March Newsletter

by | Mar 30, 2022 | Blog, Newsletters | 1 comment

Dear Community

The strongest theme that is emerging from our continuing efforts on the various community concerns, is the sense of unity that is growing with the related organisations in the Kenton/Bushmans area.

More often than not, we find ourselves collaborating with BRRAG, the Chamber of Business and Tourism, Estuary Care, Merry Hill and Nature’s Landing on issues that affect us all.

This growing sense of cooperation is pulling all of us together on important issues and making us more effective in addressing the many challenges that face our community.

What follows is a summary of a few of the projects we are busy overseeing on behalf of the community. The projects are cumbersome and time consuming. Although progress is sometimes slow and often frustrating, we are committed to a successful outcome on each issue.

Kenton Garage Development

Those of you living in Kenton or having recently visited Kenton would have noticed the massive earth excavation at the entrance to our town.  Further to the post on 1 February we would like to give you a further update on the current situation.

Pollos Purdon on behalf of KOSRA attended the first steering committee meeting on 18 March 2022, set up by Ndlambe.  This meeting was attended by representatives of the Ekuphumleni, Ward Councillors, the Developer and the Main contractor.

KOSRA raised the following concerns:

  • Transparency – The Developer plans to erect a site board with layouts and 3D renderings. Pollos requested permission to publish the development plans on our website.
  • Water source for the development – The Developer stated that the water used on site is being trucked from Kariega Quarry and from Bathurst.
  • SANRAL approval – The Developer is to ensure that the SANRAL adjustments/improvements are being adhered to.
  • Aesthetics – KOSRA anticipates to get clarity in due course with a view to the Developer blocking off the construction site on Kariega road side. The Developers has agreed to install a fence

Ekuphumleni representatives discussed the local labour incorporated at a ratio split of 75%/25%. The Developer explained that highly skilled labour is needed to ensure a successful project and that it wil be difficult to maintain such a ratio.

The Service Station is expected to be opened by the end of August 2022 and the surrounding Mall will officially open at the end of April 2023.

The next steering committee meeting is scheduled for 22 April 2022 and we will continue to update you on the progress.

Although the developer has broken ground, considerable time has been invested to date communicating with SANRAL, our main concern is the road safety at the R72 intersection. We are in direct communication with SANRAL and certain timeframes have been put in place by them. SANRAL are fully aware of our concerns and list of improvements we require have been communicated in writing as long ago as 18 October 2021.  We are aware of further comment and input provided by certain residents, particularly with regard to noise management which will be conveyed to SANRAL. We will provide updates as matters progress.

SDF (spatial development framework)

KOSRA would like to urgently make ratepayers aware of this document and what the plans for future developments are for Kenton-On-Sea. See attached letter from Ndlambe and note the deadlines!! We need feedback from ratepayers. For ease of reference, note page numbers 6 – 9 for ‘definitions’ to understand the terminology used by the town planners, page numbers 156, 157 and 158 to see how proposed new zonings will affect Kenton-On-Sea.

You are invited to formulate your comments on the proposed SDF. The deadline for submissions is 28 April 2022.

High Rates

With concerning frequency, there are instances where Ndlambe have substantially increased rates by 200% or even 300% on certain properties. Kenton has the one of the highest rates factors per Rand, in the whole of the country. The mismatch of excessive charges versus the manifest lack of service delivery is glaring obvious and a huge cause of concern on both sides of the equation. It is to be noted that Kenton is not alone in facing perilously high rates increases. To date, individual owners are responding to the increases on a case-by-case basis. The Ndlambe Ratepayers Forum have considered the issue but apart from a letter to Ndlambe, have not taken any further steps as yet.

The Sand Dune

The battle of the Sand Dune continues. In a unique development, KOSRA, BRRAG (Bushman’s Ratepayers Associations), Chamber of Business and Tourism, Natures Landing and Merry Hill Property Association have aligned themselves to actively support Estuary Care, who continue to take the lead in tackling the pending final approval stage head on.

Members would have recently received a call for funding which summarises the issues between between the Kenton Sand Dune and Nature Association (KSDNA) and the now six opposing community organisations in relation to the first-stage approval obtained by Ndlambe. We believe that Ndlambe and the Department of the Environment would be receptive to the alternative solutions to channel sand through Dry Bones Valley but for the attitude of the KSDNA. We remain concerned that KSDNA’s approach to remove the Dune is not only massively expensive but could also have a significant detrimental impact on the immediate environment.

Waste and Recycling

As previously reported in our Blog post earlier this year, we had a successful start to the recycling program over the Festive season which ran through to end January 2022. It is unfortunate to report that there was insufficient domestic recyclables collected. This has made the program financially unviable.

KOSRA is engaging with Ndlambe who are looking for alternatives as part of a broader solution for waste management which may include the use of the facilities in nearby towns and possibly a local drop zone. There are a number of economic, social and political factors that have to be woven together to bring about an effective solution.

Kosra have agreed to a six-month suspension of Ndlambe’s reporting duties under the 2016 Court Order whilst concerted bilateral efforts are made to finally solve the problems.

Water

This remains an ongoing issue for everyone. The regular cable theft continues to be a major challenge for everyone as do the services provided by Amatola Water.

The Board of Amatola Water has again been fired by the new Minister. Doug Swanson attended a meeting led by the Minister regarding the new Board appointments and how the problems are going to be addressed.

It has also been proposed that a second water supplier be considered. KOSRA will apply their energy in favour of a second supplier if immediate solutions cannot be found to the deficiencies of Amatola.

The failure of the internal reticulation system that affects Merry Hill, Norfolk Ridge and other parts of Kenton is an Ndlambe problem but which the municipality fail to solve.

Security

Over the past few weeks we have agreed with Hi-Tec on a more proactive maintenance of cameras and a faster response to restoring offline cameras, the result is a vastly improved operator experience.

Great success with the monitors when a boat battery was observed being carried off on one of the cameras. Hi-Tec responded resulting in a successful arrest.

We continue to look for monitors to join the Camera Monitoring program.

KOSRA Membership

Kosra is continuously endeavouring to expand our membership base. We need all of you as members! We depend on minimal contributions to keep Kosra’s wheels turning and to enable us to donate to key projects. We have a growing group of community members wishing to remain informed via our Facebook page and subscription to our posts. Simply click on this link and complete your details should you not have already done that.

Please encourage your friends, neighbours, family members, visitors to contribute to the KOSRA coffers. As you see from the above activities we need to cover the costs of legal advisers, an environmental specialist and security equipment provided to the Night Watch team, amongst a number of other costly initiatives.

Please support KOSRA to help us work for the community.

Yours in service
KOSRA

KENTON-ON-SEA RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION

1 Comment

  1. I would like to focus on the Kenton Garage Development and as a paid up member of Kosra I wish to air my views on this subject.
    First and foremost my major concern is that there is NO Sanral approval on this project at this stage. Also no visibility at all on the expected problems we already face trying to cross the R72 into Kenton. Now let us add the children who are going to cross this busy road to go shopping at their proposed shopping areas. Where is the pedestrian bridge? How many people will get knocked down when they run across the road to the “shop” at the garage. Where is the visibility to us…. the rate payers.
    Next, the EIA. When was this done and how was this approved. Any spillage from the fuel tanks would run straight into the Kariega River. Who actually did this. Looking at the construction and where these tanks are placed, it appears that there has been absolutely no barrier built to prevent an eventual spillage which will run straight down into the Kariega River.
    Entrance into the garage? If this is planned to have vehicles veering off left into the garage I can foresee many an accident as the speed limit being 80km per hour and vehicles already speeding uphill will certainly not see vehicles slowing down and veering off. We have akready encountered two accidents just this month during building phase.
    What is the plan for this?
    If these vehicles will be using the Kenton entrance/exit road to get back onto the R72 or Grahamstown Road there is certainly going to be a need for traffic management onto these roads. For many years Kenton has been asking for some sort of plan to get the traffic flowing easier at this crossing and we have been advised that it cannot happen as this is a main road. What will change now? Now add holiday makers in the mix and the queues will be enormous and we will have taxi drivers getting frustrated and once again drive onto the kerb where pedestrians are walking. This is already a problem.
    To discuss the ownership, I was under the impression that this is municipal land. So this was bought by an Argentinian and some Indian lady high up in the ANC, right? No evidence how this was approved as a business but somehow, it smells bad. Corruption is everywhere. I don’t want to point fingers but the evidence is staring us in the face.
    I propose that a very strong committee attends this next meeting and actually gets down to the bottom of this. Once again our little village is under threat.

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