MIN mense sal kans sien daarvoor om elke dag vanaf jou voorstoep met sy pragtige see-uitsig vas te kyk in die stof, gewoel en geraas van 'n oorlaaistasie vir swaar voertuie reg voor jou huis  . . . en dan praat ons nie eens van die brand- en misdaadgevaar en vernietiging van die strandveldse fynbos in die bewarea nie.

Dit is die groeiende frustrasie  en probleem waarmee huiseienaars in Wag 'n Bietjie-singel in Tergniet nou sit nadat hulle meer as tien jaar gelede dié kuserwe oorkant die groenstrook en Erf 271 gekoop het.

Johan Grobler was een van dié huiseienaars wat in 2005 en 2006 twee erwe aangeskaf het nadat hy destyds verseker is dié groenstrook op die padreserwe sal nooit ontwikkel of bebou word nie. Die paar trokke wat elke dan en wan goedere op Erf 271 oorgelaai het, was destyds so sporadies dat dit skaars opgemerk is. 

Nou is Impalaweg en dié pad voor hul huise egter 'n besige "hoofweg" en word dié oorlaaisone boonop vergroot en afgemerk as 'n amptelike stilhougebied sodat enige voertuie en trokke dag en nag daar parkeer en boonop die gebied as 'n vullishoop en toilet gebruik, wat die situasie onveilig en onhoudbaar maak.

Boonop is daar blykbaar al jare lank 'n dispuut tussen die Garden Route Distriksmunisipaliteit en die Mosselbaai munisipaliteit oor aan wie dié betrokke Erf 271 nou eintlik behoort. As dit wel aan die GRDM behoort, sal dit uiters vreemd wees dat een enkele erf langs die Tergniet-kuslyn nie onder Mosselbaai se jurisduksie val nie . . . ?

Inwoners wil ook weet watter reg die Mosselbaai munisipaliteit dan het om besluite oor Erf 271 te neem as dit wél aan die GRDM behoort en hoe lank dié interregeringsdispuut nog gaan sloer. 

Talle briewe, versoeke en vertoë aan die Mosselbaai Munisipaliteit om dié oorlaaisone na 'n ander onbewoonde gebied te verskuif, het tot dusver geen oplossing gebring nie. In briefwisseling met die munisipaliteit wat in ons besit is, word bloot genoem dat 'n lugfoto van die gebied toon dat dié oop stuk grond op die padreserwe al in 2004 as 'n oorlaaisone gebruik is en dat kopers destyds hul huiswerk moes gedoen het om te weet van die oorlaaisone. 

Inwoners se besware dat daar in 2004 nog geen huise of ontwikkeling in die gebied was nie, dra blykbaar ook geen water nie. Omgewingsbewaarders en -kenners se besware dat dié groenstrook 'n biome van skaars inheemse fynbos is wat toenemend deur die swaarvoertuie vernietig word en erge stofbesoedeling veroorsaak, het tot dusver ook op dowe ore geval. 

Christo Botha, 'n ander huiseienaar wat in 2008 sy erf gekoop het - juis oor die stil omgewing en onbelemmerde see-uitsig - meen dis onregverdig om nou te sê kopers moes destyds geweet het van die informele "oorlaaisone" as geen agent of iemand hulle daarvan vertel het nie.

"Hoe moes ons destyds daarvan geweet het? As ek geweet het hulle beplan 'n groot, formele stilhouplek en oorlaaisone reg voor my huis, sal ek mos nooit hier gekoop het nie?"

"Boonop was ons erwe baie duurder as dié agter ons - juis oor die see-uitsig en omdat ons verseker is dat niks op die groenstrook gebou of gedoen sal word om ons uitsig en die rustigheid van die omgewing te belemmer nie!" 

Christo Botha (links) en Johan Grobler op Christo se stoep met die onbelemmerde uitsig oor die see en groenstrook wat huiseienaars in Wag 'n Bietjie-singel destyds oorreed het om juis hier te kom koop en aftree. 

Boonop is die area op die padreserwe nou vergroot tot 30 m x 18 m en lê teer en olie oral op die oppervlak waar fynbos vroeër geil geblom het.

In die jongste terugvoering van munisipale kant is gesê dat die oorlaaisone op die padreserwe nie geskuif of verklein gaan word nie, maar dat kennisgewingborde oorweeg sal word wat die maak van vure, rommelstrooiery en leeglêery verbied soda wetstoepassers kan optree. Huiseienaars meen egter sulke kennisgewingborde sal geen impak hê om leeglêery en misdaad te bekamp nie en die brandgevaar is ernstig omdat mense wat daar parkeer gedurig hul sigaretstompies daar rondstrooi. 

Inwoners meen nie net word hul privaatheid geskend deur mense wat dag en nag reg oorkant hul huise parkeer en die area bespied nie, maar hul veiligheid en gesondheid word ook bedreig deur só 'n openbare stilhouplek weens die voortdurende geraas, stof en besoedeling van swaarvoertuie op hul drumpel.

Die oorlaaisone is vroeër vanjaar met die aanvang van die padbouwerke in Klein-Brakrivier tydelik verskuif na 'n area naby die tennisbane in Klein-Brakrivier. Johan en ander huiseienaars het in dié tyd uit desperaatheid die oop sone voor hul huise met pale en kleeflint afgesper om te keer dat voertuie langer daar parkeer. Hulle het ook die vernielde plantegroei en fynbos wat deur die swaarvoertuie platgetrap was, probeer herstel.

Dié "onwettige" strukture is intussen deur die munisipaliteit verwyder en die gebied word nou afgesper met houtpale. 

Hieronder is uittreksels uit korrespondensie tussen die huiseienaars, Mid-Brak Bewarea en die betrokke munisipale departementshoofde en raadslede oor die kwessie:

11 Apr 2019:  

Dear Midbrak Conservancy: 

The letter request of 11 March refers. Since then we have instructed HENRA to relocate from Erf 271 and re-establish somewhere else, and they also cleaned up as was confirmed by Warren. See attached, the disturbed area on Erf 271 has been established long-long ago, prior to 2004, before roads / houses were established in Wag-n-Bietjie Singel. Meaning that this cleared area has been there at least 15 years, and residents that bought & build in surrounding streets knew about the cleared space & activity.

So we are not clear as to why this has become a ‘’problem’’ all of a sudden?  This space is one of the last remaining disturbed spaces suitable for heavy vehicles to operate, without having to navigate the smaller/narrower streets. So we are in support of this specific space being utilised, instead of a new space being established informally by suppliers elsewhere.

Feedback on the letter points raised

1. We take note, MBM is always appreciative of efforts by the public to get involved in environmental matters, however MBM sometimes needs to take a pragmatic view of certain issues. As indicated in the attached aerial maps the area has been in its current disturbed site since at least 2004. The Botanical Survey conducted by Dr Mark Berry, also identified it as a disturbed area and it was not included in the areas that were deemed as being conservation worthy.  
2. We are in no position to comment on this suggestion
3. Within the road reserve, the public has the right to stop. The Survey conducted by Dr Mark Berry suggested that erf 271 is still performing an ecologically important function irrespective of the disturbed areas. The argument of the truck stopping/reversing in the disturbed area is thus not necessarily directly contributing to the further degradation of the erf. The Road reserve is 30m wide and at that point approx. 18m measured from the asphalt edge.
4. There is a need to ensure that the extent of the already disturbed portion of erf 271 is not increased, by the truck stop activity. So we will consider the option of demarcating the Road Reserve boundary in order to stop this.

We noticed that since the letter residents (we assume) have planted the poles and danger tape without consent from the Municipality. Please note that this is in violation of our Street-By Laws and will be removed shortly. Our Greatbrak Superintendent will plant wooden poles 1m high, painted white on the road reserve to ensure activity does not go past this boundary. We hope this resolves the matter. We will monitor the activity going forward.

29 April 2019:

Christo Botha skryf: 

I live in 77 Wag n Bietjie Crescent, overlooking Erf 271. 

There are 5 households involved, being numbers 71, 73, 75, 77 and 79.  All overlooking the gap in 271. I have been given proxy to discuss this issue with you by all of the above, as we live here and are all affected.  

   
I have read your latest e-mail and gather you intend to demarcate an area of 30 meters by 18 meters, which we all find unacceptable as it will simply result in a ‘truck stop’ which we have to face daily.  Over and above the fact that cars stop there during the night and criminals can easily use it as a vantage point to watch movements in households.

I have personally asked a guy to please move as he was parked there at 23h00 at night for longer than an hour. We all know the hazard of fire as the whole area is covered in twigs and dead leaves. These days people stop and relieve themselves in the bush, as it seems convenient to park there. The pics you show, taken in 2004 is not relevant as no houses were built at that time. 

I understand that it is a reserved area and yes, people can pull off, but why in front of  5 households? Why not move the gap 200 meters towards Groot Brak where there are no houses?  

Why such a large area of 30 x 18? A car only needs maximum of 4 meters from the asphalt to park safely. The area you want to demarcate is big enough for big trucks which simply just destroy the fynbos.

We, as residents, with the help of conservancy are more than willing to replant, at our cost, to close the gap. 

There are no signs stating ‘no dumping’ ‘no overnight’ ‘no smoking’ or whatsoever.

We all bought here because of the view and the greenbelt and were all told there will never be built, but now we have to face cars, trucks just simply parking, dumping stuff, using it as a toilet and rubbish bin.  Not very pleasant or safe.  

I would like to arrange an appointment to come and discuss this matter on behalf of the 5 households concerned. Kindly let me know at your earliest when is a suitable date and time.

Thank you 

Kind regards. 

C.Botha.   

Reply:

Subject: RE: Continued abuse and degradation of erf 271

Dear Mr Botha

• Please note that feedback was a combined effort between our HOD, our Director and ECO Warren.
• We are not in support of ‘’shifting’’ the spot because the cleared area have been there since 2004, long before residents.
• The aerial photo of 2004 is relevant because owners that have bought/build there should/must have made themselves aware of surroundings
• The road reserve remains the road reserve, we cannot narrow a reserve to suit individual liking, we need to consider the greater community/building activity also.
• Yes, the possibility of notice boards can be discussed, so that Traffic can intervene when required, our HOD will consider this.
• You may schedule an appointment through Ms Helene Bailey to coordinate a suitable time for all CC’d.