| City transitions from snail mail to email for Planning By-law notifications | City transitions from snail mail to email for Planning By-law notifications | | <img alt="" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/PublishingImages/%28Treasury%29%20Policies%20and%20publications%20Header.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | <p>The City of Cape Town’s Development Management Department will, over the next two years, transition from traditional mail to contacting interested and affected parties via email for notifications in terms of the City’s Municipal Planning By-law. <br></p> | <p>To date, the City has been using registered mail only to inform or notify residents and interested and affected parties of development applications that may affect them, and to call for comments on applications that have been submitted to the Development Management Department for assessment in terms of the Municipal Planning By-law.</p><p>In January and February this year, the City requested the public to comment on the proposal to change the method of notification from registered mail from the Post Office to electronic mail. The vast majority of the comments that the City received confirmed support for this proposal.</p><p>Given the positive feedback, the City is now commencing with the transitioning period of about two years to allow residents to register for e-services and for the City to collate the electronic mail details of residents and clients. The intention is, however, to complete this transition as soon as possible with the cooperation and assistance of land owners.</p><p>The City will, in the meantime, use email addresses in cases where these are on the system. </p><p>'The City is always exploring interventions that will improve our service delivery. The transition to electronic mail, or email, is part of the Development Management Department's efforts to modernise and streamline its services. Electronic mail is faster and more reliable as it cannot get lost. There is also cost savings for the City, ratepayers, and the applicant, as it requires substantial resources to prepare registered notifications and applicants have to pay for registered notifications that are sent via the Post Office. </p><p>'We will give residents ample time to update their electronic contact details, but we also want to encourage land owners to register for e-services as soon as possible and to provide us with their email addresses so that we can fast track the transition. </p><p>'While this is ongoing, we will keep on using registered mail to notify persons whose rights or legitimate expectations may be adversely affected by applications and whose email addresses are not available on the City's system. These notifications are for land use applications in terms of the Municipal Planning By-law,' said the City's Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.</p><p><strong>What to do:</strong></p><ul><li>All residents and land owners are encouraged to register for e-services by visiting the City's website on <a href="http://www.capetown.gov.za/" target="_blank">www.capetown.gov.za</a> </li><li>To update information, send an email to <a href="mailto:Revenue.Eservices@capetown.gov.za" target="_blank">Revenue.Eservices@capetown.gov.za</a>; or visit one of the City's Walk-in-Centres, or phone our Contact Hub on 021 401 4702, Monday to Friday, from 08:00 to 16:00</li></ul><p> <br></p><p><strong>End</strong></p><p><br></p> | 2024-04-03T22:00:00Z | GP0|#1d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70;L0|#01d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70|City news;GTSet|#62efe227-07aa-45e7-944c-ceebacca891d | | | | | GP0|#fe1372cc-3168-4376-b201-0a8a04d6081e;L0|#0fe1372cc-3168-4376-b201-0a8a04d6081e|by-law;GTSet|#2e3de6c1-9951-4747-8f53-470629a399bb;GP0|#5e598286-322d-45f3-87e9-6d1c121acd88;L0|#05e598286-322d-45f3-87e9-6d1c121acd88|revenue and expenditure;GTSet|#2e3de6c1-9951-4747-8f53-470629a399bb | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
