SUMMERSTRAND could soon be home to the fourth special rating area (SRA) in Nelson Mandela Bay, after approval from its residents.
The aim of this initiative is to develop and sustain Summerstrand into a friendly, safe, clean living space for all property owners and residents.
According to a trustee of the committee for the proposed SRA, Rob Wylde, who is currently spearheading this initiative, the wheels have been set in motion with meetings held with the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA) and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM).
“In the meantime, work on a business plan and a public participation process will soon start before it is presented to the community for public participation. A total of 51% of tax payers in a residential suburb must give their approval for an SRA to be adopted by the municipality.
“An official SRA can only be established with the cooperation of property owners,” Wylde said. The first local SRA was established in Richmond Hill in April 2015 and is run by a management team made up of community volunteers. The second SRA will come into effect from July 2020 in Central, and Kini Bay SRA is going live as soon as Council formally approves it.
An SRA is an urban management solution of an additional rate levied on property, payable by owners in a defined area, to raise funds for the improvement or upgrading of an area.
Wylde highlighted that the plan for the Summerstrand SRA will focus on safety, waste disposal and general service delivery issues. It is also intended to use the money to provide a dedicated patrol service (DPS), run by Atlas for 24-hour security.
According to the MBDA spokesperson, Luvuyo Bangazi, the establishment of an SRA is a globally accepted practice where civil society works hand-in-hand with local government for reasons such as beautification, security or preservation of heritage.
Bangazi added, “The MBDA was only approached to provide advice, guidance and steps which should be followed in the setting up of the Summerstrand SRA.
“We officially don’t have a mandate to setup an SRA in Summerstrand at this point. However, if approached constructively, like the process we spearheaded in Richmond Hill and Central, SRAs can become useful and positive instruments to improve services and quality of life in neighbourhoods because they are driven by those with vested interests in the upliftment of the areas they live in.”
RENALDO Gouws, the Ward 2 councillor, welcomed the proposed SRA and said that it would greatly benefit the Summerstrand area.
“As the ward councillor, I will have no formal role within the SRA other than meeting with them.
“However, I am in full support of the creation of an SRA for Summerstrand.
“The SRA in Richmond Hill has done a wonderful job and if the Summerstrand SRA had to follow in their footsteps, then it can only be positive for the residents of Summerstrand. This will also mean that the community has more control as to aspects such as safety and security, as well as other functions in uplifting the area,” Gouws explained.
Wylde said that the public participation process would commence before the end of this year and support from Summerstrand residents was crucial.
