New era of civic action welcomed for Bedfordview

Better Bedfordview ushered in a new era of civil action when it launched as a stand-alone entity on June 1.

Better Bedfordview, which was started by Residents Action Group (RAG), now hopes to be able to tackle bigger projects in the Bedfordview area.
To do that the organisation teamed up with OUTA’s Community Action Network (CAN).
Chairperson for Better Bedfordview Marina Constas said she was heartened at the response from the community.

“We are here to give you the facts as they stand in Bedfordview and what we as Better Bedfordview need from you the residents.”
Constas welcomed Better Bedfordview member Dr Dino Rech who gave the evening’s keynote address.

“Dino’s claim to fame for Better Bedfordview was that he was the lead complainer about the state of Bedfordview on a Facebook post.
“We told him to stop complaining and to come and do some work.”
“Who knew that a couple of dented rims and punctured tires was all it took to get Bedfordview to turn out like this,” Rech said.

He explained that community was close to his heart and that there was nothing more gratifying to see the success achieved when a community came together.
“The exposure I’ve had to Better Bedfordview to date has convinced me that the initiative and the group of people involved is one worth getting behind,” he said.

“Bedfordview is an incredible suburb to live in and it is a unique suburb in terms of all it offers.”
Rech said every resident in the community should be interested in involvement in their community.

“In any successful society there are three pillars; government, business and civic groups. All three need to work together to be successful.
“Civic groups are playing a more important role than ever in maintaining municipalities and making them successful,” Rech said.
He added that the need for an organisation such as Better Bedfordview was first identified in 2019 and by 2021 the first funding started to come in from members of RAG.

This year, he said, it was decided that the NPO would be better as an independent entity which would focus on aesthetics and infrastructure support as well as provide civil society with a voice when engaging government.
“We want to create engaged citizens, better neighbourhoods and ultimately a better country,” Rech said.
“We shouldn’t be staying behind our high walls and electric fences. We should be out there building a thriving community in which all stakeholders can contribute and be involved.”

He added that by enhancing the appearance and functionality of the services offered through Better Bedfordview the organisation hopes to make

Bedfordview “a great place to live, a great place to work and a great place to socialise.”
Rech also detailed milestone projects undertaken by Better Bedfordview including those focused on aesthetics in Bedfordview which saw several streets cleaned and sidewalks cleared.

“One latest project which has gained momentum in the last few weeks is the pothole repair. In one month since its launch, Better Bedfordview’s pilot pothole project has repaired 84 potholes spanning 140 square metres of road funded by residents and supporters of Better Bedfordview.”
“Better Bedfordview has most importantly given the community a voice.
“When 400 people come together for a launch like tonight that voice is much stronger to our government than when one or two of us are writing a letter of complaint,” Rech said.
He added that Better Bedfordview hopes to create a model which neighbouring areas could follow.

“We know we already pay rates and taxes and we know we have a struggling municipality. But we also know we have to do something to contribute and help pull ourselves out of where we are,” Rech added.

Better Bedfordview’s vision is to hit the ground running with 24 permanently employed staff members fully kitted out with materials and equipment.
These employees would work in teams to reach a larger area in Bedfordview.
Rech said to enable this vision the organisation needs to generate R250 000.
“To make it sustainable, we need to have a plan to regularly come up with R250 000.”

To make this possible Better Bedfordview asked residents for a monthly donation of R200 and businesses an annual donation of R5 000.
Rech said residents can also adopt potholes and pavements and donate towards the repair and maintenance of their selected areas.

“Everyone has something they can offer in terms of skills, materials, participation or donation towards something in Bedfordview to create a healthy suburb. A healthy Bedfordview is better for business in Bedfordview.”

Speaking at the launch, Executive Mayor for the City of Ekurhuleni Tania Campbell said she had been involved in Bedfordview for many years as a politician.
She said community participation is vital for the stability of any municipality.

Also follow us on: