KRRA volunteers tackle some weighty projects. In 2024 and into 2025, Michele Koch has been hard at work on a variety of tasks such as engaging with developments at the lighthouse, sourcing baboon-proof bins, and ensuring our street infrastructure is safer for all.
After much to-do, Michele reports, we have finally managed to get some traction with Transnet about the future of the Kommetjie lighthouse. There has been a lot of discussion with officials, and we believe that the lighthouse will be open to the public soon ... it's just the small matter of when.
There are renovations to repair the damage from the previous management, and we have suggested to Transnet officials that our lighthouse could be a beacon (er ... sorry) for private enterprise and tourism much like the Seal Point lighthouse development, which offers accommodation and a really nice restaurant (https://sealpointlighthouse.com).
While communication has not been without its complications when dealing with Transnet, we have heard that the lighthouse has finally gone out to tender for a service provider to manage it, although its difficult to pinpoint exactly what is going on. We're hoping that they're going to be opened up to the public soon.
In terms of Lighthouse Road, which has fallen into a shocking state of repair after Nerina to the lighthouse carpark, Michele is negotiating with Sanparks. While Transnet owns and is responsible for the actual lighthouse, SanParks is responsible for the maintenance of the lighthouse precinct.
"It's been like three months of endless emails and meetings but still no results. Hopefully, we will get some answers soon."
Michele also reports that 12 dog poo boxes have been purchased and these will be placed around the village with notices for people to make use of the packets and keep dog poo off the pathways and Skilspadvlei area and at the lookout point onto Long Beach.
City of Cape Town are going to be adding baboon proof bins, the same as they have in Simonstown, at various places in Kommetjie within the next month.
Also, during the past year, Michele has been liaising with Tim De Wet in attempts to find out when the new Spar will be opening. At the moment it seems some time in February as likely, but we have not received any concrete infromation.
And then Michele has been talking to Kyle Rodriguez, (Superintendent: Asset Management and Maintenance for City of Cape Town) who has been "extremely helpful when it comes to pavements needing repairs, removing of weeds, especially along the beachfront area, and dealing getting lawns cut and trimming back of trees and overgrown branches. It's great dealing with these people, under difficult situations".
In terms of the railings that were put up at Long Beach to make it safer, Michele agreed it was an overkill and has sympathy with people who are unhappy about the railings. However, according to city engineers, the steps are illegal and not of the correct height, so the railings had to be placed for people to navigate the steps. It took a year for the railings to be put in place with the help of Greg Oloefse, City Coastal Manager in charge of these things.
"I was hoping that they would make the steps legal as far as height goes, because it was so dangerous, but at least we've got railings. So that was a plus. It took a long time, but at least there is a positive outcome," she said.
Another massive problem is that there are more than a few residents, and some businesses, including those who sell food, who don't secure their bins very carefully, says Michele, "this is the problem we have in Kom and if people can just please take responsibility, it would go a long way to ending our endless baboon problem."
"It should be a by-law or something that bins must be secured. I have also suggested to people that restaurants and coffee shops have a central cage or fenced off area to put their bins, but have been told its not necessary. Restaurants, schools, and businesses dealing with waste really need to take responsibility and make sure that these bins are properly baboon-proofed. It shouldn't even be a discussion. It should be a penalty if they don't do it," she said.
If you would like to assist in these and the many other projects undertaken by the KRRA volunteers, please consider a monthly or one-off EFT payment at details below, or via Snapscan here
Include your name and the code for the volunteer KRRA work you wish to support from here
General 1, Parks and Open Spaces 2, Alien clearing 3, Beach Cleanup 4, Waterways Maintenance 5, Indigenous Planting 6, Walkways Maintenance 7, Traffic & Roads 8, Social Fabric 9, Development & Infrastructure 10, Media & Communications 11, Local Enterprise 12, Resilience 13
KRRA
Standard BankFish Hoek (036009)
Account number 374221065
Why?
The KRRA has existed for eight decades and is run by volunteers who work on issues from spatial planning, road safety, social fabric, resilience (disaster mitigation), and environmental integrity such as alien clearing, indigenous planting, beach cleanups, and the restoration of our rivers and wetlands. We get walkways fixed and look at better access. We monitor building and development, and put together alerts and updates via newsletter and social media. We deal with issues that benefit you.We would ask for some reciprocation financially (as well as ideas or volunteers) to enable the above work, which sometimes includes serious issues with legal fees attached. If every Kommetjie household donated just R50 a month (less than R2 per day), the KRRA would have a healthy enough budget to tackle almost anything thrown our way.
Contact Patrick Dowling on 084 966-1249 for additional information.
We follow legal procedure with monthly agendas and an AGM where a treasurer’s report is presented and we report back to the community.
We encourage Kom residents to attend the next AGM. You will be notified via email, social media and a banner as you enter Kom.
Be the difference.
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