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Cape Town Junior City Council elects Junior Mayor, executive

Cape Town Junior City Council elects Junior Mayor, executive

The elected Executive Members are: 1. Junior Mayor: Pierce Beaulieu 2. Junior Deputy Mayor: Samantha September 3. Junior Speaker: Lunam Gusha 4. Junior Chief Whip: Lilah Barenes In an exciting first for the JCC, five assistant Junior Whips were also elected for each JCC Sub-group, marking a new chapter of youth leadership, teamwork, and representation within the programme. Newly-elected Junior Mayor, Pierce Beaulieu said, ‘I am incredibly honoured to serve as Junior Mayor of Cape Town, not because of the title itself, but because of what it represents; the opportunity to listen, to lead, and to amplify the voices of young people across the city.’ He continued to state that ‘leadership is rooted in service and that real impact begins when people feel heard, supported and empowered to act’. Beaulieu is a Grade 11 learner at the American International School of Cape Town and resides in Hout Bay. Junior Deputy Mayor September is a Grade 11 learner at Parow High School and is from Elsies River. Junior Speaker Gusha attends Sea Point High as a Grade 11 learner and is from Khayelitsha while Junior Chief Whip Barenes, also in Grade 11, attends Fairmont High School and is from Durbanville. <figure class="subtopic-fullsize-img"> <img class="responsive" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Images%202/DSC_0410.jpg" alt="" style="width:965px;" /> </figure>The JCC executive elections were also attended by the 2025 Junior Mayor, Michael-Daniel Bam who inspired the 2026 cohort to lead with purpose, look beyond titles and continue building hope within communities. Mayoral Committee Member for Water & Sanitation, Cllr Zahid Badroodien gave a keynote address reminding the JCC cohort that every voice matters and that youth participation remains vital in strengthening our democracy. ‘We are incredibly proud of each junior councillor who participated in the executive elections. It is quite remarkable to witness the dynamic, confident visionaries that we have within the JCC. Each learner brings a different perspective and seeing the various campaigns this past month has elevated that. We look forward to the year ahead, growing and leading alongside the newly elected executive and JCC Cohort as a whole,’ said co-custodians Cllr Nicola Jowell and Cllr Nicole Sukers. The programme is designed to empower Grade 10 and 11 students. The JCC provides an unparalleled platform for young leaders to refine their skills, elevate their self-confidence, and embrace their potential as agents of change. <figure class="subtopic-fullsize-img"> <img class="responsive" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Images%202/DSC_0423.jpg" alt="" style="width:781px;" /> </figure>Caption 1: The newly elected Junior City Council Mayor, Pierce Beulieu officially steps into leadership, representing a new generation of young changemakers committed to civic engagement and advocacy. Caption 2: The 2026 Junior City Council cohort together with the newly elected Executive Leadership following the official election proceedings. This cohort represents a diverse collective of young leaders from across Cape Town, united by a shared commitment to leadership, active citizenship, and creating meaningful change within their communities. End

2026-05-19T22:00:00Z

Mayor says Cosatu can help fight corruption without unconstitutional Public Procurement Act slowing delivery

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has responded to Cosatu’s criticism of the City’s Constitutional Court bid to invalidate the Public Procurement Act

‘The aim to overhaul procurement and fight corruption is undermined by the fatal flaws in public participation and unlawful passing of the Public Procurement Act. Besides this, the Act brings a raft of red tape that will slow delivery, and is a constitutional overreach by national government into the local sphere.‘Cosatu’s network of members can help the fight against procurement corruption in municipalities without this unconstitutional legislation that will slow service delivery with even more red tape. While Cosatu acknowledges the ‘strong systems’ in Cape Town and the Western Cape, the federation should already be at the frontlines addressing the ‘horror story’ they admit exists where their historical political allies govern.‘The fact is local government must be able to act swiftly to resolve urgent water, sanitation, electrical, waste, and environmental issues. Instead, this Act will slow down municipalities via a massive new red tape burden and interference from other spheres of government. This is unconstitutional, and undermines local government’s direct accountability to serving residents,’ said Mayor Hill-Lewis.The Constitutional Court heard arguments this week after granting the City direct access for its bid to invalidate the Public Procurement Act, which the metro warns will slow down local service delivery and undermine the constitutional autonomy of local government. The City’s full Concourt application is available here: Public Procurement Bill Application. The City argued that the Act was passed unlawfully, with fatal shortcomings in public participation and parliament’s procedures, including that seven of nine provinces did not have lawful final mandates to vote on the bill in the NCOP. The City has wide-ranging concerns about new red tape introduced in the Bill, including:<ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">Municipalities won’t be able to maintain their own database of accredited suppliers, and payments to suppliers will need to be integrated with a national database</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Centralising all national procurement via a Public Procurement Office (PPO) further runs the risk of nationwide disruptions to municipal procurements if the central system goes offline</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Municipalities will no longer have the power to lawfully deviate from procurement regulations for urgent service delivery without centralised approval via the PPO</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Spurious tender appeals may hold up service delivery as the Bill limits the ability to conclude contracts while tender awards are reviewed</div></li></ul> Mayor Hill-Lewis said that the Bill will also undermine infrastructure investment by making public private partnerships too complex and time-consuming. The City is further concerned that around 36 elements of the Bill require new regulations, exposing local government to hidden cost implications and red tape burdens. Further, the Bill positions the National Finance Minister as a regulatory authority over local government, which is inconsistent with the Constitution, Municipal Systems Act and the Municipal Finance Management Act. End

2026-05-19T22:00:00Z

SMME business boost just a click away

The City’s Economic Growth Directorate is urging Cape Town-based Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) looking for a boost to apply for the Productivity Efficiency Programme

SMMEs who want to improve their operations and make their business more sustainable can apply for the Productivity Efficiency Programme, administered by Productivity South Africa and supported by the City of Cape Town. The programme is running for three years until June 2028. SMMEs need to be available for about three to six months during this period. Since July 2025, 14 businesses across industries, including catering, manufacturing, retail and printing production have already participated in the programme. Collectively, the businesses retained more than 564 jobs. Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, recently visited Atlas Trading Company in Bo-Kaap and witnessed how their staff put their learnings from the programme to use. <figure class="subtopic-fullsize-img"> <img class="responsive" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Images%202/Atlas%20Image%201.jpeg" alt="" style="width:1898px;" /> </figure>Atlas was established as a grocer in 1946, pivoting to a focus on spices when this became its top-selling product category. ‘This programme aims to support SMMEs in improving operational efficiency and productivity, to strengthen business sustainability and competitiveness, and to protect and retain jobs. That is exactly what I saw at Atlas - enhanced product availability, improved sales efforts, and the growth of online sales. As a result, they have seen an increase in revenues. In addition, the implementation of a streamlined inventory management system has unlocked significant working capital. And most importantly, their team has grown from 19 staff prior to the programme application to 27 employees currently,’ said Alderman Vos. Hakheem Achmed, Managing Director of Atlas Trading Company, praised the programme. ‘The Productivity Efficiency Programme had a meaningful impact on our business, helping us operate more strategically and with greater control. Through improved inventory management, we reduced waste and ensured optimal stock levels. Adjustments to our production layout enhanced workflow and minimised downtime, leading to increased output. Additionally, stronger cash flow management gave us better financial visibility and stability. Overall, the programme enabled us to work smarter, improve efficiency across key areas, and position our business for sustainable growth,’ said Achmed. Mitchell’s Moslem Butchery in Woodlands similarly saw an improvement in its operational efficiency, a reduction in waste, and hundreds of thousands of rands in working capital unlocked. <figure class="subtopic-fullsize-img"> <img class="responsive" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Images%202/Atlas%20Image%202.jpeg" alt="" style="width:1069px;" /> </figure>Family-owned manufacturing business, Tshipa Curtains, based in Elsies River, participated in PEP from September to December 2025, whereafter it introduced formal systems, such as key performance indicators, improved machine processes, and standardised work procedures. The result was an improvement in product quality and stabilised production performance. ‘The City proudly supports the Productivity Efficiency Programme as it combs through the details of a business’s operations and structures and gives thorough assessments and guidance that address the specific needs of that enterprise. I encourage qualifying Cape Town SMMEs that are looking for the kind of support offered to apply through our Business Hub,’ said Alderman Vos. To qualify, SMMEs must:<ul><li><div style="text-align:left;">Employ between 10 and150 employees.</div></li><li><div style="text-align:left;">Be committed for the duration of the programme, which can be between three to six months, depending on business needs, and be available for meetings with the Productivity SA Practitioner assigned to the business.</div></li> Apply • For more information or to apply, contact The Business Hub on <a href="mailto:business.support@capetown.gov.za" target="_blank">business.support@capetown.gov.za</a> or 021 417 4043 for an application form. • Additional documents will be required before an approval is granted such as financial statements, SARS confirmation, Letter of Good standing from the Department of Labour, copies of CIPC registration and copies of IDs and BBBEE certificate. </ul> <figure class="subtopic-fullsize-img"> <img class="responsive" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Images%202/Atlas%20Image%203.jpeg" alt="" style="width:1069px;" /> </figure>Caption 1: Philiswa Mnguni (Productivity SA), Bafana Motheogane (Productivity SA), Hakeem Achmed (Atlas), Rishando Davids (Atlas) Christel Potgieter (Productivity SA) and Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, with (front) Jean-Dre Crouse (Productivity SA). Caption 2: Chris Heyner, Du-Wayne Abrahams, Raeez van Wyk, Alderman Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth and Muneer Karriem from Atlas. Caption 3: Hakeem Achmed (Atlas), Bafana Motheogane (Productivity SA), Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth and Jean-Dre Crouse (Productivity SA).End

2026-05-19T22:00:00Z

City takes its community safety drills to Bothasig

The drills, coordinated by the Safety and Security Directorate happen quarterly and put several role-players through their paces.

The Civil Security Initiative (CSI) drill in Bothasig on Saturday, 16 May 2026, was the latest in a series designed to put the Directorate’s community safety network to the test.It brought together Bothasig, Edgemead and Zone 4 Neighbourhood Watches, District Watch, and other safety partners, alongside the City's Safety and Security departments, to simulate a high-pressure emergency scenario. <figure class="subtopic-fullsize-img"> <img class="responsive" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Images%202/Some%20of%20the%20drill%20participants.jpeg" alt="" style="width:1069px;" /> </figure>Participants were activated through a series of staged alert messages and tasked with securing all access points to the facility, maintaining a 100-metre perimeter, and relaying information in real time to the City's Joint Operations Centre (JOC). With City and SAPS resources portrayed as fully deployed to the wider unrest, community structures were required to hold the line independently - exactly the kind of scenario these drills are designed to prepare for. <figure class="subtopic-fullsize-img"> <img class="responsive" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Images%202/Participants%20mid-simulation.jpeg" alt="" style="width:2532px;" /> </figure>‘These exercises are about more than testing procedures. It’s about working with our civil society partners to enhance skill sets, exposing everyone to potential safety challenges and how to deal with them, and to identify and address any gaps in systems, should there ever be a real need to respond. The recent violent protest in the Eastern Cape is a stark reminder that civil unrest in South Africa is something government needs to prepare for, given the increased misinformation campaigns, increasing unemployment and a growing distrust in government. In Cape Town, we will stand ready to defend our residents,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.The Civil Security Initiative is aimed at harnessing the resources of community structures to strengthen information-sharing and emergency response citywide. A dedicated communication platform gives Neighbourhood Watches and civil society partners a virtual presence in the City's JOC during incidents, ensuring that when it counts, everyone is connected and no one is operating in isolation. End

2026-05-18T22:00:00Z

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