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Rip current experiment takes off

The project aims to study rip currents and develop educational content based on aerial footage filmed in False Bay and Table Bay.

A joint research project between the NSRI Drowning Prevention team and the City’s Recreation and Parks Department, with the help of experimental rip current forecast modelling by the South African Weather Services, successfully deployed non-toxic fluorescein dye to highlight rip currents at Dappat se Gat and Kogel Bay on Tuesday, 26 October 2021 <figure class="subtopic-fullsize-img"> <img class="responsive" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre/rip%20tide1.jpg" alt="" /> </figure>The project aims to study rip currents and develop educational content based on aerial footage filmed in False Bay and Table Bay. <figure class="subtopic-fullsize-img"> <img class="responsive" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre/rip%20tide2.jpg" alt="" style="width:892px;" /> </figure>More information is available in the link: <a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/Media-and-news/City%20Partners%20with%20NSRI%20in%20cutting%20edge%20rip%20current%20experiment" target="_blank">https://www.capetown.gov.za/Media-and-news/City%20Partners%20with%20NSRI%20in%20cutting%20edge%20rip%20current%20experiment</a> End

2021-10-26T22:00:00Z

Stage 4 Eskom blackouts again - action needed now

This amount of load-shedding is simply unsustainable to our residents and businesses and the South African economy as a whole.

‘This amount of load-shedding is simply unsustainable to our residents and businesses and the South African economy as a whole. The lack of leadership from National Government on the urgent changes required in the energy regime is a blow to all South Africans. As a well-run city, investment and maintenance in infrastructure is critical to ensure that assets such as the Steenbras scheme and gas turbines can be used to assist where possible. The City also uses the Steenbras scheme as a way to reduce the tariff impact on customers by typically generating when the Eskom tariff is at its highest, to reduce exposure to the highest Eskom tariff for City customers,’ said the City’s Executive Mayor, Alderman Dan Plato. ‘City supplied customers in Cape Town are thus the only ones in South Africa who are likely avoiding Stage 4 load-shedding for most of today. Thanks to our hard working City teams for helping to make this possible under trying conditions and uncertainty, at short notice. ‘The City is moving ahead with its energy plans in earnest. This includes establishing the Atlantis Power Station 2023; plans for a renewable energy hub at the Athlone Power Station; planning to procure at least 300 MW of energy from independent producers, including ongoing consultation with National Government to speed this up; and pursuing a range of renewable energy projects from 1 MW to 100 MW, to be owned and operated on municipal land, with a call for proposals issued on low-cost finance solutions over a period of 20 years,’ said Mayor Plato. ‘Sadly, the City has still received no real legal clarity from the National Department of Mineral Resources and Energy as to what is allowed and what is not in terms of independent power producers (IPPs). The City continues to call on National Government to expedite the processes related to IPPs. The City remains committed to doing everything in its power to reduce the heavy dependency on Eskom,’ said Mayor Plato.City customers and load-shedding today, 27 October 2021: Stage 2: 12:00 until 18:00 Stage 3: 18:00 until 20:00 Stage 2: 20:00 until 22:00 Stage 4: 22:00 until 05:00 tomorrow, 28 OctoberThe City will provide further updates asap. Please note: Blackouts typically cause power faults and increased service requests. The City thanks customers for understanding. <ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">Keep devices charged.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Treat traffic lights that are out due to load-shedding as four-way stops. First to stop may proceed if it is safe to do so</div></li></ul>Service requests Let us know if your power stays off for longer than the load-shedding schedule. Service requests typically increase during load-shedding. City’s service channels (please only use one channel and don't log the same request multiple times): SMS: 31220 (standard charges apply) Email: <a href="mailto:power@capetown.gov.za" target="_blank">power@capetown.gov.za</a> Online: <a href="http://www.capetown.gov.za/servicerequests" target="_blank">www.capetown.gov.za/servicerequests</a> Be energy wise<ul><li>Turn the geyser temperature down to 60°C. </li><li>For more tips: <a href="https://savingelectricity.org.za/" target="_blank">https://savingelectricity.org.za/</a></li></ul> End

2021-10-26T22:00:00Z

City of Cape Town named most trusted in SA

The Consulta report writers are quoted as saying the driver of satisfaction levels is very much based on aspects of the delivery of basic services

‘The Consulta report writers are quoted as saying the driver of satisfaction levels is very much based on aspects of the delivery of basic services. The City also leads in the ‘perceived quality’ of services delivered. Cape Town delivers above par on some of the most important services, as per the report, such as the provision of clean drinking water, refuse removal, access to electricity, roads, and street lighting. We are grateful for the acknowledgement and commit to continue doing more for all our residents.‘However, the trust and satisfaction levels in metros are the lowest it has been in five years. It should be a concern to all in local government – administrative and political leadership. The people of South Africa deserve better. While we are very pleased to once again be at the top of the list of metros that residents are most satisfied with and trust the most to deliver services, we understand that we still have lots of work to do. I thank the dedicated City teams for going above and beyond the call of duty under the most trying circumstances so that we can continue high levels of service delivery in Cape Town. There are challenges, but we simply must find ways to enhance our offering and collaborate more with our communities to find ways to improve delivery in the unprecedented times we are in as a country and a city,’ said the City’s Executive Mayor, Alderman Dan Plato. End

2021-10-26T22:00:00Z

City to approach Concourt over unlawful occupations

Statement by the Executive Mayor, Alderman Dan Plato.

Following the declaration of the state of national disaster, the City has observed an increase in unlawful occupation as well as an increase in a variety of makeshift structures and tented camps being erected throughout the metropole, including parks, environmentally sensitive pockets of land, road reserves, pavements, under bridges and between highway barriers. This has resulted in the unlawful occupation of large pockets of City-owned land earmarked for the development of public services. Further, the Western Cape High Court judgment in the matter of South African Human Rights Commission v City of Cape Town and Others has severely curtailed the private property owners and the City’s ability to protect its land, leaving the City with few options to prevent and respond to unlawful occupations. To this end, the City will be applying for eviction applications on 595 tented camp and land invasion hotspots.These continued land invasions negatively impact on the City's ability to comply with its constitutional mandate. In 2017, there were 14 289 land invasions in the City. In 2018, that number had increased to 87 500 land invasions and by 2018, 232 8559 ha of City owned land had been lost to unlawful occupiers. By 2020, this figure increased to 241 4671 ha. It is not only the City that is impacted by these largely orchestrated unlawful occupations. By June 2020, 338 743 ha of State and privately owned land in the City had been unlawfully occupied, of which 73% is City owned land. An additional 25,5 ha of City land has been lost in 2021. In order to regain the use of unlawfully occupied land, the City must approach the courts to obtain eviction orders in terms of the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act (PIE). The City finds itself in an untenable situation as a result of the DMA Regulations. The City’s ability to protect its property is severely curtailed, the unlawful occupations are an extreme health and safety hazard for unlawful occupiers, some of whom have occupied dams, wetlands, nature reserves and waterlogged land, and the City is called on to provide emergency housing to unlawful occupiers before it can access its land to deliver services, including housing and sanitation to the thousands of residents who have not taken the law into their own hands. Most of the unlawfully occupied land is not suitable for human settlements or the installation of bulk services and have great constraints. Basic services are grant funded for new infrastructure. The City (via rates funding) contributes to operating and maintenance cost for informal settlements. Resources are not unlimited. The President and the Minister of Co-operative Governance have not responded to the City’s requests to engage in respect of the upliftment of the DMA Regulations. The City therefore has no alternative but to apply to the Court to have the regulations set aside. End

2021-10-26T22:00:00Z

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