KENTON ON SEA RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION _“KOSRA”_

							          KENTON ON SEA RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION (“KOSRA”)

                                NEWSLETTER, July 2009

Dear Members,

This newsletter comes with greetings from your committee at this midpoint of the year.
There are many problems relating to non-delivery of services by the municipality but the
following is a survey of the key issues of interest and concern to ratepayers. Refer to the
“Service Delivery Schedule” at the end of this report for full details of a wide range of
deficiencies.

1. VALUATION

This repeat of last year’s valuation debacle has been no better. The whole process has
been botched again, starting with the seriously flawed roll being released on 8 May 2009,
to which many of you have lodged objections. This roll is to be replaced by a
“Supplementary Roll” promised for release on 17 July, 2009. We are hoping this date
will be met after three earlier due dates have been missed. This means that the earlier roll
is now null and void and YOU MUST EXAMINE THIS ROLL when it finally comes out
AND RE-LODGE YOUR OBJECTIONS, if you do not accept your new valuation. All
ratepayers will be given written notice of this new valuation and you will be given 30
days from 17 July to object, the closing date therefore being 17 August 2009. If this roll
is released as promised, it will be available on the Ndlambe Municipality website:
www.Ndlambe.com An abridged, more user friendly version will also be available on
our website: www.kosra.co.za. The necessary objection forms are available for
downloading on both sites.

2. CATTLE

After considerable pressure from all parties especially KOSRA, a major impoundment of
cattle recently took place and for a few weeks Kenton and the surrounding roads have
been free of cattle. Regrettable they are drifting back and it is obvious that the
Municipality is neither willing nor able to control this vexing situation. The pressure will
be maintained, and, as a last resort the “grid option” (i.e. a cattle grid at the entrance to
Kenton) will be considered.

3. STORM DAMAGE

The storm damage caused by exceptional tides and winds in August 2008 has not yet
been properly repaired and no reimbursement for the temporary repairs effected by
various civic bodies has been made.

4. ILLEGAL SQUATTING AND DUMPING
Illegal squatting and dumping continues uncontrolled on Erf 1098 adjacent to Kariega
View and the Eric Pudney Reserve. The Municipality, despite assurances, continues to
ignore the problem and lacks the political will to take corrective action, and especially to
provide for the destitute people who arrive with NO facilities except a few planks, bits of
plastic, cardboard and nails with which to erect shacks. The desecration of the
indigenous bush into the Erf (zoned Public Open Space) continues, as does the pollution,
health and hygiene problems associated with squatting.

5. SEWERAGE

No “Master Plan” has yet been produced despite ongoing pressure and escalating signs of
a deteriorating situation.

6. WATER

You will soon receive - or may already have received – a circular from the Albany Coast
Water Board, which provides all the water for the greater Kenton area from boreholes in
the dunes behind Diaz and from the desalination plant in Bushmans. Due to the drought,
the water available from the boreholes has dropped by 60%. A new Board has only
recently been appointed by the Minister of Water Affairs (after a gap of 13 months with
no Board). From their hasty assessment of the position, the severe drought will result in a
shortage of about 1 million litres of water PER DAY during the busy holiday season at
the end of the year.
The Board has already called for urgent tenders to refurbish the desalination plant to
increase its production by 1 million litres per day by the end of November to meet the
demand. Unfortunately, the Board is short of about R1,5 million to meet the cost of this
work and is urgently seeking grant or loan funding from every possible source. It fears
that it will not get it in the short time available. It will therefore be forced to do whatever
work can be done with the limited funds on hand, but fears that there will still be a
substantial water shortage in the holiday period.
PLEASE USE WATER SPARINGLY WHEN YOU COME ON HOLIDAY THIS
YEAR.



7. NRF / NDLAMBE SERVICE DELIVER SCHEDULE

As you are aware, KOSRA is a member of the Ndlambe Ratepayers Forum (“NRF”).
The NRF is the consolidated forum representing the eight ratepayer associations within
the Ndlambe municipal region. At recent committee meetings of the NRF, the following
Service Delivery Schedule was developed by all the members and was delivered to the
Acting Municipal Manager on 8 July 2009.

From the schedule you will see that KOSRA, through the NRF is initiating a very serious
attempt to have all the service delivery issues addressed and resolved. A covering letter
to the Municipality indicates quite clearly that if no corrective action plan, with timing
and responsibility details, is produced within a reasonable period of time, the grievances
would be taken to the highest authority for resolution. All this information has been
conveyed to the MEC, Housing and Local Government in Bisho. We will keep you
informed of progress on this important initiative.

                 NDLAMBE RATEPAYERS FORUM
 SERVICE DELIVERY SCHEDULE OF ACTION / CORRECTIVE ITEMS FOR THE
                     NDLAMBE MUNICIPALITY


INTRODUCTION

This comprehensive report has been compiled following the letter on Service Delivery
dated 8 June 2009 to the Ndlambe Municipality. The input of all the constituent
Ratepayer Groups in Ndlambe is included. The following Service Delivery items have
been identified.

     A. INFRASTRUCTURE and COMMUNITY PROTECTION - Housing,
     sanitation, safety, security and health.

     B. MAINTENANCE - Ongoing routine maintenance and operational issues.

     C. CREDIBILITY / GOVERNANCE. Management credibility and performance
     e.g., communications, sound management practices, adherence to regulations,
     transparency, etc)


A. INFRASTRUCTURE and COMMUNITY PROTECTION

Main Deficiencies

1.      The failure to ensure or facilitate the provision of RDP housing with a backlog of
        more than 6 years.
2.      The failure to acquire additional land and install the necessary infrastructure to
        squatter shacks on public open space, without water reticulation, roads, refuse
        removal, electricity or sewerage facilities.
3.      The failure to maintain and repair sewerage systems in Port Alfred, Nemato,
        Bushman’s and Kenton.
4.      The failure to tar numerous roads, especially in heavily populated poorer
        municipal areas, with the result that they become quagmires and unusable in rainy
        periods.
5.      The failure to provide adequate water reticulation in various residential areas, and
        particularly in the townships.
6.      Overflowing sewer manhole in Station Hill for over a year, and in many places in
        Nemato.
7.      Street nameplates broken and missing in Marselle, Ekuphumleni, Station Hill and
        other areas.     .
8.      Sewerage Works in Port Alfred unfenced.
 9.     Illegal Squatting on Erf 1098 Kenton-on-Sea. This is public open space. Squatters
         have no water, sewerage system, refuse removal. Clearing bush and cooking fires
         present a fire danger. The devaluation of local properties is a serious concern to
        the property owners of Kariega View.
10.      Illegal Dumping in Kariega View and Ekuphumleni and numerous other areas is
         not prevented or prosecuted. “No Dumping” signs repeatedly promised but not
         erected.
11.      Open sewerage drain behind toilet block at main Beach Kenton, with no cover.
12.      Partly built RDP houses in Ekuphumleni and Marselle abandoned and unfinished
         for years.
13.      Inadequate water facilities and no sewerage in vast squatter area in Marselle
14.      One of the new lighting towers in Marselle has never worked.
15.      Cannon Rocks refuse site needs urgent attention.
16.       Water supply in Cannon Rocks has approximately 45% loss from leaks.
17.      Boknes rubbish dump uncontrolled, unfenced and next to houses.
18.      Inadequate fire protection service in Kasouga
19.      The failure to install or maintain any system or collection depot for recycling
         waste. This has been established and is operated by the ratepayers themselves at
         their own expense.
20.      The failure to provide adequate vacuum tanker facilities to supplement the old and
         decrepit only one for the entire western part of Ndlambe.
22.      Only 1 Fire Hydrant plinth in whole area of Marselle, with no hydrant.
23.      Many fire hydrant points in Kenton buried
24.      Children’s’ playground in Marselle in serious disrepair
25.      Open water pipe trenches in Marselle – dangerous especially to children
26.      The failure to upgrade the existing fire fighting equipment and response facilities
         from the existing defective and useless equipment and inadequate responses.


B. MAINTENANCE

Main Deficiencies

1.    The failure to prevent cattle being kept in municipal areas.
2.    The failure to keep cattle off busy provincial and other roads.
3.    The failure to control and provide pound facilities for stray cattle.
4.    The failure to take any action against owners of cattle causing a nuisance, serious
      damage to property and danger to traffic.
5.    The failure to repair the majority of the damage caused by the unusually high tides
      last September or to reimburse the civic bodies that carried out the repairs.
6.    The failure to maintain any of the public paths, walkways and drains.
7.    The failure to manage and properly maintain municipal refuse sites.
8.    The failure to maintain public toilets and other facilities, particularly in tourist areas.
9.     The lack of effective maintenance of the roads and repair of the increasing number
       of potholes.
10     The failure to clean up and remove refuse in all areas in Ndlambe.
11.    Failure to monitor boat licences and speed regulation on rivers
12.    Failure to maintain tow paths on rivers. Subsidence on tow path on East bank of
       Bushman’s River unrepaired since flood in September 2008.
13.    Rubbish Bin on East bank of Bushman’s mouth unrepaired since flood in September
       2008.
14.    Hand rails on all paths down to Bushman’s river rotting and broken.
15.    Failure to remove illegal livestock from properties and roads in Kasouga.
 16.     Rubbish along many roads in Ekuphumleni seldom removed
 17.     Public toilets not cleaned or maintained. In Kenton: near Municipal offices, in
         town hall, near Police station, Kariega Slipway, Main Beach. In Bushman’s: at the
         beach. In Boknes: at the beach.
18.      Cemetery in Station Hill and Ekuphumleni overgrown.
19.      Poor maintenance of drain pipes that feed the storm water to the sea in Cannon
         Rocks.
20.      Refuse on verges in Station Hill.
21.      Grass on verges in Station Hill uncut.



C. CREDIBILITY / GOVERNANCE

Main Deficiencies

1.     The deficiencies in public participation as required by municipal regulations in many
       areas requiring such participation.
2.     The largely inefficient functioning of the Ward Committees. This deficiency affects
       the disadvantaged most in that their grievances are not clearly and efficiently
       channelled through to Council for attention and action.
3      Inability to manage the Valuation Process as required by the Municipal Rates Act of
       2004.
4.     The failure of the municipal officials to react to requests and complaints from
       ratepayers, or even to acknowledge or respond to their phone calls, messages, letters
       and e-mails - all about things that the officials should have done but have failed to
       do.
5.     Failure to inspect new buildings and provide completion certificates, also for RDP
       houses resulting in shoddy workmanship.
6.     The mismanagement of building regulations resulting in the erection of illegal
       buildings and the approval of illegal building alterations.
7.     Failure to appoint municipal officers on merit.
8.     Failure to take disciplinary proceedings against officials failing to respond to
       requests or complaints or to carry out their duties.
Participating members of the Ndlambe Ratepayers’ Forum:
Port Alfred Ratepayers and Residents’ Association
Bushman’s River Mouth Ratepayers’ Organisation
Kenton-on-Sea Ratepayers’ Association
Boknes Ratepayers Association
Cannon Rocks Ratepayers Association
Kleinemonde Ratepayers Association
Kasouga Residents Association
Bathurst Ratepayers’ Association


8 CONCLUSION

You are encouraged to send your comments to our email address: info@kosra.co.za.

Issue date: 10 July 2009
Issued by: D.W. Walters
Chairperson, Kenton on Sea Ratepayers Association.