Ward 54 Newsletter July 2022 - Cllr Nicola Jowell

 

Dear Residents Without a doubt we have been in the worst LOAD SHEDDING session since this unwelcome reality became part of our lives 14 years ago in April 2008. Thankfully we have not had the full brunt of Stage 6 in our area unlike the rest of the country but the onslaught has been overwhelming for all. A four hour outage, absolutely crippling for business, hospitals, old age homes and just South African's trying to carry on every day.  It has not been easy and I think everyone for their patience as every day the schedule has chopped and changed as we trying to limit the impact in Cape Town, and sadly with the prolonged severity this has not always been possible as we need to build up reserves. The city's infrastructure has taken a terrible beating with faults occurring when power has turned back on and putting terrible strain on the teams from the electricity department. But without a doubt all South African's are simply "over it" and the city is pushing ahead as fast as possible with its plans to end load shedding over time.  This last week there were three occasions in which residents had contacted me about extended water or electricity (not load shedding) outages. Understandably irate by the time they contact me it was alarming to note in all three incidents that there had not been an actual report to the city to log the fault. When reported they were resolved quickly. I appeal to residents to please ensure that they log a SERVICE REQUEST for any fault, don't assume your neighbour or someone else has. By far the easiest and quickest is to log it online or via SMS. You can send an e-mail and for water faults even an Whats App. And last resort is to give the call center a call. All the contact details are below. Rather ensure its logged than not logging it at all.  STREET CHILDREN have been a large concern in the area over the last few months. A sudden increase in the number of children who are living on the streets many unaccompanied and some with their parents. A successful operation was held in Camps Bay with Provincial Social Services. In Sea Point the City's Metro Police have been running operations over the last few weeks to assist these minors. So far around 10 children have been assisted off the streets and into the capable hands of Provincial Social Services. These operations will be ongoing and we anticipate that there will be further children assisted through this process.  Thank you for taking the time to review my newsletter. I have added a general media release section towards the bottom which is a couple of the releases from the city from the last month -there can be many a day! Plus an event section has been added in which I will try to keep you notified of the bigger events on the horizon in the ward that may impact on your travel movements, or hopefully you just may want to join in.  Wishing you well and for those of you with young children I hope you are able to have wonderful family time in the last week of the winter school holidays! Take care Nicola How to Contact The City" Residents can contact us at on the following details: Cllr Nicola Jowell Email: nicola.jowell@capetown.gov.za Mobile: 072 653 5763 Simone Nathan - my excellent Ward Assistant Email: simone.nathan@capetown.gov.za Phone: 021 400 1466 (08:00 - 13:00) If you have any service delivery issue it's important that you log the matter directly with the City of Cape Town (known as a C3): phone 0860 103 089, or submit online at CCT Service Requests WATER FAULTS - SMS 31373, Whats App 060 018 1505, e-mail water@capetown.gov.za ELECTRICITY FAULTS - SMS 31220, e-mail power@capetown.gov.za For the latest news and updates on what I've been up to, please do follow my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/nicolajowellward54   SAFE SPACE HAS GROWN The City has expanded the current Safe Space 2 in Culembourg with four more large sleeping quarters. The additional capacity at this site alone will be 100 more permanent beds, which adds to the additional 550 that the city has funded with existing shelters through the Winter Readiness Grant-in-aid program. One of the living quarters will be a dedicated space for homeless people who identify as being from the LGBTQIA+ community. Space is also being set aside and made suitable for couples. On arrival a new client is assigned to a social worker who will help them with a personal development plan. There is help to get ID documents, job placements, tracking or speaking to families, medical referrals or enrolments onto the Matrix addiction program. A new client will also receive a personal care pack as well as a tea/coffee pack etc. These packs are also given out monthly to the clients at the safe space.  There is a lot more on the way in terms of additional capacity serving the Atlantic Seaboard and the CBD/City Bowl and we will put out confirmed information as soon as it is available.  *A reminder that the Safe Space is not a formal shelter but a transitionary safe sleeping space for those wanting to leave the streets. A space that social development can start to provide assistance and a path towards long term options for sustaining lives off the streets. The limitations are due to legislation from the constitution and municipal finances act which determines what municipalities can spend money on.

WASTE & ENVIRONMENTAL SCHOOL PROGRAM I had the pleasure of welcoming a full Sea Point Civic Hall full of learners from St Paul's Primary School to the ward. This forms part of the city's school awareness program and focuses on the proper and safe disposal of waste, preventing illegal dumping, recycling and environmental responsibility. An impressive understanding of the impact of waste and the changing environment which was exhibited through art, poetry, songs, dance and more. Well done to the City's Urban Waste Directorate for rolling out these programs and creating "Waste Wise Schools" Read more on the media release from the city here. URBAN MOBILITY Councilors have an essential oversight role and part of our work is on a portfolio committee focused on departmental oversight. Mine is Urban Mobility (previously Transport). This month we had extensive site visits through Khayalitsha. Read more about this here.  Last month I joined members of the GHOST SQUAD in one of their over night operation. An opportunity to see first hand their interventions in the area targeting noisy vehicles, speeding or racing and any other traffic or moving violations. These operations have been ongoing and will continue, in addition to the work done by the local traffic services team.  SUB-COUNCIL CLEANING TEAM: This team which was referred to in the recent Atlantic Sun article (https://www.atlanticsun.co.za/.../r1-million-proposal-to...) has been doing phenomenal work across the sub-Council area. The program started in April this year and the new round of funding will mean it carries on for the new financial year. The team works according to a roster that Ward Councilors have compiled, of our areas with problematic dumping or littering and that require higher levels of in-depth cleaning and reasources. It is frustrating that this amount of waste is being left, primarily in green belt areas of my ward (but not limited to that). This Sub-Council team has been nothing short of fantastic working hard in some very tough conditions with humour and vigour. Thanks so much to each and every team member! Glad that we are able to continue tackling these problematic littering areas and also provide employment for the members of this team. Earlier this month the Sub-Council was presented with an updated reported on designs and costing for a coastal walkway between Bantry Bay and Clifton. A project first conceptualized in 2010 and relook at this last year by Coastal Management at the Sub-Council's request. Its an ambitious project for a walk way that would be an asset to the city and assist in managing many of the issues along this coastal section. Think a mix of the Kirstenbosch Boomslang and the Hermanus coastal path. But an incredibly expensive project, when the city's has to focus on massive basic infrastructure investment among other priorities. But a project that I am glad we have been able to discuss again. And while our focus must be on basic service delivery, economic growth and assisting the homeless off the streets its certainly a project that I hope we can investigate further over the next 5 years and assess the possibilities. IGNISIVE The impressive team from Ignisive (Camps Bay), joined by their partners presented the Ignisive strategy and philosophy to the City's social development forum. Made up of organisations, NGOs and shelters across the city who are working on assisting the homeless off the streets. This is a monthly workshop and sharing platform to grow and develop interventions, share strategies and best practice and also to aid the city officials from social development in decision making and policy planning. What a pleasure to join the A+ Team from Ignisive! Thank you.   I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking to a group of Law Enforcement EPWP trainees. Along with Alderman Grant Twigg and Cllr Francine Higham we spoke to the group about the importance of Law Enforcement and the vital role that they will have when they graduate from training. The Department is growing in number all the time and we are looking forward to additional deployments that will over the Atlantic Seaboard too. DONATION If you have warm clothes and blankets to donate this will be in great need. You can drop these at the at the Blue donation boxes located at the Sea Point CID office (open 24/7) or at the Sea Point library (open 10:00-17:00). They can also be dropped at the Haven nigh shelter or the City Safe Space in Culembourg. WHATS APP NUMBER FOR WATER/SANITATION REPORTING: The city has relaunched the WhatsApp channel number to report any water and sanitation issues. The number is 060 018 1505 and is monitored 24/7. Please remember to include your full address or account number when you are reporting an issue, photos can also be sent easily which is an added bonus. Residents can scan the QR code to easily add the number to their contacts. This line can be used to report Water & Sanitation problems, making reporting easier for our residents. WARD 54 - UPCOMING EVENTS: Castle Lager Rugby Championship Springboks vs Wales at the DHL Cape Town Stadium. Kick off is at 17:05 with an anticipated full stadium. Road closure around the stadium and traffic services will be out in numbers to manage the volumes. Please do not drive into the precinct but rather make use of e-hailing, taxis, walking or the MyCiti bus which will be activated.  Cape Town Festival of Running 16th July 07:00 and 17th July 07:30. The event takes place along the Promenade starting outside the Rocklands play area. This is an early morning event and volumes are not high.  PSFA Blisters for Bread on the 28th August from the Green Point Cricket Club along the Promenade. Currently 2 000 taking part. Great to have this event back on the calendar!  Please see below details for two applications that I am aware of that have been made to Heritage Western Cape (HWC). The applications are not dealt with by the city but only by HWC as they are properties over 60 years old and the applications are for full or partial demolition.  Below are a selection of CITY MEDIA RELEASES that may be of interest to you. There any a number of releases that are sent out daily and the full list can be viewed here.  Investing in resilient future water remains the City's priority in the face of climate change Draft Mobile Business Policy opens for public comment New Payment methods for payment of fines City lauded by Ratings Afrika City encourages residents to connect with their Sub-Council's City working relentlessly to dismantle youth unemployment City disburses R10m to NGOs to assist people off the streets.

Included in Conde Naste Traveller's 14 prettiest ocean pools in the world

Fantastic to see that Camps and Milton tidal pools have made it onto CNN travellers list of 14 prettiest tidal pools in the world. And I think there are more in the are and Cape Town that should be on the list too! - Nicola Jowell

The 14 prettiest ocean pools in the world

From Australia to South Africa, these are the most beautiful spots to make a splash

BY ZAHRA SURYA DARMA

12 July 2022

The feeling of a wild swim in the open ocean is unmatched by a dip in the confines of a heated swimming pool. But ocean pools offer you the best of both worlds. They provide swimmers all the poolside comforts with the thrill of a seaside swim – minus the need to worry about waves crashing into you. Add in the miles of breathtaking views, and it's a win-win situation every traveller should experience.

From the Atlantic beaches of Sintra and Madeira to the coastlines of Australia, let’s dive into the 14 prettiest ocean pools in the world to dip your toes into.

Herewith the extracts on Camps Bay Ocean Pool and Sea Point Tidal Pool

Camps Bay Ocean Pool

Camps Bay Beach, Cape Town, South Africa

Visitors are surprisingly spoiled for choice when it comes to seawater pools on Cape Town’s coasts. This one found along the Atlantic Seaboard is surrounded by stunning panoramic shots of Table Mountain and the Twelve Apostles. It’s recommended to go in the late afternoon to enjoy the sun dip directly in front of the infinity edge and afterwards, book a table at one of the many restaurants a short walk away.

Sea Point tidal pool

Milton Beach, Cape Town, South Africa

Everyone knows Cape Town has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but its ocean pools are one not to overlook. One of the most celebrated in the region, this tidal pool stunningly contrasts the white sandy beach with its emerald-turquoise colours fed by the Atlantic and Indian waters. It’s a popular destination due to its ease of accessibility and it’s great for safe swimming with the family.

You can read the full article here:  https://bit.ly/3z8hLDQ

Camps Bay Community Mandela Day 67 Minute Litter Clean on Monday 18 July

 

Camps Bay Community Mandela Day 67 Minute Litter Clean on Monday 18 July

Please join Nox Cape Town in giving 67 minutes of its staff’s time on Mandela Day on Monday 18 July, in honour of the 67 years that our former President dedicated to our country as a leader.

Please give us your 67 minutes too for a joint Community Beach Clean, from 13h00 - 14h07. We meet opposite The 41 Restaurant.

Please bring members of your family and friends, wearing gloves. We will provide bags.

The 41 Restaurant offers a complimentary coffee/tea/cold drink for each participant. The person collecting the most litter wins two The 41 hamburgers. #thankyou Marius Blanc

We welcome learners in joining us for their Community projects.

LETS KEEP CAPE TOWN CLEAN, TOGETHER

Chris von Ulmenstein

Camps Bay Clean

Camps Bay Ratepayers Association

CCT: Liquor Authority Online Webinars

 

Nicola Jowell - Ward 54

The Western Cape Liquor Authority are hosting online webinars to introduce the section 64 processes to the public and Licence Holders:

S64 entails the "Non-automatic" renewals of liquor licenses and what affect this has on communities and liquor license holders.

For more info:

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC:

• Tuesday 12 July 2022, 17:00 - 18:30

• Wednesday 13 July 2022, 17:00 - 18:30

Kindly RSVP for the PUBLIC webinars here: https://forms.gle/ew32RACWZhz9S6PC8

LICENCE HOLDERS:

• Wednesday 13 July, 10:00 - 11:30

• Friday 15 July, 11:00 - 12:30

Kindly RSVP for the LICENCE HOLDER webinars here: https://forms.gle/hmhynJDvUWB3Eo2g6

Petrol station’s liquor licence application denied

It was a victory for residents of Sea Point and the Western Cape when a petrol station was denied a liquor licence. So says Caro Smit, director of South Africans Against Drunk Driving.

Last year the Sea Point Fresnaye Bantry Bay (SFB) Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Association objected to an application for a Pick n Pay convenience store at a BP petrol station in Regent Road to sell alcohol (“SFB to oppose petrol station’s liquor licence application”, Atlantic Sun, September 23, 2021).

“It is a small victory,” said Ms Smit.

“It shows the power of the public, the power of citizens to say we don’t accept this and we have a voice, and our voice has been heard in that we don’t need more alcohol sales outlets. We hope that this means that the Western Cape will not give a pass to other petrol stations to have liquor licences.”

SFB vice-chairperson, Dr Lydia Abel, added: “We notified the residents and ratepayers and to inform them about the issues and complications at stake and to encourage them to respond to the application individually and as groups.”

Ward 54 councillor Nicola Jowell who added her support to the objection of the liquor licence application, said there had been applications from convenience stores located at petrol stations across the province.

“Convenience shops at petrol stations are an important part of our economy and provide a vital service to the community as well as employ many people.

“However, we just cannot see that liquor is considered a convenience item and sold in this manner. In addition to that, it should never be that we link alcohol so directly with a place that is designated for drivers, in a country with such poor adherence to the legislation when it comes to drinking and driving,” said Ms Jowell.

Ms Jowell thanked the SFB, SADD and members of the public for objecting to the application as well.

“I think this is a good reminder that we need to follow the steps and object with sound reasoning to issues of concern.

“When we can object with reference to the legislation and point out how something is in conflict with the legislation and the general benefit to society then we have a solid stance for having our objections heard. I am by no means against the issuing (of liquor licences) or selling of alcohol but there are appropriate places and those that are not, and this is the latter,” she said.

According to a statement from the Western Cape Liquor Authority, by July 4, 12 liquor licence applications associated with petrol stations and lodged since November 2020 had been considered.

“Nine of these have been refused and three have been postponed. The unsuccessful applicants have the right to lodge appeals against the decision of the Liquor Licensing Tribunal,” said Simion George, CEO of the Western Cape Liquor Authority.

The WCLA added that it required the Liquor Licensing Tribunal (the Tribunal) to be satisfied – on a balance of probabilities – that the granting of the licence was in the public interest and sets out criteria to be considered before a licence is granted.

“The application process provides the opportunity for local communities and interested parties to comment on an application under consideration,” said Mr George.

He added that the outlined process had been followed in the case of the Sea Point petrol station application, and objections, comments and input received had been given to the applicant.

The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance said they were pleased with the decision not to grant this licence.

“We do not believe petrol stations should sell alcohol anywhere in South Africa and will continue to oppose such applications. South Africa needs to reduce alcohol harm and should petrol stations begin selling liquor, it will in fact increase road fatalities,” said SAAPA spokesperson Terri-Liza Fortein.

At the time of going to print there was no response from the petrol station or convenience store.

From the Atlantic Sun

By Shahied Joseph

https://bit.ly/3z2O2MM

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.