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HATS OFF TO THE OVERSTRAND MUNICIPALITY!
Two Hats-off to the Overstrand Municipality!
Everyone acknowledges that poverty alleviation and job creation are the two most effective tools in the upliftment of communities and the reduction of social ills.
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- Written by Helen George
- Category: Publications
- Hits: 3329
Public Meeting for the Revival of the Community Policing Forum
A PUBLIC MEETING
will be held in the Crassula Hall on Saturday, 3 October, at 11 AM.
The focus of the meeting will be:
THE REVIVAL OF THE COMMUNITY POLICING FORUM (CPF) KLEINMOND/HANGKLIP AREA AND FOLLOWING THAT, THE REVIVAL OF THE BETTY’S BAY NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH (NHW)
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- Written by Donn
- Category: Community Security
- Hits: 3402
September Sun Eclipses
From the Wits University planetarium newsletter — September Eclipses
There is a partial eclipse of the sun on 13 September from 6:40am to 11:05am (depending where you are), with the maximum at 8:54am. The table below gives the percentage that the moon will obstruct the sun.
UPDATE: Here's a photograph by the author of the 13th September partial, taken through welding goggles.

PLEASE make use of proper eye protection. Eclipse glasses are available from the Planetarium at R6 each, excluding shipping.
Town | Obstruction |
Bloemfontein | 20.7% |
Cape Town | 30.4% |
Durban | 21.1% |
East London | 27.5% |
Johannesburg | 15.2% |
Nelspruit | 13.5% |
Data obtained from HMNAO [http://astro.ukho.gov.uk/eclipse/0322015/]
On 28 September there will be a total eclipse of the moon. The eclipse starts from 2:09am – 7:23am and will be visible in South Africa, but the eclipse will end for us as the moon sets before the end of the eclipse.
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- Written by Dawikeho
- Category: Science
- Hits: 2678
Duine insameling - Dune collection
English below.
Baie dankie vir almal wat bygedra het en gehelp het om die mooi bedrag van R52 650.00 in te samel om te betaal vir die opstel van die Bettiesbaai Duine Bestuursplan. Baie dankie ook aan die BBRA wat die fondse ontvang en bestuur en baie dankie in die besonder vir die bedrag van R2000 wat die BBRA self bygedra het tot die fonds. Ons hoop dat die Plan voltooi sal wees in Oktober wat meer as genoeg tyd laat vir openbare deelname en goed keuring voor dat implementering aan die einde van die komende somer.
Ons het in totaal 24 bydraes ontvang waarvan een van die BBRA is, 4 van BBRA lede (wat nie ook lede van die Duine Belange Groep (DBG) is nie), 1 bydrae van ‘n persoon wat nie lid van BBRA of DBG is nie en 18 bydraes van DBG lede. Geld wat nie gespandeer word op die Plan nie sal oorgehou word vir die implementeringsfase.
Groete
English version
Thank you very much for all the contributions to the value of R52 650.00 that we received to pay for the Betty’s Bay Dune Management Plan. Thank you very much to the BBRA who received and administers the funds and a special word of thanks for the R2000 that the BBRA contributed from own funds. We hope that the Plan will be completed in October, leaving more than enough time for public participation and approval before implementation at the end of the new summer season.
We received a total of 24 contributions of which 1 was from the BBRA, 4 from members of the BBRA (who are not also members of the Dune Interest Group (DIG)), 1 contribution from a person who are not a member of either the BBRA or DIG) and 18 contributions from DIG members. Money not spent on the Plan will be used during the implementation phase.
Regards
Gottlieb van der Merwe
Pr Eng
Bettiesbaai Duine Belange Groep – Betty’s Bay Dune Interest Group
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- Written by Gottlieb van der Merwe
- Parent Category: Infrastructure
- Category: Dunes
- Hits: 3560
Follow-ups to the Open Letter
Responses to the Open Letter to the Mayor Re Crime
[Ed:This post was edited to add a new response.]
The Mayor of Overstrand, Mrs. Botha-Guthrie, together with the Director Overstrand Protection Services Neville Michaels, and our ward councillor, Lisel Krige, came to our house this afternoon to discuss the letter I wrote to the Mayor on 6 July, about crime in Bettys Bay. The Mayor and Lisel have both been away on annual leave, and this was the first opportunity they had to get back to us about our concerns.
Mrs. Botha-Guthrie has committed herself to taking this matter further without delay. Mr. Michaels will meet with the Police Cluster Head in Caledon, Brigadier Dyaintyi, and they will also meet with the Minister of Police in the Western Cape, Dan Plato, and if necessary the National Police Minister. Her office has also forwarded copies of my letter to Dr. Michael Cardo, DA member of parliament who is the Constituency Head for Overstrand, as also Mr. Masizole Mnqasela, Chair of the Standing Committee on Local Government in the Western Cape Parliament.
Mrs. Botha-Guthrie has assured me that she has the political will to take this matter forward and ensure that our concerns are taken seriously, and asked me to let friends and fellow residents know that everything in her power will be done to put an end to the totally unacceptable crime level in our village. As soon as the way forward becomes clearer a meeting will be called that we can all attend. She has underlined that it is important that we all pull in the same direction and work together.
I apologise for this official sounding language, but let’s take a deep breath and keep calm, and trust that there are ways to end this stressful situation.
Regards, Pat Markovina.
A Word from Rudi Perold, Chairman
Thank you for the feedback.
I am glad that there was a positive outcome of your letter to the Mayor.
The intervention of the Mayor and the proposed re-establishment of the CPF in our region, I foresee, will definitely address the crime wave that we are experiencing.
A spinoff from your letter, was that the former chairperson of the BBRA was approached to facilitate the process of re-establishing the CPF. The election of members in the vacant posts in the CPF will take place on the 28th of September.
It is foreseen that representatives from the Hangklip region, ie Bettysbay, Pringlebay, Rooiels and Kleinmond will serve on the CPF Forum, which is a change from the previous CPF.
It is therefore of utmost importance that a member from our community is nominated, in terms of the prescripts, who has a passion for Betty’s Bay and can promote the interests of the residents.
Kind Regards, Rudi Perold.
A repsonse from Lisel Krige — Ward Councillor / Wyksraadslid
Ek het uiteraard gister se vergadering (verkennings-) bygewoon wat deur die burgemeester aangevra is. Graag wil ek net die volgende byvoeg by enige gedagtes wat daaroor gewissel word – miskien in die Buzz? (Ek het die briefie ook vir Pat Markovina gestuur.)
Dankie en groete, Lisel.
The current crime prevalence in our otherwise tranquil village is indeed a reason for grave concern to all of us – including myself as the ward councillor.
I spend many sleepless hours fuming and brainstorming; but at the same time I have also spent many active hours probing and scouting in an effort to translate growing insight into proposals for practical and workable solutions that will override or neutralize the exasperating pattern of escalating theft that is spiralling out of control.
As extremely sensitive as the situation is, considering the fact that there is reason to believe that a great deal of the criminal activity is driven and executed by local groups and/or individuals, I am of the opinion that excessive communication and speculation about it locally may be counter productive and may even add fuel to the raging fire.
A solution cannot be instant, as an intricate network of stakeholders and roleplayers is involved – making the chain as strong as its weakest link. It is imperative to ensure that ALL authorities, service providers and individuals are not only on the same page, but are also wholeheartedly united in the mutual aim to restore peace and order.
I therefore add my voice and plea to that of the mayor, Nicolette Botha-Guthrie, that rather than running amuck and randomly raising alarm, we should lend one another our eyes and ears and expertise in order to jointly introduce thoroughly contemplated plans and strategies.
Please be assured that the interests of our area’s residents are a prime priority. Their/our safety cannot be compromised.
Regards.
LISEL KRIGE
Ward Councillor / Wyksraadslid
OVERSTRAND
+27 82 572 2711
+27 28 272 9533
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- Written by Pat Markovina
- Category: Crime
- Hits: 3281