| City marks decade of partnership with Cape Town Open | This is also the tenth year the City of Cape Town has been in partnership with the Southern African PGA Golf Tour to sponsor the Cape Town Open. | <p>This is also the tenth year the City of Cape Town has been in partnership with the Southern African PGA Golf Tour to sponsor the Cape Town Open. </p><p>First held in 2012, the golf tournament has featured some of the world’s top golfers and has provided a platform for emerging golfers to test their mettle against the best.</p><p>‘With the Mother City being one of the country’s popular golf tourism destinations, the Cape Town Open has become an integral feature of our annual events calendar. The Cape Town Open has a wonderful developmental focus for aspiring golfers who get to participate in a tournament that also showcases our city’s natural beauty to an international audience. Welcome to all the golfers, both local and from all over the world who will be visiting our beautiful city,’ said Executive Mayor, Alderman Dan Plato. </p><p>This year, the four-day tournament will host 156 professional golfers from over 20 countries. </p><p>The event is co-sanctioned between the Sunshine Tour and the European Challenge Tour.</p><p>The field is split evenly between the Sunshine Tour and Challenge Tour, ensuring a diversified international field. </p><p>‘This is an event that has over the years enabled us to showcase Cape Town to the international community as a premier tourism and sports destination. In addition to that, it has also assisted in the development of the game in Cape Town by providing amateur golfers with an opportunity to participate with the professionals, while also giving back through coaching clinics and mentorship programmes for even younger golfers. </p><p>‘We’re looking forward to continuing this partnership that not only allows us to promote Cape Town globally, but develops future sports stars in our city,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.</p><p>The tournament will be hosted in accordance with Covid-19 regulations to ensure the safety of participants, staff and officials.</p><p>It runs from Thursday, 29 April until Sunday, 2 May 2021 at the Royal Cape Golf Club in Wynberg. <br> <br> <br><strong>End</strong><br></p> | 2021-04-21T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
| City releases latest report on coastal water quality | The City of Cape Town’s Know Your Coast 2020 report is now available to the public | <p>The latest report covers coastal water quality for a 12-month period from 1 December 2019 to 30 November 2020. It reflects the outcome of statistical analysis as set out by the National Guidelines of 2 400 bacterial sample tests taken from 99 sites along Cape Town’s 307 km of coastline. </p><p>‘The release of the second Know Your Coast report confirms the City’s commitment to transparency and disclosure about the quality of Cape Town’s coastal waters. It also serves as a source to inform and educate the public on the shared responsibility between all stakeholders to prevent the pollution of our inland water sources because whatever lands up in our rivers and canals drains into the sea,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Marian Nieuwoudt.</p><p><strong>Disclosure of coastal water quality results:</strong></p><ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">the Know Your Coast, 2020 report is now available on the City’s website at <a href="http://bit.ly/Coastalwaterquality" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/Coastalwaterquality</a>. The report presents the key findings, as well as the way forward in addressing the identified challenges</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">the City is also publishing updated information on coastal water quality on our web portal every second week. Residents and visitors can access the web portal at <a href="http://bit.ly/Coastalwaterquality" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/Coastalwaterquality</a> </div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">the City has recently added 11 sites to its existing 88 coastal quality sampling points. We are now monitoring 99 points, twice a month. These sites were added to improve our knowledge of coastal water quality and to assist us in addressing problems as and when they arise. The additional sampling points are located at: Three Anchor Bay, Glen Beach, Camps Bay, Noordhoek beach, Fish Hoek beach, Muizenberg at Surfer’s Corner, the Helderberg Marine Protected Area, Strand, and Gordon’s Bay. </div></li></ul><p>Importantly, the results of the most recent reporting period are added to a five-year rolling period – from 2016 to 2020 – to determine trends in coastal water quality for recreational beaches in Cape Town. </p><p>This five-year rolling period reflects the outcome of over 10 000 sample bacterial tests along the coastline to better understand where challenges are experienced and to identify interventions if required; and also to determine where interventions have been effective over the five-year period.</p><p>‘The 2020 report indicates that, overall, there have been no significant changes in coastal water quality in Cape Town between 2019 and 2020. Marginal improvements have been noted in some areas. Also, in instances of a ‘poor’ rating, this can mostly be attributed to three or fewer samples or discrete spikes in bacteria counts, as opposed to consistently high counts of bacteria. </p><p>‘Importantly, overall, the trend and pattern remains constant where stormwater outlets and river mouths remain significant sources of pollution. This confirms, once again, that sewer blockages and overflows, illegal discharges, and general urban run-off and waste disposal discharged via the city’s stormwater system and rivers have a significant impact on our coastal environment and coastal water quality. </p><p>‘The City is doing all it can to improve coastal water quality through various interventions. However, we cannot do it on our own. We need residents to assist by taking responsibility for their waste. The quality of Cape Town’s coastal water concerns all of us, and we have to work together to prevent pollution,’ said Alderman Nieuwoudt.</p><p><strong>In summary, the key findings are as follows: </strong></p><p><strong>Atlantic coastline:</strong></p><ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">In 2020 the water quality at 19 out of the 24 recreational beaches and tidal pools met the minimum requirement for recreational activities such as swimming, surfing, etc.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">When compared with 2019, the water quality at seven locations improved in 2020: at Small Bay, Llandudno Beach, Scarborough beach, Beta beach, Maiden’s Cove (both tidal pools); and Camps Bay beach.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">The water quality at three beaches regressed into the ‘poor category’, among which Camps Bay tidal pool, Bakoven bungalows, and Hout Bay beach.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">When the data is analysed over the last five years (2016 to 2020) it shows that there has been a marginal water quality improvement at seven recreational nodes, especially at beaches along the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula, among which Maiden’s Cove, Camps Bay, Beta Beach, Llandudno, and at Small Bay along the northern Atlantic coast. </div></li></ul><p><strong>False Bay coastline:</strong></p><ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">In 2020, the water quality at 15 of the 27 recreational beaches and tidal pools met the minimum requirement.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">When compared with 2019, the water quality improved at six locations: Frank’s Bay, Simon’s Town Long Beach, St James tidal pool, Muizenberg Station, Strandfontein tidal pool, and Gordon’s Bay.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">At four locations, water quality regressed into the ‘poor’ category: Boulders Beach, Clovelly, Mnandi Beach west and Mnandi Beach east. </div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">When data is analysed over the last five years (2016 to 2020) water quality has shown gradual improvement at eight locations along the False Bay coast: Frank’s Bay, Simon’s Town Long Beach, Glencairn Beach, Muizenberg Station, Strandfontein, Strandfontein tidal pool, Monwabisi tidal pool and Gordon’s Bay.</div></li></ul><p>Beaches that do not have stormwater outlets or are far away from river mouths, usually have ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ water quality ratings. This highlights the impact of urban pollution on the coastline, and waste via the stormwater system and rivers on nearshore coastal water quality.</p><ol><li>The following areas reported chronic coastal water quality problems in 2019, and remained as such in 2020:<br>- Lagoon Beach<br>- Three Anchor Bay<br>- central False Bay; and<br>- Macassar to Gordon’s Bay</li></ol><p>The City is determined to improve the water quality in these areas. We will implement interventions to see an incremental improvement of the water quality along the False Bay coast in particular.</p><p><strong>How the City is intervening:</strong><br>It is the City’s responsibility to manage the network sewers and wastewater treatment facilities, which serve the population of Cape Town. We are continuously investing in infrastructure to reduce pollution and minimise the impact of our city on the environment. </p><p><strong>We have implemented interventions, and we are investing in infrastructure to incrementally increase our capacity to do so:</strong></p><ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">The City has established a Coastal Sewage Spill Response Protocol to ensure City departments respond in a timeous, efficient, and well-coordinated manner to sewage spills that may impact our coastal waters. This includes clean-up procedures and the monitoring of sites after a spill.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Litter traps</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Public education</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Ongoing investment in stormwater and wastewater treatment infrastructure</div></li></ul><p>Abuse of the stormwater system and our sewer network is one of the City’s biggest challenges. This abuse has a direct impact on coastal water quality:</p><ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">The City responds to over 300 sewer overflows and blockages every day.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">In 2020, the Water and Sanitation Department cleared about 122 000 sewer blockages across Cape Town. Most of these (75%) were caused by people who are using the sewers as a dumping site for rubbish. The City spent about R350 million on the clearing of these blockages that could have been avoided.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Illegal discharge into the stormwater system remains a huge challenge. Our stormwater system is designed to channel the runoff from rainfall events, thus, if it is not raining, nothing should be discharged. However, this is often not the case as many people abuse the stormwater system to get rid of substances and this untreated waste flows directly into our ocean.</div></li></ul><p>‘I encourage residents, stakeholders, and others working in this sphere to go online and read the report. It provides a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the water quality at all of our popular beaches over the past five years. I also want to reiterate that the quality of Cape Town’s coastal water concerns all of us. We can improve our coastal water quality by sharing the responsibility through preventing pollution and to collectively reduce the amount of waste we release into our natural environment,’ said Alderman Nieuwoudt.</p><p>Please refer to the report for more information, and how and where to report blocked drains, illegal dumping, and coastal sewage spills. </p><p>The Know Your Coast report on coastal water quality for the 2019 calendar year is also available online at: <a href="http://bit.ly/Coastalwaterquality" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/Coastalwaterquality</a>. This report was published in March last year.</p><p><br><strong>End</strong></p> | 2021-04-21T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
| Let's ACT to restore our earth on Earth Day | The City of Cape Town is paying tribute to all the climate action champions and especially our youth, in celebration of Earth Day, 22 April 2021 | <p></p><span><figure class="figure-credits left"><img class="responsive" alt="placeholder" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre/climate%20action1.jpg" style="width:1025px;" /><figcaption>
<p>© City of Cape Town</p> </figcaption> </figure>This is in line with the City’s newly launched climate change response and resilience campaign, Let’s ACT. For a Stronger Cape Town.</span><p>‘Climate action champions in our communities, neighbourhoods, universities, schools, families and workplaces are so valuable in our quest to make our city stronger and more sustainable. We are therefore especially proud to announce that two City employees have been chosen as South African Coordinators for the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Youth (COY16), which will take place before the United Nations Conference of the Parties COP26 climate conference scheduled for November 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. Youth from over 140 different countries will be participating. </p><p>‘Let’s support the climate action champions in our communities and nurture and encourage our youth to create the future that they want,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Energy and Climate Change, Councillor Phindile Maxiti. </p><p>About COY16<br>The COY16 was set up as a space for capacity building and policy training to prepare young people for their participation at the COP climate negotiations.</p><p>South African Coordinators Ashlin Naidoo (24) and Shamiela Reid (25) are responsible for carrying the COY16 message and gathering youth statements for South Africa’s position paper. This is then fed into a global policy document presented at the COP climate negotiations. </p><p><strong>Ashlin </strong><br>‘I am extremely fortunate to be appointed, especially to ignite and drive a climate change movement that will bring positive and meaningful changes in the lives of our nation’s young people,’ said Ashlin, from the City’s Sustainable Energy Markets Department, Energy and Climate Change Directorate. <br></p><span><figure class="figure-credits right"><img class="responsive" alt="placeholder" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre/climate%20action2.jpg" style="width:1037px;" /><figcaption>
<p> © City of Cape Town</p> </figcaption> </figure><p><strong>Shamiela </strong><br>‘I am proud and excited to be joining young people across the world. It is now more important than ever to listen to young people because they bring forth a different, creative and innovative perspective to the negotiation process. This is how we can act to make our city stronger by making our voices heard,’ said Shamiela. </p><p><strong>This is what taking action looks like: </strong></p><ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">Become a climate action champion.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Support youth-led climate action initiatives. </div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Start or support a neighbourhood food garden.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Reduce water usage in the home.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Change the light bulbs in the home to more energy efficient ones.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Switch off non-essential lights.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Buy energy efficient appliances. </div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Reduce, re-use and recycle, including organic waste through home composting.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Walk or cycle to the local shop.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Invest in a solar PV system or a solar water heater and also save on electricity bills.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Plant indigenous water-wise plants and trees in the garden.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Teach children about living more sustainably. </div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Buy sustainably produced and organic food where possible. </div></li></ul><p><strong>What is the City doing?</strong><br>We have committed to achieving the goal of carbon neutrality and climate resilience by 2050. Along with the Climate Change Strategy, the City is completing a Climate Change Action Plan that sets the pathway towards this goal. These will be released by June 2021. </p><p>The City has in place many programmes that support climate change adaptation, mitigation and climate resilience. </p><p><strong>Adaption: building resilience</strong></p><ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">developing our water resilience</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">conserving our biodiversity and protecting coastal areas</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">enabling appropriate nodal development through the adoption of a coastal urban edge</div></li></ul><p><strong>Mitigation: reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions</strong></p><ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">driving energy efficiency in our own municipal operations</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">shaping regulatory and incentive mechanisms to support net zero carbon buildings</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">developing our own clean energy generation </div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">procuring energy from Independent Power Producers (IPPs)</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">enabling small scale embedded generation (SSEG)</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">waste reduction</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">building an efficient transport network</div></li></ul><p>Over the last 10 years, the City’s energy efficiency in municipal operations programme has saved over 231 GWH of electricity. This is enough electricity to power 35 clinics over 10 years and translates into 229 035 tons of avoided carbon emissions.</p><p><strong>Some highlights </strong></p><ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">60 City buildings retrofitted to make them more efficient</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">All traffic lights retrofitted with LED lights</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">563 kWp installed rooftop solar</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">34% of streetlights retrofitted</div></li></ul><p><strong>Resources</strong></p><ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">More information on Let’s Act: <a href="http://bit.ly/CCT-ClimateChange" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/CCT-ClimateChange</a> </div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">City’s Cape Town Future Energy Festival: <a href="https://www.capetownfutureenergyfestival.co.za/" target="_blank">https://www.capetownfutureenergyfestival.co.za/</a></div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Experience net zero carbon living: Click here to take a virtual tour</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Smart Living Handbook: <a href="https://bit.ly/Smartliving2020" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/Smartliving2020</a></div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">More information on Earth Day: <a href="https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2021/" target="_blank">https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2021/</a></div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">More information on COY16: <a href="https://ukcoy16.org/" target="_blank">https://ukcoy16.org/</a></div></li></ul><p>Caption 1: Ashlin Naidoo<br>Caption 2: Shamiela Reid </p><p><br><strong>End</strong><br></p></span> | 2021-04-21T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
| More Covid-19 relief to feed vulnerable communities |
Since April last year, a total of R39 million has been provided towards critical food aid relief, which has been a vital lifeline to residents experiencing the financial impact of the lockdown
| <span><p>Since April last year, a total of R39 million has been provided towards critical food aid relief, which has been a vital lifeline to residents experiencing the financial impact of the lockdown. <br> <br>‘As a result of the severe impact of the national coronavirus lockdown, many residents have struggled to put food on the table. It is clear government support must be extended through food aid, and local soup kitchens. These donations are intended to assist organisations feeding residents in need and, as a caring city, we are doing all we can. The need for assistance remains, even as some people have returned to work.<br> </p>
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<img class="responsive" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre/covid%20relief3.jpg" alt="" style="width:951px;" /> </figure></span><span><p>‘Lives and livelihoods have been severely affected by Covid-19. The ability to earn an income means residents can contribute to the economy, create jobs for others and build dignity through being able to provide for their families. This is something many residents have not been able to do because of the impact of the national Covid-19 lockdown. The hardship experienced by many through the loss of income is something we are acutely aware of. We have a duty to assist our residents,’ said the City’s Executive Mayor Alderman Dan Plato.<br> <br><strong>To date, these funds include the following:</strong></p><ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">Approximately R14 million from the Mayor’s Relief Fund has been spent to support a major food relief drive, which included equipping soup kitchens, and providing other food relief where soup kitchens were not established. To date, 262 soup kitchens have received equipment and ingredients, bolstering their capacity to feed over 200 000 residents in need, every single day, during lockdown.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">The grant-in-aid R10 million that was approved in January by Council is being rolled out to 14 qualifying registered non-governmental organisations (NGO), public benefit organisations (PBO) or non-profit organisations (NPO) that applied to issue relief within the municipal boundaries of the City of Cape Town to prepare and distribute cooked meals directly to vulnerable communities. These successful organisations which met the relevant requirements, were also appointed to supervise community-based organisations in their preparation and distribution of cooked meals.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Most recently, R15 million was approved by Council in March as part of the Budget Adjustment process. Applications from registered NGOs, PBOs or NPOs are currently being assessed.</div></li></ul>
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<img class="responsive" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre/covid%20relief2.jpg" alt="" style="width:951px;" /> </figure></span><span><p>Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Management Alderman Grant Twigg visited a food distribution point, managed by NGO 9Miles Project, in Strandfontein, recently.<br> <br>'We are very grateful for what the City of Cape Town is doing for our community here. This helps us a lot as many of us lost our jobs during Covid-19,’ said Jacqueline Titus from Masincedani Informal Settlement.</p>
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<img class="responsive" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre/covid%20relief1.jpg" alt="" style="width:951px;" /> </figure></span><p><span>‘It is heart-warming to see the City’s funding in action, which is providing food relief to our vulnerable communities as a result of the impact that the pandemic has had on homes. We want to thank everyone who is and has been playing a role in implementing and providing this relief programme, including City staff, and the community-based organisations,’ said Alderman Twigg.</span></p><p><span></span> </p><p><span><strong>End</strong></span></p> | 2021-04-21T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
