| City working hard to improve the lives of all Imizamo Yethu residents | The City embarked on designing and implementing a super-blocking project for the area | <p>Subsequent to the fire of 2017 that left hundreds of residents of Imizamo Yethu homeless, the City embarked on designing and implementing a super-blocking project for the area. The intention of the super-blocking project was to establish roadways for emergency vehicle access as well as water, sanitation and electricity infrastructure throughout the area. These services would see the quality of life and dignity of all residents of Imizamo Yethu improved. </p><p>To realise this project, the construction of Road One was required in order to open up an alternative access path into the area because Molwekane Street had to be closed off to allow the civil work necessary to install utilities infrastructure. In order to construct Road One it became necessary to relocate those residents in roughly 200 structures situated along this pathway. </p><p>As such, the City identified another parcel of land to temporarily relocate the residents of the Road One pathway onto. This land parcel is situated above the cemetery and was named the ‘Triangle Site’. The City then began the process of negotiating the terms of relocation with the occupants of Road One. Due to a number of grievances regarding the specifications of the proposed temporary accommodation and site, the residents of Road One have consistently rejected the City’s terms for relocation. Unfortunately, the City was left with no choice other than to apply to the Western Cape High Court for an urgent eviction order.</p><p>At the same time, the City also had direct negotiations on the matter of the temporary relocation with the Hout Bay Ratepayers’ Association (HBRA), as the Triangle Site is situated adjacent to some of their members’ formal residences.</p><p>The HBRA subsequently subjoined the legal proceedings and have similarly opposed the relocation of the Road One occupants onto the Triangle Site. Given the limited space in the area, the City has no other viable land parcels on which to establish a temporary relocation area other the Triangle Site. </p><p>The City’s legal representatives met with Judge Monde Samela yesterday to inform the Judge about the urgency of the matter. The Judge has granted dates for the matter to be heard in the Western Cape High Court on 12 and 13 November 2018.</p><p>The ongoing court action between the City, some of the occupants of Road One and the HBRA has meant that those Imizamo Yethu residents who have patiently been awaiting the finalisation of the super-blocking project in the City’s original two temporary relocation areas situated on the Disa and Depot sites are growing restless. Without the establishment of Road One, the City is unable to commence with the super-blocking project or provide any basic services in the area.</p><p>Despite rising frustrations from all concerned parties, the City remains committed to continuing to mediate and to bring all three groupings together to find a peaceful solution to the impasse. While we are looking at all possible alternatives to continue with the super-blocking process, this ultimately rests on establishing a shared vision between all stakeholders for the future development of Imizamo Yethu. Executive Mayor Patricia de Lille, together with the Mayoral Committee Member for Informal Settlements, Water and Waste Services, Cllr Xanthea Limberg and Ward Councillor Roberto Quintas have recently met with all concerned groups. </p><p>The City calls for calm until the court pronounces judgement on this matter and notes that any agreement reached will be contingent on compromises from all concerned groupings. <br></p><p><strong>End</strong></p> | 2018-09-19T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
| Temporary road closures for the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon | Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, taking place on Saturday 22 September and Sunday 23 September 2018 | <p>The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, taking place on Saturday 22 September and Sunday 23 September 2018, will start and finish in the Cape Town Stadium Precinct. </p><p>Thousands of participants and spectators are expected to make their way to the city centre and Stadium Precinct, for this event, which will result in increased traffic volumes. All road users are therefore advised to please take note of the temporary road closures and to plan their trips accordingly.</p><p>Details of the restrictions and road closures are available here: <a href="https://bit.ly/2QIzF9j" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/2QIzF9j</a> </p><p><strong>End</strong></p> | 2018-09-19T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
| Cape Town is a world leader in inclusive climate action that brings new opportunities to address inequality | Cape Town is one of 30 cities, representing close to 100 million people across the world, that has signed an equity pledge that commits cities to inclusive climate action. | <p>This week, I returned from San Francisco where leading cities from across the globe – including the City of Cape Town – signed an equity pledge to commit local governments to ensure climate action is used to achieve development, improve living conditions, reduce poverty and boost economic growth.<br> <br>Cape Town is one of 30 cities, representing close to 100 million people across the world, that has signed an equity pledge that commits cities to inclusive climate action.<br> <br>Today, I visited Epping where a Cape Town-based company, Sustain Power, is manufacturing containerised generators that convert biogas and landfill gas into electricity for heating or cooling. <br> <br>The company’s CEO, Tobias Hobach, was a participant in the City’s funded masterclass and pre-incubation workshop series in 2017. The City supports the South Africa Renewable Energy Business Incubator (Sarebi) to run these programmes in order to encourage local entrepreneurs to innovate and create jobs in the industry. <br> <br>Sarebi assists businesses like Sustain Power with operational support including accounting services, human resources, industrial relations, payroll management, tax and VAT filing and back-end IT support. Sustain Power was in a very early conceptualization stage of their business when the City provided support through Sarebi.</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><br> <br>It is encouraging to see that within a year Sustain Power is manufacturing their 500Kw BioGas CHP generators from their facility in Cape Town. The company has become the only local manufacturer of gas-to-power gensets in the country. This is a first for the South African economy and the energy sector.<br> <br>Even more encouraging was to see how the renewable energy company has innovatively partnered with a Cape Town-based company, Unique Group, that in the past provided saturation dive support vessels to the fossil fuel industry but are now using their skills to produce infrastructure for clean energy.<br> <br>This innovative approach shows that, when government creates an enabling environment and platforms, businesses will come up with innovative solutions that build new business sectors and create jobs. <br> <br>Sustain Power and many other companies supported by the incubation programmes show that climate change is not solely an environmental issue, but can inextricably be linked to eradicating poverty by growing the economy and jobs.<br> <br>In addition, this particular business addresses four of 12 of the key metrics on the City of Cape Town’s Mayor’s Portfolio of Urban Sustainability.<br> </p><ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">It develops viable enterprises in the clean energy sector for the future sustainability of the City and its communities</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">The generators burn and consume methane thereby reducing the release of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">The company creates a way to convert landfill gas to electricity and heat making it a resource-efficient energy source</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">The new business creates economic opportunities and jobs</div></li></ul><p> <br>Cities are at the forefront of ensuring that we implement and encourage climate action that can mitigate and turn the tide against one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. Acting against climate change is not a burden but an opportunity for the City to raise living standards for all at a faster rate by following a low-carbon development path.<br> <br>While the City creates an enabling environment for new businesses to grow, build new industries and create jobs, we are also working to explore new ways to generate electricity and be less reliant on Eskom’s coal power stations. <br> <br>Gas-to-power, wind and solar are all options the City is exploring. Earlier this year the City announced a R12,7 million agreement with the US Trade and Development Agency to study the possibility of using natural gas. <br> <br>The City’s Transit-Orientated Development Management Framework and projects aim at creating a more compact, integrated city. Our ceiling retrofitting project and the installation of solar heaters in low income areas all contribute to our inclusive climate action aimed at addressing climate change and inequality. <br> <br>The City’s climate actions are closely aligned with building an inclusive and equitable city to ensure that we especially improve the lives of the vulnerable who are most affected by the impacts of climate change. <br> <br> <br><strong>End </strong><br> </p> | 2018-09-19T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
| Protesters hijack pensioners’ happiest day | Pensioners who have been waiting for decades for a roof over their heads were denied the opportunity to receive the keys to their new houses in the City’s Morningstar development. | <p>‘I am saddened and disgusted by what happened in Durbanville this morning. Pensioners who have been waiting for decades for a roof over their heads were denied the opportunity to receive the keys to their new houses in the City’s Morningstar development. These beneficiaries are among the most vulnerable in our society. They have been looking forward to this day for many years, and they have made special arrangements to attend the event that was scheduled for 12:00 today.</p><p>‘However, a group called the Morningstar Development and Upliftment Initiative (MDUI), marched onto the development this morning to prevent the key handover from happening. They blocked Langeberg Road and burnt tyres. </p><p>‘Shockingly, some of the protestors even threatened the beneficiaries and vowed to illegally occupy the houses tonight. We had no choice but to cancel this event in the interest of the safety of our residents and officials. Thus, what should have been a highlight and happy moment for these beneficiaries – some of them old, and others with disabilities – was hijacked by a small and selfish group of people with no shame,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport and Urban Development, Councillor Brett Herron.</p><p>The City applied for and was granted an urgent order by the Western Cape High Court earlier today. The order interdicts and restrains members of MDUI from entering the Morningstar property or to harass, threaten, intimidate, assault, and interfere with the beneficiaries, officials, and project steering committee (PSC) members of the Morningstar development.</p><p>The MDUI is also interdicted from interfering with the handing over of the 166 Breaking New Ground (BNG) State-subsidised houses that form part of this development, or to damage or vandalise the infrastructure, buildings, roads, and facilities on this site.</p><p>‘One of the Morningstar beneficiaries turned 70 three days ago, and another beneficiary turns 79 next month. We were hoping that these pensioners would have the joyous occasion of celebrating their next birthday in their own homes. This is a very sad day indeed,’ said Councillor Herron.</p><p>The City has spent approximately R34,2 million on the Morningstar project where 166 Breaking New Ground (BNG) State-subsidised houses were constructed.</p><p>The PSC was formed in 2012 already, and the PSC and City officials have worked together over many years to finalise the beneficiary list for this project. The MDUI, which claims to represent some residents from the wider area, opted not to be represented on the PSC.</p><p>‘We have attempted to work with the MDUI by agreeing to consider a list of people they wanted the City to include as beneficiaries for the Morningstar development. On Saturday 15 September 2018, the MDUI disrupted the meeting which City officials had arranged with 40 of the people who are on the MDUI list. This meeting was scheduled to verify whether they would qualify to be included in this development. In disrupting this meeting, the MDUI prevented us from assisting the very same people they claim to represent.</p><p>‘Now, when we are ready to hand over the keys to those beneficiaries who have walked the path with us, they want to make new demands. We cannot, and will not, allow this group to derail what we have achieved by working together with the worthy beneficiaries of the project,’ said Councillor Herron.</p><p>The matter will be argued in the Western Cape High Court on 24 October 2018.</p><p><br><strong>End</strong></p> | 2018-09-19T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
