| Why
Join? |
As
part of our drive to recruit members, we think it’s
important that everyone in the village is aware of what
the MRA achieves, and aims to achieve.
•
The MRA's involvement in village security, headed by Steve
Hermann, includes working closely with the SAPS, providing
funding for special purposes such as information sourcing
and other crime fighting initiatives which the police are
unable to fulfill alone.
• The Security Hut, built by the MRA at the entrance
to the village, is equipped with CCTV surveillance cameras.
This requires funding on an ongoing basis.
• The MRA funds and monitors closely the patrolling
of the village by a security company. From 1 December 2009,
Maxim Security will be working for the MRA as a proactive
response vehicle, patrolling the village and responding
to callouts from members.
• In 2009, through the MRA, Mtunzini residents challenged
the uMlalazi Municipality on the subject of excessive rates
hikes. The MRA petition, with nearly 700 signatures, resulted
in the Municipality reducing the proposed increase significantly.
• Through its chairperson, Wendy Forse, the MRA also
constantly monitors uMlalazi Municipality plans regarding
their policy and proposals for land use, rates and taxes.
• We send regular emails keeping residents up to date
on local affairs and security matters, also giving information
on municipal matters that affect us, charity events and
talks – and of course lost pets, keys etc.!
Enquiries
to mtzra@iafrica.com
|
| How
to Join? |
|
There
are two membership options:
•
MRA membership including Maxim Security service for residents
who don’t have their own monitored alarm
• MRA membership for residents who are monitored by
Chubb or Security Works
In
order to pay for the Maxim patrol vehicle, it is hoped that
as many residents as possible will join the MRA.
The
membership options and rates are as follows:
•
Full MRA membership including Maxim Security services –
R150 a month.
• MRA membership for residents with their own security
response service – R120 a month.
Pensioners: Special MRA pensioner
membership costs R90 a month and includes Maxim Security
service.
|
| |
Contact
For
membership details,
application and debit order forms contact Di
Cameron on camerons@telkomsa.net
Tel/fax: 035 340 2927 |
|
|
What
is the MRA? |
| The
MRA is an association to benefit residents of Mtunzini
and to specifically provide information on, or lobby on
their behalf, in terms of the following: |
- Security
issues
-
Development issues concerning Mtunzini
-
Municipal matters – providing a mouthpiece for
communication between the residents and the local
authorities
- Budget
and rates issues
- Service
delivery issues
-
To provide inputs into plans (eg the Integrated Development
Plan) that are being prepared for Mtunzini/uMlalazi
-
To take appropriate measures to deal with any other
legitimate issues concerning ratepayers and residents
|
We
believe it’s important for the MRA to have as many members
as possible in order to have a strong and united voice in
local affairs and the resources to represent the interests
of the community on important issues such as security,
land use management, rates increases etc.
The
MRA is served by a committee of unpaid volunteers which aims
to carry out the objectives of the association. It is very
much a community organisation and anyone who wishes to become
involved and help the committee is encouraged to offer their
assistance.
|
|
Objectives
of the MRA |
- To
provide a forum for the ratepayers and residents of Mtunzini
to raise, discuss and seek assistance on any matter which
directly or indirectly affects, or may affect, them or their
investment in Mtunzini
-
To provide a mouthpiece for communication between the Association,
the uMlalazi Municipality, provincial and/or central government
and any other body or organisation deemed appropriate by
the committee
- To
take appropriate measures to deal with legitimate issues
concerning the ratepayers and residents
- To
promote and assist responsible growth and development in
Mtunzini
- To
monitor and improve service delivery via municipal structures
- To
provide strategic inputs into the Integrated Development
Plan (IDP) for the uMlalazi Municipality
- To
encourage community participation in the affairs of Mtunzini
|
|
MRA-funded Maxim
Security |
| Relative
to some parts of the country, Mtunzini is still a fairly crime-free
area and a ‘safe’ place to live, however, criminal
gangs are now targeting the North Coast/KZN area. We mustn’t
be seen as a village of easy pickings and we need to deter these
criminals.
Maxim
Security is one of the established organisations providing
security services in this area. From 1 December 2009 Maxim
will replace IPSS and work with the MRA Security Committee
on improving security in Mtunzini and receive funding for
this from the MRA. Maxim and Chubb will have patrol vehicles
stationed in the village to respond to their subscribers’
alarm activations. The Maxim vehicles are also involved in
pro-active patrolling and investigating suspicious people
in the village. Paid-up MRA members are able to request assistance
by calling the Maxim number. There is no need to change debit
orders as the MRA will pay Maxim direct.
Unfortunately the vehicles can no longer respond to calls
from non-members.
Even
if you are already linked to Security Works or Chubb, we need
your help to sustain the MRA’s security initiatives.
Without more community financial support – and that
means YOU - the MRA won’t be able to maintain its campaign
against crime.
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|
MRA
COMMITTEE
2009
Should
you require any further information, please feel free
to contact us:
Chairperson:
Wendy Forse
035 340 2586
Communications:
Susan Laing
079 511 7450
035 340 1394
Security:
Steve Hermann
082 563 3990
Accountant:
George Flook
035 340 2371
Membership:
Di Cameron
035 340 2927 |
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|
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Communication
policy
The MRA has an extensive database of email addresses for all
those residents who asked to be on the email register. This
list is considered confidential, in that the MRA will not provide
any other organisation or person with this list which is only
to be used in relation to the main purposes of the MRA as mentioned
above.
The MRA is aware that residents do not want to receive additional
unsolicited emails; residents should be confident that emails
received from the MRA are only those that have a direct concern
to them as residents and ratepayers.
Accordingly, the MRA will only send out emails regarding security
issues, development issues of relevance to Mtunzini, information
from and to the municipality and any other relevant government
body that is of concern or that will affect residents which
includes budget, rates and service delivery issues.
In addition, the MRA will send out emails that will assist residents
in terms of lost and found pets/animals as well as lost and
found keys or other valuables in the interests of helping residents.
While the MRA acknowledges the importance of various community
events organised by churches, sports or other clubs and associations
in the village, and that it would like to encourage community
participation in these events, it becomes difficult to draw
a line between which events we may legitimately advertise through
our emailing list and which we should not due to any kind of
commercial gain. We can therefore not email out any notices
from any organisations concerning such events.
Local organisations and associations – sports, charity,
special interest groups etc. may use local community newsletters,
local community notice boards, posters around town, flyers in
post boxes, the Mtunzini website, as well as their own emailing
lists when they wish to advertise events.
We
do, however, reserve the right to send out emails if there
are any special circumstances, where we feel the residents
need to know about an issue, other than those mentioned above.
These special circumstances will be decided by the MRA Committee
as a whole. |
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