The Origin of the CBRRA

 THE ORIGIN OF THE CAMPS BAY RATEPAYERS AND RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION (CBRRA)

 In 1913, in order to consolidate the supply of water, electricity, roads,

 clinics, slum clearance and housing in the Cape Town area due to the rapid

 increase in the population, the municipalities of Cape Town, Green and Sea

 Point, Woodstock, Maitland, Mowbray, Rondebosch, Claremont and Kalk Bay

 amalgamated into “The City of Greater Cape Town” .

 Camps Bay was included in the original Cape Town area and was thus in the new

 consolidated municipal area but, initially did not have a Councillor.   

 At about that time, a halfpenny additional differential rate was imposed on

 Camps Bay ratepayers to pay for a drainage scheme.

 This angered the residents and a protest meeting was held on 20 May 1918 and

 at that meeting the Camps Bay / Bakoven Vigilance Association (CBBVA) was

 created.

 This can be construed to have been the beginning of what is now the CBRRA.

 The agreed objects of CBBVA were to promote interest in municipal affairs

 amongst the residents of Camps Bay and to secure a due share of proper and

 efficient representation on the Council, to watch over the Council in those

 matters concerning  Camps Bay and to approach approach the the Council on

 behalf of the residents in regard to grievances or needs, to hold free and

 open discussions on all matters of municipal interest by holding public

 meetings, to get their own representative onto the Council and to protect and

 promote the interests of the residents of Camps Bay.  Nothing has changed !

 Four Councillors from Camps Bay became Mayors of Cape Town, (Messrs. Brinton,

 Booth, Keen and Billingham).  The only difference between those days and the

 present time is that the winning political party and not the local ratepayers

 association proposes the Councillor for each ward.

 Thus it can be seen that CBRRA has had a considerable history which originated

 when Camps Bay was in its development infancy nearly a century ago.