Good evening and welcome to the 2024 AGM of the CBCRA.
Firstly, though, I wish to mention the sad passing of John Powell last Friday 06 December. John was born in 1936.
John served this community as a Manco member and vice-chair for decades and was also a prominent Rotarian.
He was a quantity surveyor by profession and brought tremendous insights into the planning and rates aspect of the Ratepayers.
John was always a pleasure to work with, his positive approach to public service, despite how daunting it may have become, was always executed with good will and humour.
He expressed his views clearly but remained a good team player, even if alternative strategies were employed.
But, more importantly, John was a such a wonderful human being: warm, compassionate, knowledgeable and generous.
The battle that the Camps Bay Ratepayers fought in the 1980’s, to allow the beach to be open to all people, was championed by John Powell.
The CBCRA extends its condolences to Kay and the family.
A full eulogy will be posted on our website.
Tonight, the CBCRA welcomes two guest speakers, Prof Leslie Petrik and Dr Cleeve Robertson, who have kindly agreed to address this meeting, with a view to outlining the serious issue of the continued use of the Marine Outfall Plant situated on the beach.
Prof Petrik addressed one of our public meetings a few years back and is still fighting the good fight, with continued research and papers on the damaging effects of this dinosaur process.
Dr Cleeve Robertson grew up in this area and is probably well known to many of you. Cleeve has a long history of public service, including as CEO of the NSRI and Head of Metro Ambulance.
Also as a guest speaker, we welcome Mo Hendricks of the CID. Mo is becomingpart of the furniture in Camps Bay and will expand on CID activities.
A warm welcome also to our local councillor, Nicola Jowell, who has, again, tirelessly served this community over the past year. As I’ve mentioned at previous meetings, I can personally attest to the dedication that Nicola has shown toward our community and the hard and often thankless work that she does.
As with last year, we will dispense with all but the most important business of an AGM, as it’s late in the year and I’m sure that everybody will appreciate a more streamlined meeting.
From the agenda, may I please have any apologies for tonight’s meeting.
(Carl & Kim Richter, Brenda Getz, Debbie & Roland Oost, Fiona Espey sent prior apologies)
Apologies received will be posted with the minutes of this meeting
Also, we need to confirm the minutes of the previous AGM, held on 04 December 2023. Proposer and seconder?
Prof Leslie Petrik – Address followed by Q&A
Dr Cleeve Robertson – address followed by Q&A
Nicola Jowell – Councillor’s report
Chair’s report
The Municipal Planning Bylaw Amendments have caused deep concern amongst all groupings in Cape Town. Other than the development industry, who have welcomed it.
The CBCRA full objection to the proposed amendments is posted on the website and it is a lengthy and substantial document.
The breathtaking proposals include preventing aggrieved parties from seeking interim relief from illegal decisions by the City or actions by developers. How the City thinks that it can bar citizens from their constitutional rights is a mystery.
These proposals affect all ratepayers in Cape Town, from Camps Bay to Milnerton, from the Cape Flats to Constantia and everything in between.
One of the results of the advertised proposal was the formation of a grouping of over 40 ratepayer associations and civics, under the banner of the Collective Ratepayers Association (CRA), which has challenged the document in its entirety.
The City are attempting to push through draconian laws and the CBCRA needs your support to fight this onslaught, which will ultimately result in the devaluation of your property. The hotel on the beachfront, with 5 storeys ilo 3 and 15m i.l.o. 10m, is not going to be the only push by this City administration in favour of its friends in the development industry. Your views and amenities will be denied you by the City – and it has now put its intentions in writing. Multiple units on single dwelling sites and the removal of the 10m height restriction are just two items on the City’s agenda for planning “reform” in Camps Bay.
The City’s marine outfall plant on the Camps Bay beach remains one of the CBCRA’s top priorities.
You have now heard the science regarding these, so I will simply add one thought:
Even though senior Mayco members appear to acknowledge the problem, the City continues to advertise that the marine outfalls are completely safe – discharging the treated “effluent” far from shore and in deep water. Both of those statements are a complete lie and it appears that the City has now regressed into pure denialism. The truth is that it is discharging raw sewage into the bay, not 700m from Maidens Cove.
So, what to do about it?
In its submissions to the Minister, the CBCRA has requested that any issuing of a WD permit be linked to the construction of a “package” plant alongside the MOP, which can treat the raw sewerage to tertiary levels. This would then be an acceptable level to be discharged into the ocean – and there is enough land available. The costs are also not astronomical and one has to bear in mind that the City has been levying a sewerage discharge tax every property in CB for decades, without providing any infrastructural investment. The time is now due.
During this year the CBCRA has dealt with valuation, planning, social, cleaning and many other issues. For the sake of brevity, most of these matters are on our website, so please check out that which interests you.
Good news is that the CID are up and running and certainly getting some good press.
It faces a large backlog of problems that have been developing over the years but has hit the ground running. Clearly, there are no silver bullets to Camps Bay’s immediate problems in the crime and grime department, but we have full faith in the leadership and staff of the CID to proactively tackle difficult matters. I would caution this will be a long-term venture and that the community should also proactively support its efforts and understand its complexities.
This has led to the obvious question as to where the CBCRA fits into this new landscape.
We will – and have – worked closely with the CID.
It has also meant that CBCRA can concentrate on more core activities, away from the so-called crime and grime.
Planning remains a key part of the CBCRA’s activities.
Conservation of the natural and built environment is also a key issue.
Assisting homeowners with property valuations is an important part of CBCRA when the General Valuation rolls are published every three-or-so years.
The CBCRA is also committed to serving the community on any level required.
So, the CBCRA’s mantra is to Serve, Preserve and Conserve. We trust that we can be true to this.
However, the work we embark upon is extremely expensive – but so then is the value of your properties. And this value is now under threat from the City.
If the CBCRA is to continue with its work of protecting the built environment – and your property values – then it must be seriously funded.
Ladies and gentlemen, that is your call.
Chris Willemse – Planning
There are always too many planning matters to report back on in one meeting, so, as per last year, I’ll give you a quick overview:
It appears as if the City planners and the MPT remain on steroids in their blind rush to approve anything and everything, which gives the CBCRA a lot of work.
The beachfront hotel saga has entered a new phase, with the granting of leave to appeal by Ms Justice Fortuin.
Every legal person that we have approached in this matter has expressed shock at the judgement handed down by the High Court. Not only did it take over 7 months to be delivered, whilst the developer worked at full speed on the construction, the substance of the judgement is, by all accounts, lacking.
Anyway, we have lodged our appeal to the SCA and we will keep updates on our website.
Whatever the outcome of the hotel matter, this fight is not over. The developers are eagerly awaiting the next building on the strip to be allowed to reach the heights of the hotel by the ever-compliant City.
We are a short step from the Camps Bay beachfront resembling that of Sea Point, with all the houses behind losing millions of rand in value.
One matter is of particular interest and that is the monstrosity at 22 Sedgemoor Rd, which was stopped by a court order obtained by the CBCRA and neighbours three years ago.
You might remember that at our AGM in 2022, we questioned Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis as to how it was possible that his planning department approved plans that were totally different to the departures that the developer was granted. And remember, he was quite taken back by the sheer audacity of that planning approval and stated that he would make urgent enquiries and revert to the community?
Well, all that has happened is that the City, after formally and legally agreeing to abide by the decision of that Court, has now filed papers to have the original decision set aside! In other words, the Mayor has seen fit to spend taxpayers money to defend a developer, who is openly in breach of his planning permission, which is challenged in the first place and upon which a Court-order has been placed.
This should certainly make you wonder about the political leadership of this City.
You will probably have seen the huge house that is under construction on CB Drive (near Houghton, on the extension from First Crescent). There was a big uproar from neighbours and upon further enquiry, it was established that there was no planning permission for the build.
One has to ask how it was possible for that to occur and for the build to progress so far.
However, now we have to establish how such a high building is even possible.
A similar situation exists at 18 Hove Road, where large scale concrete foundations were cast for a building and for which no planning approval exists.
Richard Bendel - Financial Report
Election of Office Bearers
Theresa Massaglia has resigned from the CBCRA to focus on her Ignisive work and the CID. It is impossible to describe her input into social work in Camps Bay but the community owes her a debt of gratitude for her extraordinary work and insights into what is an international problem.
Earlier this year, Chris von Ulmenstein resigned from the CBCRA Manco.
She continues with her Camps Bay Clean initiative and we thank Chris for her work and efforts in the community.
All members currently serving on your Manco have agreed to remain for the following year.
I wish to express my personal gratitude to all these hard-working and selfless individuals who freely give of their time to protect the uniqueness of our beautiful village and suburb. I’m sure that all present here tonight will join me in thanking the Manco.
As always, new members are welcome and there is a great variety of tasks to tackle. Any nominations from the floor?
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