Chair: Julie Knatten 031 783 4953 julie.knatten@drummond.hk
The WRCF is a united ratepayers/residents Association [WRCF] formed to represent the areas of Drummond, Peacevale, Monteseel, Cliffdale, Hammarsdale, Harrison and surrounds.
It is a statutory recognised and constituted apolitical body; it is a forum representing the interests of ratepayers. It is a member of both the Confederation of Mist-belt Ratepayers and Residents Associations [CONOMIRRA] and the Combined Ratepayers Association [CRA]. All bodies are run by volunteers.
The roots of where Drummond/Peacevale Farm Watch, and thus the ratepayers association, the WRCF, is today, lie in the Charlie Bravo/Citizens Band network set up by the Agricultural Association of Drummond, long before subdivisions changed the landscape of Drummond, and serious agriculture was a feature of the community.
In the 1980’s, Kathleen Mack became involved in what was then Neighbourhood Watch, with radio check a regular Sunday night event. Regular meetings were held in 4 or 5 cells/neighbourhoods in Drummond.
Prior to 1996, peri-urban residential areas were run independently by Local Councils. In the Outer West, also known as the Mist Belt, Drummond, for example, had a Health Committee; Monteseel had the Development Services Board, existing from 1975 to 1994. Funds to run both these bodies consisted of a grant from Durban Municipality, as well as collection of local rates. A committee was elected from residents willing to serve on a voluntary basis.
In 1994, Monteseel came under the Transitional Local Council. The DSB co-opted Charles Erridge as a representative .
In 1998, through network for FarmWatch, which included Monteseel, Charles Erridge encouraged Kathleen Mack to become involved in rate payer issues. Lilian Develing and Charles Erridge were founder members of Conomirra, LD as Chair, and CE a committee member. The CRA had linked up with Lilian Develing [Hillcrest].
The national landscape was changing and many experts were contributing information about various changes. In 2000, Roland Pardey, in his career as a property evaluator, had heard a forceful talk by a professor from Rand Afrikaans University about the need for a local body to monitor issues related to rates, as well as the threat accompanying centralisation. This opinion reinforced the Outer West Local Council’s Auditor General’s report on widespread mismanagement of funds, with rates increases more than the general inflation rate.
And so the WRCF was born.
The name arose from government sentiments at the time, when ratepayer and civic associations were not in favour at all, but ‘development’ and ‘community’ forums were. And further, the moniker ‘Western Rural’ indicates the inclusion of all communities in the Outer West, such as Cliffdale, Hammarsdale, Inchanga.
Sadly, response is apathetic. We have a very small membership, and few willing helpers.
Tags: Drummond, Monteseel, Outer West