About The UIP

Purpose & Structure

Ballito property owners established the Ballito Urban Improvement Precinct (BUIP) to:

• Retain existing investment and build investor confidence.
• Create an environment that supports vibrant and responsible business activity.
• Improve safety, the general environment, and quality of life for the benefit of all.
• Respond to the challenge of environmental sustainability.

To achieve this end the UIP collaborates with the KwaDukuza Municipality (KDM) to ensure that this key node delivers an exceptional experience of public space. The UIP management team is constantly responding to the ever-evolving needs of Ballito, whether it be service levels or special projects. This said the fundamentals of managing crime and grime will always be the top priority and remain the foundation of the UIPs’ success

How the UIP was formed:

In 2011 Ballito was experiencing increasing levels of urban decay, mainly around the issue of crime, grime, general maintenance and by-law enforcement. This was negatively impacting on investor confidence, business viability, property values and quality of life in Ballito.

For this reason, in September 2011, the iLembe Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, initiated engagement with the KDM, motivating for the adoption of KDM Special Ratings Area (SRA) Policy to allow for the establishment of UIP’s.

Based on the positive response from KDM, a grouping of concerned property owners raised funds to appoint Urban MGT, the company responsible for establishing and managing the uMhlanga UIP, to drive the SRA policy formulation process with KDM and the establishment of the Ballito UIP. This culminated in the KwaDukuza Municipal Rates Policy being adopted on 26 of September 2013 which made provision for the establishment of a SRA/UIP and specified the Special Rating Area Process and Procedure Manual which is required to followed to establish a UIP.

This necessitated the drafting of a UIP Feasibility Study, securing 51% of property owners support, holding of a public meeting and formal application to KDM.

Due process was followed and resulted in the KwaDukuza Council Resolution date 2015-03-31 formally approving the establishment of the Ballito Special Ratings Area (UIP). The first levies were raised for the new financial year 2015/2016 in August 2015. Following protocol suggesting the accumulation of 3 months reserve, on-ground services began in November 2015.

The delivery of the UIP services will cover high-use public areas including the entrances to Ballito on the N2 and M4, Ballito Business Park and surrounding commercial properties, Ballito Drive, Compensation Road, the boardwalk and adjacent beach.

Ballito UIP Service Mandate

Ballito is an open access precinct – This means that there are no access-controlled areas other than those for official vehicles e.g. Beach Lifeguard, Metro Police etc. In an open Precinct all infrastructure (such as stormwater, roads, sidewalks, streetlights) is owned and can only be serviced by the Municipality.

What is the BUIP service mandate?

BUIP does:

• Provide supplementary services to that of the Municipality to PUBLIC OPEN SPACES e.g., parks, promenade walkway, beaches, etc.
• Supplementary services include the protection of public spaces, cleaning, greening and provision of a responsive communications platform and promotion of the precinct.
• Aligning UIP supplementary services to public spaces with that of municipal services.
• Fault reporting to relevant municipal line departments for actioning which are tracked and followed up to ensure a timeous response.
• Lobby the Municipality for investment in infrastructure that unlocks economic and investment opportunities.
• Makes requests to property owners and businesses to improve public space facing buildings and facilities – every little bit of individual effort to improve spaces adds up to a very big aesthetic difference.

The BUIP does not:

• Duplicate or replicate services to public open space, instead it provides a supplementary service to municipal services.
• Service municipal buildings or public amenities e.g., public toilets and beach ablutions which are the sole responsibility of the Municipality.
• Nor is mandated to engage on private property matters, whether it be development approval processes, agreements with the municipality, dissention between property owners or any other such private property matter.

 Who is the authority in public spaces?

• The KwaDukuza Municipality remains the authority of public space and is responsible for bylaw enforcement. It is important to note that BUIP does not have a legal mandate to enforce bylaws, however, does request the public’s compliance in a polite and professional manner which is generally successful, failing which, the authorities are notified when compliance is not forthcoming.
• SAPS are responsible for Policing services i.e., crime prevention, investigation, and arrests. The UIP has no legal mandate to fulfil these functions except in the case of a civil arrest as provided for in Section 42 of the Criminal Procedure Act.

Governance & Finance

The Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP) or the technical term Special Ratings Area (SRA), is based on the Municipal Property Rates Act of 2004, which makes provision for the establishment of what is technically termed a Special Rating Area (SRA).  The SRA is a defined geographic area within which the majority of property owners agree to pay for certain services supplementary to those supplied by the municipality.

The Act requires the Municipality to approve a SRA Policy to specify the SRA establish process and management criteria. The municipal SRA policy requires the establishment of a Non Profit Company comprising a board of non-remunerated directors. The board is constituted by property owners or appointed representatives to represent property owners within the SRA. Furthermore, the SRA policy requires the UIP Board approve an annual business plan and budget specifically for the service requirements to the defined UIP area. The business plan and budget is approved annually by the municipality together with a finance agreement.

The company’s Memorandum Of Incorporation provides for specific responsibilities of the board of directors which includes the hosting of an Annual General Meeting and appointment of directors. This gives the property owners control of their contributions, ensuring transparency and accountability.

The UIP budget is funded by property owners in the UIP area and is calculated on a pro rata basis against assessed property values. This payment is levied on the municipal rates bill and collected by the municipality, free of charge, on behalf of the independent Non Profit Company, which represents member interests. Once the formation of the UIP is approved by Council all property owners within its boundaries are legislatively obligated to contribute to the UIP.

Official UIP
The Ballito UIP is recognised by the municipality as the official service provider to public areas in Ballito and the UIP has an annual service agreement with the municipality specifying what services the UIP is to be provide. The UIP status of an official service provider allows for leverage in optimising municipal service delivery.

Contracting Structure
The UIP Non Profit Company contracts an urban management company to drive the UIP, optimise municipal service delivery, ensure performance management of the UIP contracted service providers such as security, landscaping etc. The UIP board ensures performance oversight of service delivery and provides financial governance. The UIP Non Profit Company, although inviting an municipal representative to attend UIP board meetings runs independently of the municipality and is answerable to UIP (SRA) members.

Our full management scope includes:

• UIP/Municipal Partnerships: Optimising Service Delivery and lobbying for investment in infrastructure.
• Supplementary services such as Security; Cleaning and Maintenance; and other special projects.
• Place-Making, Marketing and Communications.
• Social Investment and Environment.

UIP/Municipal Collaboration: Optimising Service Delivery

Optimising municipal service levels and lobbying for investment in infrastructure is a core focus of the management team. For this reason, the UIP conducts an audit of infrastructure faults: lights out, damaged signage, blocked sewers, potholes, etc. on a daily basis. The faults are reported through the municipal fault reporting call centre and, if relevant, a photo of the fault is emailed to the responsible person at the municipality. If it is an urgent matter, it is also followed up telephonically. Faults are logged on a UIP management system and followed up on a regular basis until repaired. For this reason a large proportion of the UIP management time is allocated to optimising municipal service delivery.

Supplementary Services: Safe and Secure

The UIP security provider is Fidelity, who were appointed in August 2023 after a tender process.

The UIP has a proactive approach to security, with the focus of identifying possible criminal intent before it occurs and taking corrective action. Building partnerships with the SAPS, KDM Protection Services Police and local community safety forums is critical in ensuring effective management. The UIP fulfils a vital role by integrating the various security entities and resources in the precinct which is led by the UIP Security Manager who is an integral part of the UIP management team and is not an employee of any security company. A key component of which is the UIP Monthly Environmental Security Forum attended by private security companies servicing UIP properties and property managers. The aim of the forum is to proactively improve the level of security in the UIP precincts through enhanced environmental management, integration, sharing intelligence, and ensuring operational assistance in emergencies. These meetings are minuted with a monthly UIP crime report and crime statistics provided for incidents reported to the UIP.

Supplementary Services: Clean and Maintained

The UIP has a team of cleaning and greening staff working on a rotation basis 7 a week from 06h00 to 18h00. The team, led by a supervisor, works in split shifts. Added to this, the UIP co-ordinates cleaning blitz operations where large groups of cleaners come in to undertake major clean-ups. These services do not replace those of the municipality, rather they are supplementary, with the objective of setting the service standards of public areas at levels expected of Ballito property and business owners. Besides day-to-day cleaning of public areas including streets, pavements and parks, and greening routines, which include grass cutting, watering and planter bed maintenance, the UIP is consistently working at improving the quality of public areas. In September 2015 Greenearth Landscapes was appointed as cleaning and landscaping service provider to the Ballito UIP, after an open call for quotations against a set specification. These quotes were presented to the UIP Steering Committee for review and discussion on which service providers, considering scoring and value add, would be the best fit for the Ballito UIP service requirements. Their performance is actively measured against a Service Level Agreement, which is amended as the needs of the precinct change. Maintenance and cleaning projects are captured in the monthly operational reports and focus on:

• General maintenance requirements to public area infrastructure
• Identifying and executing greening and beautification projects
• Removing graffiti
• Ensuring maintenance of pubic area signage

Special Projects

Over and above the daily services provided by the UIP, there has been a strong focus on visibly improving the look of Ballito in order to inspire confidence and trust in the UIP structure. To this end Special Projects are tackled as need and budget allows. These include:

• The P445 centre median fence.
• Inverters fitted to all four traffic lights.
• Gardens designed and planted at N2 entrance to Ballito.
• Gardens designed and planted at M4 entrance to Ballito.
• Revamp of the Old Taxi rank into a new park.

Marketing & Communication

Since its inception the UIP has recognized the importance of financial sustainability to service the growing demands of Ballito. The first priority is delivering the basics of a safe, clean and green Ballito and as this is achieved, so the marketing services will begin. This said, part of basic services is communicating with levy paying members, businesses and the broader local community through news bulletins , the website and the press. The focus is on telling the story about the value of the UIP by highlighting operational successes, UIP motivated infrastructure investment, and service delivery successes from partnering the KDM.

Ballito UIP Progress Portfolio

The Ballito UIP Progress Portfolio is a visual review of the transformation that has taken place across the precinct since the UIP’s inception in 2015.

Featuring year-by-year highlights, before-and-after imagery, and key project milestones, the portfolio reflects a decade of dedicated care and consistent precinct management.

Updated annually, this living document showcases how small, daily actions contribute to long-term impact — and how the UIP continues to build a safer, cleaner, and more connected Ballito.