We are fortunate to have Felicity Frans of Knysna Municipality present at the Brenton Hall every second week of the year. She is available for account payments and enquiries, collecting of recycling bags, buying of blue garden and black refuse bags. Application forms for rebates on water and electricity for retired residents (over the age of 60) with prepaid meters, as well as application forms for rates and services rebates for indigent senior citizens, disabled people and poor households can be obtained here.
Felicity Frans is at the hall on the following days from 9:00 until 15:30:
10 October 2024 29 October 2024
12 November 2024 26 November 2024
10 December 2024 19 December 2024
Contact numbers for when the office is closed are
Felicity Frans…….083 418 8306 or 044 302 6536 or ffrans@knysna.gov.za.
Renting of Brenton Side Hall
Refuse removal and recycling
Domestic waste and recycling is collected from Brenton-on-Sea on Fridays from 8:00 onwards. Wheelie bins are distributed to all households by the municipality and should be placed on the pavement on Friday mornings. Domestic waste should be placed inside a bag inside the wheelie bin to prevent that the African sacred ibis or other wildlife plunder the bags and cause a mess.
Blue bags should be used for garden refuse. These can be bought from Felicity at the hall or from the Knysna Municipality offices at 21 Main Street, tellers 1 to 3. A maximum of 2 bags for garden refuse per week can be left on the pavement on Fridays for collection.
Additional garden waste should be taken to the green waste dump in Upper Old Town. There are a number of garden services and private individuals who will remove additional garden waste for a fee, for example:
- Brenton Service Team – https://www.thinklocal.co.za/biz/brenton-service-team-Knysna
- Dial a Drum – https://www.dialadrumknysna.co.za/
Transparent (or light beige) bags are used for recycling. Four bags per household for 4 weeks are provided free of charge by the municipality, to be collected from Felicity at the hall or from the Waste Management Department at the Clyde Street Municipal Offices.
The recycling bags are collected by a private company from the pavement also on Fridays. Paper, cardboard, glass and plastic may be recycled.
Useful information is contained on the Knysna Municipality website of which a few are pointed out below.
Water leaks
Water restrictions
Level 3 water restrictions are in effect. Level 3 water restrictions mean:
- Municipal potable water is for human consumption only.
- No watering of gardens (not even with a bucket).
- No washing of vehicles and/or boats.
- All residents and businesses to restrict their usage to 20 Kl/month.
Solar energy
Application forms for the installation of solar electricity systems can be found at
https://www.knysna.gov.za/live-here/electricity/renewable-energy-sseg/
Knysna Municipality by-laws
By-laws are laws that are passed by the council of a municipality to regulate the affairs and the services that the municipality provides in its area of jurisdiction.
The link to the Knysna Municipality by-laws is https://www.knysna.gov.za/government/importantdocuments/bylaws/
which includes by-laws pertaining to:
- Public nuisance
- Regulation of building aesthetics and heritage
- Property rates
- Keeping of dogs
- Recreational use of beaches, etc.
Building site noise on Sundays and public holidays
Noise from building sites on weekends and public holidays is a frequent complaint from residents. An extract of the National Building Regulations & Building Standards Act (Act No. 103 of 1977) Section F states:
“F6 CONTROL OF UNREASONABLE LEVELS OF DUST AND NOISE
(1) The owner of any land on which excavation work is in progress or on which any building is being erected or demolished shall take precautions in the working area and on surrounding roads and footways to limit to a reasonable level the amount of dust arising from the work or surroundings thereof.
(2) (a) No person shall during the course of any building, demolition or excavation work use any machine, machinery, engine, apparatus, tool or contrivance, which in the opinion of the local authority may unreasonably disturb or interfere with the amenity of the neighbourhood:
(ii) before 06:00 or after 17:00 on any Saturday; and
(iii) before 06:00 or after 18:00 on any day other than those days contemplated in subparagraphs (i) and (ii)
(b) The prohibition in paragraph (a) shall not apply in any circumstances in which the use of such machine, machinery, engine, apparatus, tool or contrivance -
(ii) is urgently necessary to preserve property;
(iii) has been authorized by the local authority; or
(iv) is necessary for the execution of work being carried out on behalf of any public authority.
(3) Any owner or person who contravenes a provision of this regulation shall be guilty of an offence.”
For the full National Building Regulations & Building Standards Act (Act No. 103 of 1977) please click here.
The suggested action to take if a builder is apparently contravening these regulations:
- Discuss it directly with the property owner and/or builder.
- Ask whether the builder has permission from the local authority to disregard (a) (i) – (iii) above.
- If they do have permission, then take up the issue with the municipality.
- If they do not have permission, indicate that you will take up the issue with the local authority if they continue to disregard Section F of the building regulations.
- If the owner/builder does not comply, then lay a complaint with the municipality (“local authority”) or call Law Enforcement on 044 302 6551 during weekdays or the Fire Brigade on weekends or afterhours on 044 302 8911 and ask them to inform the person on duty at Law Enforcement.
Fireworks and other disturbances
No fireworks are allowed!
Other complaints that are frequently reported to the BRA are:
- Excessive dog barking
- Noisy neigbours
Suggested actions to take are:
- Discuss the issue directly with the people causing it, asking them if they are aware that they are contravening a Knysna Municipality by-law.
- If they do not comply, call Law Enforcement on 044 302 6551 during weekdays or the Fire Brigade on weekends or afterhours on 044 302 8911 and ask them to inform the person on duty at Law Enforcement.
Stranded sea turtles
6 hatchling turtles washed up on our beaches in 2023 – 2024.
If you ever do find one, please immediately send the location and photographs to the Brenton Wildlife SOS group, who will then send someone to fetch the hatchlings from you.
If you are not a member of the BRA, please call Christa le Roux at 072 070 7063
Under no circumstances should you return any turtles to the sea as they are in trouble if they are on our beaches.
Christa le Roux has undergone training for turtle strandings and can provide guidance in this regard. She can be contacted at 072 070 7063 or christa.a.leroux@gmail.com.
Stranded seal and other marine animals
Marine mammals may strand for any number of reasons. Marine mammals, like humans, get sick, tired, lost, or separated from their mothers when they are young. Seals often come to shore as part of their normal life history. Seals will come ashore to rest, molt, and give birth. They often rest on the beach to regain strength and return to the sea themselves.
The key principles upon finding a stranded seal are:
- Do not approach the seal – Seals are dangerous and may bite if they feel threatened.
- Please keep people and dogs at least 10 meters away.
- Report to the Brenton Wildlife SOS WhatsApp group as soon as possible, along with a location (preferably a “share location” on WhatsApp) and any photographs you can take that will help us assess the animal’s condition.
- If you are not a BRA member, please inform Angela Gaylard on 082 960 6176 or Christa le Roux on 072 070 7063.
- Do not, under any circumstances, chase the seal back into the water – this will essentially be signing its death warrant, as they are on the beach due to exhaustion.
- For any other strandings or deaths the same guidelines apply. Please send photos and a location, as it is reported to the marine conservation authorities for their records.
Injured bushbuck and other wildlife
Bushbuck continue to be the primary reason for callouts on the Brenton Wildlife SOS WhatsApp group. The calls have been primarily around limping bushbuck, the cause of which has been mainly due to ageing of rams.
The key protocols to follow when encountering an injured bushbuck or other wildlife are:
- Please keep as quiet as possible around the animal as not to traumatize it any further.
- Call Angela Gaylard on 082 960 6176 or Christa le Roux on 072 070 7063.
- Please post immediately on the BRA Wildlife SOS WhatsApp group if you are a member.
- Please try to take video footage of any injured animal if possible, to assist the vets with the assessment of the injury.
- Calling a vet out for the old rams should only be done if they are limping very badly over a period of a few days. There are a handful of known old bushbuck rams with limps – realistically there is nothing that can be done for them, apart from keeping track of their body condition. If they are losing body condition, they may need to be euthanised.
- Never approach a bushbuck closer than at least 5 meters. Although they are habituated to humans, they are nevertheless wild animals, and their horns can kill people with one blow (if it severs a main vein or artery, which is easy for them to do at the height of a human’s femoral artery).
- When a wild animal is injured they may feel threatened and react in an aggressive manner.
Please note the following:
- Speeding of residents, contractors and visitors on the roads is the main reason that bushbuck, porcupines, caracal and bush pig are unnecessarily killed or injured. It is important to continually remain aware of their presence near to the roads. Bushbuck are cryptic animals who often hide between the bushes along the roads. They can step out into the road at any moment, which makes it crucial to follow the speed limits for the safety of all.
- Feeding bushbuck is likely only to exacerbate the situation as it artificially increases the “carrying capacity” (number of bushbuck that a particular area is able to sustain through availability of food), leading to bushbuck rams having to compete more for available territories. We appeal to everyone to please consider the unintended consequences of feeding bushbuck and remain from doing it.
- Unduly removing vegetation directly reduces the amount of available habitat for bushbuck (and other species), further increasing territorial fighting between bushbuck rams.
- Injuries through territorial fighting is the mechanism by which nature maintains healthily regenerating bushbuck populations. While the Wildlife SOS team will always go and check on the injuries and ascertain their cause, there will be some situations where the team will need to let nature take its course. This may sometimes mean euthanising an animal that is suffering.
Please be an ambassador for wildlife and reinforce the presence of bushbuck near our roads to your visitors and contractors as it can make a big difference.
Caracal – keep cats and small dogs inside, especially at night
Small dogs and cats are in the prey-size range of caracals. Domestic cats instinctively roam around at night and this is when the caracals are most active. Without understanding where the caracals are spending most of their time, any mitigating recommendations cannot be provided at this stage.
The aim is to set up an adequate number of camera traps around the more built-up areas in Brenton-on-Sea, to establish how frequently the caracals are coming into the area and to estimate their numbers. Donations towards camera traps would be highly appreciated and would have wider application than the caracal issue. Each camera trap (with memory cards and rechargeable batteries) costs in the region of R5000. At least 3-5 cameras per zone are needed. Once the cameras are installed, the Brenton Owls have offered to help with downloading memory cards and changing batteries. Other volunteers who would like to be involved would be appreciated, particularly in terms of checking the memory cards for wildlife activity.
Please contact Dr Angela Gaylard on 082 960 6176 or ang.brenton@gmail.com if you are interested in funding a camera trap or being a trap maintenance/image analysis volunteer.
Leopard – keep dogs on leash
Leopards are a protected species and living in Brenton-on-Sea means that the animals should be protected, while taking the necessary precautions. Again, camera traps would be a tremendous help. No leopard activity was reported in 2024 but please remain aware of their presence when walking dogs, etc.
It would be appreciated if any carcasses of prey species (or domestic animals) detected be reported to the Brenton Wildlife SOS WhatsApp group, or to Dr Angela Gaylard on 082 960 6176 or Christa le Roux on 0720707063 in order to assess whether there is predation (either caracal or leopard) involved. It will enable us to alert residents to the presence of such a predator.
Bushbuck and other wildlife – keep dogs on leash
Indigenous vegetation rules and regulations
Certain activities, which may have a detrimental effect on the environment, are prohibited unless a permit has been obtained from relevant departments prior to the activity being undertaken.
The National Forest Act
It is prohibited to destroy indigenous trees and associated vegetation types e.g. patches of dune thicket and critically endangered Knysna sand fynbos in between dune forest.
Tree species such as Stinkwood, Yellowwood, Assegai, Cheesewood and Milkwood, are protected, which prohibits the destruction of these trees without a license.
In addition, the following is prohibited without a license:
- Prune a tree or remove or destroy a protected tree in their gardens without a license issued by Forestry (Pruning or delimbing of trees on private property in established urban areas and around any homesteads up to a maximum of 25% of the crown, without mutilating the tree, is allowed. However, topping of tree crowns i.e. of trees obstructing views or “table topping” of a tree and trees growing in a natural forest ecosystem are prohibited). Forestry does not consider license applications to improve a view as this is detrimental to the physiology of protected trees and indigenous forests.
- Destroy a protected tree or indigenous forest to build a house or for any other kind of development.
- Change land use if protected trees or indigenous forest is going to be destroyed without a license issued by Forestry.
- It is illegal to cut or remove any indigenous plants or flowers growing in the conservancy.
Applications for a license can be made to the Forestry Office in Knysna. A field inspection will be done by Forest Officers (where possible), after which a license may be issued with specific conditions. Licenses are free of charge. Contraventions can also be reported to Forest officers.
For more information, assistance or if there is any doubt that the vegetation in question is protected, please contact the
Knysna Forestry Officer:
Melanie Koen 060 973 0991 mkoen@dffe.gov.za
Outeniqua Sensitive Coastal Area Extension Regulations (OSCAE)
The regulations are aimed at controlling small-scale activities to ensure sustainable development of the coast.
Certain activities, which may have a detrimental effect on the environment, are prohibited unless a permit has been obtained from Knysna municipality prior to the activity being undertaken.
The following activities are prohibited without a permit:
- Disturbance of vegetation: Trampling, cutting or removal of any vegetation.
- Earthworks: Excavation, moving, removal, deposit, compacting of soil, sand, rock or rubble.
- Dredging, excavation, removal or moving of soil, sand or rock from a river, tidal lagoon, tidal river, floodplain or wetland.
- Dune rehabilitation: Planting on, or covering of dunes or exposed sand surfaces with any vegetative, natural or synthetic material, or the erection of structures and walls thereon with the purpose of preventing the sand from being eroded, accreted or moved by wind or water.
Please note that the first bullet point above means that it is illegal to cut or remove any indigenous plants or flowers growing in the conservancy or on the properties in Brenton-on-Sea without an OSCAE permit. Offenders are liable and exposed to fines.
OSCAE Permits can be obtained at the Knysna Municipality at 3 Church Street.
Environmental Management Department
044 302 6300
Online submission of OSCAE Applications
https://www.knysna.gov.za/live-here/environment/oscae-portal-applications
Development/building rules and regulations
Brenton-on-Sea falls within the Western Heads Goukamma Conservancy that aims to promote the protection of important indigenous ecosystems, species, archaeological and palaeontological sites, landscapes and geological features.
There are several rules and regulations that govern the building of any structure on land in the conservancy. Click on this link to a summary of these regulations:
Fishing and bait collecting
Marine fishing licenses/ permits can be applied for and purchased from any Post Office.
You can also purchase your fishing license/permit online on the South African Department of Fishery, Forestry and Environment Website.
Follow the link: https://www.fishing.dffe.gov.za/ords/r/epermit/mlep/home
For Information regarding protected fish species, minimum sizes and seasons when allowed to catch or collect for bait, follow the link:
https://www.treedomvillas.co.za/portals/0/articles/RecreationalFishingBrochure2017-18.pdf
African Snakebite Institution
First aid for snakebite should you or your pets be bitten is available on the African Snakebite Institute site, which contains other useful information. Their app is free to download. Click on