The NKRA is grateful for the support provided in the 4th Street park by our park sponsors RUSSELL FISHER PROPERTIES and VISION TACTICAL SECURITY and the KILLARNEY MALL, and for the street cleaning services provided by RCS SECURITY SERVICES.

PGPPGPPGP PGP

MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 14 OCTOBER 2009



MINUTES FOR THE MONTHLY PUBLIC MEETING OF THE
NEW KILLARNEY-RIVIERA ASSOCIATION
HELD AT THE MALL MANAGEMENT OFFICES ON 14 OCTOBER 2009 AT 18H00

PRESENT:    Wayne Ford (Chairman)
Jo Marais (Barkley Square)
Steve Mendelsohn (Spinney Close)
Hein Dyer (Killarney Mall)
Rob Milne (Killarney Park)
Frank & Audrey Kobrin (St John’s Wood)
Rochelle Aaron (Glenhof)
Dalien Rutenberg (Glenhof)
Herbert Prins (Mentone Court)
Marion Sacks (Sunningdale Mansions)
Faye Susser-Sher (Whitehall Court)
Inspector Bester (SAPS)

Clr M Ravid joined after the start of the meeting

1.     WELCOME
WF welcomed everyone to the meeting, and thanked the Mall for the use of their premises.

2.    APOLOGIES
Brent Chalmers, Jacques Stoltz, Liora Kloss, Mira Fassler-Kamstra, David Kramer, Celeste Mulholland.

3.     APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The Minutes of the previous meeting were taken as read, and were approved.

4.    SECURITY FEEDBACK / SECTOR CRIME FORUM
•        The Gauteng Department of Community Safety has not yet held elections for a Sector Crime Forum for Killarney-Riviera, and so the NKRA continues to perform this role on behalf of the community.
•    Inspector B did not have detailed crime statistics available, but reported that the only serious crimes reported in the area during the past four weeks were the thefts of two cars, and one case of theft out of a motor vehicle.
•    Insp B also reported that the intersection of Newton Road and Houghton Drive continued to be a hot-spot. He is working with Clr Mohlala to have lights fixed at the intersection, and trees pruned, to improve visibility and make the site less friendly to perpetrators.
•    JMPD was not in attendance, as usual.
•    The Mall reported that they are redesigning access to allow cash to be removed from the building without it passing through the customer-areas, so as to make cash-in-transit robberies more difficult, and to ensure that customers will not be caught up in any future incidents of that nature.
•    It was agreed that “Street Committees” have been very successful in helping to manage community crimes in neighbouring suburbs. While community street-patrols are not viable in Killarney, technology can be used to enable all residents to report concerns in real-time so that police and security companies can react more quickly to manage threats, and to send out important information to the various buildings in return. In order to make this work properly, we need to have a database with at least one contact person in every building. Members agreed to visit neighbouring buildings in person, to identify a contact person with an email address, and their managing agent. Please could you all assist to complete the attached register, and then email all contact details obtained to wdford@global.co.za.
•    It was reported that the concrete security fence between the motorway and 7th St has been repaired by Council, but was immediately damaged again by vandals. The SAPS have information on the culprit, and are proceeding with investigations. Meanwhile, the installation of additional fencing on the ends of the two bridges has been authorised, and will be done as soon as the contractor is available.
•    After years of lobbying, the motorway fence between the Temple Emanuel and the insurance company has been replaced by the Council with a steel paling fence. Many thanks to Clr R for facilitating this work.
•    A hawker blitz was again requested – Insp B and Clr R to facilitate. Members are meanwhile urged to call the Council on 0113755555 or 0118860757 or 0113768514 to report potholes, vagrants, hawkers, litter and every other issue.

5.    TRAFFIC ISSUES
•    Since we are now allowed to have legal traffic calming measures provided we finance them ourselves, JM is trying to arrange site meetings with the various relevant officials to initiate the process.
•    JM reported back that ordinary speed-humps will cost about R20 000 each. Members who believe that new speed-humps are necessary in the vicinity of their buildings for safety reasons should send in requests to wdford@global.co.za, and the process of obtaining approval will commence.
•    Construction holes in 9th St have finally been repaired by the Council. Many thanks to everyone who phoned in complaints to help make this happen.
•    CLr R will assist JM in requesting that road markings in Killarney be repainted – especially around the entrances to the Mall. A safety modification is also required to the gutters of the raised pedestrian crossing outside the Clicks entrance at the Mall.
•    It was reported that traffic cameras are having a favourable effect on the behaviour of taxi drivers elsewhere in Johannesburg. If you have any specific information about such installations that are adding value, please let us know so that Clr R can investigate. 
•    Herbert Prins raised the issue of the tax rank situated at the corner of Killarney Avenue and 1st Street.  The taxi rank has not been approved by the local authority, is not legal, lacks any of the amenities usually associated with formal taxi ranks, and is a threat to health and safety.  This threat is exacerbated because the entrance to one of the units of Mentone Court is where taxi users queue and is used constantly as a urinal.  HP agreed that the taxis are required to transport the Mall’s workers to and from work and the community of Killarney derives no benefit from having the taxi rank situated in a residential area.  The beneficiaries are the taxi users and the owners of the Mall and their tenants who, without workers could not continue to function.  HP requested that the NKRA make strenuous efforts to persuade the owners of the Mall to accept responsibility for providing a properly facilitated taxi rank, out of the confines of the residential area and within the boundaries of the Mall.  He suggested a possible convenient site that could meet with the approval of the taxi operators to be on the still undeveloped land at the south end of Killarney Avenue and at the south west corner of the Mall.  Should negotiations with the owners of the Mall not succeed, he suggested that the NKRA give serious consideration to resolving the problem by such other means as may be open to it. A written proposal will be drawn up jointly by the NKRA and the Mall, to be discussed with Council and then with the two Taxi Associations concerned.
•    Clr R will work with Mr Prins to clarify concerns about potential changes to the BRT route plan, which will be reactivated after 2010.

6.    ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
•    After our site meeting with PikiTup management, street cleaning has improved. However more dustbins are still awaited in the high-pedestrian zones. The sweeper project is still on hold pending promised action by PikiTup.
•    JM has requested the storm-water drains department to clean the drains before the rains start in earnest.
•    The vagrant problem on the vacant land in Oxford Road, behind Riviera Mansions, is getting worse. The agents of Riviera Mansions are corresponding with the owners of that land to have the problem addressed.
•    HD from the Mall will request a pest-specialist to remove the large bee hive inside the water meter box on the pavement of 4th Street, corner 2nd Avenue.
•    Despite repeated attempts, it has proved impossible to establish a suburb-wide recycling program. However an SME recycling business has been identified, who is prepared to place bins at individual buildings and collect the material for recycling. He is Kenny Fletcher, on 084 518 2926, or 084 876 7484. Please contact him to establish building-by-building recycling programs. Not only can we all make an important contribution to the environment, but by removing potentially recyclable material from our refuse we also make our refuse less attractive to the scavengers who empty our bins onto the pavements every week, and who live on our bridges and embankments because our recyclable refuse provides them with a source of income.

7.    NEWSLETTER AND WEBSITE
•    Please send all news items and potential articles to WF at wdford@global.co.za

8.    FINANCE AND MEMBERSHIP
•    There have been no expenditures since last month, and no new members have joined.
•    New bank accounts have been opened, with updated signatories.

9.    GENERAL
•    The Mall reported that their project to lift new aircon units onto the roof of the Mall by helicopter will take place on the morning of 1 November.
•    Ward boundaries will be changed again before the municipal elections to reflect changes in population densities since the last municipal elections. We will be advised once final decisions have been taken.
•    It was noted that Dr Martin has renamed two buildings in honour of his late mother. The renaming does not indicate any change in use.
•    The Mall is considering further development, to make best use of its land. Plans are still at an early stage, but more information will be made available as the process unfolds.

The meeting closed with thanks to all attendees.

The next meeting will be held on
WEDNESDAY 11 NOVEMBER 2009 AT 18H00
This will be the last meeting of the year.