Suiderstrand is in ‘n gevaarsone van seisoenale vure gelee en het verskeie inwoners die inisiatief geneem en befondsing vir ‘n brandwaentjie gedoen . Dit was ook die begin van die stryd om ‘n wettige dokument daar te stel om mense teen potensiele eise te beskerm, wat met die beste intensies sou probeer om sy buurman se eiendom te beskerm. Die intensie was en is nie om die brandweer se plig oor te neem nie, maar slegs as ‘n moontlike buffer te dien tot die brandweer opdaag.
Na vele pogings en behulp van talle mense het ons uiteindelik daarin geslaag om die grondslag te lê vir ‘n vereniging met regspersoonlikheid. Daar is ook voorgestel dat die vereniging dan ook sal dien as ‘n sambreel vir algemene Gemeenskap- en Bewaringinisiatiewes. Die vereniging is dus doelbewus so geformuleer dat dieselfde platform gebruik kan word vir bv bewaringsbewuste aangeleenthede, skoonmaak van strand/dorp, verwydering van indringer plante ens.
Huidige bates (Brandwaentjie, toerusting en kontant) sal dan ook oorgedra word na die vereniging en alle fondse wat vir hierdie doel ingesamel was, sal ook so ge-oormerk en spandeer word.
Die vereniging is ook nie ‘n vervanging van die SIV nie – die SIV is en bly Suiderstrand se spreekbuis tot die wykskommitee soos tans die geval bv. Suiderstrand pad, binne paaie, sypaadjies ens.
Die konstitusie is opgestel na raadpleging van ondere andere:
Elke person wat eiendom in Suiderstrand besit/huur, is geregtig om lid van die vereniging te word. Die persoon moet ook onderneem om die konstitusie en brandbestryding reels te eerbiedig en ‘n minimale jaarlikse ledegeld te betaal. ‘n Lidmaatskapvorm moet egter ingevul en geteken word om ‘n eiendom te kan betree ingeval van ‘n brand. Let daarop dat die lidmaatskapvorm die vrywilligers toestemming gee om jou eiendom te betree, soos en indien nodig gedurende ‘n brand.
Alle lidmaatskap fooie en donasies sal deur die kommitee verdeel word soos benodig. Die Brandwaentjie sal voorkeur geniet , maar daar mag dalk ook ander behoeftes wees bv gif aan te koop vir indringer plante, petrol vir kettingsae ens ens.
Die bestuur van die vereniging (ten minste 5 persone) sal bestaan uit ‘n voorsitter, onder-voorsitter, tesourier, Sekretaris en onder-sekretaris. Hierdie bestuur moet dan ‘n brandbestrydingshoof aanstel wat bygestaan moet word deur ‘n subkomitee. Hierdie bestuur (soos verkies in Sept2023) word geag ‘n intrim bestuur tot Desember2023 te wees, waarna ‘n meer verteenwoordigende vergadering gehou sal word en ‘n nuwe bestuur verkies sal word. Dit is egter ook moontlik dat dieselfde mense hulle weer verkiesbaar stel en daar dalk minimum veranderings kan wees.
Die agenda van die Stigtingsvergadering is soos volg:
BACKGROUND AND INFORMATION:
SUIDERSTRAND COMMUNITY, CONSERVATION AND FIRE PREVENTION ASSOCIATION
Suiderstrand is vulnerable to seasonal wildfires. A group of concerned residents took the initiative to collect funds for procurement of a fire-trailer dedicated to our suburb. Thereafter, it became clear that we also needed to set up a vehicle that would provide legal protection for the people operating the unit in good faith, from any claims that may arise. The intention is not to replace the fire authorities in an emergency, but to act as early responders until the fire brigade is on-scene.
After various attempts and help from many people, we managed to lay the groundwork for a legal entity. It was then suggested that the Association should also serve as an umbrella body for general community and conservation initiatives. The Association was then specifically set up so that the same platform could be used for conservation matters, beach and suburb clean-ups, alien vegetation removal etc.
Current assets (“Brandwaentjie”, equipment and cash) will be transferred to the association and all funds received for this purpose will be ring-fenced for this purpose only.
The Association is not meant to replace or compete with the SRA (Suidpunt Residents Association). The SRA remains Suiderstrand residents’ platform to engage the Ward Council on issues such as the Suiderstrand road, internal roads, sidewalks etc.
The constitution was set up taking the below, among others, into account:
Any owner or resident of Suiderstrand is eligible to become a member of the Association. Each member must undertake to abide by the constitution and fire-prevention rules and pay a small annual membership fee. A signed membership form will need to be submitted before we can enter any property in case of fire. Please note that the membership form gives volunteer’s permission to access your property, if necessary, in case of a fire.
All membership fees and donations will be disbursed by the committee as required. The fire-trailer will take precedence in the allocation of funds, but there may also be other requirements such as poison for alien plant control, petrol for chainsaws etc.
The management of the Association (at least 5 people) will consist of a Chairperson, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and Under-Secretary. This committee must appoint a Fire Head who must be supported by a sub-committee. The management committee (as appointed in September 2023) will serve as an interim committee until December 2023, after which a more representative meeting will be held and a new Committee for 2024 will be appointed. It is also possible that the existing committee may be re-appointed.
The agenda for the Founding Meeting is as follows: