Water Outages | Cell Masts | Billing Day Cancelled | 94.7 Cycle Challenge Road Closures

Nov 8, 2017 | News, SafeParks News, Ward update

“Ward 117 in Joburg” Facebook Page

I started the above page in 2011 as part of my initial election campaign. I have recently changed its name and will now be using it for both ward related notices, but also for some more DA-orientated posts as well as the Ward117 Branch notices.

If you are interested in liking the page then here is the link.

Integrated Development Plan Meeting for Ward 117 Residents on 8 Nov

Don’t forget the meeting for Wards 117, 90, 87, 88 and 86 at Marks Park at 6pm on Wed 8 Nov

Billing Day on 11 November has been CANCELLED

From Cllr Vincent Earp, Ward Cllr for Sandton:

The Billing and Revenue Day scheduled to be held at the Field and Study Centre on Saturday 11th November has been cancelled. The Mayor is moving billing problem-solving back to the City Regions for resolution.

When this happens (soon, I hope) residents should visit their City Regional Offices (Region B is at cnr Jan Smuts and Bram Fischer Aves, Randburg; Region E is at 137 Daisy St, Sandton) and log their query and get a reference number. The Mayor said the Billing and Revenue Days should be everyday. The Regional Walking Centre’s must be the first point of call  and Revenue Staff will be moved back there.

Road Closure Warning – 94.7 Cycle Challenge on Sun 19 Nov 2017 

This event takes place every year and every year there are residents and businesses that get caught out.

NOTE: Jan Smuts/Bram Fischer/Homestead will be completely closed for 21 km fm Braamfontein to William Nicol from about 5am to 3pm. This effectively cuts the city in 2 and the only way to get across Jan Smuts via vehicle is at Smit St in Braamfontein in the south and the N1 in Fourways in the North. Pedestrians are allowed across, so you can drive to Jan Smuts and park and walk. NOTE: Resident’s passes do not work for this race.

My advice is to plan your day around the closure and don’t fight it. And don’t forget to pop up to Jan Smuts and cheer the cyclists. You can even sponsor a team who are riding for charity.

Below is the press release from the race organisers.
———————

The 21st edition of the Telkom 947 Cycle Challenge will take place on Sunday, 19 November 2017. This iconic event takes over streets of greater Johannesburg and is one of the world’s largest mass participation cycling events with approximately 28 000 cyclists taking part.

As a result, certain roads throughout the city will be closed off by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, Johannesburg Road Agency and the City of Joburg.

Please visit www.cyclechallenge.co.za to view the route map and use the map which will assist residents and motorists to navigate the city avoiding the Road Closures on Cycle Challenge Sunday. The map includes spectator and support location points along the route and we encourage you to go to one of these points, to enjoy the fantastic spirit of the event.

We understand that the Cycle Challenge impacts directly on businesses and residents on the route and thank you in advance for your support. We have enjoyed great support from businesses along the route in the past and if you would like to know how your business can get involved please contact the Cycle Challenge Race Office.

We have a fully equipped Call Centre running, and throughout the build-up and on Cycle Challenge Sunday to field any queries and assist in routing you around the Road Closures. Please make use of this service to improve your experience on the day – Call Centre 011 017 2700. You can download the 947 app which will include the information you need on the day, and follow #CCTraffic on Twitter to get live updates.

Cell Masts in Joburg

 

At a recent Section 79 Oversight Committee Meeting some new info came to light regarding these cell masts and the ICASA regulations that govern their installation. It seems that the cell companies can place a mast anywhere they like – on a sidewalk, in your back yard, anywhere.

What the CoJ has been trying to do, is to attempt to manage the process and make sure that there are some sort of consultation as to their installation. The article written by Anna Cox that appeared in The Star on 27 October 2017 illuminates these issues. I have reproduced it in full below.

Joburg responds to cell mast fears

Joburg residents have no legal rights to complain about the construction of cellphone street lamp masts in their suburbs unless they exceed 15 metres in height or are in environmentally-sensitive areas.

So said the City of Joburg in response to numerous complaints by residents waking up and finding the lamps outside their homes being topped with cellphone masts.

Despite the legislation, the city has introduced, in the interest of its residents, a cellphone mast policy that promotes a public participation process whereby adjoining property owners and any other person who may be affected by the installation of a cellphone mast must be given notice and such affected parties may then submit comments to the city within a time frame. This also included informing the ward councillor.

Residents in many Joburg suburbs have recently voiced their unhappiness with the installation of these masts, claiming they can cause cancer, devalue their properties and block views.

Bryanston residents recently drew up a petition to protest over the installation of cellular street-lamp masts at the entrance a housing estate. The community, comprising the area’s residents, community committee members, concerned parents, grandparents, siblings, teachers, local schools and nursery schools as well as health practitioners called for a meeting with the cellphone company responsible for putting up the masts.

In the suburb of Kensington there was also an application for the erection of cellular masts. Ward councillor Carlos da Rocha had called a public meeting over the matter, but said there was little interest.

City spokesperson Virgil James said: “The question is whether such policy and such public participation process is still justified bearing in mind judgments in recent Constitutional Court hearings.

“Why go through a public participation process when it is not a statutory requirement, and what is the use of going through a public participation process where such processes cannot defeat or eviscerate the right given to network licensees?” he asked.

James added this had now become a matter between the licensee and the property owner, not the neighbour, councillor or the city.

He said that several pieces of legislation governed this issue such as the Electronic Communications Act, the National Environmental Management Act (Nema), 107 of 1998, and the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act (NBRA), 103 of 1977, as well as the relevant town planning scheme. “Nema only requires public participation for cell masts in excess of 15m and that may be in an environmentally sensitive area,” he said.

“The NBRA regards masts as a building structure and requires that the applicant submit a building plan for approval, but does not prescribe any public participation process,” James added.

There are several cases which have ended up in court that sided with the licence holders based on judgments passed.

“In all of the judgments, the courts found that, based on an interpretation of the acts, no permission is required from any landowner for an electronic network services licensee.

“The ‘landowner’ includes state organs. Licensees must comply with applicable laws, however, those applicable laws cannot be used to limit the very act authorised in the licence.

“This simply means that anyone who has a gripe about this cannot even rely on the Public Access to Information Act to be heard, unless they make a proper case that they have a right, or a legitimate expectation, that will be adversely affected by the decision to approve building plans for cellphone masts,” James said.

Many residents, he said, accused the city of not ensuring adequate public participation prior to the installation of cellphone masts.

In Walele v the City of Cape Town 2008, in which the City of Joburg was admitted as an amicus curiae, the Constitutional Court confirmed that neighbours, and any other third party, do not have a right to be heard, to be informed of, or to have access to building plans or to object against them prior to approval.

James said the World Health Organisation had recently indicated: “Considering the very low exposure levels and research results collected to date, there is no convincing evidence that the weak RF signals from base stations and wireless networks cause adverse health effects including the use of mobile phones.”

Planned Water Outage #1: Blairgowrie, Linden, Ferndale etc: Thu 16 Nov 2017

About 40 000 properties may be affected on Thursday 16th Nov when the Linden 1 Reservoir and the Linden Tower will be shut for maintenance work. I expect this is due to a recent round of poor water pressure and water outages in the Blairgowrie area.

The plan is to shut the water off at 8am, do the work and open it up again at 5pm. Joburg Water advises that: “customers living within the reservoir zone may be affected 6 hours after the commencement of the shutdown and customers living within the tower zone will be affected 1 hour after the commencement of the shutdown.

So that means water should start coming on from 6pm and again 11pm after the work is completed, depending on your water supply. But from past experience, expect the unexpected. Work may be delayed due to late arrivals of the maintenance teams and the prolonged drainage time of the reservoir, the repair may take longer than planned, other problems may occur, air locks and pipe bursts may occur once the water starts to be restored, local hydrants may not be turned on, etc.

Of course, they could do the work without turning off the water at all – this happened during a recent planned maintenance outage in Dunkeld. Or the whole maintenance plan could be postponed as has happened at these reservoirs before.

My advice is to monitor your neighbourhood Facebook groups, your WhatsApp groups, and @jhbwater and your cllr on Twitter.

Below are the Areas that Will Have No Water and the Location of the Water Tankers/Jojo Tanks  

Kensington Reservoir Zone
Bryanston Ext.5, Bryanston Ext.3, Beverly Gardens, Ferndale (all Extensions),Strijdom Park, O Summit, Vandia Grove(All Extensions)

Kensington Tower Zone
Kensington B and Bryanbrink

Linden Tower Supply
Linden, Pine Park and Linden Extensions

Linden Reservoir 1
Robindale, Jacanlee, Cresta (Ext.1,3,4,5),Darrenwood and AldaraPark

Blairgowrie  Reservoir
Blairgowrie and Bordeaux

Location of temporary alternative source of supply (e.g. Water Tankers) 

Randburg Depot
• Cnr. Anchor and Chester-Bryanston Ext.5
• Cnr. Kays and Cypress-Bryanston Ext.3
• Cnr.Highview and West-Ferndale Ext. 29
• Cnr. Speldekussing and Serruna-Ferndale  Ext.6
• Bright Water Commons-Republic Road-Ferndale
• Ferndale High School-Milne Road-Kensington B
• Westview Park-Vandia Grove
• Cnr. Sirdar and Abington- Kensington B
• In Blackwood Street- Bryanston Ext.3

Langlaagte Depot
• Cnr. Beatrice & Dukes, Windsor
• Cnr. Republic & Judges, Cresta
• Cnr. First Avenue & Bramfisher @ BP Garage, Linden
• Cherry Street and Bert Rd and Aborb Street & Oak Avenue, Robindale
• 5TH Street and 8TH Street & 3 th  Street, Linden
• Dalmeny Rd & Gavin Avenue, Pine Park
• 1ST  Street & ST Michelle Avenue, Aldara Park
• Winston & Valley Rd, Robin Hills

Zandfontein Depot
• Plazza Centre cnr Jan Smuts and Republic
• Blairgowrie Plaza cnr Conrad and Susman
• Gordon Ave cnr Jan Smuts

 

Planned Water Outage #2: Bath Ave, Rosebank, Tue 14 Nov 2017

Joburg Water will be tying in a pipe in Bath Ave from 9am to 3’30pm. It should only affect the 100 properties along Bath Ave. There will be no water tankers. I would estimate that water should be back on an hour or two after 3’30pm. But the same caveats apply to the above the outage.

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If you want to join the DA, it costs R10 a year, or, I would recommend you take out a 5 year membership of R50. Please contact my Branch Membership Secretary – Teigue Payne on 082-892-2218 / teigue.payne@gmail.com. He will send the address where you can sign up and pay online. You can be from anywhere in Joburg as you will be allocated by Head Office to the Branch in your respective ward.

 

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