Minutes of the Meeting on 23 January 2009

MINUTES
OF THE NEW KILLARNEY/RIVIERA ASSOCIATION MEETING
HELD AT NIB ON 23 JANUARY 2009 AT 18HOO

PRESENT: Wayne Ford (Chairman)
Brent Chalmers (Treasurer)
Jo Marais (Environment)
Jenny Chalmers (Secretary)
Inspector Malope (SAPS)
Dave Locke (Whitehall)
Jacques Stoltz (Gleneagles)
Rochelle Aarons (Glenhof)
Dalien Ruitenberg (Glenhof)
Marion Bouwer (Riviera Mansions)
Mrs Uzac (Portofino)
Yogan Naidoo (Dukes Court)
E Naidoo (Dukes Court)

APOLOGIES: Clr M Ravid
Liandra de Villiers
Leo Schwartz
Steve Mendelssohn
Barry Milner
Graham Sifrin

1. WELCOME
WF welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies were noted.

2. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The Minutes of the previous meeting were taken as read, and were approved without further amendment.

3. SECURITY FEEDBACK / COMMUNITY SAFETY PROJECT – SCAI
• The meeting was introduced to the new SAPS Sector Manager for Killarney, Inspector Malope, who has until now been involved in sector policing in neighbouring Parktown. Inspector Bester has been rotated and is currently working in an office position. WF welcomed Inspector Malope to the meeting and to Killarney and Riviera.

• WF summarised the different problems in the area, the robberies at Aroma’s in the Mall, the vagrants around the taxis in Killarney Road, the vagrants on the bridges as well as the cat burglar.

• Inspec M advised the meeting that Female Constable Setsiba will be working with Killarney-Riviera as well, and that she is presently on a training course but will attend future NKRA meetings.

• Inspec M was surprised to see no representation by Metro Police – he was advised that they have been invited on numerous occasions but usually do not arrive. Inspec M advised that he would be attending a meeting with Commissioner and Metro Police on 22 January 09 and will insist that JMPD attend the meetings.

• The meeting was advised that SAPS and Metro Police are now always partnered in the sector patrol vehicles.

• It was reported that City Parks and Piki Tup attend the Parktown meeting but noted that these meetings take place during working hours unlike the NKRA.

• The meeting was advised that Inspec Malope’s working hours are 07H30 to 16H00 and that he is in Community Liaison not Response. All emergency calls must first be logged on 10111. Thereafter Inspec M may be called but it must be understood that there will be occasions when he will be unable to assist.

• WF reported on today’s robbery at Aromas. Inspec M will visit the restaurant for more information.

• Inspec M will bring the Crime Stats to future meetings.

SCAI
• There are at present two categories of project member buildings:
1. Those that are happy with their installation and are paying and
2. Those that are not paying as the installation is not yet complete.

• The contract is currently being amended, to eliminate items which are not possible to complete at the current subscription rates.

• WF advised on the following main changes in the latest draft of this contract:
1. There will be an “sms alert service” in place of panic buttons.
2. The response vehicle will be a smaller vehicle and not a 4×4.
3. The access control will be dropped altogether.
4. Some cameras will be replaced with microwave barriers where night-vision cameras are proving to be unviable.

• WF advised that buildings can either pay up the arrears and convert into the new contract, or cancel the existing contract on grounds of non-performance and start fresh with the new and simpler contract.

• Including inflation escalations over time, the new cost per Unit per month on the new contract will be R140-00 (excl VAT). For those buildings that cancel and start over, and for those that start for the first time on the new contract, there will be an additional once-off upfront installation fee of R350-00 per Unit.

• The minimum viability requirement is 400 members in total.

• The minimum amount of members for smaller buildings is 20 – buildings with fewer than 20 members will pay the same fee as a building with 20 members.

• All buildings are currently being protected and this will continue until a decision is made to continue or cancel. Letters detailing the transition procedure and outstanding subscriptions (where applicable) have been sent to all member buildings by SCAI.

• It was noted that the cameras on the buildings that decide to cancel and join the new system, with be switched off on cancellation, and these buildings will thus not be protected during the transition process.

• WF to send information on SCAI to Portofino c/o Philippe Uzac.

• It was noted that Chartwell are unhappy with certain issues and that SCAI may move the control room to another site. Negotiations between SCAI and Chartwell are still taking place at present to resolve outstanding issues.

4. MALL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT AND FEEDBACK
• Unfortunately Clr R was unable to attend the meeting.

5. TRAFFIC AND TAXI PROJECT
• The outstanding traffic projects are the lengthening of the island across the bridge to the traffic circle on 4th Avenue, the cats-eyes on the island in Riviera Road and the M1 off-ramp issue. JM reported that JRA officials are still trickling back to work after the Xmas break and she hopes to have more information for the next meeting.

6. ENVIRONMENT
• JM has spoken to Mr Tree of Piki Tup regarding litter problems in the area. JM was advised that temporary workers are no longer being used and that there is only one elderly woman responsible for sweeping Main and Riviera Roads. JM has requested that Main Road be cleaned first due to the quick build up of litter.

• Regarding the Main Road car park, it was reported that both Clr R and JM have had onsite meetings with the Roads Agency as well as the City Parks Department.

• JM reiterated that Splice did not correctly fix the problems left behind by their construction company and that this has resulted in the unsightly growth of weeds and poor surface coverage.

• Berkeley Square has accepted an offer of R8, 5 m for this piece of land, and JM explained that the cancellation of the Servitude is in an advanced stage but that it still has to be advertised to allow for possible objections. JM will keep the NKRA advised of future developments.

• Marion Bouwer expressed concern regarding traffic and lack of parking in Main Road.

• MB suggested a pedestrian crossing on Main Road and it was agreed that a request be made for the speed hump between Splice and Rivera Mansions to be increased and a pedestrian crossing painted on top. JM to pursue.

• Whitehall have been requested to remove their compost heap on the pavement, as this could become a breeding ground for rats. JM has reported this to Council.

• Vagrants are once again a problem on 7th Street and 4th Avenue and 7th Street and 3rd Avenue. It was reported that vagrants were removed and sleeping quarters demolished by Metro Officer M Lebabu. This is an ongoing problem that will have to be addressed regularly.

• JM reported that this area is extremely dirty – JM to report to Council.

• WF is in negotiations with Nomsa Nene of Wendy Mechanik Properties to sponsor an individual to assist in cleaning the area. This will be a once-off project but it is hoped that a dedicated person can be retained to do this job on a regular basis.

• Yogan Naidoo advised the meeting that he had joined the Dukes Court board and that they are pursuing a list of maintenance projects. They will clean the pavement flower-beds shortly, and they hope to palisade their perimeter soon.

• WF requested that residents in this area assist for an afternoon to give Dukes Court a helping hand with the pavements. This area is consistently being used as a dumping ground due to the Mall customers and although Mentone Court and Brenthurst have made an effort, a once-off would be useful to get Dukes Court over the hump.

• Extra rubbish bins are still required.

• A semi abandoned car (pale blue Ford Sierra HLZ 996 GP) on the corner of 1st Street and 2nd Avenue was reported. This apparently belongs to a domestic’s boyfriend, it can no longer start up and is pushed around. Inspector Malope to investigate

7. FINANCE AND MEMBERSHIP
• No new members since last meeting.

• BDC is in the process of sending out invoices.

• BDC reported that towards the end of last year he had received a quote in the amount of approximately R23 000-00 for 2m fencing on both bridges.

• Wesco and PPS have offered to pay 1/3 each. BDC reported that he had also approached Biarritz and would like to contact Astro Tech. WF advised that the CEO of Astro Tech is Lisa van Wyk.

• BDC to send invoice to Portofino.

8. GENERAL
• No further issues to be discussed.

The meeting closed with thanks to all attendees.

The next meeting will be held on

THURSDAY 12th FEBRUARY 2009 AT 18H00