CBCRA Newsletter July 2022

NEWSLETTER JULY 2022 The CBCRA welcomes you to its Newsletter, which intends to inform the community of all matters of interest and concern. Since Covid-19 hit us, many new issues have arisen whilst the old ones remain with us. The draconian regulations of the Disaster Management Act have been repealed, which is a tremendous relief in both our social and business lives – especially the Theatre on the Bay, restaurants and accommodation establishments. However, please remain aware that the virus is still with us and be cautious! The socio-economic effect of Covid-19 is most alarming. This has resulted in so many more people being driven to the streets as a means of existence. There has also been a rise in crime and whereas the two issues are often conflated, it is important to distinguish actual causal links and, most importantly, establish the means for dealing with both effectively. The CBCRA, with the Community Policing Forum (CPF), deals with the homeless issue as an objective. The Community Security Initiative (CBCSI) and the Community Policing Forum (CPF) take civic responsibility for crime and security in Camps Bay and Clifton – in support of SAPS. Please go to this link on our blog for important information on current crime trends and reporting. We remain committed to working in unison with all civic bodies to achieve the best results for our area. The format of this Newsletter is to provide brief overviews of the work being done by the CBCRA, which will have a link to its webpage for greater detail for those who seek more information on particular issues. We trust that this Newsletter is of value to its readers and encourage all residents to join the CBCRA, for the benefit of the community. ENVIRONMENT Marine Outfall Plant Are you aware that the City of Cape Town discharges millions of litres of raw sewerage into the bay of Camps Bay every day? The CBCRA has long been fighting to have this situation changed – and now the action group OUTA (remember the Gauteng toll road rip-off that OUTA successfully undid?) has joined the battle. Read how OUTA is helping Cape Town fight for clean coastal and inland water. Community Beach Clean CBCRA’s Manco member for Environment, Chris von Ulmenstein, has been galvanising the community to take responsibility for the picking up of litter in the area, especially on the beachfront. CBCRA is also looking into projects that will deal with the prevention of littering. We were delighted that our hands-on Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, joined the community for an exceptionally well-attended litter clean at Maiden’s Cove on Saturday the 14th of May. We filled 145 bags with litter. The next clean-up will take place on Saturday 30 July at 11h00 – 12h00 (weather permitting) Our thanks to the City of Cape Town’s Cleansing Department for its excellent and speedy response to collecting and cleaning up litter hotspots in our suburb. Read more about it. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Probably one of the most pressing issues currently facing our suburb is the increase of homeless people living on the streets. The enormous task of systematically assisting these people into sustainable work and shelter is being undertaken by CBCRA’s Theresa Massaglia and Alan Marsh (chair of the CPF) under the banner of the Ignisive organisation. One of the thrusts of this initiative is the project to ensure responsible giving, in line with the City’s GIVE DIGNITY. It is very clear that the random handouts to people begging on the street only serve to prolong their predicament. Ward 54 Councillor, Nicola Jowell, and the City’s Reintegration Team, led by Fiona Bosch, participated in a recent GIVE DIGNITY campaign in Camps Bay, with placards displayed at traffic lights on Victoria Road. Some more projects and collaborations to note can be read on the blog. GIVE DIGNITY is an initiative run by the City of Cape Town to raise awareness around the plight of people living on the street. The initiative emphasises that instead of a cash handout, which often increases the risk of prolonged homelessness, we encourage you to make a donation. Find the details on their website. PROPERTY PLANNING The CBCRA continues to fight the onslaught of over-bulked development in the area. Sadly, the City appears to be captured by the development industry and routinely approves inappropriate developments. Financial constraints prevent us from tackling all but the most offensive developments, with all recent legal action being successful. Probably the most well-reported current case is the development at 22 Sedgemoor Rd, where the construction of a 4-unit block of flats was recently stopped by an interdict out of the Western Cape High Court. In terms of court process, the City must provide us with the full case record of the approval (which we believe contains useful information for our full review case) but, the City claims not to have the file! We are approaching the Mayor in this regard. A summary of recent applications, objections and actions is available on the blog. Anyone with any experience in property planning matters and who is keen to help in preserving our suburb must please contact the CBCRA at campsbayratepayers@gmail.com. CLIFTON SPECIAL RATING AREA (SRA) or CITY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT (CID) The efforts by Clifton ratepayers to establish a Special Rating Area (SRA) are well advanced and currently at the stage of demarcating the specific area. Sufficient positive votes have been obtained to go ahead with the project. The CBCRA fully supports this initiative and intends, with other civic organisations in the area, to pursue a similar path for Camps Bay. You can follow this project’s development on their website. THEATRE ON THE BAY A face-lift to the area between the theatre and the beachfront was commissioned by Pieter Toerien of the Theatre on the Bay. CBCRA’s Manco member for Heritage & Planning, Johan van Papendorp (the architect of the Green Point Urban Park), was commissioned to redesign the area. This involved the relocation of the electrical substation and the creation of a piazza connecting the theatre to the beachfront and the war memorial. Further good news is that the City has allocated funds in the 2023 budget to fully restore the memorial. Anyone with historical photos or data relating to the memorial should please share them with the CBCRA on campsbayratepayers@gmail.com. The old electrical substation has been demolished and a new one constructed on the upgraded park next to the police station. A new piazza serves this area, which will link to the war memorial. The Theatre management is relieved that the 50% occupancy regulation has been repealed, given the severe constraints during the pandemic restrictions. Make sure to catch this winter season’s excellent shows: UNCLE MARC with Mark Lottering (28 June - 9 July) ROMANZA, a Spanish-inspired guitar and dance programme (12 - 24 July) SHIRLEY VALENTINE (3 - 13 August) BECOME A VALUED MEMBER We express our gratitude to all those members currently serving on the CBCRA Manco. These are hard-working and selfless individuals who freely give of their time to protect the uniqueness of our beautiful village and suburb. As always, new members are welcome and there is a great need for members to join in on the variety of tasks to tackle. If you are keen to join us and become a valued member of your community, please email the chairman, Chris Willemse, at campsbayratepayers@gmail.com. NEWS LINKS We use our social media platforms to share valuable information with the community. Please follow us on our Instagram profiles and like our Facebook page in order to stay up to date on our latest posts. Councillor Nicola Jowell’s Newsletter – June 2022 CBCSI’s Newsletter – June 2022 SFB – Seapoint | Fresnaye | Bantry Bay Newsletter – June 2022 The Bungalows Owners Association News SUBSCRIBERS You may be receiving this newsletter for the first time as a member of the Camps Bay & Clifton Ratepayers Association. We continue to update and refine our mailing list. If you would like to unsubscribe please click on the unsubscribe link below this page and you will immediately be removed from the list. Your details are stored securely and will not be shared with any other person or organisation. If you know of anyone who would like to subscribe, they can send us an email with their request at campsbayratepayers@gmail.com. We welcome any feedback on this newsletter. Email your comments to campsbayratepayers@gmail.com. Copyright (C) 2022 Camps Bay & Clifton Ratepayers Newsletter. All rights reserved.