Nature’s Valley News
|
Nature’s Valley News |
388
Lagoon Drive The
Crags 6602
Office
hours: natrpa@worldonline.co.za
Mon/Wed/Thurs Fax:
044 531 6668
No 20 Editor: Jeanne Biesenbach
May 2007 Compiler: Maaike Murphy Photos:
Beefy Mance
Executive
Chairman: Ina Brand-van Rooyen
Our front
page photo shows how beautiful Nature’s Valley is in autumn. This year started
off so quickly that we almost failed to see the changing of the seasons. From
the start the new committee had to handle a number of crisis situations. The
321 written objections to the recommendations of the Bitou Draft Land Audit had
to be received and delivered to Bitou at extremely short notice; further steps
had to be taken against the proposed sale of service erven 335 and 336; the
Ninham Shand Sewage Report had to be studied and our comments formulated. We
had to take a stand against the proposals for inappropriate developments and
subdivisions (see comprehensive Built Environment report). In addition to this
experienced committee members are on long leave and we had to take leave of
Gerhard Strydom, our former superintendent.
It is an
honour to take over from the enthusiastic and successful 2006 committee. Over
and above the important issues that received continuous attention, they
undertook short term projects that benefited ratepayers directly. For instance
the NVRA paid for the removal of garden refuse in December; the NVRA paid an
employee to clean the temporary toilet at the entrance on a daily basis and
also augmented the salaries of workers at the Phyl Martin Park and Nursery.
One of the
most important contributions by the 2006 committee is that they made direct contact
with the Mayor and Bitou officials in order to discuss poor service delivery
and other issues. The 2007 committee intend to continue to build on this sound
foundation.
I should
like to introduce the new committee to you:
·
Executive Chairman: Ina Brand-van
Rooyen, owner since 1992 and permanent resident since 2004.
·
Deputy Executive Chairman: Douglas
Blaine, permanent resident since 2006.
·
Deputy Executive Chairman: Jeanne
Biesenbach, second generation owner living in Montagu.
·
Treasurer: Piet Oosthuizen,
permanent resident since 2005 and former banker from
·
Office: Marie Joubert, well-known
and much loved administrative officer and long standing permanent resident assisted
by Maaike Murphy, also a permanent resident for some years.
The various
portfolios, in alphabetical order, are run by the following committee members:
·
Administration and membership
(internal communication): Piet Oosthuizen, Ina Brand-van Rooyen.
·
Beach Control and Life Guards:
Michael Perlman, Marina Niven.
·
Built Environment: Jeanne
Biesenbach, Stef Naudé, Japie Mohr, Diana Woode, Dries Kruger (co-opted), Jan
Strydom (co-opted).
·
Contractual Area Management
Committee: Ina Brand-van Rooyen, Michael Perlman, Marina and Patrick Niven
(co-opted).
·
Covie: Ina Brand-van Rooyen, Jeanne
Biesenbach.
·
Environment (including Open Spaces
Sub-committee): Michael Perlman, Marina Niven.
·
External Communications (liaison
with other NGO’s, committees, forums and Bitou): Ina Brand-van Rooyen, Gordon
Paterson, Marina Niven, René le Roex.
·
Finances: Piet Oosthuizen.
·
History and Archive: René le Roex.
·
Infrastructure (water, electricity,
sewage, roads, waste removal): Douglas Blaine, Raimund Roberts, Johan
Grobbelaar, Bernhard Wiswe.
·
Newsletter: Jeanne Biesenbach,
Beefy Mance, Maaike Murphy (co-opted), Anton van Wyk.
·
Safety and Security: Denzel Dick,
Beefy Mance.
As we sent
out a special newsletter to all ratepayers concerning the Bitou Draft Land
Audit in January 2007, we decided not to send out another general newsletter in
the first quarter.
The rest of
the year will be as busy as this first half. The implications of the new
legislation and the Integrated Coastal Management Bill for Nature’s Valley must
be researched. Baboons have become such a problem that we have started a
special baboon alarm project headed by Japie Mohr. Further we aim to undertake
joint projects with the NVTrust, among others the rehabilitation and protection
of sites of archaeological importance on the far side of the lagoon. We request your support for these 2007
special projects.
I wish to
conclude with a special request. Work in the Phyl Martin Park has expanded so
that an extension to the sprinkler system is needed. This will cost about R2000
and we sincerely hope that you will see your way clear to making a donation for
this good cause. Payments marked “Phyl Martin” can be made directly into our
bank account or sent to the office. Thanking you in anticipation.
Infrastructure:
Doug Blaine, Raimund Roberts
Johan
Grobbelaar, Bernhard Wiswe
Water
Since the last newsletter efforts
have been made by the Municipality to improve the reliability and effectiveness
of the water treatment plant and thanks to dedicated attention to the plant
during the holiday season good quality water was delivered. However, the plant
continues to be problematic and requires daily attention to ensure a reliable
water supply. Afrox are responsible for the routine maintenance of the plant
with operation being the preserve of
With the departure of Gerhard
Strydom, new personnel will be involved in the day to day operation and we
trust that a smooth handover has taken place.
The committee will endeavour to
establish the long term plans which the Municipality has for this plant.
Sewage
Comments from the local Sewage Sub-committee
(comprising Geoff McIlleron, Frans Wagener and Frans Kapp), the NVRA Committee
as well as interested and affected residents were submitted to Ninham Shand
early in February in response to the Final Draft Environmental Impact Report
which was presented to ratepayers in December.
Ninham Shand has subsequently
visited the Valley to assess these comments and to ensure that the final report
presents only feasible and acceptable alternatives. The final report was due
during April.
Roads
The condition of the
The NVRA has already started with an
initiative to obtain Provincial Heritage status for this historical pass.
Waste
Removal
The misuse and abuse of the
Municipal dump in the Valley has been particularly noticeable this year. The
attitude of certain owners and tenants is sad to say the least. Apart from
domestic waste, which is just dumped outside the facility and results in an
eyesore and a smelly environment for everyone, people also continue to dump
building rubble, kitchen appliances, garden refuse, etc, etc, etc.
Gerhard Strydom, in frustration over
the dumping habits of certain homeowners, drew up a petition which was signed
by municipal workers in which they objected to the state of the dump.
Owners are
reminded that the dump is ONLY for domestic waste contained in black garbage
bags which are to be deposited INSIDE the brick structure.
The NVRA arranged for the dump and
its surroundings to be cleaned up before the Easter Holidays and the
Municipality has been approached to fence the facility and take other steps to
eliminate further misuse.
Domestic waste which is left on the
pavement overnight gets spread around by bush pigs, baboons and birds. Garbage for collection must only be put out
on the day the municipality collects. At any other time the garbage must be
deposited at the dump. Owners must please ensure that family / friends / tenants
enforce these regulations.
Discussions have been held with
SANParks and
Finances:
Piet Oosthuizen
We
thank those owners who have already paid their contributions for this financial
year.
Contributions
budgeted for 2006/2007 R71 700.00
Contributions
received
R121 140.00
Contributions
as % of budget 168.95%
Number
of contributors out of 392 245
%
of number of contributors out of 392 62.50%
Your continued support for the NVRA is greatly appreciated.
Bank
details:
Account: Nature’s
Valley Ratepayers’ Association
Account: 08
260 9217
Bank: Standard
Bank
Branch:
Branch code: 050714
Please ensure that your NAME and ERF NUMBER appear on
the payment advice for reference purposes.
Built
Environment: Jeanne Biesenbach, Stef Naudé, Japie Mohr
Diana
Woode, Dries Kruger, Jan Strydom
Building
Report: J G Mohr
It would appear that building
activities in the Valley are tapering off. Only one new dwelling has been
approved since July 2006. Since our previous newsletter (Nov ’06) only six
plans have been submitted and all have been approved:
·
181 St Andrew’s – Harris – gazebo & laundry addition
·
168
·
171
·
111
·
404 St Patrick’s – Wiehahn / Hattingh – new dwelling
·
241
Co-opted Member
In view of the increasing number of
critical issues that have to be dealt with by this portfolio, Jan Strydom was
co-opted onto the committee in March 2007.
From
the overwhelming response received it is clear that ratepayers realize what
crucial implications the recommendations of the Draft Land Audit hold for the
future of Nature’s Valley.
For
this reason it is important to provide a brief overview of the open spaces and
service erven.
·
Open Spaces
In 1995 the front coastal dune
(erf 444), Syndicate lagoon frontage (erf 434) and lagoon frontage and flood plain
(erf 382) received the highest conservation status possible when they were
incorporated into SANParks by means of the Contractual Area Agreement between
SANParks, the NVRA and
In 2004 the NVRA approached
SANParks about the possibility of incorporating the remaining open spaces,
namely the Fynbos Reserve (erf 460), Phyl Martin Park (erf 429), and also erf
380 and the Forest Reserve (erf 381) into the existing Contractual Area
Agreement in order to gain the highest possible conservation status for these
sensitive areas.
In 2005 the NVRA assisted by the
NVTrust, submitted a comprehensive motivation for the inclusion of these open
spaces in the Contractual Area Agreement to
In October 2006 the NVRA obtained a copy
of the first draft proposals of the Land Audit and together with the NVTrust
immediately submitted objections to the Ward Committee and subsequently to the
Special Mayco meeting.
Late in December 2006 Bitou went ahead and
published the Draft Land Audit recommendations for public comment before
o
Prior to this it had become clear that Nature’s Valley would
need expert legal opinion and the NVRA engaged the services of well-known
o
The ratepayer body was mobilised to object to
recommendations of the Draft Land Audit and 321 objections were hand delivered
to Bitou.
o
In February 2007 Mr Dekker spent a day at Nature’s Valley,
held meetings with NVRA committee members and NVTrust representatives, went on
a walking tour of all the properties implicated in the Draft Land Audit and
gained firsthand knowledge of all the pertinent issues.
Current Situation.
There have been no
further developments.
·
Erven 335, 336 and 337
In the 1953 Certificate
of Uniform Title these 3 adjoining erven at the end of
In 2005 the NVRA submitted a
comprehensive document to Bitou in which the necessity of retaining these erven
for sewage purposes was motivated. In the same year Bitou appointed Ninham
Shand to investigate and identify suitable sewage options for Nature’s Valley.
In 2006 Ninham Shand recommended
that erven 336 and 337 be retained for sewage purposes and erf 335 as a buffer.
The Draft Land Audit recommendations stated
that the 3 erven were suitable for residential purposes and that erven 335 and
336 were immediately available.
In December 2006 the Municipality decided
to sell erven 335 and 336. The NVRA and NVTrust formally objected to this
decision. Our attorneys informed Bitou that erven needed for basic service
delivery could not be sold. This was followed by a letter of appeal against the
Mayco decision to sell the erven and a request to be heard at a full Council
meeting. A final letter followed in which Bitou was advised that the NVRA would
seek a court restraining order if the Municipality went ahead with the sale of
the erven.
In January 2007 ratepayers submitted 321
objections to the Draft Land Audit recommendations for the Open Spaces and 3
service erven.
In February 2007 our attorney inspected
these sites during a visit to Nature’s Valley.
Current Status
o
Bitou have not yet set a date for the NVRA appeal which must
be held before the full Council.
o
The final Ninham Shand report and recommendations have not
yet been received.
o
There have been no further developments.
Erven 135
and 131: proposed redevelopment of shop and restaurant
As this is a sensitive issue that affects
the whole community it is important to provide a brief overview, to clarify any
misconceptions and to explain the standpoint of the NVRA.
On
·
a three-storey building with 20 sectional title units which
includes
·
a new shop
·
a new restaurant
On account of the magnitude of the
development the owner was requested to leave the concept proposals at the NVRA
Office for the duration of the December holidays and was given the opportunity
to do a presentation after the Ninham Shand meeting. The purpose was to ensure
that as many owners as possible would have the opportunity to peruse the
development proposals.
Notwithstanding the strong reaction
that this elicited, the NVRA as mouthpiece of the ratepayers could not present
a considered standpoint at the AGM until all the necessary research and the
implications thereof had been concluded and various consultations had taken
place.
·
Owners in the vicinity of the shop and restaurant met with
the NVRA and voiced their concerns.
·
NVRA committee members met with 3 architects to discuss the
proposals and received further input from a fourth architect.
·
A Town and Regional Planner provided comments on the
proposals.
·
The NVRA undertook a full title deed search of erven 135 and
131. The zoning status of the two erven and resultant rights of the owner were
determined and these implications researched as well as the procedures that had
to be followed.
·
At the first NVRA meeting on
·
The Built Environment (BE) Committee was finalised.
·
Directly after this the BE Committee, Chairman and Deputy
Executive Chairmen held a meeting with the owner where the NVRA put its
standpoint regarding the development proposals.
·
As requested by the owner, a report of the meeting and a
summary of comments of the architects and Town and Regional Planner were copied
to him.
It appears that the redevelopment
proposals for erven 135 and 131 are based on the successful consolidation of
the 2 erven in order to develop it as a single unit.
Zoning status: Erf 135 business zone ll
Erf 131 residential zone l (single residential)
Standpoint
While the NVRA recognises the rights
of the owner on erf 135 (business ll) it cannot support any change in land use
(rezoning), consent use or departure that may be applicable to the proposed
development of erven 135 and 131.
Briefly this comprises the
following:
·
Erf 135 (business ll): The owner has the right to run a shop
and restaurant in a building that does not exceed 2 storeys (8,5m). This zoning
also makes allowance for the application of certain consent uses, among others
for flats.
·
Erf 131 (residential l): The NVRA will oppose an application
for the rezoning of this property to business ll in order to consolidate erven
135 and 131.
·
Consent use: The NVRA will oppose an application for consent
use to erect flats on a consolidated erf 135 and 131.
·
Departure: The NVRA will oppose an application for a
departure from the maximum height of two storeys in order to build three
storeys high.
It is important to note that all the
above, namely rezoning, consent use and departure can be consolidated into one
application. Such an application must be advertised and interested parties have
the right to object and subsequently to appeal if objections are not upheld.
Current situation
To date there have been no further
developments.
Erf
In April 2007 the NVRA submitted a
comprehensive objection to the application for the removal of restrictive title
conditions in order to subdivide erf 171 into two portions to the Provincial
Administration:
In January 2006 the NVRA also
submitted a comprehensive objection to a similar application for the subdivision
of erf 152 on the corner of Berg Lily and
Conclusion
The committee is continuously
monitoring all the abovementioned issues and will keep ratepayers updated.
Should any matters arise that call for reaction by ratepayers, the NVRA will
not hesitate to send out another special newsletter.
Our attorneys are fully informed and
will take immediate action if required.
It is clear from this report that
increasing pressure is being brought to bear on Nature’s Valley and with it,
increasing pressure on the administrative and financial resources of the NVRA.
Your sustained and fast reaction as
well as financial support are critical factors for success. Our sincere thanks
and appreciation go to two owners who donated R5000 and R10000 respectively for
legal costs.
Safety
and Security: Denzel Dick, Beefy Mance
In February a meeting was held with
the operational and regional managers of ADT to discuss security operations in
Nature’s Valley. During March and April five burglaries were reported. None of
these houses had alarm systems.
Environment:
Michael Perlman, Marina Niven
The Open Spaces Subcommittee, chaired
by Jill McIlleron, will once again focus on two key areas in 2007, namely the
ongoing work in the Phyl Martin Park and the clearing of invasive alien
vegetation in Nature’s Valley. The latter will always be a problem,
particularly Sword Fern and Madeira Vine. The NVRA will augment the Phyl Martin
Park labour costs and finance the clearing of invasive alien vegetation.
Contractual
Area: Ina Brand-van Rooyen, Michael Perlman, Marina Niven
Patrick Niven
At a
meeting of the Management Committee held on 8 March 2007 the following issues
were discussed: estuary pollution, management and monitoring; Lagoon Drive and
the parking area; coastal management plan and the problems experienced at the lagoon
on New Year’s Day. The question of additional toilet facilities, brochures and
black bags, fires and damage to vegetation and designated parking sites will be
dealt with during the course of the year to prevent a similar situation at the
end of the year.
André
Riley, Conservation Manager of
Covie: Ina
Brand-van Rooyen, Jeanne Biesenbach
The project management of the consultants
SPI/Iliso, who were tasked with drawing up a development plan for Covie and steering
the public participation process, is drawing to a close. We shall report when
we have established what the further process entails and by whom it will be
managed.
Administration: Piet Oosthuizen, Ina
Brand-van Rooyen
Office equipment
necessary for more effective communication with ratepayers was upgraded. This
included the installation of a dedicated fax line.
Please note the following important changes:
Telephone: 044-531-6699; Fax: 044-531-6668
Ward
Committee: Gordon Paterson
The Ward Committee System continues
to gain importance but efficient functioning remains a problem. This was
discussed with the mayor at the April Bitou Ratepayers Alliance (BRA) meeting
and a Ward Committee workshop has been scheduled for May.
An NVRA representative attends all Ward
Committee meetings.
External
Liaison: Ina Brand-van Rooyen, Gordon Paterson
Marina Niven, René le Roex
At the end of last year
the ratepayers associations of
The BRA also aims to liaise with the
top structure of the Municipality and have succeeded in initiating regular
quarterly meetings of the four chairmen with the Executive Mayor. The first
meeting was held in April and Ina Brand-van Rooyen represented Nature’s Valley.
This is an extremely important initiative that could lead to positive outcomes.
People
and Events:
Gerhard Strydom. A gathering of residents
took leave of Gerhard Strydom and his family at a farewell function where he
was presented with a gift from the NVRA for thirteen years of service to
Nature’s Valley. The Strydom family will be moving to
Athol and Heather Aitken
of
Geoff McIlleron,
renowned birder and photographer, has been appointed Honorary Life President of
the Plettenberg Bay Bird Club.
Nature’s Valley Trust. Congratulations
to the Trustees and Project Managers, Julie Carlisle and Martine Mouton on
receiving the 2007 South African National Parks Kudu Award for the best Community
Based Conservation Contribution in South Africa.
This great
honour is a just reward for your commitment to conservation and we are
exceptionally proud of you!
In Memoriam
David Rattray – A tribute
We in
Nature’s Valley, in company with many thousands throughout the world, were
saddened and devastated by the death of David Rattray at his home at Fugitive’s
Drift, KwaZulu, where he gave so much pleasure to so many with his enthralling
tales of the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War. He was not only a masterful raconteur and
widely acclaimed historian but also an entomologist and passionate
conservationist. David loved all aspects of nature and he loved people; he
loved
David
Rattray was a giant among men and we mourn his passing.
Dr Johannie Cronjé
was one of the first Dutch Reformed Church ministers to hold services in
Nature’s Valley - initially under a tree in
Barney and Hester Barnardo.
Barney was the eldest grandson of Hendrik Barnardo on whose farm “Grootrivier”,
Nature’s Valley was established in 1953.
Dr Roelof van Wyk
a keen and knowledgeable nature lover who spent many years at “Raap en Skraap”.
Rainfall Report (mm): Y Bath
|
|
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
|
January |
70 |
61 |
89 |
54 |
|
February |
86 |
49 |
20 |
41 |
|
March |
82 |
109 |
62 |
97 |
|
April |
61 |
47 |
101 |
30 |
|
May |
21 |
46 |
100 |
102 |
|
June |
42 |
23 |
46 |
|
|
July |
34 |
13 |
91 |
|
|
August |
38 |
8 |
232 |
|
|
September |
142 |
34 |
16 |
|
|
October |
74 |
14 |
57 |
|
|
November |
20 |
93 |
61 |
|
|
December |
203 |
46 |
60 |
|
|
Total mm |
873 |
543 |
935 |
324 |
