MINUTES FOR THE MEETING OF THE 20th APRIL 2016

MINUTES FOR THE MONTHLY PUBLIC MEETING OF THE
NEW KILLARNEY-RIVIERA ASSOCIATION
HELD AT THE MALL MANAGEMENT OFFICES (1ST FLOOR OFFICE TOWER)
ON WEDNESDAY 20 APRIL 2016 AT 17H00

PRESENT: Wayne Ford (chairman); Estelle Jacobs; Katia Lodder; Dalien Rutenburg; Raphael Ndlovu; Clr Mia Snyman; Deon Pelser; Mike Kalk; Peter Merzbacher; Jo Marais; Julie Wilson; Alexandra Leisegang; Ruth Kuper; Edna Peres; Vivian Cobbett.

1. WELCOME
The chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2. APOLOGIES
Captain Moonsamy (SAPS); Laurence Sachs; Harry Rutenburg; Charles Whyte; George Kymdell; Margaret Urban; Yogan Naidoo.

3. DISCUSSION OF TIME CONSTRAINT
• We will strive to keep the discussions short and relevant, so as to finish by 6pm.

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

5. SECURITY FEEDBACK / SECTOR CRIME FORUM
• Captain Moonsamy was unable to attend, and submitted an apology.
• The case where a police officer was caught on camera breaking the by-laws in Killarney, has been finalised. The officer in question has been given an official warning as per the standard police disciplinary procedure.

6. FEEDBACK FROM COUNCILLORS
• Cllr Mia Snyman was thanked for getting the serious potholes in 3rd Street repaired.
• The Telkom excavations are still in progress. JRA is monitoring Telkom’s work.
• The dangerous exposed wiring in the two lamp posts at the corner of 2nd Ave and 1st Street, has not yet been attended to. Street lights in 1st Street and 2nd Street are still not working, and street lights in Main Road are also faulty.
• The councillor has requested JRA to restore the speed-humps in 4th Ave, between 4th Street and 5th Street, to their original size. She has also requested the repainting of street names, and repairs to unsafe pavements.
• The request to build a formal taxi area in River Road is in the IDP process, but it will be a while before there is any feedback.
• Clr Snyman reported that the rumours about voters being removed from the voters’ roll are unfounded. If you were on the roll before then you will still be on the roll now.
• The illegal EFF election posters that were glued onto the dustbins and Telkom boxes, have been reported to the correct authority, and will now go through the channels.
• The councillor was requested to have the park benches repaired – several of them have crumbled after decades of exposure to the elements, and they now pose a safety hazard.
• One of the large jacaranda trees in 2nd Street, between 2nd Ave and 4th Ave, is leaning low across the road. Perhaps it is toppling over. However large trucks now hit the tree as they pass underneath – the trunk shows evidence of a dozen or more impacts. This is exacerbated by people parking illegally opposite that tree, forcing traffic to edge closer to the tree than they usually would. This will need to be addressed urgently, before somebody gets hurt.
• The meeting with the new JMPD regional officer was postponed because the violence around the PikiTup strike took precedence. However that meeting will now be rescheduled.

7. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
• The new jungle-gym in the park has finally been completed, and it is already a big hit with the children of the area (and their minders.) We aim to hold an “unveiling” event on Saturday 7 May. Although various people assisted to make this happen, Laurence Sachs in particular was thanked for raising most of the funding for the playground, for doing a lot of the liaison with the supplier of the equipment, and for getting the sand at a much-reduced price. The various donors who contributed funding were also thanked for their generous donations.
• Eric was complimented on his amazing services in the park. He is a true ambassador, not just a guard, and he has made a world of difference. Many thanks to Eric and to Vision Tactical.
• We have some tyres left over. It was suggested to place them under the structure and at the base of the southern climbing trellis, as an additional play facility as well as to improve safety in places where the sand-pit is only inches deep.
• The piles of spare sand will be used up over the course of the next few months to repair the paving, and to top-dress the lawns.
• It was agreed that the NKRA will source a new netball pole, to replace the sponsored pole that got completely worn out after just six months. This new pole must be robust enough to survive the workload. Quotes will be obtained.
• The project to add artwork to the drinking fountain is underway, and the artist is developing sketches of the proposed images.
• Renovations have commenced at Lhenveolan in 1st Street, and this will ultimately include the repainting of the exterior. The building is not going to be sold.

10. FINANCE AND MEMBERSHIP
• Hanover Gate have joined the NKRA since last month. Welcome aboard, and many thanks to their new trustees!

11. GENERAL
• We are creating a database of skilled residents, so that people in the area who have need of services could perhaps obtain those services from other people in the neighbourhood, rather than travelling far afield to hire a stranger. If you have skills and would be interested in extra business, please let us have your details and the services you are willing to provide.
• Nolicent, our excellent gardener in the park, is still trying to find accommodation in the area to reduce the time and cost of commuting. He is willing to work for a few days in your building in return for the use of a staff room. If you can assist here, please would you let us know?
• Several of the older buildings in the area have domestic staff quarters on the roof etc, which are not really adequate as accommodation by modern standards. Some employees then also have multiple children living with them in those tiny rooms, because they have nowhere else for their children to live. It is a serious challenge, in that many families who have nowhere else to live would rather live in a tiny room than live in a squatter camp – especially if they are employed in the building or in the vicinity. Some buildings are combining a number of the tiny staff rooms and converting them into a few decent apartments, to be rented out by the body corporate. However that might mean that some employees might have to find accommodation elsewhere, which will not be easy for them.
• The Mall is considering acquiring a heritage plaque to celebrate the Killarney Film Studios.
• Edna and Alexandra visited Mrs Capelowitz, who is more than 100 years old and still going strong. Mrs Capelowitz has lived in Killarney-Riviera for several decades already.

The meeting was closed, with thanks to the Killarney Mall for the use of their boardroom.

Our next meeting will be held on
WEDNESDAY 18 May 2016 at 5pm

PLEASE PASS ON THESE MINUTES TO OTHER RESIDENTS IN YOUR BUILDINGS