| Dear Mr President, time to devolve energy, policing, and rail to well-run local authorities | We are ready to work with you, your Cabinet, and the national government on reversing key areas of state failure, but we need your help. | <p>Dear Mr President<br></p><div>Welcome to Cape Town, it is our pleasure to host you at City Hall for the 2023 State of the Nation Address.</div><div> </div><div>Decline is not inevitable. In Cape Town, it is our daily mission to restore hope in South Africa by turning our city into living proof that we can roll back poverty, that we can overcome the long shadows of our past, and that our country can still realise the society dreamed of in the founding document of our democracy, the Constitution.</div><div> </div><div>We are ready to work with you, your Cabinet, and the national government on reversing key areas of state failure, but we need your help.</div><div> </div><div>You have the power to announce the changes needed to devolve more powers to well-run local authorities.</div><div> </div><div>We believe it is particularly urgent to incentivise energy generation by households and businesses; devolve more policing powers for municipal law enforcement to help SAPS fight crime; and to get our trains running again by devolving passenger rail to the City of Cape Town.</div><div> </div><div>Below I summarise high-impact measures you can take right now, in this week’s SONA, to bring about immediate positive change.</div><div> </div><div>We further look forward to constructive outcomes on the range of additional advocacy points we continue to engage yourself and our national colleagues on.</div><div> </div><div>Energy Security</div><div> </div><div>Cape Town will now pay cash for power directly from businesses and residents. We need national government’s support for households and businesses to rapidly scale up solar power generation.</div><div><br></div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span> Tax rebate incentives to go solar while staying on the grid to sell power for cash</div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span>A national solar PV subsidy for local authorities to rapidly install small-scale embedded generation at public buildings and rental stock</div><div><br></div><div>More Policing Powers</div><div> </div><div>Our municipal law enforcement officers are taking guns and drugs off the streets daily, but with more policing powers we gain convictions to bring lasting change in high-crime areas.</div><div> </div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span>Devolve investigative powers to municipal law enforcement so our officers can build prosection-ready case dockets, especially for guns, drugs, and gang crime</div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span>Take urgent SAPS resourcing measures to bolster the fight against crime, especially in precincts showing the highest murder and violent crime rates</div><div><br></div><div>Devolving passenger rail</div><div> </div><div>Cape Town’s Rail Feasibility Study is already laying the foundation to run passenger rail in the best interests of commuters who desperately need affordable, safe, and reliable public transport daily. But recent statements by the ANC, and the delay in national government’s Devolution Strategy with no definite deadline, are critical points of concern.</div><div> </div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span>Announce the fast-tracked devolution of passenger rail to cities so that we can get Cape Town’s once-strong train service running again together with the private sector</div><div> </div><div>We believe these simple, immediate measures can make a massive, positive impact in the daily lives of citizens.</div><div> </div><div>Making these changes is about people, not politics. Use your State of the Nation address to turn the tide on state failure and give South Africans a sense of renewed hope for the future.</div><div> </div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis</div><div><br><br></div><p><br></p> | 2023-02-07T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
| R87m more allocated to deal with load-shedding fall-out; electrical infrastructure maintenance | R31 million added to the budget to effect inspections and repairs of our Steenbras Hydro Pumped Storage Scheme in the next financial year. | <p>‘We’ve added R31 million to the budget to effect inspections and repairs of our Steenbras Hydro Pumped Storage Scheme in the next financial year. This plant must be well maintained to enable the City to provide a level of protection to customers where possible. The plant is working extra hard due to the non-stop nature of load-shedding. <br></p><div>‘Eskom’s load-shedding impact on the City’s operations is profound and therefore another R56 million in budget adjustments in line with the January Adjustments Budget have also been made to cater to some of the impacts in the current financial year. </div><div><br></div><div>‘This includes an overtime increase to pay for the spike in faults and service requests due to load-shedding’s negative impact on infrastructure. It also includes an allocation made for security costs for first line electricity response teams having to deal with a rise in damage to infrastructure caused by theft and vandalism under the cover of load-shedding darkness. </div><div><br></div><div>‘Load-shedding continues to hammer City infrastructure as it has not been designed for constant load-shedding. Contingency measures are in place as far as possible,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Councillor Beverly van Reenen. </div><div><br></div><div>Please report theft and vandalism</div><div>Non-stop load-shedding at high stages leaves infrastructure vulnerable. The City monitors hot spot areas but residents are encouraged to report any incidents of theft, vandalism and damage to infrastructure to the City and the South African Police Service. </div><div>The City offers a reward of R5 000 to anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest, confiscation of stolen or illegal goods or the handing in of illegal or stolen goods. This reward is also applicable to information leading to the arrest of people vandalising, damaging or stealing electricity infrastructure or installing illegal connections.</div><div>Public Emergency Centre</div><div>021 480 7700 </div><div><br></div><div>Report damage to municipal electrical infrastructure:</div><div>• SMS: 31220</div><div>• Email: power@capetown.gov.za</div><div><br></div><div>For more information: </div><div><a href="https://www.savingelectricity.org.za/">www.SavingElectricity.org.za</a> <br></div><div><a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/loadshedding">www.capetown.gov.za/loadshedding</a></div><div><br><br></div><p><br></p> | 2023-02-07T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
| Harare home owners receive title deeds | The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Malusi Booi, and other dignitaries handed over title deeds to beneficiaries of the R154,4 million Harare Infill housing project in Khayelitsha earlier today, 8 February 2023. | <p>The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Malusi Booi, and other dignitaries handed over title deeds to beneficiaries of the R154,4 million Harare Infill housing project in Khayelitsha earlier today, 8 February 2023. <br></p><div>'The City is committed to providing housing on land in and near urban centres, and addressing the inequality of the past where the majority of our residents were denied ownership of property. Security of tenure is a priority for the City's Human Settlements Directorate. <br></div><div><span>
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<img src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre/MalB.jpeg" class="responsive" alt="" style="width:1069px;" /> </figure></span><br></div><div>'We are pleased to assist beneficiaries with the title deeds to their homes at this housing project. It will provide opportunities to 900 qualifying beneficiaries, and to date 762 houses have been completed and handed over to beneficiaries. Phase 1, which consists of 417 units, was completed during December 2022. All of the units have been handed over to beneficiaries and 355 title deeds completed with the balance in process of being transferred. Phase 2 consists of 483 units and to date 345 units have been completed. These units have been handed over to beneficiaries and 208 title deeds have already been completed. We will be handing over an additional 20 title deeds today, 8 February 2023.</div><div><br></div><div>‘We encourage beneficiaries to update their contact details on the Housing Needs Register as SMSs will be sent once title deeds are ready for collection. We look forward to assisting many more residents with the title deeds to their homes. They are some of the most poor in the metro and stand to benefit immensely by having their title deed,' said Councillor Booi.</div><div><br></div><div>Residents are encouraged to update their details on the Housing Needs Register: <br></div><div><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:calibri, sans-serif;"><a href="https://web1.capetown.gov.za/web1/HWL2012Online/"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"century gothic", sans-serif;">https://web1.capetown.gov.za/web1/HWL2012Online/</span></a></span></div><div><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"century gothic", sans-serif;"></span><font face="calibri, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:14.6667px;"><br></span></font><br></div><p><br></p> | 2023-02-07T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
| Security beefed up at mega Delft housing project after shooting of City contractors | We are committed to seeing this project to its conclusion in the agreed-to timelines to the benefit of some of our most vulnerable beneficiaries | <p>‘We are committed to seeing this project to its conclusion in the agreed-to timelines to the benefit of some of our most vulnerable beneficiaries. Project timelines have not been impacted by the recent incident but it is absolutely critical that members of the community help us to complete this project without further bloodshed. Anonymous tip offs and information leading to the arrest of criminals targeting the project will help to safeguard the project. The City’s Law enforcement agencies and the South African Police Service have been consulted and criminal cases opened for investigation in addition to the enhanced on-site security that has been implemented,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Malusi Booi. </p><div><br></div><div>Anonymous tip-offs welcomed</div><div>Reward of R5 000 leading to arrests. </div><div>Call: 0800 1100 77</div><div><br></div><div>Timelines</div><div>As per the signed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA, 2015) between ACSA and the City, the target area for this housing project will be Blikkiesdorp, Malawi Camp and Freedom Farm. </div><div><br></div><div>Construction of internal civil services commenced in April 2022 and estimated construction commencement of the top structures will be July 2024 for Site A and November 2024 for Site B, subject to development approvals. Construction of the project is expected to be completed toward the end of 2026, if all goes according to plan.</div><div><br><br></div><p><br></p> | 2023-02-07T22:00:00Z | | | | | | | 1 | | | |
