John and Monique Pereira have decided to form a resident’s association for Thrush Avenue, Boskruin.
They are still in the process of registering the association with the City of Johannesburg, and collecting funds and opening a bank account, but according to John, the residents living on the avenue are active and will agitate for change.
“All of us have good communication,” John said.
“We have a WhatsApp group and an emergency [phone] number.”
He claimed that the association will ask the city to reduce speeding on their road, though he would not say whether this would be through reducing the speed limit, or implementing traffic control measures, such as speed bumps and circles.
He said that residents have a “few ideas” they wish to implement, but which is too early to discuss.
Ward 101 councillor Ralf Bittkau wished the new association “all the best” and asked residents to form resident’s associations, as it would benefit them and the general community.
“Developers force themselves on people,” Bittkau said.
“But a registered resident’s association has an official voice, developers have to ask them for permission for access to an area. Otherwise developers would only have to ask the people bordering the development for permission.”
Bittkau also requested residents to form WhatsApp groups where news about local crime incidents could be disseminated easily, and claimed that he was trying to organise a meeting between many resident’s associations in the area he is responsible for, so that the experienced ones which had overcome certain obstacles could share their methods of success with younger residents’ associations.
Details: John Pereira stormx@iburst.co.za, Ward 101 councillor Ralf Bittkau 084 572 4002.
