Planning portal

City reminds residents to attend community information sessions: Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer beetle (PSHB) pest

The City is encouraging residents to attend the upcoming PSHB information sessions

Residents in the Bellville and CBD region are to please note the following changes: <ul style="list-style-type:disc;"><li>6 March 2026: An additional session from 18:00 to 20:00 has been added to accommodate interested residents at the Bellville auditorium, after working hours.</li><li>10 March 2026:The venue has changed to the Smart Living Education Centre, Bill Peters Drive, Green Point from 17h30 to 19h30 </li></ul>The PSHB continues to pose a serious threat to Cape Town's urban forest and biodiversity. ‘Improper handling, movement and disposal of PSHB infested material continue to aid the spread of PSHB across the City. We need the support and collaboration of residents and businesses working with plant material to prevent the spread of the pest. There are many formal and informal businesses involved with gardening and landscaping space. These are gardeners, nurseries, horticulturists, tree fellers, woodcutters, and many more. We ask that these individuals and residents from Hout Bay, the Cape Town CBD and in the Northern suburbs please attend, especially if you have trees on your private property. One of the topics we will be addressing for example is the fact that, the use of pesticides and fungicides have not proven effective at eradicating PSHB from infected trees therefore, infested tree/plant material has to be chipped, incinerated or solarised,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews. To date, PSHB has been confirmed in over 6 000 trees (among these are Boxelders, London Planes, English Oaks, Beef Wood, Weeping Willow, Cape Chestnut, Black Locust, Paperbark and Maples) across the City in the following areas: Somerset West, Strand, Penhill, Newlands, Constantia, Rondebosch, Observatory, Mowbray, Rosebank, Claremont, Kenilworth, Wynberg, Diep River, Pinelands, Durbanville, Brackenfell, Kraaifontein, Bellville, Parow North, CBD and Hout Bay. Details of upcoming PSHB information sessions below: Bellville: Date: Friday, 6 March 2026 Time: 9:30 to 12:00 and 18:00 to 20:00 Venue: Bellville Library Auditorium, Carl Van Aswegrn Street, Bellville CBD: Date: Tuesday,10 March 2026 Time: 17:30 to 19:30 Venue: Smart Living Education Centre, Bill Peters Drive, Green Point Durbanville: Date: Thursday,12 March 2026 Time: 17:30 to 19:30 Venue: Durbanville Library, Corner of Oxford and Koeberg Road, Durbanville. Date: Thursday,16 April 2026 Time: 17:30 to 19:30 Venue: Durbanville Library, Corner of Oxford and Koeberg Road, Durbanville. The City will focus on the protocols applicable to infested trees and biomass, among which: <ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">How to identify infested trees and what symptoms to look out for </div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">What to do next, what not to do </div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">How to handle infested biomass </div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">How to safely dispose of infested biomass </div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">How to transport green waste </div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">How to handle equipment and machinery in a manner that will not spread the pest to other areas </div></li></ul> What residents should look out for and symptoms of infested trees: <ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">Branch dieback – cracks on the branch; discoloured leaves; dry and leafless branches; branch break-off revealing webs of galleries filled with black fungus </div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Gumming – blobs of goo coming out of the bark; oozing of liquid and gum from the beetle holes </div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Entry and exit holes – very small holes on the bark of the tree, the size of a sesame seed (2mm); shotgun-like scars developing around the holes </div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Staining – brown or dark stains on the bark of the tree </div></li></ul> How to report PSHB beetle sightings: <ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">Online at <a href="http://www.capetown.gov.za/InvasiveSpecies">www.capetown.gov.za/InvasiveSpecies</a> </div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Call the City of Cape Town's Invasive Species Unit on 021 444 2357, Monday to Friday, from 07:30 to 16:00 </div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Send an email to: <a href="mailto:invasive.species@capetown.gov.za">invasive.species@capetown.gov.za</a> </div></li></ul>End

2026-03-04T22:00:00Z

Vendor applications open for the Steenberg Festival 2026

Vendor applications are now open and will close on Wednesday

Vendor applications are now open and will close on Wednesday, 11 March 2026. The festival was initially scheduled to take place in December 2025 but the City opted to move the event to March upon feedback from the public regarding adverse weather. ‘March is still a good time of the year for Capetonians to get out and have fun at this free City event. And it is always a good time to support our local small businesses. ‘The Steenberg Festival is one of a number of City-supported events that offer a platform for small businesses to sell their goods and services and increase their profile,’ said Alderman James Vos, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth.Vendor detailsCost: R156 per stall for both days (R78 each day)Application deadline: Wednesday, 11 March 2026 at 17:00<a href="https://bit.ly/46EbLEp" target="_blank">Apply here.</a>Additional information: Vendors who need help can visit the Area Economic Development office at the Plumstead Municipal Building on the corner of Main and Victoria roads, Plumstead, between 08:30 and 15:30. Stalls will only be granted to vendors who meet the selection criteria. Vendors selling food and meals will need to provide a Certificate of Acceptability (COA) and a Business Licence or Hawker’s Licence with their application. Vendors who want to sell food but do not have a COA or Business Licence/Hawkers Licence, they can apply for them at their nearest Environmental Health Office. See the list of offices: www.capetown.gov.za/health. Successful applicants will be contacted directly. If you do not receive any communication from the City, please consider your application unsuccessful. End

2026-03-04T22:00:00Z

Retreat swimming pool repairs under way

The Retreat Indoor Pool, one of four indoor pools operating throughout the year, has been temporarily closed since Monday

The Retreat Indoor Pool, one of four indoor pools operating throughout the year, has been temporarily closed since Monday, 2 March 2026, to allow for essential repair and restoration works.The closure is required to address roof damage and to replace high-level fixed panel windows impacted by storm damage during the previous winter season.The scope of works includes:<ul><li>Removal and replacement of damaged roof sheeting</li><li>Removal and replacement of side wall flashings</li><li>Replacement of downpipes and gutters</li><li>Removal and installation of new fixed panel high-level windows</li><li>Full waterproofing of the roof</li></ul>‘These repairs have been prioritised to ensure the facility is fully prepared for the upcoming winter period. The projected duration of the works is approximately one month. Closure notices have been placed at key points throughout the facility, and the community has been formally notified. We thank patrons for their understanding, and the City will provide updates as the project progresses,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Francine Higham. End

2026-03-04T22:00:00Z

City cautions power users about WhatsApp payment scam

The City reminds customers that it would never approach a customer via WhatsApp about payments

In the interaction, “Mr Collins” appears to threaten the customer by showing an apparent disconnection operation, and then phoning and messaging in quick succession after not receiving a response. The scammer referenced the correct account number and requested payment into an FNB account. This is especially concerning as this customer’s outstanding amount was more than R1 million. Fortunately, the customer found the notice fishy and messaged the City to verify. He then made payment into the correct City account and not directly to the scammer's bank account.The City reminds customers that it would never approach a customer via WhatsApp about payments. No City official may request payment via their personal bank account. Importantly, all payments to the City must be made through official City channels, such as visiting a municipal cash office or by making electronic payments using details on the monthly municipal bill. We appeal to all residents to remain alert and report all suspicious encounters. Always pause and verify first by phoning the City’s Call Centre on 0860 103 089. <figure class="subtopic-fullsize-img"><img class="responsive" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Images%202/ENERGYII.png" alt="" /> </figure> ALWAYS PAUSE. VERIFY. Phone the City’s Call Centre to check the validity of claims and requests purporting to be from the City. Important reminders for all customers:<ul><li>The City does not notify residents of service disconnections (water or electricity) via WhatsApp.</li><li>No City official may request payment via personal bank accounts.</li><li>Payments must only be made through official City channels; never via WhatsApp links</li></ul> Report suspicious activity:<ul><li> Call Centre: <a>0860 103 089</a></li><li> City Fraud Hotline:<a> 0800 32 31 30</a></li><li> Email: <a href="mailto:fraud.hotline@capetown.gov.za" target="_blank">fraud.hotline@capetown.gov.za</a></li><li> SAPS: Contact your nearest police station (SAPS remains the lead authority in crime prevention).</li></ul> End

2026-03-04T22:00:00Z

All City online services and applications

View all actions

Top City Connect services

Service Requests/Report a Fault (C3)