| Bad habits fuel illegal dumping | The City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement Department recently impounded the 100th vehicle used for illegal dumping | <p>The City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement Department recently impounded the 100th vehicle used for illegal dumping. The milestone came just a year after an amendment to the Integrated Waste Management By-law that makes provision for impoundments.</p><span><figure class="figure-credits right"><img class="responsive" alt="placeholder" src="http://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre/dumping%201.jpg" style="width:511px;" /><figcaption>
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© City of Cape Town</p> </figcaption> </figure></span><p>The drivers were each fined R5 000 and a further R7 500 impoundment release fee is payable to reclaim their vehicles. This is currently what the law allows us to do. In addition, Law Enforcement has issued 172 dumping fines valued at nearly R750 000, issued more than 500 compliance notices, and impounded 80 wheelie bins used for illegal dumping. The Philippi farming area and surrounds remains our worst hot spot, with a staggering 86% of vehicle impoundments happening in this area.</p><p>However, the income derived from our enforcement efforts is a drop in the ocean when compared with the cost of cleaning up illegally dumped materials, not to mention the potential health impact on surrounding communities.</p><span><figure class="figure-credits left"><img class="responsive" alt="placeholder" src="http://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre/dumping%20rubble.jpg" style="width:511px;" /><figcaption>
<p>© City of Cape Town</p> </figcaption> </figure>
</span>As with any other societal challenge, of which there are many, enforcement alone is not the solution. The City conducts ongoing awareness sessions about the impact of illegal dumping on the environment and the health of communities. We have 24 waste drop-off sites around the city where we accept recycling, garage and garden waste, and clean builder’s rubble at no cost to residents. Furthermore, we have incentivised the public to blow the whistle on illegal dumping. The City already has a reward system in place where members of the public can call our Public Emergency Communication Centre (PECC) on 107 from a landline or on 021 480 7700 from a cellphone to report offences. If the tip-off results in an impoundment, arrest or recovery of stolen or illegal goods (with the understanding that a formal case docket will be opened with the South African Police Service and a relevant case number provided), then a reward of up to R5 000 is payable. <br><p>The City is extremely serious about addressing illegal dumping; however, we cannot do it alone and require the help of each and every resident in Cape Town if we are to achieve the ideal of litter-free streets and public places. Let's work together and eradicate this problem. I urge residents to recycle more in order to reduce pressure on our landfill sites and to refrain from using the so-called ‘trolley brigade’ to dispose of unwanted rubble or waste. Experience has taught us that these items are dumped at the first most convenient spot, which adds to the problem. It hampers our efforts to create safer, healthier communities through service excellence, as spelt out in our service delivery blueprint, the Organisational Development and Transformation Plan.</p><span><figure class="figure-credits right"><img class="responsive" alt="placeholder" src="http://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre/dumping%20impound.jpg" style="width:511px;" /><figcaption>
<p> © City of Cape Town</p> </figcaption> </figure>
</span>When viewed in the context of the ‘broken windows’ theory, it is clear that as long as indicators of disorder like vehicle wrecks, broken infrastructure, graffiti and dumping and littering prevail in an area, it will be almost impossible for the community to achieve urban regeneration and thus criminal activity will remain more prevalent than in areas where these indicators do not exist or do not exist in abundance. Cleaning up an area and ensuring that the community develops an intolerance of dumping and dumpers is essential in fighting the culture of lawlessness and crime.<p><br><strong>End</strong><br></p><p><br> </p><p> </p> | 2017-08-22T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
| City to receive R20,8 million grant towards drought relief | The City has been informed by the National Disaster Management Centre in the Department of Cooperative Governance that an amount of R20,8 million will be transferred to the City of Cape Town for emergency disaster relief | <p>Our efforts to mitigate the impacts of the current drought in Cape Town will receive a boost, with the addition of R20,8 million towards the City of Cape Town’s emergency disaster relief. </p><p>The City has been informed by the National Disaster Management Centre in the Department of Cooperative Governance that an amount of R20,8 million will be transferred to the City of Cape Town for emergency disaster relief. </p><p>We are extremely grateful to the Department for this contribution and thank them for coming on board to assist us with this very important task to supplement our water supplies. </p><p>In a letter sent to the City from the National Department, it stated that the purpose of the funds is solely to provide emergency relief for drilling of boreholes and the installation of pumps and pipelines due to drought conditions. </p><p>In March, I declared Cape Town a local disaster area to prepare for all eventualities and invoke emergency procurement procedures required to expedite the emergency.</p><p>The incoming grant from the disaster management centre will go a long way towards the implementation of the programmes that are in place as part our Water Resilience Strategy.</p><p>The City plans to utilise the funds for responding to the immediate needs of the drought disaster that has occurred and to alleviate the immediate consequences. </p><p>We welcome this news from the National Department and will ensure that the funding, once received, is used to provide emergency relief in line with the conditions of the grant. </p><p>Last week, together with the City’s Chief Resilience Officer, we unveiled the City’s clear plans to augment the system by up to 500 million litres of water a day over the coming months using groundwater extraction, desalination, and water reuse.</p><p>The projects will cost the City approximately R2 billion in capital funding and R1,3 billion in operating costs. In July, the City has raised R1 billion in our Green Bond and we will also be drawing from this source to fund our water augmentation projects. </p><p>A number of tenders will be advertised in the coming weeks to bring a range schemes online which will ensure water supply and avoid acute water shortages.</p><p>The City’s Water Resilience Plan has been developed based on the New Normal scenario where we no longer bank only on rain water for our drinking water supplies, but look at a range of technologies to augment our supply of drinking water in order to build greater water security. </p><p><br><strong>End </strong></p> | 2017-08-22T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
| Saartjie Baartman Centre gets new beds for women and children on road to new life in Women’s Month | Since 1999, the centre has housed women who have left their homes with their children because of abuse. It provides a safe haven for them and gives them a chance to rebuild their lives. | <p>Today I had the honour of speaking to courageous women at the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children in Manenberg where I donated 50 beds to the facility.</p><p>Since 1999, the centre has housed women who have left their homes with their children because of abuse. It provides a safe haven for them and gives them a chance to rebuild their lives.</p><p>It currently accommodates more than 100 women and children survivors in the residential facility. </p><p>When we heard that some of them share beds because of a shortage, I felt that it was important for us to lend a helping hand in line with the City of Cape Town’s commitment to building a caring city. </p><p>These women and children deserve a comfortable and conducive environment to aid their recovery – which the centre is already providing – but I’m hoping these 50 beds will be able help even more.</p><p>On average, the team at Saartjie Baartman and partner organisations assist up to 600 clients for domestic- or sexual violence-related matters a month.</p><p>The abuse and killing of women and children is in an indictment on our society and calls for greater action from all sectors to stand together and put an end to this scourge.</p><p>As we commemorate Women’s Month, in this country, we face a sad crisis where men raise their hands and in too many senseless acts, kill women and children. </p><p>In Cape Town and across the country in this year alone we have seen too many abuse cases ending in women and children being killed. </p><p>That is why today I want to salute all of the women who walked away from someone or a situation that no longer cared for their well-being. </p><p>Women are too often scared to speak about abuse and people who know about the abuse but keep quiet are also at fault. </p><p>We cannot give up in the fight to rid our nation of this despicable occurrence. We have to take the lead from these courageous women who refused to be victims any longer and chose to survive with their children.</p><p>A true testament of the Saartjie Baartman Centre’s work can be seen in the lives of two of their employees who for years battled in abusive relationships and even struggled with substance abuse. After being admitted to the centre, undergoing therapy and skills training, the two women are now staff members. They join many other women who found protection and empowerment at the centre and went on to reclaim and rebuild their lives, free of abuse.</p><p>The City of Cape Town is also playing its part in fighting this scourge of violence against women and children. Over the last two years we have trained approximately 1 020 people through Mosaic and other partners to raise awareness on domestic and gender-based violence in communities in the metro.</p><p>In 2016, the City also initiated the Women for Change programme where we currently employ over 780 women living in our Council rental stock to help uplift their communities through addressing environmental and socio-economic challenges.</p><p>This programme has shown many positive results in our communities and is in line with the City’s Organisational Development and Transformation Plan principles to enhance service delivery, to be more a more responsive and customer-centric government, and to build safe communities.</p><p>As a caring city, we also realise that winter is a difficult time of the year – especially for vulnerable groups including street people. That is why we are also donating beds to night shelters and old-age homes.</p><p>Including those delivered to the Saartjie Baartman Centre, a total of 113 beds will be going to night shelters in Elsies River, Bellville, Retreat, Somerset West and Philippi.</p><p>This is in addition to our Winter Readiness programme which kicked off in May. During this period, street people are provided with emergency beds, hygiene packs and nutritional items issued to the organisation where the individuals are placed during this period. </p><p>The City has also disbursed aid to the value of R700 000 to 16 organisations that have all successfully applied for assistance during winter.</p><p>In our work of building a caring city, we need action from all sectors in society, but most importantly those who are suffering at the hands of abuse must take stand, claim their rights, and know that they are worth more and deserve only the best.</p><p>With everyone doing more to help this plight of women and child abuse, we can continue to make progress possible together. </p><span><div class="image-gallery-slider img-gal-1" id="img-gal-1" data-slide="1" data-slides="3" style="height:493.5px;"><div class="image-gallery-content" style="height:414px;">
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Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children </p> </figcaption> </figure> </div><div class="image-gallery-control"><div class="image-gallery-caption"><p>
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| Construction of KTC community-driven housing project in Nyanga commences | The City of Cape Town’s Transport and Urban Development Authority (TDA) is investing approximately R36 million in the construction of 235 houses and civil infrastructure for the KTC Phase 3 housing development in Nyanga. | <p>The City of Cape Town’s Transport and Urban Development Authority (TDA) is investing approximately R36 million in the construction of 235 houses and civil infrastructure for the KTC Phase 3 housing development in Nyanga.<br> <br>The 235 houses will be built via an assisted People’s Housing Process (PHP), which is a community-run project where the beneficiaries appoint a contractor for the top structures and manage the project themselves via an elected support organisation. The City will assist the support organisation in the management, quality control and accounting of the project.<br> <br>The civil engineering services have already been installed. Construction of the houses will take approximately 14 months. Processes to implement electrical infrastructure are also under way.<br> <br>Beneficiaries for this project, including 100 elderly people and two people with disabilities, have been selected from Nyanga.<br> <br>‘The City of Cape Town has not turned a blind eye to the realities, such as the housing database backlog and overcrowded backyards, which are indicative of the need for housing opportunities that exists. Therefore, today’s sod-turning signifying the start of the construction of the KTC Phase 3 PHP project should be celebrated because it is an example of a housing development that is responding to this very need.<br> <br>‘Through this housing project, 235 beneficiaries will be empowered as first-time property owners and, together with their families, they will have access to improved living conditions.<br> <br>‘Also, in keeping with our commitment to building an inclusive city by enhancing access for residents with special needs, the homes for our beneficiaries with disabilities will have wheelchair ramps, wider doors, and modified bathrooms to suit their needs,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Area Central, Councillor Siyabulela Mamkeli.<br> <br>The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport and Urban Development, Councillor Brett Herron, said that this project is in line with the City’s Organisational Development and Transformation Plan was adopted by Council last year to improve the way in which the administration works and delivers services.<br> <br>‘This housing project is near local amenities and the public transport corridor, which is in keeping with the City’s commitment, going forward, to provide housing opportunities closer to where beneficiaries work or close to public transport.
<br> <br>‘Some of the key priorities pursued by the Transport and Urban Development Authority are to promote security of tenure for residents in less formal areas and to partner with the private sector and other government departments in addressing the housing need in Cape Town.<br> <br>‘We are making every effort to ensure that service delivery, through the provision of housing opportunities, reaches some of our most vulnerable residents who have been registered on the housing database for many years and who qualify for housing opportunities.<br> <br>‘Following today’s sod-turning, we wish the beneficiaries all the best as they work together and embark on their new journey to take control of the construction of their houses and build their future. We are looking forward to joining in on the celebration of their new homes when the project has been completed,’ said Councillor Herron.<br> </p>
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<p>Sod-turning for KTC Phase 3 housing development in Nyanga</p>
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<p>Sod-turning for KTC Phase 3 housing development in Nyanga</p>
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<p>Sod-turning for KTC Phase 3 housing development in Nyanga</p>
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