EDITOR – It's September, and once again as in previous years, the consideration of introducing a SRA (UIP) in our area rears its ugly head.
I would like to explain SRAs (Special Rating Areas) (formerly known as UIPs -Urban Improvement Precinct) to our taxpayers. A Section 21 company is created to be responsible for cleaning and greening our suburb. The funding to do this is obtained via an additional rate levy on each ratepayers property in that area (look at your rates form you will see a block on it – SRA – just waiting to be filled in with the amount you as a resident will be required to pay),
It is very important to know that this could be whether or not you agree to the formation of this SRA in your area because only 66.66% of the ratepayers in your area need to agree and you are tied in whether you like it or not –surely this is a contravention of the Consumer Protection Act?
Personally, I ask residents of Glenwood and Glenmore and Umbilo to never consider agreeing to the setting up of a SRA (UIP) in any of our areas.
They use our fear as a way of getting the yes vote (crime, security, area getting run down and value of property dropping); the costs of the SRA may start off low, but you have no control over the annual increase – please ask to see the Umhlanga Rocks UIP financial statement starting from 2009 when first introduced to current.
You the ratepayer have no control over which service providers are used; if a ratepayer refuses to pay, perhaps because they are unhappy with the service or and this is more likely, because they cannot afford it – the question arises: do they become a rates defaulter and thus could lose their home?
It's reached a point where the man in the street has to cut costs drastically to make ends meet. We live from day to day and now we have this burden added to our shoulders, how dare a SRA just get established with only a certain percentage buy-in.
Why pay for something you are already paying for via your taxes. It is ludicrous. Arrange you own security – you don’t need a 3rd party doing this for you.
The residents have established a whatsappgroup in our Glenmore area made up of Baines, Wanless, Dan Pienaar, Deane, Levenhall, Archbell, Camborne and Elgie Roads. All residents living in these roads can join (in fact we want everyone to join). No advertising is allowed.
This whatsappgroup is purely for residents to keep each other informed of anything happening in our area – warnings to each other; loiterers, recently we have had a spate of people walking around taken photographs of houses, cars that drive around which look suspicious, and if you were ever in danger, apart from contacting the police, you can also send a whapsapp to the group.
If you happen to live in our “square” and haven’t joined please SMS me your name and address and I will add you to whatsappgroup (Lorraine 072 865 8402).
I want to suggest that residents in other areas get together and do this. Residents looking after each other is all that is needed – we do not need expensive SRAs.
Lorraine Fouquereaux
Baines Road
