| City’s Draft Water Strategy opens for public comments | The City of Cape Town’s Draft Water Strategy has today opened for public comments and recommendations. | <p>Following a process of intensive engagement, a Draft Water Strategy has been prepared for Cape Town’s residents for consideration and feedback. From today, the public participation process gives residents one calendar month (15 February to 15 March 2019) in which to scrutinize the City’s plans to prepare for water security and to share their constructive views on it. </p><p>‘The recent drought was a harsh lesson for us all. This strategy is the product of extensive work conducted by the City in consultation with a range of local and international experts in the field of water, and has been created to protect Cape Town from the harsh effects of drought in the future, and we aim to do everything possible to avoid the implementation of such severe water restrictions again. We have to be prepared for the likelihood of increasing risk and vulnerability in the coming years in the face of climate change, the growth of alien vegetation, delays in building new surface water schemes, and over-allocation of the integrated water system. </p><p>‘We have now entered a time characterized by great uncertainty, where previous models for weather predictions and associated planning can no longer be relied upon. I have great confidence in the strategy and would like to encourage all residents to engage with it during this period, and share their considered inputs. Water supply and demand must be reconciled to ensure that there is sufficient water available to meet anticipated demand,’ said Councillor Xanthea Limberg, Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Waste.</p><p>The Strategy’s aim and vision is that Cape Town will be a water-sensitive city by 2040. This will be achieved by optimizing and integrating the management of water resources to improve resilience, competitiveness, livability and sustainability to ensure the prosperity of all residents. The Draft Water Strategy articulates the City’s plan to ensure water security over the next 10 years as we move towards being a water-sensitive city over the next 20 years. </p><p>‘A water-sensitive city is a place that will attract people to live and work, and for business to invest. It is a place that will provide a range of different water sources incrementally for a variety of uses. Additionally, it is a place where residents are equipped with the knowledge to enhance our conservation and protection of this vital resource through practical behaviour changes such as being mindful of pollutants and chemicals we use and dispose of into the system,’ said Councillor Limberg.</p><p>Cape Town will continue to rely on rain-fed dams for most of its water, which is much cheaper than alternative water sources. Even though the City will invest in alternative sources of water, rain-fed dams will continue to supply over three-quarters of the water to Cape Town in ten years’ time.</p><p>Based on scenario analysis, the City commits to increasing available capacity by more than 300 million litres per day over the next ten years. The strategy outlines a programme for achieving this, which includes the removal of alien vegetation from catchments, the incremental introduction of desalination, use of groundwater and increasing the scale of water re-use. </p><p>The current indicative cost of this programme is R5,4 billion and it is adaptable and robust when tested against the different scenarios (including a step change in rainfall – a possible reality of climate change). The build programme will reduce the likelihood of severe water restrictions in future. </p><p>The reality is that investments to strengthen our resilience and reliability of supply will increase the cost of water. Through a pragmatic approach, these increases will be contained and we will not see the extreme price increases that we saw during the drought.</p><p>‘It is possible, and even likely, that the additional more expensive supplies of water (such as reuse and desalination) may not be used all of the time. But this will not have been wasteful expenditure. The future is uncertain and the cost of very severe restrictions is much higher than the cost of insuring against this likelihood by providing additional water supply capacity,’ said Cllr Limberg.</p><p>
<strong>The draft strategy takes into account the important yet complex relationships between water, people, the economy and the environment and sets out five commitments which support its realization as mentioned below:</strong></p><div style="text-align:left;"><ol><li>1. Safe access to water and sanitation. The City will provide safe access to water and sanitation for all residents in terms of well-defined minimum standards, especially for communities in informal settlements.<br></li><li>2. Wise water use. The City will promote the wise use of water by all water users.<br></li><li>3. Sufficient, reliable water from diverse sources. The City will provide sufficient, reliable water from diverse sources which could include groundwater, water re-use and desalinated water, cost-effectively and timeously. This will help to increase resilience and substantially reduce the likelihood of severe water restrictions in future.<br></li><li>4. Shared benefits from regional water resources. The City will collaborate with key stakeholders and partners, including other urban and agricultural water users, and other spheres of government, to make the most of the opportunities to optimise the economic, social and ecological benefits of regional water resources, and to reduce the risks associated with scarcity.<br></li><li>5. A water-sensitive city. The City will actively facilitate the transformation of Cape Town over time into a water-sensitive city that makes optimal use of stormwater and urban waterways for the purposes of flood control, aquifer recharge, water re-use and recreation.<br></li></ol></div><p></p><p>The City’s efforts to achieve the status of being a water sensitive-city, and the interventions necessary to do so, will be introduced in consultation with residents. </p><p>One of the major successes in 2018 for the City and its people was surviving the worst drought to ever affect Cape Town without actually running out of water. A range of measures, including the massive savings efforts by residents, ensured that the taps were never turned off. </p><p>‘Navigating an unprecedented crisis was not easy for any of us, but we overcame it together and Cape Town is now viewed internationally as a success story. There is a lot for us to be proud of. I’m hopeful that residents will welcome this draft world-class strategy and engage with it constructively to the benefit of us all going forward,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Waste, Councillor Xanthea Limberg.</p><p>Residents can submit their comments as follows:<br>
</p><ul><li>Online:
<a href="http://www.capetown.gov.za/haveyoursay" target="_blank">www.capetown.gov.za/haveyoursay</a><br></li><li>Written submission: at subcouncil offices</li></ul><p></p><p>Special assistance will be given to people who cannot read or write, people with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups who are unable to submit written comments. Contact Ismail du Plooy (Public Participation Unit) on
<a><em>021 400 1184</em></a>.<br> <br>All general public participation-related enquiries should be directed to Nathan Fisher on
<a><em>021 400 1450</em></a>.</p><p>
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<strong>End</strong><br></p> | 2019-02-14T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
| City online services unavailable-14 Feb 2019 | Various online services are unavailable today, 14 February 2019. | <p>You will not be able to upload/submit any of the following documents via e-Services:<br></p><ul><li>Building plan submissions<br></li><li>Identity documents</li><li>Company registration documents</li><li> Tax clearance certificates<br></li><li>Bank statements </li><li>Affidavits<br></li></ul><p>We apologise for any inconvenience caused during this time.</p><p><strong>End</strong></p> | 2019-02-13T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
| Executive Mayor Dan Plato and Education MEC Debbie Schafer hand over stationery in Manenberg | Mayor Plato handed over stationery to learners at Kuyasa Primary in Town 3 and Nolongela Primary School in Site C, Khayelitsha. | <span><p>Learners in the foundation phase of learning, i.e. Grade R and Grade 1, received a donation of stationery worth R20 000. Yesterday, Mayor Plato handed over stationery to learners at Kuyasa Primary in Town 3 and Nolongela Primary School in Site C, Khayelitsha. </p><p>In conjunction with Western Cape Education Department, ten schools have been identified in areas with higher rates of crime and unemployment. Each school will receive R20 000 worth of stationery packs. </p><p>‘Many of our schools in the Western Cape that serve poorer communities are finding themselves in a dire financial position in terms of their own funding constraints, the impact of growing inflation and of continued rising poverty. We know that stationery costs are annually inflated which makes even the most basic supplies too expensive for many less fortunate families. I am therefore most grateful to Mayor Plato and the City of Cape Town for this donation that will go a long way in providing the learners with the “write” tools that will assist them with their school work. This is a wonderful example of what we can achieve when different spheres of government work “Better Together”,’ said Western Cape Education Minister Debbie Schafer.</p>
<figure class="subtopic-fullsize-img">
<img class="responsive" src="http://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre/mayor%20Manenberg%20stationery%20handover%2014%20Feb%202019.jpg" alt="" style="width:852px;" /> </figure></span><p>‘It’s very important for foundation phase learners to have the necessary tools so that they can do their work and study hard. This donation will enable learners to concentrate on their lessons and help them succeed in their education. Some learners face challenges and, as a caring city, we must offer our support,’ said Executive Mayor Dan Plato.</p><p>After the joint event, Mayor Dan Plato will also deliver stationery to Blomvlei Primary in Hanover Park as part of the outreach programme.</p><p><strong>End</strong><br></p> | 2019-02-13T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
| Delft beneficiaries gifted with roses and new homes for Valentine’s Day | Today, on Valentine's Day, 24 beneficiaries became property owners for the first time when they received the keys to their State-subsidised Breaking New Ground (BNG) homes in Delft. | <span><p>Today, on Valentine's Day, 24 beneficiaries became property owners for the first time when they received the keys to their State-subsidised Breaking New Ground (BNG) homes in Delft.</p><p>The City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Malusi Booi, visited some of the beneficiaries at their homes and presented them with their house keys and roses.<br>Beneficiary Charlene Skippers, who is a single mother of three, was living as a backyarder in Delft when she received the good news on her birthday two days ago that her house was ready.<br>‘I have never been so overwhelmed before and I feel so blessed. This is the best birthday present,’ she said.</p>
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<img class="responsive" src="http://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre/granny1.jpg" alt="" style="width:960px;" /> </figure></span><span><p>Councillor Booi also visited pensioner Nonceba Mxenge, 92, and Nomfundiso Zele, 64, who is bed-ridden, to hand over donations of new beds to each of them as well as roses. </p><p>Ms Mxenge and Ms Zele have been living in their new homes since November last year.</p><p>‘These are my favorite flowers. I like them very much. Flowers bring good luck,’ said Ms Mxenge.</p><p>Ms Zele said she was grateful for her house and bed. She added that it was the first time she had received a rose. </p><p>Councillor Booi said it was heart-warming to see the joy on the beneficiaries’ faces when they received their keys.</p>
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<img class="responsive" src="http://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre/housing%20hand%20over1.jpg" alt="" style="width:951px;" /> </figure></span><span></span><span><p>‘Today, our beneficiaries and their families can celebrate as they begin a new chapter in their lives. This is a chapter of security as now they have a place that they can call home and it belongs to them. It is also a chapter of empowerment as they now own property for the first time in their lives. Owning a home means much more to the beneficiaries than just having a roof over their heads. It signifies the restoration of dignity to some of our most vulnerable residents. This is certainly a memorable moment for our beneficiaries.</p><p>‘Going forward, we remind our new property owners that they are responsible for their homes. We therefore encourage them to make responsible decisions regarding their homes which includes the maintenance and upkeep of their homes as well as ensuring the security of their assets for their loved ones in future by including it in their will,’ said Councillor Booi.</p>
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<img class="responsive" src="http://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre/housing%20handover2.jpg" alt="" style="width:949px;" /> </figure></span><p>Over the coming months, more qualifying beneficiaries will receive their own homes as part of the City’s commitment to provide 2 400 BNG houses in the area. </p><p>The Roosendal project, which formed part of the first phase of development, was completed in 2016 and provided 288 beneficiaries with BNG housing opportunities.</p><p>The remaining phase, which is currently under construction, will provide 2 112 housing opportunities. Thus far approximately 200 houses have been handed over in this phase. </p><p>The construction of the Delft housing project is making progress.</p><p><br><strong>End</strong><br></p> | 2019-02-13T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
