The City of Cape Town has drafted a new management by-law and policy for its properties, and is seeking public comment on it.

The new policy, drafted to centralise the City’s currently fragmented property management function will enable the municipality to maximise the use of all its properties currently in its property portfolio. As Council is mandated to use its assets in support of its social and economic development agenda, it needs a systematic, structured process covering property related activities, which it currently lacks. The new policy will ensure that all City owned properties are used in such a way as to provide optimal financial, social, economic and operational benefit to Cape Town’s residents.

Drafting the policy was a multidisciplinary task involving a complete overhaul of the City’s current property management approach. The new policy integrates the municipality’s existing property management systems, vesting them into the Property Management Department’s ambit, and incorporates international best practices. It will help streamline the functioning and output of the department by clarifying its relationships with other line departments and third party service providers contracted by the City. It is underpinned by revised business processes, standard operating procedures, an Institutional Framework, and a Quality Management System. It also incorporates best practice methodologies and is aligned to the latest suite of national and provincial legislation such as the Municipal Finance Management Act (No. 56 of 2003) and the Municipal Asset Transfer Regulations (Government Gazette No. 31346 of 22 August 2008) which applies to the transfer and disposal of certain immovable property owned by municipalities and the granting by municipalities of rights to use, control or manage certain immovable property.

The new by-law relating to immovable property deals with certain additional matters not covered in the aforementioned legislation. It will empower and authorise the City to acquire immovable property, rights, regulate ownership and closure of public places and public streets and prescriptive claims.

As the policy and by-law are now complete, the public is invited to comment on them from 1 July 2010 to 31 July 2010. Copies are available here (By-Law: English, Afrikaans, Xhosa; Policy: English, Afrikaans, Xhosa) and at the City’s subcouncil offices and libraries. Comments may be submitted by completing the online form or completing the comment forms available at subcouncils and libraries.

For enquiries, please e-mail PMPolicy.PublicParticipation@capetown.gov.za