Dry taps have continued to plague us this year while the finger-pointing game between Rand Water and Joburg Water (JW) has persisted. And every time, we never get real answers as to why we don’t have water. What we do know is that a 3-hour power failure at one of the crucial pump stations that supplies to Hursthill Reservoir 2 (HH2) can lead to days of intermittent or no water from our taps.
So when Rand Water announced a major water interruption over June/July because of essential maintenance we were excited that at last much-needed maintenance would be done. But how would we be affected by Eikenhof (the crucial pump station that provides HH2) operating at 50%, then 67% and then 83% over a period of more than 18 days?
As our Day Zero approached in late June as Rand Water and JW had advised, we filled baths, containers, and every available bottle. Initially, the water still flowed. We thought we were going to be okay.
And then the water dried up. Why? When will it come back? Why were some suburbs supplied by HH2 receiving water but not us? What is JW doing to restore water to those that don’t have? Have they forgotten to open a valve?
Our councillor, other councillors from neighbouring suburbs also affected and Ferrial Adam of WaterCAN (luckily for us also an Emmarentia resident) continued to demand answers from Joburg Water. Answers were as scarce as our water: “The system is constrained by poor supply”.
We despaired at the continued poor showing of HH2, one of JW’s worst performers. No wonder residents came to call it Worsthill.
Residents rally to support
Meanwhile, the mosque and many residents generously opened their borehole taps for all; several others offered free bottled water to those who could pick it up. A water tanker organised by community members delivered water to the elderly and brought it to the shops on Greenhill Road several times.
Our Councillor, Nicolene Jonker, organised for JW to come with a water tank to fill residents’ containers and for a JoJo tank to be installed on the corner of Komatie and Greenhill Road. For flat dwellers and shopkeepers on Greenhill, it was a welcome relief. Huge thank yous to you all.
Greenhill Road flat dwellers fill up their bottles from the JoJo tank
Reached the limit
But when we reached nine days without water, we were enraged.
‘It’s a crisis—we can’t take a shower, and personal hygiene is at risk. We have elderly people to care for’, said Noreen Patel, one of the spokespersons of Emmarentia’s water protest organising team that had sprung into action on Whatsapp. With no answers coming from JW, despite continued pressure being put on them, the call soon went out for residents to come and protest on the corner of Judith and Barry Hertzog on July 2.
Residents block off Barry Hertzog
‘While this protest is in Emmarentia, .. the frustration we are feeling can be felt in communities from Orange Farm to Sandton to Kensington’, said Patel.
And residents responded to the call. Joined by Greenside residents, close to 100 people gathered to demand answers. With Tyla’s song ‘Water’ revving up the protestors, the message was clear: ‘we want water and we want answers from JW now’.
JW acceded to a meeting. After this protest, water did flow into our taps, even higher up the hill. There was a noticeable improvement. But water leaks across the suburb once again multiplied as pressure was once again put on the ageing pipes.
The protest committee put their questions to JW and received these answers.
JW responds
· HH1 and HH2 receive their water via gravity feed – there are no pumps involved. Although the two reservoirs can be configured to ‘work together’, currently they operate independently.
· Supply to HH2 has been reconfigured by redirecting water from elsewhere in the Commando system. As long as this water shifting has no detrimental effect on these other parts of the system, there will be no reason to reverse this, but it will be closely monitored.
· There are medium to long-term plans already formulated to address the inability of the Commando system to reliably meet demand in its supply zone, but these are subject to the required budget being available.
At the same time JW continued to blame users across all of Joburg “for a spike in consumption,” says Adam. She says JW acknowledge that this problem will have to be addressed and it accepts that the “ageing and under-maintained water infrastructure also contributes to ‘demand’ exceeding supply.”
The organising committee also queried whether structural cracks in HH1 and HH2 impact on water supply. JW responded that they “are not of concern” although “ideally [they should] have been remedied already.”
What now?
The reconfiguring of the supply to HH2 “is good news”, says Adam, “provided it remains like this.” She credits the reconfiguring to the protest as well as “several other levers that were being activated by various parties.”
What’s more worrying says Adam is that “JW relies on COJ to provide JW’s water maintenance budget; it doesn’t control any revenue it generates that it can then use for its own capex”. With JW’s infrastructure backlog at R24 billion according to its 2023/24 business plan, there’s a lot that needs to be done with very little money to do it with.
Moreover, since the 9-day outage, we have still experienced intermittent outages during the day for which there is no explanation. And we all know the difficult months of September and October are still to come, never mind the planned major 6-month repair of the tunnel that brings water from the Lesotho Highlands Water Project to the Vaal.
Organising committee still active
The HH2 protest organising committee is not dissolving; it plans to mobilise the community to conduct further protests if needed, and to work together with WaterCAN and the Joburg Crisis Committee on larger and more wide-reaching initiatives to raise awareness. (see box below) Join the HH2 protest Whatsapp group here https://chat.whatsapp.com/DCHKAhWh14oIK4lAN4GRUa
Join a wider protest
Water is not the only problem we’re faced with. If you feel strongly, join the protest with other organisations on July 27. The protest is highlighting:
poor and absent leadership
lack of consultation on R230 electricity surcharge
breakdown in service delivery
frequent water outages, poor maintenance. Find out more from Ferrial Adam on 074 181 319
Water losses grow
Emmarentia resident and engineer, Arno Steinmuller, has been delving into JW’s annual reports, more particularly its water loss per day. In 2019/2020 financial year (FY) the loss of water (per day) was 550 million litres.
In the last FY (2023) on record, this increased to 800 million litres per day. This is 40% higher than what it was three years ago. The most distressing thing for him is that ‘the losses increase year after year but we are being told we are using too much water.’
Parkhurst Bowls Club
The Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) awarded the tender to Genzenix to develop the Parkhurst Bowls and Soccer Club earlier this year.
Genzenix plans to develop a mixed-use development including affordable housing on the site. It also has to clear and secure the site and provide temporary emergency accommodation to the numerous people who are living there illegally. Construction is expected to begin within the next 12-18 months.
JPC and the City are still responsible for the site. In mid-July, the area was raided by law enforcement agencies.
No sooner did the raid start than the occupiers burnt their possessions. Once law enforcement agencies had left, the occupiers rebuilt their structures.
Meanwhile, the Bowls Club Action Group (composed of a number of residents associations) is busy planning to launch an application “against the City and the occupiers for…. relief relating to the further invasion of the property and its utilisation in contravention of the town planning and environmental legislation.”
Adopt-a-park progress
While ERA waits for the City to approve our request to adopt the Botanical Gardens Spruit Park (the park below the dam bordered by Louw Geldenhuys, John Mackenzie and Hofmeyer Roads) work to make it safer for everyone is ongoing, says ERA Exco’s Saber Manjoo, the driver of the project.
On Freedom Day, 27 April, members of the community, security companies and scouts undertook a major cleanup of the spruit. Truckloads of debris and litter were removed from the area. During July 2024, residents living close to the area sponsored the clean-up of the overgrowth and removal of litter from the forested area at the corner of Limpopo and John Mackenzie. “Thanks to all that have made the area cleaner, safer-looking and more visible,” Manjoo says.
He urges everyone to “visit the park, go for a walk, take your dogs, take the kids to the playground, walk the spruit and soak up the lovely space that is now available.”
The park after the first tidy up in April
Thanks also to security companies who regularly move people on who are trying to engage in illegal activities and to the Let’s Work team who do a great job by continually clearing the spruit of illegally dumped refuse.
Your help needed
While we are waiting for the official adoption, we have identified a few projects that we would like you to know about so we can get your support.
Tidy up the remaining portions of the Spruit by removing weeds, overgrowth and litter – this could cost us in the region of R30 000
Fix up the gum poles around the spruit to prevent vehicles and trolleys being taken into the Spruit – this could cost us in the region of R10 000
Paint the benches and playground equipment – this could cost us around R15 000.
Find out more
If anyone is interested in helping with these next steps or has other ideas, please contact Saber Manjoo on 084 799 7860. Or donate to: Emmarentia Residents Association, Nedbank; A/c: 1975051173; Branch Code: 198765, reference PARK.
Dam wall takes shape
Some regular visitors to the top dam in Emmarentia Park might be alarmed by the mass of concrete and the height of the new wall. Is this over-engineering and a waste of the City’s money?
The dam was built around the 1930s. Since then ‘we’ve lost wetlands to sports fields while densification and numerous developments have led to more hard surfacing with more runoff,’ says Jane Eagle, a retired City official. All this means that a new sturdier design is imperative.
Eagle says that the dam designs were done by credible dam engineers who considered the increased retention capacity, given the possibility of floods which are becoming more common with climate change.
The outflow is being strengthened with concrete
While time is tight to complete the project and the budget is constrained, Malcolm Fiddes, City Parks’ dam project coordinator says, ‘we are doing the best we can with what we’ve got.’
He says the earthen wall will be raised to the height of the new culverts and the crossing will be made safe for pedestrians and dogs. Soil with rhizomes of the invasive plants cleared from the dam has been piled behind the site office and once it is decomposed, will be dealt with safely so that it doesn’t invade the dam again.
Budget constraints
Fiddes points out that the study of the dam which specified what needed to be done to repair it, was completed many years before money was found and the construction began. As a result, there are budget limitations with regard to the desilting.
‘City Parks will have to continue doing annual control of the invasives to keep them at bay,’ he says.
Concern over mounds of mud
While many residents are concerned over the mounds of mud that have been removed from the dam and laid near it, Eagle notes that ‘it is a construction site and some temporary disturbance of vegetation is to be expected. However, the affected area is largely Kikuyu and the remnant pockets of natural grassland within the park are not affected by the construction activities.’
Much of this mud will be used to ‘fill in eroded areas and some will be transported elsewhere for use as landscaping material once dry’ says Eagle.
Fired up by pizza
Shops on Greenhill Road were built in the 1950s. We will be carrying snippets about characters in the various shops/restaurants in the next newsletters. In this one, we highlight Mario Camparada, pizza chef at Renato’s Trattoria.
As you walk into Renato’s Trattoria there’s a framed photograph of a Northcliff Melville Times news story from July 14, 1987. In it, a young Mario stands next to the pizza oven with his Swiss business partner Reynald. They are celebrating the opening of their new restaurant. Almost 40 years later, he’s still there making pizzas.
Originally from Italy, Mario has worked all his life as a pizza chef, first in Australia and New Zealand before coming to South Africa in the 1980s. He spent time working in Cape Town and Durban before moving to various restaurants across Joburg and then Emmarentia.
While working in Troyeville, a customer told him about an empty shop in Emmarentia, perfect for a pizza place.
Next door to the empty shop was a stationery shop, Books Unlimited, Komatie Butchery was across the road, there were two chemists, two veggie/fruit shops, the Vogue Shop, a second-hand clothing shop and a bank and a building society.
‘The shop on the corner was a laundry worked by gas – that’s why I took this place because in the kitchen you can’t work with electricity for cooking. They took [the gas] from Barry Hertzog and at that time it was cheap to put it in. Now if you want gas, you have to sell your house to put the gas here.’
How did it come to be called Renato’s? ‘Mario is too popular,’ Mario told Reynald, but ‘Renato is a sound, Re-na-to,’ and Renato’s Trattoria it remains even though Reynald left the business partnership long ago.
Mario remembers it as ‘a very good time’. Competition was minimal and pizzas were growing in popularity. And even though in those days there was a large Jewish community, Mario made a plan. ‘Fettucine Alfredo is supposed to go with ham or some bacon, instead, I chose chicken, for my Jewish customers,’ and he changed the menu to suit them. It included fillet and veal, because ‘normal steak was not so popular.’
Renato’s team
Now ‘the good old times for restaurants have passed, pizzas are all over, and people don’t look for quality, they just look at the money,’ he says.
Quality is something Mario will not compromise on. ‘Our pizza dough takes a long time to rise and we still make it by hand.’ And they continue to source many ingredients from Italy: tomatoes, capers, parma ham and anchovies and that makes it even more costly because of the ‘behaviour of the Rand.’
Accommodating the Muslim community
To satisfy the growing Muslim community, Renato’s buys from Hamza’s Butchery next door to ensure the chicken used on pizzas and in their Alfredos is halaal.
At 78 years old, Mario still works a 6-day week and has no plans to retire.
‘If you’re not working,’ he says, ‘your mind changes quickly, it doesn’t work anymore.’
It’s not hard to spot Mario – you’ll know he’s at work if you see one of his grey Piaggios parked outside the restaurant.
Updates
* Mixed-use construction site, Gleneagles Road
We did warn residents in the last newsletter to expect dust and noise from the new construction on Gleneagles.
And there was! Large numbers of huge trucks, laden with soil from the construction site started daily processions across the Emmarentia Dam wall prompting residents to report layers of dust lying heaped on Vaal Road, complaints of sinus, and concerns over the safety of the wall.
Numerous residents reported to JRA; ERA met with the contractor to follow up on residents’ concerns.
Finally, with your letters, our discussions with the contractor, the support of our councillor and JRA, trucks began to drive down Linden Road instead.
Thanks to all the residents who gave us a bigger voice to act on your behalf.
* ERA AGM—September
Keep a lookout for the next ERA AGM coming to you in September. We need new ideas and new people to join us.
* Rose garden
Join other rose gardeners at Johannesburg Botanical Gardens, Emmarentia on 8 August to help prune the newly-planted roses. Take your own garden gloves, long-handled loppers and secateurs. More info: contact 083 985 8632, goldreefrosesociety@gmail.com
* Checkers truck parking
ERA is still not happy with Checkers loading zone and large trucks overflowing onto Komatie Road.
According to the new manager there is an “intention” to improve the situation. Please e-mail us any photos of obstruction of Komatie Rd by trucks to info@era.org.za so that we can continue putting pressure on Checkers.
* Objections to rezoning of 88 Komatie Road
Many thanks to the residents that objected to the request for the rezoning to business of a house at 88 Komatie Road.
ERA and many residents believe that this property is part of the residential part of the suburb and that by rezoning it, it will cause more traffic congestion, the area will deteriorate and property prices will fall.
Moreover, objectors believe that there is ample office space for such businesses in current business zones including the new mixed development on Gleneagles Road.
Upcoming events
As the cold recedes and we all come back to life, so too do the events. And there are some biggies. ERA will be doing all it can to make sure that event organisers keep to their promises.
We will be adding more details here https://era.org.za/as and when we get them of who to phone about problems on the day etc.
2 August
Kids movie night – 7-9.30pm
Emmarentia Primary School
3 August
Liefde by die Dam – 8-6.30pm (sound checks on 2 August)
Botanic Gardens – problems on the day 083 666 1636
17 August
Total Sports – 5km, 10km – 6am – 5pm
Marks Park
25 August
Tribute to Women – 10am – 6pm
Marks Park
31 Aug, 1 September
Linden Market – 8am – 5pm
Botanic Gardens
The rules for Boreholes
No water coming from Emmarentia’s taps has been common over the past two years forcing many residents to install boreholes on their properties at great cost to themselves. ERA’s town planning expert, Gemey Abrahams outlines how residents can comply with the City’s borehole installation bylaws.
Section 14(b) of the City of Johannesburg’s Municipal Planning Bylaw, 2018, says that you cannot sink a borehole or extract water from a borehole on your property without first getting permission from the municipality.
The key requirements (there is a long list) are that you must include a site plan that:
shows the position of the borehole on the site,
where the services are located (your water, sewer and electrical pipes and connections),
the vegetation, position of house and boundaries as well as any other buildings within 15 metres of your common boundaries as well as elevations to show the slope of the site.
We checked these requirements with the Planning Department to see if there are any exceptions and it was confirmed that everyone must make an application if putting in a borehole. According to Cllr Nicolene Jonker, those who have already installed boreholes must use the same forms.
City news
Big thanks to Councillor Nicolene for keeping us informed and doing her utmost to make the City accountable. If you want to join her very informative WhatsApp group for Emmarentia residents, click here
Keep these numbers somewhere safe:
Report cable theft, vandalism etc
👉🏾 WhatsApp: 083 579 4497
👉🏾 Call:490 7900/11 or 490 7553
If an individual posing as a City Power official demands cash from you to avoid service disconnection, please report to these numbers immediately
Logging Monthly Consumption:
1. Visit e-Joburg: https://www.e-joburg.org.za
2. Log in and input your meter readings for water and electricity.
3. Submit your readings monthly.
Register a new account on e-Joburg: https://www.e-joburg.org.za/register
Reporting billing Errors
Email: regionBrevenue@joburg.org.za to report discrepancies.
Applying for Prepaid Services
Visit the City Power Service Connection Process: https://www.citypower.co.za/customer-services/customer-relations/service-connection-process
Follow the steps for prepaid services.
Pensioner Rebates
* 60-69 years: Complete the form: https://eservices.joburg.org.za/SiteAssets1/COJ-Forms/60-69%20Pensioner%20Rebate.pdf.
* 70+ years: Complete the form: https://eservices.joburg.org.za/SiteAssets1/COJ-Forms/70%20pensioner%20Rebate.pdf
* Pensioners do not need to reapply annually unless their status changes.
Expanded Social Package (ESP)
* Visit the ESP centre at the Westbury TDC Centre on the corner of Perth Road and Harmony Street, Westbury: https://maps.app.goo.gl/97HZnwx1WR6u9P66A?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy
* Bring your ID, proof of income, and proof of residence.
* More info: https://joburg.org.za/services_/Pages/City%20Services/Social%20Package/Social-Package.aspx
Don’t forget:
If you want Nicolene (063 479 4234) to follow up on a failed service delivery issue, please send her your information in the following format to streamline the process:
▶Your Name:
▶Your Mobile Number:
▶Address where the issue occurred:
▶Date when the issue was logged:
▶Time when the issue was logged:
▶Issue Ref nr:
▶Short description of the issue:
Check all the details of who to contact for a reference here:
An application to rezone Erf 429, 88 Komatie Road, the property on the corner of Greenhill and Komatie Road, opposite Eastern Temptations shop, is currently being advertised (see the white notices on the property, which we also attach).
It is currently zoned Residential 1 (a family home) and was used as such until the owners sold the property to a new owner who is doing this application to rezone. They are applying for business rights and want to use the existing house for offices, medical suites and some shops.
Please find attached the motivating memorandum they have submitted to the City of Johannesburg in support of their application, for further details.
What is important to know is that once the notices go up on the site, the town planning regulations give limited time to put in a comment or objection. That date is the 24 July 2024. Any submissions after that date will be invalid.
If you do not object to this application and if no-one objects, it is most likely that the City officials will approve this. By objecting, the application goes to a Planning Tribunal, where a group of officials and external parties consider the application and give a decision. It is a way to get your concerns heard.
ERA intends to object to this application because it is wanting to extend shops outside of our business node and into the residential area, impacting negatively on neighbouring residents. If approved, it could also have future implications for other residential properties along Komatie Road, especially around Checkers. We also believe that non-residential uses on this site will impact the traffic at this difficult intersection. The application is also asking for certain restrictions in the title deeds to be removed (that currently prevent shops and business uses) and ERA will also object to that as we act on behalf of the Lourens Geldenuys Family who has rights reserved in the title deeds that should not be removed.
If you intend to object ERA has the following advice and assistance:
You must submit your own objection, with your name, address, cell phone number and email address;
Your letter can be an email letter or an attached formal letter;
You MUST get the letter sent to ObjectionsPlanning@joburg.org.za before 16h00 on 24 July 2024 (you should receive an automatic reply acknowledging receipt – please save this reply for the records)
You must please copy in (send to) the applicant in your email: tp1@alphatp.co.za
You must provide some reasons for your objection – these need not be fully detailed reasons, but must provide some content
The rezoning process is governed by the City’s Municipal Planning Bylaw, 2016 as amended 2023 and follows a set legal procedure. Advertising the application and calling for objections is built into this process. You have a right to object if it affects you. What happens is that your objection goes on record and because there are objections, the application will be decided by a Municipal Planning Tribunal. The City has a roster and usually it can take up to a year for the matter to get given a date for the Tribunal Hearing. You will be notified of the Hearing (which is why it is very important to include your cell phone number and email address on your objection) at least 2 weeks before the date of the hearing. Often these hearings are done via Teams meetings and you do not need to appear in person. At the hearing you can present your views briefly or you can get someone to represent you. It is NOT a court of law, so you need not be nervous, it’s your opportunity to state your case and be heard. The Tribunal then decides the matter by weighing up the applicant’s case, all objections, City policies and inputs from City departments.
ERA has prepared a “guidance” letter (See attached Word Document) with the details of who to send this to and some possible reasons that you can choose from and put into your own words (essential, please) to help you with your objection. If all objectors were to copy and paste this letter and send it, the City will see this as a petition and take all the same letters and treat them as one objection. So, please use the attached letter as a guide from ERA and we hope you can take a few moments to write your objection in your own words, and modify the letter to your situation. Using different type fonts is also advised.
If you want any further information before objecting please contact ERA (info@era.org.za) or call Gemey Abrahams on 082 459 5266.
Please don’t forget that when you send your objection to ObjectionsPlanning@joburg.org.za to copy your objection letter to ERA and to the applicant.
Please be reassured that ERA supports improvements to and the upgrading of our suburb and will always weigh up the impact of new developments on our residents and the future of the suburb. Where ERA believes a development will have negative impacts and because the legislated process supports transparency and consultation, ERA engages with this process of objecting. The planning regulations give everyone the right to submit comments and objections to a development. You therefore can take this opportunity to have your say on such applications.
As I write this newsletter, that ‘NO water’ record is stuck again. Days of ‘no water’ have frazzled us. Luckily for us, we’ve been watered and cooled down by numerous generous residents as well as the mosque who have all given us free access to their borehole water.
The Jossell’s borehole behind Mica Hardware has also helped tenants in the Greenhill shops area cope with Day Zero.
And as the water outage crept into Ramadaan, Somaya from Mochachos drew up a list of residents happy to share their boreholes; others have added to this list. (see box)
Anyone needing water delivered please contact Somaya on 083 650 0577 or Felicity from Let’s Work on 082 568 1783. Beagle will also assist with delivery.
Thank you – words are not enough to say how grateful we all are.
What’s going on?
Can our water failures all be blamed on a lightning strike at City Power’s transformer that supplies Rand Water’s Eikenhof pump station on March 3 followed by a ‘flashover’ (a short) the following day at the same City Power outlet? We don’t know.
NGO WaterCAN and ward councillors continue to demand answers.
WaterCAN’s executive manager, Ferrial Adam, said that despite an established forum for authorities to communicate with civil society and residents, “we have to chase these bodies for answers.”
Moreover, this current water crisis is much worse than before. As at Sunday 10 March, this was the long list of ‘ailing’ reservoirs/towers at critically low levels: Crosby, Hursthill 1 and 2, Linden 1 reservoir and tower, Linden 2 reservoir, Blairgowrie reservoir, Kensington B tower, Orange Farm, Ennerdale, Lawley, Lenasia Hospital Hill, Lenasia High Level reservoirs.
To add to the crisis, on that same Sunday night, a 4.5 hour outage affected the same pump station resulting in all of us waking up to no water in our taps on Monday March 11. This outage can only slow down the recovery of the entire network.
Ex-ERA Exco member, Kat Western, remembers that in 2010, “ERA and Emmarentia residents asked for [a back-up power solution] after a prolonged period of water outage (at least a week) as a result of an Eikenhof power outage.” 14 years later and there is still no back-up power arrangement and we are without water yet again…
What to do?
WaterCAN will host a crucial civil society meeting on Friday 15 March at 2pm to discuss the Joburg water crisis. The meeting will provide a platform for concerned organisations to voice their grievances. ERA will be there to add your voices.
“We will demand accountability and an undertaking that preventive measures will be undertaken immediately to avoid a recurrence of this water crisis,” says Ayanda Mjekula, ERA’s chairperson.
“Moreover, we will pressurise the authorities to give our experts access to conduct an enquiry and to advise on preventive measures,” he adds.
Find a borehole near you:
Buffalo Rd – 4, 37, 49
Congo Rd – 45
Greenhill Rd – 2, 10, 12, 26 (Gate on Hill Rd)
Greenside Mosque – cnr Ingalele & Barry Hertzog Emmarentia
One of ERA’s options is to join JoburgCAN https://joburgcan.org.za/about/, a division of OUTA, the organisation that challenged e-tolls in Joburg, and a non-profit public benefit organization. Its mission commits it to strive for “world class service delivery by those employed to serve the residents and businesses of Johannesburg”.
Julia Fish, JoburgCAN manager, told ERA’s Exco that if we join JoburgCAN, it will gives us access to regular JoburgCAN webinars where other communities share the challenges that they’ve faced and describe how they’ve dealt with these challenges. Workshops are also held to build the capacity of RA members and residents.
In this webinar, speakers from various communities shared how they’re successfully making authorities accountable. In one case they successfully pressured government to get a new clinic up and running, and in another area tackled the problem of annual flooding of parts of a residential area.
RAs remain independent
Julia stresses that although JoburgCAN provides overall assistance and brings different RAs together, each RA remains “completely independent”.
Moreover, JoburgCAN is particularly concerned with helping RAs in less-resourced areas build capacity. “It’s very important that the City doesn’t grow top-sidedly,” she says.
Collective action
Already Greenside Residents Association (GRA) has joined the organisation.
“We believe in collective action,” says GRA’s chairperson, Judith Ancer, “it gives you a better opportunity to tackle problems.”
She cites as an example how connecting with other RAs in the area, has given residents affected by the illegal settlement at Parkhurst Bowls Club more clout to put pressure on the City.
Track record
GRA was also attracted to the organisation because it has a track record of tackling the City and winning issues e.g. on e-tolls. Its apolitical stance, its attempts to build the strength of the city and to build the capacity of its affiliates to take on the city provided further appeal.
Now that GRA has joined JoburgCAN, it is benefiting from a rejigged website which allows residents to join online and pay monthly.
“We were tired of nagging residents for money and having to keep reminding them to pay their subscriptions once a year,” says Judith.
Although JoburgCAN takes a percentage of their monthly membership income, Judith believes that it is worth it. Each RA sets its own joining fee and so can keep it affordable for its residents.
What should ERA do?
Should we remain on our own? Or:
Should we affiliate to JoburgCAN so we can learn from other RAs and together use our collective voice to make our voices louder?
Sign into this on-line meeting that is organized by WaterCAN (also part of JoburgCAN) on the water crisis on Friday 15 March, 14h00 and hear for yourself what they do:
In 2016 the Johannesburg Property Company, an entity of the City of Johannesburg, offered to demolish the Parkhurst Bowls club house after it was illegally occupied. The residents of Quinn Street declined the offer.
During 2019/20 the numbers of homeless people increased dramatically. Following the failure of four Request for Proposals (RFP), a new RFP5 was issued requiring the winning bid to temporarily rehome all 80 people living on the property in terms of a court order. A rumour circulated that those removed would be placed in formal housing structures. Informal structures emerged, numbers grew dramatically.
Earlier this year, Emmarentia, Greenside, Parkview, Craigpark, Parkhurst Residents Associations, the Parkhurst Residents and Business Owners Association together with the Parkview Community Policing Forum met and decided to prepare and submit a petition to the Executive Mayor and the City Manager of the City of Johannesburg. The petition called upon the above officials to urgently take action against and decisively address the illegal occupation, environmental destruction and social crisis at the Parkhurst Bowls & Soccer Club.
The petition has been acknowledged but no action has yet been taken. The Adjudication Committee of Council has selected a bidder.
Stakeholders are waiting with bated breath hoping that the City will engage with stakeholders so that a long-term solution can be found to satisfy all the different interests. We’ll keep you updated.
Visit the Emmarentia Botanical Gardens and you’ll see that it’s coming up roses. Led by the Gold Reef Rose Society (GRRS) and Ludwig’s Roses Egoli, community project “Let’s Make it Bloom Again” is restoring the historic rose gardens and aims to plant 4,000 roses to bring them back to life.
The project relies on donations and volunteers and over 250 roses have already been planted. GRRS has committed to annual pruning, and City Parks is helping with pruning and watering. Improving the irrigation system is a priority.
The City Parks team planting some of the donated roses
“Planting 4,000 roses is an ambitious goal and will take time,” says GRRS chairperson Barbara Wood. “We’re planting more roses as we secure donations and sponsors to complete each bed. Sizable contributions from an auditing firm and the Johannesburg Garden Club have already made a great difference. Sponsorships from businesses interested in funding a full bed of roses would help enormously. We also encourage schools that have a rose named for them to join our effort. Donations from residents are a big help too.”
Pruning is scheduled for the first week of August 2024 and community members are invited to lend a hand and support this wonderful environmental initiative.
Finally, years late, the project to repair the top dam has begun. Initially approved in 2020, the plan was to fix Albert’s Farm dam and then move on to the top two dams in Emmarentia. COVID halted the project in its tracks.
In 2021, work was started on the Albert’s Farm dam which was leaking. It was ‘fixed’ but then started leaking again and had to be repaired again.
In 2022, even though the Emmarentia projects had been approved two years before, the department had to get approval for the money to be rolled over to the next financial year. It was approved in 2023, but with a much smaller budget. Now only the top dam will be done. Work was meant to start last year so the contractor only has until the end of June to try and complete it.
Contractors have begun to remove the invasive weed
The project will:
1. Desilt and drain the upper dam, remove vegetation and trees and reconstruct the dam wall
2. Reconstruct the slipway
3. Demolish the existing bridge at the mouth of the dam and construct a sand trap.
ERA is in contact with the contractor and will be watching over the construction. Email any questions for the contractor to info@era.org.za
In October last year, at the height of another water failure, ERA invited you all to submit your water bill details if you believed that air in the system was inflating your water bill.
Big thanks to residents Iqbal Bham and Aqueel Haji, who set up a google form for you all to add your details. Sadly not enough residents entered the details and even the data submitted was not conclusive so ERA decided to stop the study. See ERA closes water study – Emmarentia Residents Association for more.
Car guards Please support the 3 carguards with orange vests at the shops on Greenhill and on the slipway off Barry Hertzog next to Ocean Basket. Some of the shopkeepers are paying them to ensure that your shopping experience is a good one. Feedback so far is they are doing a good job.
Securing our infrastructure ERA has asked major security companies in the area to submit quotations to secure the mini-subs (the brick structures) and the bigger TSS boxes on pavements. If you have suggestions of how these can be secured, please email us on info@era.org.za
Another major problem is with theft of copper cables at street poles. If you see something suspicious, call your security company, SAPS Parkview 071 675 6065 or report to City Power: 011 490 7900/ 7911/ 7553 or WhatsApp Number 083 579 4497 (text, location and photographs)
New security company in charge at Botanic Gardens
Mavee Security is the new security company in the park. So far reports are that they are locking and opening the gates on time, patrolling the park and radioing regularly to their manager. Please let us know of any problems experienced.
Official opening and closing times are 6am-6pm. Please try and adhere to these times: if you leave after 6pm, they have to work a longer shift which they are not paid for, they get home much later—some of the guards are women.
The Telkom cell phone mast at 18 Marico Road is now up, many years after construction was originally begun illegally. The ground station is yet to be installed so the mast is not yet active, but will be imminently.
The process was defined by a “flagrant disregard for the correct application process, predatory identification of the site to take advantage of financially distressed homeowners while at the same time disregarding neighbours,” says ERA’s Rob Cass.
After neighbours attempted to undertake a legal process to prevent the mast from being built, Telkom, through their legal representatives, bullied the neighbours to submit and accept it.
Cass warns residents to be vigilant of project proposal signage and civil work which seems suspicious. “If the correct action is taken early enough it may be possible to prevent another mast going up in our area on private land. Building this kind of infrastructure on private land is unnecessary and only harms the neighbourhood.”
“The law around the erection of these masts is heavily in favour of the cell companies,” he says. “Due process is often ignored, and subsequently overlooked by the city”.
In the case of Marico Road, “it’s too late to prevent this site from being completed. Let this be a cautionary tale to all of us.”
New Mixed-Use Development in Emmarentia – Greenwood Square
‘Prepare for dust and noise’, says ERA’s Gemey Abrahams
The Mixed Use Development on Barry Hertzog Ave/Gleneagles Road and Linden Road, is gearing up to begin earthworks on site.
The developer has appointed the earthworks contractors and hopes to start later in March 2024. Expect large construction vehicles as a deep basement for parking must be excavated and dust and noise will arise. ERA will stay in touch with the designated Project Manager to get regular updates on their programme.
An artist’s impression of the development
Design
The development will comprise shops on the ground floor, facing onto Gleneagles Road with 86 apartments above. The shops will include SPAR as the anchor tenant.
The residential apartments were launched on site in February 2024 and include upmarket studios, two and three-bedroom units and facilities such as a gym, swimming pool and concierge service.
Just four months ago, Emmarentia resident, Saber Manjoo, presented a proposal, to ERA’s AGM to adopt the green space below the Emmarentia Dam and stretching west along the Montgomery Spruit towards 5th Avenue.
The adopt-a-park process allows for the community to be recognised by the city as custodians of a park and enables them to undertake care, maintenance, and upgrade projects at the park. This process has proven successful in many of our neighbouring communities including George Hay Park in Parkview and several parks in Fairlands which have turned previously derelict parks into neat, clean, and now well-used spaces.
ERA is hugely grateful to the volunteer team driven by Saber himself with architect Zayn Shaikh, water engineer Stuart Dunsmore and IT specialist Wolfgang Phoenix who have given many hours pro bono to this project and put together the proposal in record time.
We are also thrilled with the support we received at the public meeting in February and the close to 250 residents who have supported our petition to adopt the park. Thanks also to many of you who have offered your expertise and practical support going forward.
who keeps us up to date with whichever crisis is happening: be it water, power etc. etc. and helps wherever she can.
If you want to join the WhatsApp group that she manages (thanks too to Titus Judah, the administrator of the group) click the link WhatsApp Group Invite
Remember: first report problems and inform Nicolene in this format:
▶Your Name: ▶Your Number: ▶Address of issue: ▶Date when the issue happened: ▶Ref nr: ▶Short description:
All those that keep our suburb clean, and functional:
Happy Feet
Let’s Work
EG Potholes Group
Admins of all the WhatsApp groups
And many, many more that I may have forgotten to mention. All of you keep our heads up in these extremely stressful times.
ERA has been pleading with residents for many years to help us tackle events and the problems that arise so that residents’ voices are heard and respected. The numerous events in January and February this year tested us, especially the Godfest event (see below).
We are excited to report that Saber Manjoo has offered to help.
He has already met with Sandra Viljoen, the manager at Botanic Gardens and Vossie le Roux, the manager at Marks Park. “I wanted to get a better understanding of their operations and to work out mechanisms for us to communicate and work better together,” says Sabeer.
Botanic Gardens only allows four big events per year together with four separate weekends of the Linden Market in each quarter.
Sandra reported that the Godfest concert will not be allowed back because of their poor organisation and the very many complaints that were received from residents.
When it comes to Marks Park, manager Vossie le Roux told Saber that Marks Park cannot control the outside issues, e.g. parking. “However, I told her that wasn’t good enough. If Marks Park wants to raise funds to keep Marks Park open, it mustn’t impact residents negatively.”
He suggested that Marks Park be more proactive with the event organisers, eg. advise them to provide security, demarcate areas where parking is prohibited and on the day of the event, actively prevent illegal parking.
Vossie in turn “promised to provide details to us in advance and work with us to make the impact on the community more positive.”
Saber’s next step is to engage with SAPS and the City’s Joint Operations Committee (JOC) which is responsible for overseeing the City’s events. If anyone would like to help Saber, please e-mail info@era.org.za
Upcoming events
Botanic Gardens events 2024
Holds 4 big events annually + Linden Market (4 times a year – March, June, Aug/Sep, Nov/Dec)
4 Events for 2024
Godfest – held in February 2024
Liefde by die Dam – 3 August
Tribute – 9 August
There is a proposed booking for October but not yet confirmed
The first event of the year at Botanic Gardens was not a happy one for most of you. Such was your anger that resident Peter Volavsek and ERA’s Rob Cass created a Google survey form to allow you all to share your views of the event.
Almost 100 of you responded, more than 90 per cent of you negatively. The single biggest complaint related to the excessive volume of the event.
The other most common complaints related to:
the designated community liaison person was unresponsive to residents’ calls to address the excessive noise. So loud was it that one resident said: “I have a concert in my house”.
parking and traffic management was very poor on the streets around the park entrances causing disruptions to traffic,
there was a notable increase in littering, and
Some claimed that several criminal acts occurred after the event.
Even so, many of you said you were not opposed to musical events per se as long as they were well-managed with good traffic control and security. Recent concerts at Marks Park and the Motsepe Foundation race are examples of well-organized events that elicited only praise from residents.
ERA has asked Councillor Jonker to forward this report to JOC, the City committee in charge of events.
ERA’s recommendations:
Organisers must stipulate times of sound checks the day before and that they adhere to these times at all times
Organisers who fail to adhere to the conditions must be penalised e.g. not allowed to hold the function again at that venue; pay a fine to the venue
The City to provide a person to help monitor the sound if the event organiser disputes the level of noise being made.
ERA to be invited to the preparation meetings with SAPS, JMPD and the event organiser beforehand.
Event organisers comply with the City’s time frames and give advance notice of an event so that residents have time to prepare.
Monique Verduyn is our first resident to contribute a story to this newsletter. We welcome more. Keep them short and if you have, send a photo.
No printed issue this time as we received no advertising or sponsorship. If you’d like to help with the newsletter in any way, write a story, advertise etc. e-mail: info@era.org.za. Thank you all.
When residents became angered by the Godfest Concert held at Johannesburg Botanic Gardens in January 2024, ERA put together a Google survey form to gather your views. See below for what you told us.
Of the almost 100 residents that responded, more than 90 per cent of you were negative about the event.
The single biggest complaint related to the volume of the event. The other most common complaints related to the designated community liaison being unresponsive to residents’ calls to address the excessive noise, parking on the streets around the park entrances caused disruptions to traffic and the claim that several criminal acts occurred after the event.
Recommendations made by ERA:
ERA is not opposed to music events at the various appropriate facilities in Emmarentia but, to ensure minimal adverse effects on the residents of the area, we would like to recommend the following:
That organisers be asked to stipulate what time they will do sound checks the day before and that they adhere to these times at all times
That organisers who fail to adhere to the conditions must be penalised e.g. not allowed to hold the function again at that venue; pay a fine to the venue etc.
That the City provide their own person to help monitor the sound if the event organiser is disputing the noise being made
That ERA be invited to the preparation meetings with SAPS, JMPD and the event organiser beforehand
That event organisers comply with the City’s time frames and give advance notice of an event so that residents have time to prepare. In the Godfest case, they were given permission the day before the event which caused problems for the venue and for residents.
ERA has sent the survey to Councillor Jonker for her attention and requested her to submit to the JOC, the City committee in charge of events across the City.
After many, many years of delays the project to repair the top dam (just below Marks Park) in the Emmarentia park has started. The initial project also aimed to repair the middle dam but numerous delays have meant that the project is now smaller and not so ambitious and so less costly for the City.
Below is information from the contractor:
Top dam project The project has been undergoing site establishment and the barricading of it is mainly to keep inline with the environmental safety measures for both workers and the community.
The rehabilitation process will be as follows:
Site establishment: fencing site camp and office safety signage amongst other action.
Desilting of upper dam: bathymetric survey, drainage of upper dam, removal of vegetation and trees, desilting of upper dam, shaping new banks and soil removal amongst other actions.
Construction of slipway: Survey and peg points, clear and strip site and remove topsoil, excavation of existing unsustainable Matt, preparation of expose surface for gabion mattress, preparation of exposed surface amongst other action.
Construction of new dam embankment: Survey and peg points, clear and strip and removal of topsoil, removal of vegetation and trees, bulk earthworks and excavations amongst other action)
Construction of sandtrap: Demolition of existing bridge, construction of sand trap amongst other actions.
Project closure: reinstating vegetation and grass, site cleaning up, removal of all fencing and barricades amongst other actions.
The timeline is 8 months and we will update the community at key points.
They have advised us of the following for park users (especially dog-owners)
🚧 Community Awareness Alert 🚧
📢 Attention Residents: Please be informed that there is an ongoing construction zone in emmarentia’s top dam. To ensure everyone’s safety, especially our furry friends and fellow pedestrians, runners, and cyclists, we urge you to take note of the following guidelines:
🐾 Dog Owners:
Keep your dogs on leashes beyond the marked points. Respect designated areas for construction and construction vehicles. 🏃♂🚴♀ Pedestrians, Runners, and Cyclists:
Exercise caution while navigating near construction zones. Stay vigilant for heavy machinery and construction vehicles. Follow designated paths and avoid restricted areas. Your cooperation in adhering to these guidelines is vital for the well-being of our community members. Let’s ensure a safe environment for everyone.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Please spread the word to your neighbors and fellow community members.
On 21 February 2024 almost 40 residents of Emmarentia and surrounding suburbs attended ERA’s meeting to hear about our proposals to adopt the open space below the Emmarentia dam. We were thrilled by your enthusiasm, ideas and questions.
Now we want to take the next step in the long process by submitting a formal application to adopt the space. To do this, we need to show the City that we have the support of many residents from Emmarentia and surrounding suburbs.
Please show your support by filling in this survey. We want to submit our proposal request to the City by 14 March 2024 so please fill it in as soon as you can and help us by circulating to as many residents in our surrounding areas, in order to get their support as well.
Join us to make our area safe, beautiful and usable for all!
The area we propose to adopt is shaded with blue with a red border.
If you want to read the entire document click here (Note that some of the proposals in this document require a lot of capital and work to implement e.g. spruit rehabilitation of the Westdene and Emmarentia Spruits. These ideas will be shared with the City but are not envisaged to be carried out by residents because of the high cost implications.)
ERA has drafted a proposal to adopt the unfenced open public space that runs below the dam and is bounded by John Mackenzie, Louw Geldenhuys, Tana, Hofmeyer and 5th Avenue. We want to:
Keep invasive alien plants under control, keep the area clean of litter and illegal dumping
Put in solar lights in some parts
Refurbish the kids’ playground and put in an adults’ gym
Come to the Scout Hall on John Mackenzie and see the plans, walk the area, listen to our ideas, and share your views with us.
Greenside Residents Association and Parkhurst Residents Association representatives addressed an online meeting on 1 February 2024 to give information on what they are doing to put pressure on the City to resolve the problems of the numerous people that are living illegally in and around the Parkhurst Bowls Club. They are also proposing a number of measures to secure the area. ERA is also supporting their initiative.
The speakers outlined how crime has escalated in the surrounding areas, noxious fumes are continually being burned by wastepickers and dwellers while ongoing pedestrian traffic between the Bowls Club and the Pikitup dump and Wastepreneurs is leading to dangerous road conditions on this road. All of these factors are having a negative impact on property prices in the vicinity.
Click here for a link to the recorded meeting and to find out what is being done and what you can do to help.
ERA has decided to end its water study. We set this up after residents said that their water bills had climbed during the period of water shortages which caused excess air in the system and that this was causing their meters to continue to clock up usage even when no water was delivered.
Residents Aqueel Haji and Iqbal Bham kindly offered to check if there was any proof that this was happening. They set up a google form and we asked residents to fill in the information on the form.
Sadly only 14 households responded. One was an estimate, which reduced the study to 13. Unfortunately 13 houses in the wider Emmarentia does not provide adequate data for us to really pull trends. ERA has therefore decided to close the study as it is unable to build a factual case due to lack of data. It is therefore not possible to factually conclude that air coming through the water system has an effect on the water meter.
Meanwhile WaterCAN, a network of citizen science activists advocating for clean, safe and sustainable water has launched its own study.
If you would like to take part in WaterCAN‘s study, check here:
Posted: 25th July 2024 by Jenny Grice Leave a Comment
Emmarentia Post, No 2, July 2024
Residents rage over no water
Dry taps have continued to plague us this year while the finger-pointing game between Rand Water and Joburg Water (JW) has persisted. And every time, we never get real answers as to why we don’t have water. What we do know is that a 3-hour power failure at one of the crucial pump stations that supplies to Hursthill Reservoir 2 (HH2) can lead to days of intermittent or no water from our taps.
So when Rand Water announced a major water interruption over June/July because of essential maintenance we were excited that at last much-needed maintenance would be done. But how would we be affected by Eikenhof (the crucial pump station that provides HH2) operating at 50%, then 67% and then 83% over a period of more than 18 days?
As our Day Zero approached in late June as Rand Water and JW had advised, we filled baths, containers, and every available bottle. Initially, the water still flowed. We thought we were going to be okay.
And then the water dried up. Why? When will it come back? Why were some suburbs supplied by HH2 receiving water but not us? What is JW doing to restore water to those that don’t have? Have they forgotten to open a valve?
Our councillor, other councillors from neighbouring suburbs also affected and Ferrial Adam of WaterCAN (luckily for us also an Emmarentia resident) continued to demand answers from Joburg Water. Answers were as scarce as our water: “The system is constrained by poor supply”.
We despaired at the continued poor showing of HH2, one of JW’s worst performers. No wonder residents came to call it Worsthill.
Residents rally to support
Meanwhile, the mosque and many residents generously opened their borehole taps for all; several others offered free bottled water to those who could pick it up. A water tanker organised by community members delivered water to the elderly and brought it to the shops on Greenhill Road several times.
Our Councillor, Nicolene Jonker, organised for JW to come with a water tank to fill residents’ containers and for a JoJo tank to be installed on the corner of Komatie and Greenhill Road. For flat dwellers and shopkeepers on Greenhill, it was a welcome relief. Huge thank yous to you all.
Greenhill Road flat dwellers fill up their bottles from the JoJo tank
Reached the limit
But when we reached nine days without water, we were enraged.
‘It’s a crisis—we can’t take a shower, and personal hygiene is at risk. We have elderly people to care for’, said Noreen Patel, one of the spokespersons of Emmarentia’s water protest organising team that had sprung into action on Whatsapp. With no answers coming from JW, despite continued pressure being put on them, the call soon went out for residents to come and protest on the corner of Judith and Barry Hertzog on July 2.
Residents block off Barry Hertzog
‘While this protest is in Emmarentia, .. the frustration we are feeling can be felt in communities from Orange Farm to Sandton to Kensington’, said Patel.
And residents responded to the call. Joined by Greenside residents, close to 100 people gathered to demand answers. With Tyla’s song ‘Water’ revving up the protestors, the message was clear: ‘we want water and we want answers from JW now’.
JW acceded to a meeting. After this protest, water did flow into our taps, even higher up the hill. There was a noticeable improvement. But water leaks across the suburb once again multiplied as pressure was once again put on the ageing pipes.
The protest committee put their questions to JW and received these answers.
JW responds
· HH1 and HH2 receive their water via gravity feed – there are no pumps involved. Although the two reservoirs can be configured to ‘work together’, currently they operate independently.
· Supply to HH2 has been reconfigured by redirecting water from elsewhere in the Commando system. As long as this water shifting has no detrimental effect on these other parts of the system, there will be no reason to reverse this, but it will be closely monitored.
· There are medium to long-term plans already formulated to address the inability of the Commando system to reliably meet demand in its supply zone, but these are subject to the required budget being available.
At the same time JW continued to blame users across all of Joburg “for a spike in consumption,” says Adam. She says JW acknowledge that this problem will have to be addressed and it accepts that the “ageing and under-maintained water infrastructure also contributes to ‘demand’ exceeding supply.”
The organising committee also queried whether structural cracks in HH1 and HH2 impact on water supply. JW responded that they “are not of concern” although “ideally [they should] have been remedied already.”
What now?
The reconfiguring of the supply to HH2 “is good news”, says Adam, “provided it remains like this.” She credits the reconfiguring to the protest as well as “several other levers that were being activated by various parties.”
What’s more worrying says Adam is that “JW relies on COJ to provide JW’s water maintenance budget; it doesn’t control any revenue it generates that it can then use for its own capex”. With JW’s infrastructure backlog at R24 billion according to its 2023/24 business plan, there’s a lot that needs to be done with very little money to do it with.
Moreover, since the 9-day outage, we have still experienced intermittent outages during the day for which there is no explanation. And we all know the difficult months of September and October are still to come, never mind the planned major 6-month repair of the tunnel that brings water from the Lesotho Highlands Water Project to the Vaal.
Organising committee still active
The HH2 protest organising committee is not dissolving; it plans to mobilise the community to conduct further protests if needed, and to work together with WaterCAN and the Joburg Crisis Committee on larger and more wide-reaching initiatives to raise awareness. (see box below) Join the HH2 protest Whatsapp group here https://chat.whatsapp.com/DCHKAhWh14oIK4lAN4GRUa
Join a wider protest
Water is not the only problem we’re faced with. If you feel strongly, join the protest with other organisations on July 27. The protest is highlighting:
Water losses grow
Emmarentia resident and engineer, Arno Steinmuller, has been delving into JW’s annual reports, more particularly its water loss per day. In 2019/2020 financial year (FY) the loss of water (per day) was 550 million litres.
In the last FY (2023) on record, this increased to 800 million litres per day. This is 40% higher than what it was three years ago. The most distressing thing for him is that ‘the losses increase year after year but we are being told we are using too much water.’
Parkhurst Bowls Club
The Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) awarded the tender to Genzenix to develop the Parkhurst Bowls and Soccer Club earlier this year.
Genzenix plans to develop a mixed-use development including affordable housing on the site. It also has to clear and secure the site and provide temporary emergency accommodation to the numerous people who are living there illegally. Construction is expected to begin within the next 12-18 months.
JPC and the City are still responsible for the site. In mid-July, the area was raided by law enforcement agencies.
No sooner did the raid start than the occupiers burnt their possessions. Once law enforcement agencies had left, the occupiers rebuilt their structures.
Meanwhile, the Bowls Club Action Group (composed of a number of residents associations) is busy planning to launch an application “against the City and the occupiers for…. relief relating to the further invasion of the property and its utilisation in contravention of the town planning and environmental legislation.”
Adopt-a-park progress
While ERA waits for the City to approve our request to adopt the Botanical Gardens Spruit Park (the park below the dam bordered by Louw Geldenhuys, John Mackenzie and Hofmeyer Roads) work to make it safer for everyone is ongoing, says ERA Exco’s Saber Manjoo, the driver of the project.
On Freedom Day, 27 April, members of the community, security companies and scouts undertook a major cleanup of the spruit. Truckloads of debris and litter were removed from the area. During July 2024, residents living close to the area sponsored the clean-up of the overgrowth and removal of litter from the forested area at the corner of Limpopo and John Mackenzie. “Thanks to all that have made the area cleaner, safer-looking and more visible,” Manjoo says.
He urges everyone to “visit the park, go for a walk, take your dogs, take the kids to the playground, walk the spruit and soak up the lovely space that is now available.”
The park after the first tidy up in April
Thanks also to security companies who regularly move people on who are trying to engage in illegal activities and to the Let’s Work team who do a great job by continually clearing the spruit of illegally dumped refuse.
Your help needed
While we are waiting for the official adoption, we have identified a few projects that we would like you to know about so we can get your support.
Find out more
If anyone is interested in helping with these next steps or has other ideas, please contact Saber Manjoo on 084 799 7860. Or donate to: Emmarentia Residents Association, Nedbank; A/c: 1975051173; Branch Code: 198765, reference PARK.
Dam wall takes shape
Some regular visitors to the top dam in Emmarentia Park might be alarmed by the mass of concrete and the height of the new wall. Is this over-engineering and a waste of the City’s money?
The dam was built around the 1930s. Since then ‘we’ve lost wetlands to sports fields while densification and numerous developments have led to more hard surfacing with more runoff,’ says Jane Eagle, a retired City official. All this means that a new sturdier design is imperative.
Eagle says that the dam designs were done by credible dam engineers who considered the increased retention capacity, given the possibility of floods which are becoming more common with climate change.
The outflow is being strengthened with concrete
While time is tight to complete the project and the budget is constrained, Malcolm Fiddes, City Parks’ dam project coordinator says, ‘we are doing the best we can with what we’ve got.’
He says the earthen wall will be raised to the height of the new culverts and the crossing will be made safe for pedestrians and dogs. Soil with rhizomes of the invasive plants cleared from the dam has been piled behind the site office and once it is decomposed, will be dealt with safely so that it doesn’t invade the dam again.
Budget constraints
Fiddes points out that the study of the dam which specified what needed to be done to repair it, was completed many years before money was found and the construction began. As a result, there are budget limitations with regard to the desilting.
‘City Parks will have to continue doing annual control of the invasives to keep them at bay,’ he says.
Concern over mounds of mud
While many residents are concerned over the mounds of mud that have been removed from the dam and laid near it, Eagle notes that ‘it is a construction site and some temporary disturbance of vegetation is to be expected. However, the affected area is largely Kikuyu and the remnant pockets of natural grassland within the park are not affected by the construction activities.’
Much of this mud will be used to ‘fill in eroded areas and some will be transported elsewhere for use as landscaping material once dry’ says Eagle.
Fired up by pizza
Shops on Greenhill Road were built in the 1950s. We will be carrying snippets about characters in the various shops/restaurants in the next newsletters. In this one, we highlight Mario Camparada, pizza chef at Renato’s Trattoria.
As you walk into Renato’s Trattoria there’s a framed photograph of a Northcliff Melville Times news story from July 14, 1987. In it, a young Mario stands next to the pizza oven with his Swiss business partner Reynald. They are celebrating the opening of their new restaurant. Almost 40 years later, he’s still there making pizzas.
Originally from Italy, Mario has worked all his life as a pizza chef, first in Australia and New Zealand before coming to South Africa in the 1980s. He spent time working in Cape Town and Durban before moving to various restaurants across Joburg and then Emmarentia.
While working in Troyeville, a customer told him about an empty shop in Emmarentia, perfect for a pizza place.
Next door to the empty shop was a stationery shop, Books Unlimited, Komatie Butchery was across the road, there were two chemists, two veggie/fruit shops, the Vogue Shop, a second-hand clothing shop and a bank and a building society.
‘The shop on the corner was a laundry worked by gas – that’s why I took this place because in the kitchen you can’t work with electricity for cooking. They took [the gas] from Barry Hertzog and at that time it was cheap to put it in. Now if you want gas, you have to sell your house to put the gas here.’
How did it come to be called Renato’s? ‘Mario is too popular,’ Mario told Reynald, but ‘Renato is a sound, Re-na-to,’ and Renato’s Trattoria it remains even though Reynald left the business partnership long ago.
Mario remembers it as ‘a very good time’. Competition was minimal and pizzas were growing in popularity. And even though in those days there was a large Jewish community, Mario made a plan. ‘Fettucine Alfredo is supposed to go with ham or some bacon, instead, I chose chicken, for my Jewish customers,’ and he changed the menu to suit them. It included fillet and veal, because ‘normal steak was not so popular.’
Renato’s team
Now ‘the good old times for restaurants have passed, pizzas are all over, and people don’t look for quality, they just look at the money,’ he says.
Quality is something Mario will not compromise on. ‘Our pizza dough takes a long time to rise and we still make it by hand.’ And they continue to source many ingredients from Italy: tomatoes, capers, parma ham and anchovies and that makes it even more costly because of the ‘behaviour of the Rand.’
Accommodating the Muslim community
To satisfy the growing Muslim community, Renato’s buys from Hamza’s Butchery next door to ensure the chicken used on pizzas and in their Alfredos is halaal.
At 78 years old, Mario still works a 6-day week and has no plans to retire.
‘If you’re not working,’ he says, ‘your mind changes quickly, it doesn’t work anymore.’
It’s not hard to spot Mario – you’ll know he’s at work if you see one of his grey Piaggios parked outside the restaurant.
Updates
* Mixed-use construction site, Gleneagles Road
We did warn residents in the last newsletter to expect dust and noise from the new construction on Gleneagles.
And there was! Large numbers of huge trucks, laden with soil from the construction site started daily processions across the Emmarentia Dam wall prompting residents to report layers of dust lying heaped on Vaal Road, complaints of sinus, and concerns over the safety of the wall.
Numerous residents reported to JRA; ERA met with the contractor to follow up on residents’ concerns.
Finally, with your letters, our discussions with the contractor, the support of our councillor and JRA, trucks began to drive down Linden Road instead.
Thanks to all the residents who gave us a bigger voice to act on your behalf.
* ERA AGM—September
Keep a lookout for the next ERA AGM coming to you in September. We need new ideas and new people to join us.
* Rose garden
Join other rose gardeners at Johannesburg Botanical Gardens, Emmarentia on 8 August to help prune the newly-planted roses. Take your own garden gloves, long-handled loppers and secateurs. More info: contact 083 985 8632, goldreefrosesociety@gmail.com
* Checkers truck parking
ERA is still not happy with Checkers loading zone and large trucks overflowing onto Komatie Road.
According to the new manager there is an “intention” to improve the situation. Please e-mail us any photos of obstruction of Komatie Rd by trucks to info@era.org.za so that we can continue putting pressure on Checkers.
* Objections to rezoning of 88 Komatie Road
Many thanks to the residents that objected to the request for the rezoning to business of a house at 88 Komatie Road.
ERA and many residents believe that this property is part of the residential part of the suburb and that by rezoning it, it will cause more traffic congestion, the area will deteriorate and property prices will fall.
Moreover, objectors believe that there is ample office space for such businesses in current business zones including the new mixed development on Gleneagles Road.
Upcoming events
As the cold recedes and we all come back to life, so too do the events. And there are some biggies. ERA will be doing all it can to make sure that event organisers keep to their promises.
We will be adding more details here https://era.org.za/as and when we get them of who to phone about problems on the day etc.
The rules for Boreholes
No water coming from Emmarentia’s taps has been common over the past two years forcing many residents to install boreholes on their properties at great cost to themselves. ERA’s town planning expert, Gemey Abrahams outlines how residents can comply with the City’s borehole installation bylaws.
Section 14(b) of the City of Johannesburg’s Municipal Planning Bylaw, 2018, says that you cannot sink a borehole or extract water from a borehole on your property without first getting permission from the municipality.
Find the Application Form here https://www.joburg.org.za/departments_/Pages/City%20directorates%20including%20departmental%20sub-directorates/development%20planning/Land-Use-Management-Forms.aspx
Residents must complete Form A and Form 10 and submit to: LandUseApplications@joburg.org.za
The key requirements (there is a long list) are that you must include a site plan that:
We checked these requirements with the Planning Department to see if there are any exceptions and it was confirmed that everyone must make an application if putting in a borehole. According to Cllr Nicolene Jonker, those who have already installed boreholes must use the same forms.
City news
Big thanks to Councillor Nicolene for keeping us informed and doing her utmost to make the City accountable. If you want to join her very informative WhatsApp group for Emmarentia residents, click here
Keep these numbers somewhere safe:
Report cable theft, vandalism etc
👉🏾 WhatsApp: 083 579 4497
👉🏾 Call:490 7900/11 or 490 7553
If an individual posing as a City Power official demands cash from you to avoid service disconnection, please report to these numbers immediately
Logging Monthly Consumption:
1. Visit e-Joburg: https://www.e-joburg.org.za
2. Log in and input your meter readings for water and electricity.
3. Submit your readings monthly.
Register a new account on e-Joburg: https://www.e-joburg.org.za/register
Reporting billing Errors
Email: regionBrevenue@joburg.org.za to report discrepancies.
Applying for Prepaid Services
Visit the City Power Service Connection Process: https://www.citypower.co.za/customer-services/customer-relations/service-connection-process
Follow the steps for prepaid services.
Pensioner Rebates
* 60-69 years: Complete the form: https://eservices.joburg.org.za/SiteAssets1/COJ-Forms/60-69%20Pensioner%20Rebate.pdf.
* 70+ years: Complete the form: https://eservices.joburg.org.za/SiteAssets1/COJ-Forms/70%20pensioner%20Rebate.pdf
* Pensioners do not need to reapply annually unless their status changes.
Expanded Social Package (ESP)
* Visit the ESP centre at the Westbury TDC Centre on the corner of Perth Road and Harmony Street, Westbury: https://maps.app.goo.gl/97HZnwx1WR6u9P66A?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy
* Bring your ID, proof of income, and proof of residence.
* More info: https://joburg.org.za/services_/Pages/City%20Services/Social%20Package/Social-Package.aspx
Don’t forget:
If you want Nicolene (063 479 4234) to follow up on a failed service delivery issue, please send her your information in the following format to streamline the process:
▶Your Name:
▶Your Mobile Number:
▶Address where the issue occurred:
▶Date when the issue was logged:
▶Time when the issue was logged:
▶Issue Ref nr:
▶Short description of the issue:
Check all the details of who to contact for a reference here:
Last Updated: 17th July 2024 by Jenny Grice 2 Comments
Request to rezone Erf 429, 88 Komatie Road – We need your views
Dear Emmarentia Residents
An application to rezone Erf 429, 88 Komatie Road, the property on the corner of Greenhill and Komatie Road, opposite Eastern Temptations shop, is currently being advertised (see the white notices on the property, which we also attach).
It is currently zoned Residential 1 (a family home) and was used as such until the owners sold the property to a new owner who is doing this application to rezone. They are applying for business rights and want to use the existing house for offices, medical suites and some shops.
Please find attached the motivating memorandum they have submitted to the City of Johannesburg in support of their application, for further details.
What is important to know is that once the notices go up on the site, the town planning regulations give limited time to put in a comment or objection. That date is the 24 July 2024. Any submissions after that date will be invalid.
If you do not object to this application and if no-one objects, it is most likely that the City officials will approve this. By objecting, the application goes to a Planning Tribunal, where a group of officials and external parties consider the application and give a decision. It is a way to get your concerns heard.
ERA intends to object to this application because it is wanting to extend shops outside of our business node and into the residential area, impacting negatively on neighbouring residents. If approved, it could also have future implications for other residential properties along Komatie Road, especially around Checkers. We also believe that non-residential uses on this site will impact the traffic at this difficult intersection. The application is also asking for certain restrictions in the title deeds to be removed (that currently prevent shops and business uses) and ERA will also object to that as we act on behalf of the Lourens Geldenuys Family who has rights reserved in the title deeds that should not be removed.
If you intend to object ERA has the following advice and assistance:
The rezoning process is governed by the City’s Municipal Planning Bylaw, 2016 as amended 2023 and follows a set legal procedure. Advertising the application and calling for objections is built into this process. You have a right to object if it affects you. What happens is that your objection goes on record and because there are objections, the application will be decided by a Municipal Planning Tribunal. The City has a roster and usually it can take up to a year for the matter to get given a date for the Tribunal Hearing. You will be notified of the Hearing (which is why it is very important to include your cell phone number and email address on your objection) at least 2 weeks before the date of the hearing. Often these hearings are done via Teams meetings and you do not need to appear in person. At the hearing you can present your views briefly or you can get someone to represent you. It is NOT a court of law, so you need not be nervous, it’s your opportunity to state your case and be heard. The Tribunal then decides the matter by weighing up the applicant’s case, all objections, City policies and inputs from City departments.
ERA has prepared a “guidance” letter (See attached Word Document) with the details of who to send this to and some possible reasons that you can choose from and put into your own words (essential, please) to help you with your objection. If all objectors were to copy and paste this letter and send it, the City will see this as a petition and take all the same letters and treat them as one objection. So, please use the attached letter as a guide from ERA and we hope you can take a few moments to write your objection in your own words, and modify the letter to your situation. Using different type fonts is also advised.
If you want any further information before objecting please contact ERA (info@era.org.za) or call Gemey Abrahams on 082 459 5266.
Please don’t forget that when you send your objection to ObjectionsPlanning@joburg.org.za to copy your objection letter to ERA and to the applicant.
Please be reassured that ERA supports improvements to and the upgrading of our suburb and will always weigh up the impact of new developments on our residents and the future of the suburb. Where ERA believes a development will have negative impacts and because the legislated process supports transparency and consultation, ERA engages with this process of objecting. The planning regulations give everyone the right to submit comments and objections to a development. You therefore can take this opportunity to have your say on such applications.
Thank you
Emmarentia Residents’ Association
info@era.org.za
16 July 2024
Last Updated: 20th April 2026 by Jenny Grice Leave a Comment
Find a borehole near you (Emmarentia only):
Thank you to all those who continue to open their taps so generously for us all.
Note: * = filtered
Find all these boreholes on google maps here: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1iyND8c2GZH5I35kTMWcmobgB_mbXNMo&ll=-26.157654341551268%2C28.00045064120341&z=15
If your borehole is filtered and you’d like us to update this list, please email info@era.org.za
If you are elderly or disabled and are in need of water, contact Somaya on 083 650 0577 or Felicity on 082 568 1783
Posted: 13th March 2024 by Jenny Grice Leave a Comment
Emmarentia Post, No 1, March 2024
NO WATER! What’s new!
As I write this newsletter, that ‘NO water’ record is stuck again. Days of ‘no water’ have frazzled us. Luckily for us, we’ve been watered and cooled down by numerous generous residents as well as the mosque who have all given us free access to their borehole water.
The Jossell’s borehole behind Mica Hardware has also helped tenants in the Greenhill shops area cope with Day Zero.
And as the water outage crept into Ramadaan, Somaya from Mochachos drew up a list of residents happy to share their boreholes; others have added to this list. (see box)
Anyone needing water delivered please contact Somaya on 083 650 0577 or Felicity from Let’s Work on 082 568 1783. Beagle will also assist with delivery.
Thank you – words are not enough to say how grateful we all are.
What’s going on?
Can our water failures all be blamed on a lightning strike at City Power’s transformer that supplies Rand Water’s Eikenhof pump station on March 3 followed by a ‘flashover’ (a short) the following day at the same City Power outlet? We don’t know.
NGO WaterCAN and ward councillors continue to demand answers.
WaterCAN’s executive manager, Ferrial Adam, said that despite an established forum for authorities to communicate with civil society and residents, “we have to chase these bodies for answers.”
Moreover, this current water crisis is much worse than before. As at Sunday 10 March, this was the long list of ‘ailing’ reservoirs/towers at critically low levels: Crosby, Hursthill 1 and 2, Linden 1 reservoir and tower, Linden 2 reservoir, Blairgowrie reservoir, Kensington B tower, Orange Farm, Ennerdale, Lawley, Lenasia Hospital Hill, Lenasia High Level reservoirs.
To add to the crisis, on that same Sunday night, a 4.5 hour outage affected the same pump station resulting in all of us waking up to no water in our taps on Monday March 11. This outage can only slow down the recovery of the entire network.
Ex-ERA Exco member, Kat Western, remembers that in 2010, “ERA and Emmarentia residents asked for [a back-up power solution] after a prolonged period of water outage (at least a week) as a result of an Eikenhof power outage.” 14 years later and there is still no back-up power arrangement and we are without water yet again…
What to do?
WaterCAN will host a crucial civil society meeting on Friday 15 March at 2pm to discuss the Joburg water crisis. The meeting will provide a platform for concerned organisations to voice their grievances. ERA will be there to add your voices.
“We will demand accountability and an undertaking that preventive measures will be undertaken immediately to avoid a recurrence of this water crisis,” says Ayanda Mjekula, ERA’s chairperson.
“Moreover, we will pressurise the authorities to give our experts access to conduct an enquiry and to advise on preventive measures,” he adds.
Find a borehole near you:
How can ERA make its voice stronger?
This is the question that ERA is grappling with currently.
The easy answer is for more people to join ERA. See Join ERA – Emmarentia Residents Association for what we’ve done and what we do and why you should join.
Join JoburgCAN?
One of ERA’s options is to join JoburgCAN https://joburgcan.org.za/about/, a division of OUTA, the organisation that challenged e-tolls in Joburg, and a non-profit public benefit organization. Its mission commits it to strive for “world class service delivery by those employed to serve the residents and businesses of Johannesburg”.
Julia Fish, JoburgCAN manager, told ERA’s Exco that if we join JoburgCAN, it will gives us access to regular JoburgCAN webinars where other communities share the challenges that they’ve faced and describe how they’ve dealt with these challenges. Workshops are also held to build the capacity of RA members and residents.
See here for a recent webinar which looked at ‘Lessons of active citizenry’ https://youtu.be/jIsD3CNd-eE
In this webinar, speakers from various communities shared how they’re successfully making authorities accountable. In one case they successfully pressured government to get a new clinic up and running, and in another area tackled the problem of annual flooding of parts of a residential area.
RAs remain independent
Julia stresses that although JoburgCAN provides overall assistance and brings different RAs together, each RA remains “completely independent”.
Moreover, JoburgCAN is particularly concerned with helping RAs in less-resourced areas build capacity. “It’s very important that the City doesn’t grow top-sidedly,” she says.
Collective action
Already Greenside Residents Association (GRA) has joined the organisation.
“We believe in collective action,” says GRA’s chairperson, Judith Ancer, “it gives you a better opportunity to tackle problems.”
She cites as an example how connecting with other RAs in the area, has given residents affected by the illegal settlement at Parkhurst Bowls Club more clout to put pressure on the City.
Track record
GRA was also attracted to the organisation because it has a track record of tackling the City and winning issues e.g. on e-tolls. Its apolitical stance, its attempts to build the strength of the city and to build the capacity of its affiliates to take on the city provided further appeal.
Now that GRA has joined JoburgCAN, it is benefiting from a rejigged website which allows residents to join online and pay monthly.
“We were tired of nagging residents for money and having to keep reminding them to pay their subscriptions once a year,” says Judith.
Although JoburgCAN takes a percentage of their monthly membership income, Judith believes that it is worth it. Each RA sets its own joining fee and so can keep it affordable for its residents.
What should ERA do?
Let us know—e-mail info@era.org.za
Find out who JoburgCAN is?
Sign into this on-line meeting that is organized by WaterCAN (also part of JoburgCAN) on the water crisis on Friday 15 March, 14h00 and hear for yourself what they do:
Click: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ArRs0t_uRPa_cwlkztJm7w#/registration
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Parkhurst Bowls Club—a long and tortuous history
Ayanda Mjekula, ERA chairperson
In 2016 the Johannesburg Property Company, an entity of the City of Johannesburg, offered to demolish the Parkhurst Bowls club house after it was illegally occupied. The residents of Quinn Street declined the offer.
During 2019/20 the numbers of homeless people increased dramatically. Following the failure of four Request for Proposals (RFP), a new RFP5 was issued requiring the winning bid to temporarily rehome all 80 people living on the property in terms of a court order. A rumour circulated that those removed would be placed in formal housing structures. Informal structures emerged, numbers grew dramatically.
Earlier this year, Emmarentia, Greenside, Parkview, Craigpark, Parkhurst Residents Associations, the Parkhurst Residents and Business Owners Association together with the Parkview Community Policing Forum met and decided to prepare and submit a petition to the Executive Mayor and the City Manager of the City of Johannesburg. The petition called upon the above officials to urgently take action against and decisively address the illegal occupation, environmental destruction and social crisis at the Parkhurst Bowls & Soccer Club.
The petition has been acknowledged but no action has yet been taken. The Adjudication Committee of Council has selected a bidder.
Stakeholders are waiting with bated breath hoping that the City will engage with stakeholders so that a long-term solution can be found to satisfy all the different interests. We’ll keep you updated.
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Rose Garden Gets Blooming Makeover
By Monique Verduyn
Visit the Emmarentia Botanical Gardens and you’ll see that it’s coming up roses. Led by the Gold Reef Rose Society (GRRS) and Ludwig’s Roses Egoli, community project “Let’s Make it Bloom Again” is restoring the historic rose gardens and aims to plant 4,000 roses to bring them back to life.
The project relies on donations and volunteers and over 250 roses have already been planted. GRRS has committed to annual pruning, and City Parks is helping with pruning and watering. Improving the irrigation system is a priority.
“Planting 4,000 roses is an ambitious goal and will take time,” says GRRS chairperson Barbara Wood. “We’re planting more roses as we secure donations and sponsors to complete each bed. Sizable contributions from an auditing firm and the Johannesburg Garden Club have already made a great difference. Sponsorships from businesses interested in funding a full bed of roses would help enormously. We also encourage schools that have a rose named for them to join our effort. Donations from residents are a big help too.”
Pruning is scheduled for the first week of August 2024 and community members are invited to lend a hand and support this wonderful environmental initiative.
Contact Barbara on goldreefrosesociety@gmail.com or WhatsApp her on 083 985 8632 to pledge your support!
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Dam project begins
Finally, years late, the project to repair the top dam has begun. Initially approved in 2020, the plan was to fix Albert’s Farm dam and then move on to the top two dams in Emmarentia. COVID halted the project in its tracks.
In 2021, work was started on the Albert’s Farm dam which was leaking. It was ‘fixed’ but then started leaking again and had to be repaired again.
In 2022, even though the Emmarentia projects had been approved two years before, the department had to get approval for the money to be rolled over to the next financial year. It was approved in 2023, but with a much smaller budget. Now only the top dam will be done. Work was meant to start last year so the contractor only has until the end of June to try and complete it.
The project will:
1. Desilt and drain the upper dam, remove vegetation and trees and reconstruct the dam wall
2. Reconstruct the slipway
3. Demolish the existing bridge at the mouth of the dam and construct a sand trap.
ERA is in contact with the contractor and will be watching over the construction. Email any questions for the contractor to info@era.org.za
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Updates in brief
In October last year, at the height of another water failure, ERA invited you all to submit your water bill details if you believed that air in the system was inflating your water bill.
Big thanks to residents Iqbal Bham and Aqueel Haji, who set up a google form for you all to add your details. Sadly not enough residents entered the details and even the data submitted was not conclusive so ERA decided to stop the study. See ERA closes water study – Emmarentia Residents Association for more.
Meanwhile WaterCAN, a network of citizen science activists advocating for clean, safe and sustainable water has launched its own study. If you would like to take part in WaterCAN‘s study, check WaterCAN asks public to help track water leaks and “billing for air” – WaterCAN
Another major problem is with theft of copper cables at street poles. If you see something suspicious, call your security company, SAPS Parkview 071 675 6065 or report to City Power: 011 490 7900/ 7911/ 7553 or WhatsApp Number 083 579 4497 (text, location and photographs)
Mavee Security is the new security company in the park. So far reports are that they are locking and opening the gates on time, patrolling the park and radioing regularly to their manager. Please let us know of any problems experienced.
Official opening and closing times are 6am-6pm. Please try and adhere to these times: if you leave after 6pm, they have to work a longer shift which they are not paid for, they get home much later—some of the guards are women.
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Telkom mast – learning for next time
The Telkom cell phone mast at 18 Marico Road is now up, many years after construction was originally begun illegally. The ground station is yet to be installed so the mast is not yet active, but will be imminently.
The process was defined by a “flagrant disregard for the correct application process, predatory identification of the site to take advantage of financially distressed homeowners while at the same time disregarding neighbours,” says ERA’s Rob Cass.
After neighbours attempted to undertake a legal process to prevent the mast from being built, Telkom, through their legal representatives, bullied the neighbours to submit and accept it.
Cass warns residents to be vigilant of project proposal signage and civil work which seems suspicious. “If the correct action is taken early enough it may be possible to prevent another mast going up in our area on private land. Building this kind of infrastructure on private land is unnecessary and only harms the neighbourhood.”
“The law around the erection of these masts is heavily in favour of the cell companies,” he says. “Due process is often ignored, and subsequently overlooked by the city”.
In the case of Marico Road, “it’s too late to prevent this site from being completed. Let this be a cautionary tale to all of us.”
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New Mixed-Use Development in Emmarentia – Greenwood Square
‘Prepare for dust and noise’, says ERA’s Gemey Abrahams
The Mixed Use Development on Barry Hertzog Ave/Gleneagles Road and Linden Road, is gearing up to begin earthworks on site.
The developer has appointed the earthworks contractors and hopes to start later in March 2024. Expect large construction vehicles as a deep basement for parking must be excavated and dust and noise will arise. ERA will stay in touch with the designated Project Manager to get regular updates on their programme.
Design
The development will comprise shops on the ground floor, facing onto Gleneagles Road with 86 apartments above. The shops will include SPAR as the anchor tenant.
The residential apartments were launched on site in February 2024 and include upmarket studios, two and three-bedroom units and facilities such as a gym, swimming pool and concierge service.
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ERA submits proposal to adopt-a-park
Just four months ago, Emmarentia resident, Saber Manjoo, presented a proposal, to ERA’s AGM to adopt the green space below the Emmarentia Dam and stretching west along the Montgomery Spruit towards 5th Avenue.
The adopt-a-park process allows for the community to be recognised by the city as custodians of a park and enables them to undertake care, maintenance, and upgrade projects at the park. This process has proven successful in many of our neighbouring communities including George Hay Park in Parkview and several parks in Fairlands which have turned previously derelict parks into neat, clean, and now well-used spaces.
Project moves rapidly
We never thought that by now a detailed document would have been completed which extensively maps the area and outlines detailed tasks for the different sections. (see more details We need your support to Adopt a park – Emmarentia Residents Association (era.org.za)
Thanks
ERA is hugely grateful to the volunteer team driven by Saber himself with architect Zayn Shaikh, water engineer Stuart Dunsmore and IT specialist Wolfgang Phoenix who have given many hours pro bono to this project and put together the proposal in record time.
We are also thrilled with the support we received at the public meeting in February and the close to 250 residents who have supported our petition to adopt the park. Thanks also to many of you who have offered your expertise and practical support going forward.
Watch out for requests for help at upcoming work parties. If you haven’t yet signed the petition in support of the project, please do so Botanical Garden Spruit Park Adoption Petition (google.com)
ERA will submit the proposal to City Parks by mid-March.
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Huge thanks to:
who keeps us up to date with whichever crisis is happening: be it water, power etc. etc. and helps wherever she can.
If you want to join the WhatsApp group that she manages (thanks too to Titus Judah, the administrator of the group) click the link WhatsApp Group Invite
Remember: first report problems and inform Nicolene in this format:
▶Your Name:
▶Your Number:
▶Address of issue:
▶Date when the issue happened:
▶Ref nr:
▶Short description:
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Events: making sure residents are respected
ERA has been pleading with residents for many years to help us tackle events and the problems that arise so that residents’ voices are heard and respected. The numerous events in January and February this year tested us, especially the Godfest event (see below).
We are excited to report that Saber Manjoo has offered to help.
He has already met with Sandra Viljoen, the manager at Botanic Gardens and Vossie le Roux, the manager at Marks Park. “I wanted to get a better understanding of their operations and to work out mechanisms for us to communicate and work better together,” says Sabeer.
Botanic Gardens only allows four big events per year together with four separate weekends of the Linden Market in each quarter.
Sandra reported that the Godfest concert will not be allowed back because of their poor organisation and the very many complaints that were received from residents.
When it comes to Marks Park, manager Vossie le Roux told Saber that Marks Park cannot control the outside issues, e.g. parking. “However, I told her that wasn’t good enough. If Marks Park wants to raise funds to keep Marks Park open, it mustn’t impact residents negatively.”
He suggested that Marks Park be more proactive with the event organisers, eg. advise them to provide security, demarcate areas where parking is prohibited and on the day of the event, actively prevent illegal parking.
Vossie in turn “promised to provide details to us in advance and work with us to make the impact on the community more positive.”
Saber’s next step is to engage with SAPS and the City’s Joint Operations Committee (JOC) which is responsible for overseeing the City’s events. If anyone would like to help Saber, please e-mail info@era.org.za
Upcoming events
Holds 4 big events annually + Linden Market (4 times a year – March, June, Aug/Sep, Nov/Dec)
4 Events for 2024
Godfest – held in February 2024
Liefde by die Dam – 3 August
Tribute – 9 August
There is a proposed booking for October but not yet confirmed
No limit on number of events
February: 1 road-race; 2 concerts
March: 1 road-race
April: 1 concert
June: 1 concert
July: 1 concert
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Godfest concert angers residents
The first event of the year at Botanic Gardens was not a happy one for most of you. Such was your anger that resident Peter Volavsek and ERA’s Rob Cass created a Google survey form to allow you all to share your views of the event.
Almost 100 of you responded, more than 90 per cent of you negatively. The single biggest complaint related to the excessive volume of the event.
The other most common complaints related to:
See here for the complete report https://era.org.za/2024/03/10/eras-godfest-survey/
Not opposed to every event
Even so, many of you said you were not opposed to musical events per se as long as they were well-managed with good traffic control and security. Recent concerts at Marks Park and the Motsepe Foundation race are examples of well-organized events that elicited only praise from residents.
ERA has asked Councillor Jonker to forward this report to JOC, the City committee in charge of events.
ERA’s recommendations:
Let’s hope we see some improvement.
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Ode to water in our pipes
Water, water, everywhere it seems,
Yet in Emmarentia, it’s but a dream,
For the pipes lie silent, without a sound,
No drop to drink, no life unbound.
The power fails, and darkness reigns,
No hum of pumps, no water gains,
Through streets and homes, the silence spreads,
As thirst unquenched, its hunger treads.
In Emmarentia, where waters wait,
Behind closed valves, in a dormant state,
The absence looms, a heavy weight,
As life stalls at the hands of fate.
But hope still flickers, in the dark of night,
For soon the power will regain its might,
And water will flow, once again,
To quench the thirst of every vein.
Anonymous: Emmarentia resident
With thanks to ChatGPT
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Request for newsletter help
Monique Verduyn is our first resident to contribute a story to this newsletter. We welcome more. Keep them short and if you have, send a photo.
No printed issue this time as we received no advertising or sponsorship. If you’d like to help with the newsletter in any way, write a story, advertise etc. e-mail: info@era.org.za. Thank you all.
Editor
Posted: 10th March 2024 by Jenny Grice 1 Comment
ERA’s Godfest Survey
When residents became angered by the Godfest Concert held at Johannesburg Botanic Gardens in January 2024, ERA put together a Google survey form to gather your views. See below for what you told us.
Thank-God-Fest-Community-Responses-Jan-2024Of the almost 100 residents that responded, more than 90 per cent of you were negative about the event.
The single biggest complaint related to the volume of the event. The other most common complaints related to the designated community liaison being unresponsive to residents’ calls to address the excessive noise, parking on the streets around the park entrances caused disruptions to traffic and the claim that several criminal acts occurred after the event.
Recommendations made by ERA:
ERA is not opposed to music events at the various appropriate facilities in Emmarentia but, to ensure minimal adverse effects on the residents of the area, we would like to recommend the following:
ERA has sent the survey to Councillor Jonker for her attention and requested her to submit to the JOC, the City committee in charge of events across the City.
Last Updated: 6th March 2024 by Jenny Grice 3 Comments
Repairs to top dam finally start
After many, many years of delays the project to repair the top dam (just below Marks Park) in the Emmarentia park has started. The initial project also aimed to repair the middle dam but numerous delays have meant that the project is now smaller and not so ambitious and so less costly for the City.
Below is information from the contractor:
Top dam project
The project has been undergoing site establishment and the barricading of it is mainly to keep inline with the environmental safety measures for both workers and the community.
The rehabilitation process will be as follows:
The timeline is 8 months and we will update the community at key points.
They have advised us of the following for park users (especially dog-owners)
🚧 Community Awareness Alert 🚧
📢 Attention Residents:
Please be informed that there is an ongoing construction zone in emmarentia’s top dam. To ensure everyone’s safety, especially our furry friends and fellow pedestrians, runners, and cyclists, we urge you to take note of the following guidelines:
🐾 Dog Owners:
Keep your dogs on leashes beyond the marked points.
Respect designated areas for construction and construction vehicles.
🏃♂🚴♀ Pedestrians, Runners, and Cyclists:
Exercise caution while navigating near construction zones.
Stay vigilant for heavy machinery and construction vehicles.
Follow designated paths and avoid restricted areas.
Your cooperation in adhering to these guidelines is vital for the well-being of our community members. Let’s ensure a safe environment for everyone.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Please spread the word to your neighbors and fellow community members.
Last Updated: 28th February 2024 by Jenny Grice 3 Comments
We need your support to Adopt a park
On 21 February 2024 almost 40 residents of Emmarentia and surrounding suburbs attended ERA’s meeting to hear about our proposals to adopt the open space below the Emmarentia dam. We were thrilled by your enthusiasm, ideas and questions.
See the summarised proposal below
COJ-AAP-APPLICATION.final-draft.13-feb-2024Now we want to take the next step in the long process by submitting a formal application to adopt the space. To do this, we need to show the City that we have the support of many residents from Emmarentia and surrounding suburbs.
Please show your support by filling in this survey. We want to submit our proposal request to the City by 14 March 2024 so please fill it in as soon as you can and help us by circulating to as many residents in our surrounding areas, in order to get their support as well.
Join us to make our area safe, beautiful and usable for all!
The area we propose to adopt is shaded with blue with a red border.
If you want to read the entire document click here (Note that some of the proposals in this document require a lot of capital and work to implement e.g. spruit rehabilitation of the Westdene and Emmarentia Spruits. These ideas will be shared with the City but are not envisaged to be carried out by residents because of the high cost implications.)
Last Updated: 13th February 2024 by Jenny Grice 13 Comments
PUBLIC MEETING: ERA proposes adopting a Park
ERA has drafted a proposal to adopt the unfenced open public space that runs below the dam and is bounded by John Mackenzie, Louw Geldenhuys, Tana, Hofmeyer and 5th Avenue. We want to:
Come to the Scout Hall on John Mackenzie and see the plans, walk the area, listen to our ideas, and share your views with us.
When: 21 Feb 17h00-18h45
Where: 1st Greenside Scout Hall – https://maps.app.goo.gl/EVFG7j2CXYSx1gx5A
17h00 – 18h00 – study the proposal and walk the area
18h00 – 18h45 – input in the hall on the proposal followed by questions/comments from attendees.
We can make this park safe.
Find the proposal document here
COJ-AAP-APPLICATION.final-draft.13-feb-2024To find out more: info@era.org.za
The light blue, brown and green areas are the areas that we propose to adopt
Posted: 3rd February 2024 by Jenny Grice Leave a Comment
Meeting called to discuss Parkhurst Bowls Club
Greenside Residents Association and Parkhurst Residents Association representatives addressed an online meeting on 1 February 2024 to give information on what they are doing to put pressure on the City to resolve the problems of the numerous people that are living illegally in and around the Parkhurst Bowls Club. They are also proposing a number of measures to secure the area. ERA is also supporting their initiative.
The speakers outlined how crime has escalated in the surrounding areas, noxious fumes are continually being burned by wastepickers and dwellers while ongoing pedestrian traffic between the Bowls Club and the Pikitup dump and Wastepreneurs is leading to dangerous road conditions on this road. All of these factors are having a negative impact on property prices in the vicinity.
Click here for a link to the recorded meeting and to find out what is being done and what you can do to help.
Last Updated: 10th March 2024 by Jenny Grice 1 Comment
ERA closes water study
ERA has decided to end its water study. We set this up after residents said that their water bills had climbed during the period of water shortages which caused excess air in the system and that this was causing their meters to continue to clock up usage even when no water was delivered.
Residents Aqueel Haji and Iqbal Bham kindly offered to check if there was any proof that this was happening. They set up a google form and we asked residents to fill in the information on the form.
Sadly only 14 households responded. One was an estimate, which reduced the study to 13. Unfortunately 13 houses in the wider Emmarentia does not provide adequate data for us to really pull trends. ERA has therefore decided to close the study as it is unable to build a factual case due to lack of data. It is therefore not possible to factually conclude that air coming through the water system has an effect on the water meter.
Meanwhile WaterCAN, a network of citizen science activists advocating for clean, safe and sustainable water has launched its own study.
If you would like to take part in WaterCAN‘s study, check here:
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