Somerset Park Home-owners’ Association owed half a million

FOR 20 years the Somerset Park Home-owners’ Association (SPHOA) has been responsible for the upkeep, security and greening of the Somerset Park area. However, if things continue the way they are, the association may be forced to cease operations due to outstanding membership fees.

The association is owed half a million Rand by home-owners in the area, some of whom who have not paid their fees for 10 years. The association has more than 1 000 members.

Varda Moodley, chairman of the SPHOA, said the maintenance of the area, including the green belt and road surfaces, may be left to the municipality if home-owners didn’t pay up.

“The association has been active for almost 20 years, and when a person buys a house in the area they are made aware of the code of conduct they need to adhere to. Our annual fee is just R300, which is much lower than other membership fees in the North Durban area.

“Unfortunately, because we are owed half a million Rand, we may have to suspend all services until we can bring the deficit down. It’s not in the interest of residents not to pay and we are appealing to residents to pay their outstanding fees. We cannot think of special projects because there is no money to put towards them. If we could, we’d like to green the area and plant more trees – the soil is in bad condition and we would like to change that. We don’t want to rely on the municipality to cut and maintain the verges,” he said.

Sandie Piek, who is part of the security portfolio of the association, said they hoped to turn Somerset Park into a gated estate, thus making it more secure.

“This association is for the residents of the area, their input and concern is vital to us. We want to protect people’s investment, we are just the caretakers. We have a vision of where we would like to take the SPHOA and possibly turn Somerset Park into a gated estate. They are only four entries into the area, so it is a possibility,” she said.

Moodley, Piek and Denis Naidoo, who is on the communication portfolio, added that much had been done by the association for the area’s green belt.

“There have been 114 indigenous trees planted in between the park in Keynsham Drive and the back of the Somerset Valley Estate. This allows for a conservation zone to be created along the water course itself. We are trying to maintain a green belt as our green lung,” Piek added.

If residents have any queries they are urged to address them through Attlee Agencies via email marcellew@attlee.co.za.