Frequently
Asked Questions
Is the AMERA road closure legal?
There are regular reports in the press and on the radio about the legality of road closures in Gauteng and the dismantling and closing down of these. These reports often don’t make it very clear that they are referring to the many illegal enclosures in the Johannesburg Metropolitan area, which were established by the residents without municipal approval. The AMERA enclosure was set up with full permission and approval of the Ekurhuleni Municipality and thus is completely legal and not threatened with closure from a legal point of view.
Am I forced to contribute to AMERA?
Contributions are entirely voluntary. Residents who do not wish to support the enclosure will still be given car stickers on request, as there is nothing to be gained by denying these. Residents without stickers will only cause unnecessary confrontation and delays at the gates negating the benefit to other residents. As the benefits of our enclosure become apparent it is hoped that non-supporters will reconsider their position and join in because the more people who contribute to the enclosure, the better and cheaper it will get.
Can we deny access to AMERA?
This is a hotly debated issue by the relatively few people who are actively against road closure and who demand their “Constitutional Right” to use any public road anytime they choose. However, it has been researched and read that advocate George Kairinos explained how Constitutional rights are made up of “strong” rights such as the right to freedom and security and “weaker” rights such as the right to freedom of movement. He explained further how all rights could however be limited in terms of section 36 of the Constitution. It was his view that the section 44 of the Rationalisation of Local Government Affairs Act, 10 of 1998, which allows for such access “restriction” is a law of general application which potentially can limit the absolute right to freedom of movement through the area. Furthermore, this Act refers to “access restriction” and not merely “access control” and therefore, if necessary, access could conceivably be restricted to residents only. This, however, is not the objective of the road-closure and never has been. The present road-closure in fact exercises “access control” and not “access restriction”.
Who is controlling access?
AMERA Committee has selected Smart Security Services to control the access and security of the area. We also make use of Ilumico to monitor the 24 Hour Surveilance Cameras
What other benefits are
there to being an AMERA member?
In addition to access control of our enclosure, any resident who notices any suspicious activities can call the chosen security company who will investigate. However, for legal reasons they are not permitted to enter your property unless you have an Armed Response Contract with them. They will however check the streets and area around you and escort anyone out who has no business in the area.
How much does it cost and who do I pay?
The current subscription is:
Single Residential Property – R480.00 per month
Sectional title (Flats/Townhouses) – R200.00 per unit.
The AMERA bank details are as follows:
Bank: Nedbank
Branch: Glen Acres
Code: 1433 42
Acc No.: 1433 032 155
Type: Current
Reference is: Street Name, Number, Surname ie (Bentley 11, Howard)
Who can I contact for more information?
You can contact our chairman, Corné Wehr, at 083 538 7259 or any other member of our committee. For street issues, please contact the street representative for your street.