No SRA in Sandbaai

The Sandbaai SRA application has been abandoned.

After more than a year, the Steering Committee has discontinued their campaign. The outcome was framed as a difference in interpretation and a result of “significant opposition.” However, the municipality’s own findings tell a much clearer story.

The application did not fail because of municipal officials or opinions. It failed because it did not meet the minimum legal requirements.

According to the official report from the Overstrand Municipality:

The required 50% + 1 support was not achieved
The application was found to be incomplete and non-compliant
Required legal processes were not properly followed

Most importantly, the municipality’s verification process raised serious concerns about the consent data used to support the application:

Of the consents claimed, at least 63 were determined invalid
33 property owners contacted by auditors stated that they had not consented, despite being recorded by the SRA steering committee as having consented
Additional consents could not be confirmed or were disputed
After changes to the proposal, no new consent was obtained — meaning earlier support could not be considered informed consent

There were also:

96 formal objections
39 withdrawals of consent

This was not simply a case of “opposition.” It was a process that did not withstand verification.

An SRA would have introduced a compulsory additional tariff on every property owner in Sandbaai. For something with that level of impact, accuracy, transparency, and full compliance are not optional — they are essential.

It is important to recognise that some residents supported the idea of an SRA in good faith, believing it would improve safety and services. That intention is valid, and those residents are encouraged now to support the effective voluntary community initiatives that have already reduced crime in Sandbaai by 80% over the last year.

The outcome is clear. Sandbaai residents will not be subject to an additional SRA levy.

The focus can return to solutions that are already working and that have already earned the trust and participation of the community.