Making Space for people waiting for lifts at the start of the Lagoon Road - My correspondence with the Knysna Municipality (ongoing).
This is my first letter to the Executive Mayor:
By hand
11 December 2008
Eleanore Bouw-Spies
Executive Mayor - Knysna
Dear Eleanore,
Re: Making Space for people waiting for lifts at the start of the Lagoon Road
I am writing to you as we are familiar faces to each other through the years of the Thesen Islands redevelopment and as someone who has the interests of the people of Knysna at heart.
The side of the road west of the intersection of Waterfront Drive and the Lagoon Road has been used for years for people looking for lifts. A few years ago some bright spark decided that no one should be able to get lifts there and put in the low wooden fence stretching some distance along the road to stop drivers from pulling off the road. This resulted in:
1. Vehicles still stopping in the same spot but now being unable to pull fully off the road, created a dangerous situation for all road users and
2. The lift seekers moving further down the road to beyond the fence.
(By the way, you would have noticed that the same situation in Sedgefield.)
This decision to put the low fence in place was in complete indifference to the realities of the South African people. It hardly needs pointing out – except to this decision maker – that the majority in South Africa do not have a car and are dependent on taxi's and others to transport them. That is why they are on the side of the road.
Therefore provision must be made for them.
Now that the Lagoon Road is being upgraded, I ask that you, as executive mayor of our town, ensure that there is an area alongside the road where vehicles can pull off safely and pick up and drop off passengers.
Failure to provide for the lift seekers and givers in this upgrading will not make them go away. The cars, taxis and trucks will continue to stop in the road, endangering everyone.
Yours sincerely,
Ken Rutherford
She responded, or rather Christopher Bezuidenhout responded on her behalf, saying my letter will be sent to Johnny Douglas. He responded by saying "I will request my Director: Technical Services, Neale Perring to table it at the next Technical Steering Committee Meeting."
This is my response of 22 January 2009 to Mr Douglas:
Dear Mr Douglas,
Someone within the Municipality needs to champion the needs of the poorest people of our town on this issue!
Based on the non committal tone of the replies, my concern is that neither you, nor the Executive Mayor feel the need to "push" the matter, namely the pressing need for for place for vehicles to pull over to pick up people at the start of the Lagoon Road.
The Executive Mayor passes my letter on to you, you pass it on to Mr Perring who then tables it at a meeting of the Technical Steering Committee which is a group of engineers whose primary interest lies in road construction. Who well could be the very people responsible for the current low fence designed to stop drivers from stopping to pick up lift seekers!
Perhaps I am wrong and the plans do include a stopping area. Well, then congratulations to the engineers!
But if not, I think that for anything to happen this matter needs to be motivated by either you or the Executive Mayor, and preferably both. If you agree it is important, then I ask that you put your weight behind it. If not, well, let me know why!
Will you please keep me informed as to what the outcome is of this matter being tabled at the Technical Steering Committee Meeting?
Warm regards, Ken Rutherford
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Communal Jetty Sinking? This communal jetty on Leeward Island looks like it is sinking. As the pictures show it is listing towards the large boat in the hoist. Why would the the HOA gave permission for a hoist to be installed on a communal jetty? It is looking for trouble and, judging from the pictures, it is finding it.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Communal Jetties & Boat Sizes - Email to HOA 27 July 2007
This email to the HOA is self explanatory: The size of the boats can and should be regulated. The last paragraph sums up my concern.
From: Ken Rutherford
Sent: 27 July 2007 11:48 AM
To: TIHOA (tihoa@tihoa.co.za)
Cc: Louwtjie Burger
Subject: Boat Sizes – Attn: Mr Smit
Dear Mr. Smit,
To confirm our conversation regarding boats longer than 5.5m or 2.3m wide berthed at communal jetties:
This is from the order form the buyer of a berth at a communal jetty signs:
►The berth finger is 4.5 metres long and can accommodate a maximum boat size of 5.5 metres long and 2.3 metres wide. The boat should not draw more than 0.5m. Due to design constraints, no boat may exceed the maximum allowed size or draft.
This is from Annexure A of the Berth Agreement:
10. MAXIMUM BOAT SIZE :
11. LENGTH : ……….…………………………… (5.5m is inserted here)
WIDTH : ………………...…………………… (2.3m is inserted here)
Exception: Berths 14-25 to 14-36 inclusive can accommodate a maximum boat size of 7.7m long by 3.0m wide. These berths were included in the purchase price of designated erfs sold by TIDC.
This is from the Berth Agreement:
8. MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS
8.1 The maintenance and repair of the BERTH and the JETTY will be undertaken by a contractor appointed by HOA and by no other person.
8.2 The BERTH HOLDER will, upon request made by HOA, pay to HOA the BERTH HOLDER's proportionate share of the cost of all such maintenance and repairs together with the HOA's reasonable administrative cost in connection therewith. The BERTH HOLDER's proportionate share is the total of all such costs divided by the number of BERTHS comprising the JETTY.
8.3 The BERTH HOLDER undertakes to notify HOA of any defects in the JETTY.
8.4 HOA shall in its absolute discretion be entitled to undertake maintenance and repair of the JETTY as it deems necessary.
8.5 In the event of a dispute as to the amount of the BERTH HOLDER's "proportionate share" or any amount payable in terms of the aforegoing, the dispute shall be referred by HOA to an independent auditor for summary decision and such decision shall be final and binding on HOA and the BERTH HOLDER who will, in equal shares, bear the costs incurred with the said auditor in implementing the provisions of this sub-clause.
The maximum boat sizes were implemented because the communal berths are designed to accommodate boats no bigger than specified. Boats larger than the maximum put added strain of the jetties and potentially can cause damage. It is unreasonable to expect berth holders to be on the line for repair expenses if the HOA does not enforce the maximum boat size. (Colour & emphasis added for blog).
Regards,
Ken Rutherford
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This email to the HOA is self explanatory: The size of the boats can and should be regulated. The last paragraph sums up my concern.
From: Ken Rutherford
Sent: 27 July 2007 11:48 AM
To: TIHOA (tihoa@tihoa.co.za)
Cc: Louwtjie Burger
Subject: Boat Sizes – Attn: Mr Smit
Dear Mr. Smit,
To confirm our conversation regarding boats longer than 5.5m or 2.3m wide berthed at communal jetties:
This is from the order form the buyer of a berth at a communal jetty signs:
►The berth finger is 4.5 metres long and can accommodate a maximum boat size of 5.5 metres long and 2.3 metres wide. The boat should not draw more than 0.5m. Due to design constraints, no boat may exceed the maximum allowed size or draft.
This is from Annexure A of the Berth Agreement:
10. MAXIMUM BOAT SIZE :
11. LENGTH : ……….…………………………… (5.5m is inserted here)
WIDTH : ………………...…………………… (2.3m is inserted here)
Exception: Berths 14-25 to 14-36 inclusive can accommodate a maximum boat size of 7.7m long by 3.0m wide. These berths were included in the purchase price of designated erfs sold by TIDC.
This is from the Berth Agreement:
8. MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS
8.1 The maintenance and repair of the BERTH and the JETTY will be undertaken by a contractor appointed by HOA and by no other person.
8.2 The BERTH HOLDER will, upon request made by HOA, pay to HOA the BERTH HOLDER's proportionate share of the cost of all such maintenance and repairs together with the HOA's reasonable administrative cost in connection therewith. The BERTH HOLDER's proportionate share is the total of all such costs divided by the number of BERTHS comprising the JETTY.
8.3 The BERTH HOLDER undertakes to notify HOA of any defects in the JETTY.
8.4 HOA shall in its absolute discretion be entitled to undertake maintenance and repair of the JETTY as it deems necessary.
8.5 In the event of a dispute as to the amount of the BERTH HOLDER's "proportionate share" or any amount payable in terms of the aforegoing, the dispute shall be referred by HOA to an independent auditor for summary decision and such decision shall be final and binding on HOA and the BERTH HOLDER who will, in equal shares, bear the costs incurred with the said auditor in implementing the provisions of this sub-clause.
The maximum boat sizes were implemented because the communal berths are designed to accommodate boats no bigger than specified. Boats larger than the maximum put added strain of the jetties and potentially can cause damage. It is unreasonable to expect berth holders to be on the line for repair expenses if the HOA does not enforce the maximum boat size. (Colour & emphasis added for blog).
Regards,
Ken Rutherford
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.22/921 - Release Date: 2007/07/26 11:16 PM
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