The Yzerfontein Residents Association
By late Pietie Burger and Edward Brittain, former and current chairmen.
25 Junie 2018
The Yzerfontein Residents’ Association was founded in 1963, 55 years ago, by a number of permanent residents, focussing mainly on local needs. The first chairman was Bobby Duckitt who served from 1963 to 1975.
Yzerfontein was run by the Swartland Divisional Council of Moorreesburg. Councillor Lambert Smit, the Yzerfontein representative, had to address the complaints. Annual membership fees were R1.00 per year till around 1970.
Annual meetings were held in the Divisional Council barn behind the caravan park during the December holidays. The building is still there. Everyone brought his own seat and chewed sand when the South East blew. The management held monthly meetings in their homes until the municipal thatched -roof building became available in 1989.
With new legislation in 1989, the Residents’ Association could establish the Yzerfontein Local Council for better management of property taxes. In 2001, the town was consolidated into the Swartland Municipality.
The Association’s aim is to promote Swartland Municipality’s (SM) management of the town in terms of maintenance and improvement of infrastructure and administrative matters affecting residents. Nearly all local infrastructure projects were actively driven by the association, in close co-operation with SM.
Successes include the reconstruction of the harbour, the fish market, the reduction of residential property tax from 100% of business tax to 80%, abolition of basic water tariff only for Yzerfontein non-permanent residents, free second sewer pump per month and R300,000 discount this year 2018, on valuation used for calculation of property tax for those over 64 years. This amounts to a saving of R1836.90 for 2018.
We have also successfully petitioned for the tarring of Ostrich Avenue and the construction of parking at Spar. In 2008, the members unanimously decided to install video cameras for security. Cameras have been installed by residents through local donations and with the co-operation of SM, resulting in a marked decline in crime and the cameras still serve their purpose.
SM’s budget is analyzed annually and comprehensive input is submitted to the Board. YRA’s Management constantly strive for fair rates and the spending of a reasonable portion of the collected Yzerfontein property taxes to address the needs of Yzerfontein. We are currently talking to SM about paveing sidewalks along the beach front, certain property tax claims, ajustment of service tariffs according to draft legislation and investigating property valuation to ensure fair valuations.
The Property Tax Act requires the Municipal Manager to inform the Board of matters contained in the valuation roll which affects the interests of the municipality and authorizes the Council to address it. SM can therefore prevent some properties from being undervalued and consequently others be overloaded. Considerable more needs and administrative issues receive attention but space restrictions prevent more discussion.
Our talks take place at management level that include both the Mayor and the Municipal Manager.
In partnership with other community organizations, a community forum has recently been established. Under the leadership of the Neighbourhood Watch, the forum has achieved great success to ensure safety and the preservation of our way of celebrating the year-end festive season. The forum provides greater co-operation for the benefit of our community.
The foregoing would not have happened without the existence of the Association and is an undeniable proof of its need.
In order to fulfil our obligations, your membership of the association, for your own benefit, is a prerequisite of utmost importance. We sometimes need to spend considerable amounts on maintenance and replacement of camera equipment.
Membership fees are only R100 per annum per household. Fees may be paid directly into the YRA bank account or at businesses indicated on the application form.