Dear Residents,
I am writing to you at a time of growing crisis and concern over the deteriorating state of our waterways. In recent weeks, the Marina da Gama Association (MDGA) office has received a steadily increasing flow of emails and letters demanding – quite rightly so – that something must be done to address the situation and its underlying causes.
The first point I want to make is that all my colleagues on the MDGA’s Executive Committee (MDGA ExCom) are acutely aware of your feelings on this matter – and we share them. After all, we are also Marina residents.
My second point carries more weight, because it addresses some of the very real frustrations that so many residents are enduring. The fact is that the MDGA ExCom has zero direct control over the way that our waterways are managed. The only power we have is the power of dialogue with those who do have authority and decision-making powers over our precious and fragile environment. Of course, dialogue, by definition, is a two-way process. And this takes us to the heart of our current problems.
Following the recent local elections, I sent an email to members of the City of Cape Town (CoCT)’s newly constituted Mayoral Committee (MayCo) and other key employees, including our newly re-elected councillor, Aimee Kuhl. In the subject line of the email, which I have included in full at the end of this message, I simply wrote: “expression of frustration”. I continued at some length to explain our situation to the relevant MayCo members and their CoCT colleagues. My efforts to engage the people in a position to reverse Zandvlei’s deterioration met with virtual silence – again.
On Monday this week, I followed up with a second email, which I have also included in this message. Rather than repeat the points it conveys, I would encourage you to read this second email to see first-hand the vigorous approach we are taking towards injecting greater urgency into resolving the prevailing impasse.
I am sharing this information with you because my colleagues and I feel it is vital to reassure residents that we are defending the Marina with every tool at our disposal. As I have explained, these tools are few and limited, and making them count depends largely on the goodwill of the people who hold the real power. We would welcome any ideas or proposals you might have for escalating our cause to the top of their priority list. After all, we are stronger together.
On a brighter note, I look forward to joining you next weekend at our traditional Christmas events. You will find all the times and places on our Facebook pages and in our newsletter. Despite the challenges we face, it’s time to celebrate everything that we have always loved about living in the Marina as we regroup for the battles ahead.
Yours sincerely,
Richard Midgley,
Chair, Marina da Gama Association Executive Committee
Email to members of the CoCT MayCo and key staff members (7 December 2021)
Dear Alderman Vos, Alderman Badroodien, and Mr Parker,
Let me start, Mr Vos and Dr Badroodien, by congratulating you on your re- appointment and appointment to Mayoral Committee.
I understand that all of you share responsibilities for Marina da Gama’s water and sewerage infrastructure and managing assets, such as our Kingfisher weed-eater. At the end of this appeal, you will find an email I sent towards the end of October as a cry for help and, more importantly, a shout out for urgent action to deal with the chronic problems crippling these critical features of Marina life.
Since then, I have received limited responses, although your communications with us have certainly improved post the municipal elections.
Let me start again by providing you with a picture (attached) of our waterways to give you an visual indication of the escalating challenges that the Marina da Gama Association and its Executive Committee are up against.
Following interminable delays, the Kingfisher was repaired over a month ago after a series of breakdowns. It was used for a few days before being parked. Upon enquiring, we were advised that the weed-eater did not have a flotation certificate from the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and has to be filled with buoyancy foam. We could easily be wrong, but according to our information, the driver reported it. This took place over three weeks ago and nothing has happened to the Kingfisher since. No repairs, no buoyancy foam. In other words: nothing, nothing, nothing.
As a result, our residents are now screaming blue murder, threatening to withhold their subscription payments and take all kinds of other retaliatory action. We have nowhere to go in the face of their angry protests. We see the Kingfisher sitting idle. We receive reports of more sewerage spills and waterway closures. There is simply no light at the end of the tunnel.
I have had regular feedback from Bevan van Schoor, and more recently with Julia Woods. Mr Abdulla Parker is an amazing communicator and responds when corresponded with, for which we are grateful. We would never condone illegal actions or irresponsible behaviour. But we do have a few questions to ask and points to make about our waterways in general and the Kingfisher in particular:
1. How is it possible that a machine that is well over 20 years old – only now encounters a flotation defect and only now has a certification problem?
2. The Kingfisher operates in waterways that are a maximum of 2m deep. What’s more, they are protected waterways with no waves nor currents.
3. Why has nothing happened for over the past three weeks to sort out the certification issue or the pontoon issues? Why can’t we obtain a temporary certificate or an exemption? Have you explored this option – or even asked the question?
4. We are going into summer when the waterweed is meant to grow and act as a filtration agent. The floating algae always becomes a problem when the temperature rises. It is exactly now that we need the Kingfisher to be operating – and it is not. Do you have any idea when it will be operating again?
5. How is it possible that the waterways have been closed for six months, with a just over a week’s respite, because of constant sewerage spills that show absolutely no sign of stopping?
6. Do you have any idea when the waterways will fall within acceptable E coli levels and open once again for recreational use?
For your background, Alderman Vos and Dr Badroodien, the Marina da Gama Association (MDGA) is the single largest homeowners’ group in the Zandvlei area, representing 1,352 households.
We look forward to receiving your responses and conveying them to our members, who share the MDGA Executive Committee’s frustration and bewilderment at the total lack of action since I sent the following email to you towards the end of October:
Email to members of the CoCT MayCo and key staff members (27 October 2021)
With regards to Water and Sanitation and Economic Opportunities and Asset Management – these 2 departments cover the significant areas of interest – the Kingfisher – which is a waterborne machine for cutting pond weed in the Zandvlei and Marina waterways – vital for the survival of the waterways in total, and which is more often than not unserviceable. 2 new Kingfishers are being built for delivery to the Zandvlei (maybe) in early 2022. The tender and budgeting process has been fraught with delays – sometimes understandable – like refocus of funds due to draught. That we are at the stage of actual manufacture is extremely heartening. We do receive feedback on challenges with existing machine but no sense of URGENCY. What is the plan for the new Machines will it operate alone – or will existing machine be used as backup? When will existing machine be repaired and serviceable?
With the sewerage spills and closure of waterways, the high nutrient load in the water has resulted in high growth of waterweed and algae – and for residents at least to see the Kingfisher at work cutting and removing growth and whilst not ideal – the removal of floating algae would give residents some comfort.
We are being deluged with sewerage into the Zandvlei and Marina waterways.
We are treated the same as citizens and receive information at the same time and in same format as our members from the City. We are not taken into the various City/ Councillor’s confidence – with bigger picture briefing to enable us to present a comprehensive response to our members, even though they initially raise the queries with us, and it is us that have got to defend at times the indefensible. The members of the Association have by right of title deed, the right to enjoy and clean the first 2 m of waterways – but with the ongoing and increasing more severe sewerage leaks – they have been denied that right. We have absolutely no idea of what is happening to our waterways and are very limited briefings– besides the Notices that are sent to all and sundry, including us. Is there a strategy, is there a plan, are there concrete actions afoot, is the City working as a cohesive Unit or is each department defending their own turf ? – more than 6 months later waterways are still closed and we are worse off that we were a year ago? This is not a public access issue we talking about – this is a real issue for residents – it effects their lifestyle, reason for choosing to buy and live in the Marina and worst of all – dramatically effects the value of the properties in the Marina. The Marina is home to I think 16 pump stations – and we question the preventative maintenance on these. It would be interesting to have a report on what fail safe mechanisms are in place and how effective they are? Could you please commission on report on the serviceability of the Marina pump stations. We fully understand that generally there is a human intervention in most breakdowns – tyres, sanitary pads etc. which as an association are continually advising residents against. The surrounding pumpstations are in a similar state were fail safes are apparently not working, or the stations and telemetry are being negatively affected by the load shedding. That some pumpstations do not have generators is mind numbing and thankfully the grids are now being installed to stop the solids being able to enter the machines. We are mindful of the challenges faced in the sewerage service delivery – but we are almost powerless as we have limited information that we can share with our 1352 households – and our request is for sharing and taking us into you confidence – so we can mitigate the extremely negative perception of our Exco and the City’s performance
Marina Da Gama Executive Committee
