General meeting: chairman's report

The association held a general meeting on
29 September 2010 at the Jeffreys Bay tennisclub.

Below follows the report of the chairman, dr Barry Vosloo.

Introduction

The purpose of this report is to give an overview of the association's activities since the AGM on 25 February 2010.  Die het ook die doel om 'n aanduiding van toekomstige ontwikkelinge te gee.

Vorige voorsitter

Die vorige voorsitter, Henda Thiart, het onvermoeid voortgegaan om om te sien na die belange van ons lede. Ons blog het breedvoerig hieroor berig. She attended council meetings. She vigorously monitored the activities of the Kouga municipality. She admonished, cajoled and generally made life difficult for them if she considered it necessary. In addition she wrote letter upon letter to the municipal powers that be and regularly conducted personal interviews with the municipal manager and his officials about members’ complaints. Een ding het soos ‘n paal bo water gestaan: in al haar onderhandelinge met die munisiplaiteit was sy konsekwent beleef. Gevolglik het sy hulle agting en samewerking geniet.

Skepping van 'n blog

In Januarie was Henda instrumenteel in die skepping van 'n hoogs suksesvolle blog. Die hoofdoel van die blog is om berigte te plaas oor munisipale sake en die aktiwiteite van die vereniging, sowel as om van interaksie tussen die belastingbetalers van Jeffreysbaai te bevorder.

New chairman and secretary

During the year, however, Henda and the secretary, the late Gerrie Botes, decided to enter politics. As required by the assocoation's constitution, they terminated their formal involvement with the association. This suddenly left a void in the management committee. In June Japie Bosch and I agreed to assume the responsibilities of Acting Secretary and Acting Chairman for the remainder of the year.

Evaluering van grondwet

Een van die eerste take wat die nuwe bestuurskomitee onderneem het, was 'n deeglike evaluering van die vereniging se grondwet. Lidmaatskap het onder die soeklig gekom het en 'n subkomitee is gestig om dié saak onder die loep te neem.

Co-option of committee members

A few other issues are presently receiving attention in an attempt to flesh out the constitution. These include a procedure to co-opt to the management committee experts in the field of e.g. town planning, engineering, finance, tourism and the environment, as well as a strategy to take care of members’ complaints.

No rates boycott

The management committee also resolved not to support calls for a rates boycott at this juncture because
(a) die vereniging is in kennis gestel dat dit onwettig is,
(b) die vereniging sal nie die administratiewe las as gevolg daarvan kan hanteer nie,
(c) Jeffreysbaai-inwoners het reeds getoon dat hulle waarskynlik nie geneë sal wees om ‘n belastingboikot te ondersteun nie en
(d) service delivery is fairly satisfactory.

However, the association will support more aggressive measures in the event of matters taking a turn for the worst.

Good relations

Finally, the committee feels that it has to sustain the good relations with the municipality that Henda established during her term of office. Her conciliatory approach has been underpinned by a number of reassuring events in the municipality.

Munisipale bestuurder

Ek van oordeel dat die munisipale bestuurder 'n toeganklike man is wat homself moet handhaaf in ‘n werksomgewing wat die meeste van ons ons nie kan voorstel nie. Tog het hy twee keer uit sy pad gegaan om aan ons antwoorde te verskaf op 'n aantal moeilike vrae. Een van sy belangrikste krukke is wetgewing, wat hy nougeset toepas.

Positive developments

A suitably qualified person has been appointed recently to ensure that municipal financial procedures measure up to legal requirements.

'n Organisasie- en metode-studie sal deur die Ontwikkelingsbank van Suid-Afrika onderneem word ten einde die administrasie van die munisipaliteit te verbeter.

Afgesien van 'n paar uitsonderings, is dienslewering (water, elektrisiteit, vullisverwydering en riool) in Jeffreysbaai eintlik nie té onaardig nie.