| City and Province meet with SASSA to plot the way forward for disaster relief provision | Issues discussed around the arrangements for dispensing social/disaster relief to residents affected by emergency incidents | <p>On Friday 20 April 2018 a meeting was held between representatives of the City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and the Western Cape Government’s Department of Social Development to discuss issues around the arrangements for dispensing social/disaster relief to residents affected by emergency incidents.</p><p>Earlier this year, SASSA announced that it had taken responsibility for the activation of humanitarian relief and conducting assessments – a task that the City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre had facilitated for a number of years on SASSA’s behalf. The change came about after SASSA reassessed its policies and procedures in funding service providers (NGOs) who provide social relief to disaster victims. There were concerns that the payments to service providers could possibly be classified as irregular expenditure in terms of the Public Finance Management Act and the SASSA supply chain management policies.</p><p>Since the changeover, there have been teething problems which have necessitated the meeting which resolved that it is in the interest of good governance and service delivery for the City, SASSA and the Western Cape Department of Social Development to co-operate and seek synergy in the arrangements for disaster relief, recognizing the respective responsibility of each organization. </p><p>Further meetings will be held to iron out problem areas and to ensure improved service delivery. The meeting ended on a positive note and it was agreed to explore the use of modern technology to aid the timeous distribution of social/disaster relief to affected residents, particularly with the onset of winter. </p><p><br><strong>End</strong><br></p> | 2018-04-21T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
| MyCiTi buses still grounded | The nationwide strike action affecting the South African bus industry is continuing. | <p>The nationwide strike action affecting the South African bus industry is continuing.</p><p>It is unclear when the strike action, which is the result of dead-locked wage negotiations, will come to an end. Those making use of road-based transport should expect heavy traffic and longer travelling times for as long as the strike continues, in particular at the start of a new work week.</p><p>The lock-out instituted by the Vehicle Operating Companies operating the MyCiTi service will thus remain in place until further notice. Regretfully, this means that there will be no MyCiTi trunk or feeder services available for as long as the strike and lock-out continue.</p><p>MyCiTi commuters are requested to make alternative travelling arrangements for the time being. The City is monitoring the situation, and will provide commuters with updates as far as possible.</p><p>Those commuters with monthly MyCiTi tickets must note that the monthly packages will be extended for a period equal to the number of days that the strike action lasts. The extension will be determined once the strike has come to an end. Further details will be communicated in due course.</p><p>Commuters are also advised to visit the MyCiTi website on
<a href="http://www.myciti.org.za/">www.myciti.org.za</a> for regular updates; and to follow us on Twitter @MyCiTiBus; or to phone the Transport Information Centre on <a>0800 65 64 63</a> – the TIC is available 24/7.</p><p>
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| All-Women team gets cracking on Atlantis roads | Empower women with skills that will enable them to apply for employment opportunities | <p>The TDA training academy, through its Women-at-Work Programme, is aiming to change the mindset that certain jobs are reserved for men only, or that women are incapable of doing what can be regarded as physically challenging work. The aim is also to empower women with skills that will enable them to apply for employment opportunities at the 18 roads depots across the city, and to assist us in fixing potholes, clearing stormwater infrastructure, and so forth.</p><span><div class="image-gallery-slider img-gal-1" id="img-gal-1" data-slides="3" data-slide="1" style="height:493.5px;"><div class="image-gallery-content" style="height:414px;">
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<i class="icon arrow-white-prev"></i></div></div></div></div></span><p> </p><p>The training academy works in close collaboration with the City’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). This relationship serves as a temporary mechanism to fund the project, which is valued at R200 000.</p><p>The women were sourced from the local Subcouncil jobseekers database and the depot assessed and interviewed them as part of the appointment process.</p><p>‘This project serves a multi-purpose. On the one hand, it addresses the under-representation of women in traditionally male-dominated careers, while on the other, it ensures the inclusion of the women in the economy, in particular in Atlantis where the unemployment rate is high. Some of the women who form part of the team are sole breadwinners, and are bringing up their children on their own. Thus, this is a real opportunity for them to get a foot in the employment door in future,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport and Urban Development, Councillor Brett Herron. </p><p>The women undergo on-the-job training which empowers them with skills to perform their jobs while gaining valuable experience. The training entails skills in the operation of small construction equipment, onsite safety, and best practices in road surfacing as per the requirements of the South African Road Federation.</p><p>Kashiefa Beck is a prime example of one of those women who have successfully completed training through the programme. She is now a permanent employee at the City’s roads depot in Heideveld.</p><p>‘I am so grateful to the City for providing us with the opportunity to be a part of the EPWP Women-at-Work Programme. Entering the male-dominated world was a challenge in the beginning. However, we soon got into the swing of things and learnt to handle the job and the men working in this field. I think we are more consistent, committed and determined to excel in the work usually done by men.</p><p>‘Men can do the work, yes, but I believe that women can do an even better and more qualitative job. We are truly grateful for the permanent employment that we got in 2016 after being part of this programme. It really had a positive impact and brought stability to our lives. I want to encourage all women that nothing on the road to life is impossible. You must believe in yourself, be focused and stand firm,’ said Kahiefa Beck.</p><p>Councillor Herron said Kashiefa must serve as an inspiration to the other women who are currently part of the 13 all-women road repair teams across Cape Town.</p><p>‘Stories like this warm my heart and spur me on to do even more for our residents. Road repair work is a skill that can be learned by anyone who has the drive and passion, irrespective of gender. A big plus is seeing some of these women absorbed in permanent employment within the City, a move that certainly helps restore dignity both in the community, as well as in their homes,’ said Councillor Herron.</p><p>The TDA’s end-goal is to have at least one all-women road repair team at each one of our 18 depots by the end of the year.</p><p>This project is in line with the City’s Organisational Development and Transformational Plan which prioritises investing in programmes that will provide long-term employment to the city’s residents.</p><p><br><strong>End</strong></p> | 2018-04-21T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
| Domestic worker finally home as City rolls out historic title deed allocations | Ms Johanna Kannemeyer, a 61-year-old domestic worker who has been living in a backyard in Gugulethu, finally has a home she can call her own. | <p>Ms Johanna Kannemeyer (61), her two daughters, and 7-year old granddaughter recently moved into a state-subsidised Breaking New Ground (BNG) house in Heideveld. The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport and Urban Development, Councillor Brett Herron, visited Ms Kannemeyer a few days ago over a cup of tea to see how she was doing in her new home.</p><span><figure class="figure-credits left"><img class="responsive" alt="placeholder" src="http://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre/Ms%20Kannemever_title%20deed1.jpg" style="width:511px;" /><figcaption>
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© City of Cape Town</p> </figcaption> </figure>‘I lived in a Wendy house in a backyard in Gugulethu for years. I dreamed of having my own house where I could sit and have coffee on the porch. God helped me, my employer helped me, and the City helped me getting here,’ said Ms Kannemeyer.<br></span><p>After waiting many years on the City’s housing database, Ms Kannemeyer eventually received a site in Khayelitsha in 1998. A house was built on the site in 2007 but another family moved in while the house was only half completed. Since then, Ms Kannemeyer tried all avenues to get access to her house, but to no avail. She thus ended up living with her family in a backyard in Gugulethu for the past 11 years.</p><p>Ms Kannemeyer’s case is not unique. <br></p><span><figure class="figure-credits right"><img class="responsive" alt="placeholder" src="http://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre/ms%20Kannemever_title%20deed2.jpg" style="width:511px;" /><figcaption>
<p> © City of Cape Town</p> </figcaption> </figure><p>In October 2017, Council approved the guidelines and the establishment of a dedicated unit to manage the transfer of ownership to beneficiaries of historic housing projects. The biggest challenge with historic housing developments is that it is often nearly impossible to trace some of the legal or original beneficiaries of these houses for various reasons. Thus, the City’s Transport and Urban Development Authority (TDA) developed a set of solutions to deal with the complex home ownership transfer issues, depending on the individual circumstances, and is in the process of establishing a dedicated unit to assist beneficiaries such as Ms Kannemeyer.</p><p>The unit will also manage the transfer of ownership to those who benefit from new and current state-subsidised BNG houses. This is to prevent backlogs forming, and to ensure that due process is followed in the transfer of ownership and subsequent issuing of formal title to these new home-owners.</p><p>Although Ms Kannemeyer and her dependents have been living in Gugulethu, the City’s Housing Allocation Policy allows for a small percentage of beneficiaries from other areas and those with special needs to be included in new housing developments in other neighbourhoods. Thus, Ms Kannemeyer was able to move into one of the BNG houses in Heideveld. These opportunities are allocated to those who have been on the City’s housing waiting list the longest, and agree to relocate to another area.</p><p>‘Our housing officials told me about Ms Kannemeyer’s plight after her employer brought this case to their attention. I am extremely happy and relieved that we could assist in providing her and her family with a home of their own. We are working hard and trying our best to change our residents’ lives for the better. It filled me with gratitude that Ms Kannemeyer invited me to her house, and that I had had the chance to meet her in person. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to her, and the opportunity to experience her joy and relief that her ordeal was finally over,’ said Councillor Herron.</p><p>Ms Kannemeyer’s grandchild has been enrolled at a nearby primary school, and she herself has many plans for her new home.</p><p>‘I installed burglar bars, we painted the walls and a welcome sign at the front door, and I am going to fence off my front yard soon,’ she said.</p><p><br><strong>End</strong></p></span><p> </p><p> </p> | 2018-04-19T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
