Malanshof’s Local Area Association to become residents association after elections
The Local Area Association, which was established in May, 2024, to deal with issues in Malanshof, will now become a full residents association as residents of the area are encouraged to vote in the coming elections.
After a few residents got together in May, 2024, for a meeting to discuss a series of crimes in the Malanshof area, non-profit organisation Local Area Association was established with the aim of installing cameras.
Read more: Randridge Residents Association to host first Market and Family Day
They met with different security companies, but decided too large a group was left out, so, they decided to include the whole area and start a residents association. The residents association will include other areas such as, Moret, Fontainebleau, Ruiterhof, and Plange Park, known as the River Community, and elections for the new committee will be held on March 15.
The members of the interim committee will be distributing pamphlets and sending out information to the residents explaining more about the goal of the residents association.
Andrew Collison, interim chairperson, explained that the purpose of getting the message out is to make sure that everybody around the area understands what they trying to do. “We want all the residents to know that we exist, and to understand that there is a process in place for the residents association. This is not to serve a couple of streets, but the entire community.”
Also read: Bank Road Residents Association holds successful clean-up
The elections will take place online. A Google form will be sent to residents to register, and to create a voters’ roll. They also have a validation process in place to ensure that the elections run fairly.
Residents will have the opportunity to nominate themselves or others they feel deserving to be in the committee. Once all the nominees are complete, the names will appear on the ballot.
Ryan Maistry ensures the residents that it will be a transparent process. “A third party will be running the elections. All we will do is validate, and give them the voters’ roll.”
He added that the new committee will include a chairperson, treasurer, secretary, and deputies, while the rest will be focus groups for various areas, and sub committees.
Collison further explained that the residents they have engaged with are excited, and are routing for the association to happen. “People wants leadership and a committee that will stand up and speak to the issues we have in the area, like crime, water, electricity, and more. Both ward councillors have given us full support, and most residents are behind the idea.”
The interim committee urges residents from all areas to fully support and participate in the coming elections. “We have engaged with other successful residents associations around us, to help us put together this process. Our goal is to have one community represented by a proper committee, which is held accountable and elected properly, and also guided by a constitution that everybody buys into.”
Follow us on our Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok pages. Join our WhatsApp group for any story ideas you may have.
Related article: Bank Road Residents Association hosts a mass vaccination drive
