Portfolio Reports January 2024

WATERWAYS – RALPH RICHARDS

Zandvlei Mouth  
Opened 7^th Dec, Closed 15^th Dec, Opened 9^th Jan, Closing 15^th Jan, Opening 7^th Feb, Closing 14^th Feb.

Progress of New Weed Harvester
Supplier re-opening 15^th Jan – Still in commissioning phase. Should be released for use on 18 January 2024

Kingfisher Operation     
Sighted in Thibault Beat 8^th Dec, Park Island Beat 11^th Dec, Baalen Cove 12^th Dec, Fisherman Quay and Burgee Cove 18^th Dec, Tiller Arm Beat and Sonnet Cove 27^th Dec, Park Island Beat, De Lille and East Haven North 29^th Dec, Cannon Cove and Tiller Arm Beat 4^th Jan and Cannon Beat (Battleridge) 11^th Jan, Burgee Cove 12^th Jan. High winds have impeded the Kingfisher from operating on a continuous basis.

Dredging
Starts 24^th January 2024

Nets and Grids in Sand River
½ a 1 ton trailer collected 4^th Jan
High volumes of litter in upper reaches of Sand River canal. This has been reported to The CoCT by Mike Ryder.

Water Quality
Most recent e-coli results (averaged over the Marina and Zandvlei) from Reserve Management.

Date	Value (counts/100 ml)	Limit (counts/100 ml)
14/11/2023	1040	< 1000
27/11/2023	50	< 1000

The high count on the 14^th no cause for alarm as it is slightly below the limit, a once off reading and the value was within limit a week later.

Results received from CoCT are sporadic- will be taking up with Reserve Management.

Visual observation, no sewage spills and no poor results from CoCT indicate the water quality is good, except for high volumes of algae along the edges and in some channels.

Boat Patrols by Reserve Management
No report back – will be taking up with Reserve Management

Cleaning of Coral Worm
No clearing done as far as known – will be taking up with Reserve Management

Sewage Spills
None to report

Liaison with Stakeholders
No contact with Stakeholder during December. A meeting with Reserve Management is planned for in Jan.

PARKS AND GARDENS – VALERIE BENSON

MDGA Gardeners started work again on 8.1.2024. They started in Park Island and will then move to Uitsig next Tuesday and Cannon Island/Eastlake Island on the last Tuesday of the month.

Park island
Park Island POS – the team concentrated on Thibault Park/area first weeding, cutting back tidying etc. They connected the hoses and hand watered the garden around the play park.   After lunch, they repeated the usual routine at the entrance and walkway to the pedestrian bridge.

Some equipment to be bought such as gloves, plastic rakes etc.

SAFETY AND SECURITY – ROBIN CARLISLE

A resident was attacked at corner of Eastlake and Shearwater by two perps on a motorbike. She was thrown to the ground and lightly injured. The perps fled when security became aware of the situation. Charges were laid. The camera footage revealed no number plates on the bike. Copper pipes were stolen in Cannon Island. The perps were arrested by DB and are appearing in court for the second time this week.

STANDARDS – DEMETRI QUALLY

• Connor has been allocated the responsibility for the Uitsig area and Robbie for the rest.
• The RADAAR system should/could be a very useful tool, but is not in good shape
  • Have requested a meeting with Boudje Giljam, the originator of the system
  • Will simplify it, focusing on monitoring progress
  • Need to set data verification targets for Robbie and Connor
  • Will use the system to provide monthly statistics
• The year end closure of the office has delayed the development and implementation of the Standards Portfolio Action Plan

SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES’ LIAISON – LATHIF GAFOOR

* Emanating from my last interaction with Songeso and Kyran the cleaning of the canal with a Bobcat has been scheduled for early this year. Abdullah has emailed me that Songeso is presently on holiday and would liaise with me as soon as he resumes duties 

* the operation of the new weed harvester as last reported in December was delayed awaiting parts stuck in the Durban harbour. Hopefully the parts have now arrived 

* the nets have been regularly cleaned. The contractor is doing a good job adhering to his cleaning programme 

* the subject pertaining to the collapsed wall and my involvement is not out of the radar 

ARCHCOM – PAUL HIGGINS

Archcom meeting still to be held
A very quiet December and January so far as no new plan submissions have been submitted.
Zero objection forms have been received since our last Archcom meeting.

The Eastlake Centre boundary wall under construction along Prince Georges Drive is on the approved upgrade plans submitted and approved two years ago.

COMMUNICATIONS – LISE CARSWELL

• We have terminated our contract with Chris Bishoff and appointed Victoria Mason Designs to redesign the website and take over the fortnightly newsletters.
• The reason for this shift is that our current website kept crashing, due to new technology and lack of upkeep. We need to change the way we link documentation to the website and make it easier for Excom to update when there is new information. Currently we are not able to update content ourselves.
• Patrick McKenna has kindly offered his assistance, as well as his photographs. If any residents have high quality photographs that they would allow us to use, we would gladly accept. They can contact me directly on lise@southerndestinations.com
• The new website is currently being built currently.

EVENTS – VALERIE BENSON

Marina Children’s Christmas Party –Saturday 16 December 2023 at 1:15pm
Went well – Santa Claus arrived on the nature reserve motor boat

Marina Christmas Carols – Sunday 17 December 2023 at 7pm
All went well

Upcoming events
Marina Quiz Night –Thursday 18 January 2024 @ 6:30pm at Marina Pub and Bistro

Proposed events
February/March/ April 2024 – “Anything Floats” competition

Municipal Infrastructure – Ulf Martz

1. Past Month’s Activities

The last month’s activities revolved around liaison with the City of Cape Town officials regarding the re-instatement of the collapsed wall, the planning of alternative access routes to ZENR, Meeting with The New World Foundation director, and inquiry into the CoCT fence installed at its pump station on PGD.

• Collapsed Boundary Wall

Sections of the north-western boundary wall had collapsed after a storm in September 2023. The matter had been addressed and communicated to the City of Cape Town officials,

Further communication between the MDGA and City officials and councillors ensued.

Whilst the onus of reinstating the section of boundary wall falls on the property owner, in this case the CoCT, they were reluctant to build a new wall.

An OGM was held whereby members voted in favour of installing a security fence about 2m inside of the partially collapsed wall. The fence was installed in December 2023. City officials were notified of the measures taken which were supported by them.

In addition to the north western boundary wall, a private owner’s boundary wall adjoining PGD had collapsed which was promptly re-instated by the property owner.

1. Proposed Special Schools in Coniston Park and Access through Oudevlei Road

The MDGA was approached by Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve (ZENR) where various access routes to their offices northwest of the Marina da Gama was discussed as a result of the re-routing of their current access road traversing through the designated Special Needs School site. The implication of the preferred route (see Figure A below) recommends the breaking down of the wall at the end of Oudevlei Road (see photo 4 below).

A communique was disseminated to all homeowners of the Marina da Gama. Comments have been received which will need to be collated and recorded, in the event that the school project proceeds.

Whilst MDGA attempted to make contact with the Department of Infrastructure involved in the project, no further feedback was received.

• Road Infrastructure

The MDGA internal roads have shown signs of deterioration as potholes are evident.

• Electrical

The city has regulated the Solar installation, and it has become a requirement to register all Solar power installations.

To reinstall broken bulbs on streetlights has been a challenge by the city.

• Water and Sanitation

The city has fenced off its pump station of PGD.

• Issues requiring attention.

• Further engagement with the City of Cape Town to escalate the repair work that needs to be done at the northern boundary wall, via the MDGA office.

• City officials has notified the MDGA that they (City) have no objection to the MDGA erecting a fence on their property.

• To re-initiate the engagement with the City of Cape Town to bring the M4-M5 road link forward and not leave it under long term planning as published in the District Development Framework Plan. This should be part of the conditions imposed by the TIA for the imminent densification of Vrygrond.

• Additional engagement with the CoCT/ Province regarding the proposed access through Oudevlei Road and the Special Needs School/ ZENR access road.

• Resolution on the way forward with all Marina da Gama Boundary Wall, in terms of Standards and Council DAMS compliance.