 months, so that the project can do at least five clean-up’s every month. Additional projects will need to be funded by other donations. This proposal has been publicised and nobody has objected, so it was resolved to proceed with this project.
• NKRA Gardens project -:  This project aims to grow food in the 4^th Street Park, in a manner which does not obstruct other residents from using the Park as they choose. A suitable area has been chosen, the ground has been dug over and composted, and the planting has begun. Until it starts to rain regularly, we need volunteers please to help with watering as well.
• Fence repairs on the embankment -: The deposit was paid, the work has been done, and we are just pursuing a few outstanding snags. All the funding for this project was raised by private donations. The meeting thanked Ismile for his sterling efforts.
• Security fence in Anerley Park -: This small area is fenced on three sides, and these fences were recently repaired and painted. However the municipal fence along the fourth side (along the motorway embankment) has been almost entirely broken out and stolen. This exposes the area to intrusion from the highway side, and there is much evidence of squatting in that space. It has been proposed to replace the stolen fence with a razor-mesh security fence, at a cost of R28,456. It has also been proposed to plant a hedge of kei apple trees, which grow fast and which have serious thorns, and which are often used as barrier hedges. Their fruit is edible, although it is apparently very acidic. The NKRA has been requested to contribute to the cost of the fence. It was proposed to put this idea to the members in the next newsletter for comment.
• Artwork gate in the 4^th Street Park -: It has been proposed to replace the plain palisade-steel park gate in the 4^th Avenue entrance to our park, with a steel artwork gate made by Killarney resident James Delaney – who has done a lot of metal sculptures for The Wilds. This will cost around R13,000, and already private fundraising has raised R6,400 toward this cost. The meeting agreed that we should provide R4,500 toward this project, and so we will put this proposal to the members in the next newsletter for comment. In the meanwhile, other sources of funding will also be pursued.
• Illegal hawkers, and drinking on pavements -: This problem continues, and will probably get worse as the weather warms up. We do get some support from SAPS, but the JMPD is useless. Major parties are now happening in the parking lot of the Urban Hardware store. This is on the Mall’s private property, and so we are talking to the Mall management about steps to be taken.
• Community Street patrols -: these are becoming stable and routine. These patrols are having a positive impact, and the drinkers they encounter tend to disperse without much fuss. They are now doing one formal patrol on weekends, with other adhoc walks during the week, and they welcome more people to join in.
• Homeless people in Killarney-Riviera -: There are homeless people living on the highway embankment, and on the pavement outside Mentone Court in 1^st Street, and at ERF 274 in Oxford Road, Riviera. Community members are regularly visiting the site on ERF 274, and are interacting with the people there, letting them know that we are aware of their presence, and encouraging them to go to a shelter. A recent official inspection by the municipal Health Inspector has ruled that the area is unsafe, based on the presence of human waste and the burning of toxic substances, among other reasons. A court-order is in the pipeline to require the owner of the land to take steps. Thus far the owner is remaining anonymous, and although their agent has been supportive, this is hindering our efforts. The last feedback from the agent says the owner intends to clean up the site. The area has a wall but this was damaged by a car accident. We are fundraising to help the owner to get the wall fixed, in case this becomes necessary.
• Security -: The on-going risks of cell-phone snatching on pavements, and pickpockets, is getting worse as the weather warms up. The thieves seem to target Uber customers in particular. Buildings are encouraged to warn their residents by any means possible, and to put up signs at doors and in lifts to warn visitors as well.
• Killarney Mall refurbishment progress -: Our latest feedback from the Mall manager is that the planning process is still on-going. It is proving very difficult to find a solution that will suit the residents, the taxi operators, the Mall tenants and the Mall customers.
• Other work currently being done includes maintaining a register of non-functioning streetlights, and reporting them regularly to the City Power entity. Various residents are also facilitating the cleaning of the storm drains, and discussions are on-going with the people who are managing the construction of the Thabo Mbeki Library.

6.  NEW ISSUES

• It was suggested that, the next time we have a water outage, we should engage very quickly with the Council to insist that the available water is shared evenly and equitably between the different suburbs, so that we do not have some suburbs unaffected while others are left without water for many days.
• It was suggested that a use should be found for the small Anerley Park, because a constant presence helps to deter squatters and loiterers. It was suggested to ask the dog walkers to use that space instead of the main 4^th Street Park. It is not suitable for a playground because of the proximity to the highway and other busy roads, and it is currently also unsuitable as a garden because of the difficulty in providing water. Ideas and suggestions will be requested in the next newsletter.
• It was suggested to ask the ward councillor to investigate reopening and refurbishing the ablution facility in 7^th Street at the Anerley Road corner. This would make the Anerley Park a bit more attractive to residents, and will also provide a source of water.

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The meeting was closed at 19:58, with thanks to all who participated.

Our next meeting will be held virtually on

WEDNESDAY 16 OCTOBER 2024 AT 18H30

PLEASE PASS ON THESE MINUTES TO OTHER RESIDENTS IN YOUR BUILDINGS

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City emergency hotline on 011 375 5911

SAPS patrol van – 071 675 6001

If you get no response from the patrol van, please call 10111

Councillor Huggett – by SMS or WhatsApp – 071 785 8068

JMPD call centre hotline number – 080 872 3342

JMPD Control Room – 011 758 9620

JMPD number to report Homeless People camping in the vicinity – 011 490 1538

JMPD number to report Illegal Dumping – 011 490 1684

JMPD number to report Noise Pollution – 011 718 9684

JMPD number to report Illegal Advertising – 011 490 1547

JMPD number to report Illegal Trading – 011 490 1744

JMPD number to report other By-Law issues – 011 490 1684