Thursday, June 10, 2010

Meet Bafana Bafana

This is our team for the world cup.
We support them and wish all an exciting month of soccer and festivities.

City Limits large Events during world cup

CITY OF CAPE TOWN - MEDIA RELEASE - 07 JUNE 2010

City limits large events during World Cup

The City of Cape Town would like to advise event organisers that any further applications for large events during the FIFA World Cup TM period may not be granted.

“In order to host the biggest single sporting event in the world, the Host City must run smoothly. All other available municipal, transport and security services have to ensure the event is staged safely and effectively,” explained Pieter Cronje, the City’s 2010 Spokesperson.

It is for this reason that the Host City Agreement, signed between FIFA and South African host cities, restricts any other major events. The City and the South African Police Services(SAPS) have considered and approved a number of events that will enhance the World Cup experience in Cape Town, but in light of the demands on resources it is unlikely that any further applications will be accepted.

The City is obligated to maintain an acceptable level of ‘normal’ service delivery to residents throughout the 2010 World Cup period. Furthermore, if there are several large events happening concurrently or in close succession, the SAPS may advise against holding some of the proposed events.

The City’s Events By-law applies to any event held within the area of jurisdiction of the City, including events held on both private and public land that impact on the resources of the City and the surrounding community. This By-Law does not apply to:
• Events of fewer than 50 persons where there is no amplified sound or temporary structures erected; and
• Small events such as family and community events held on private property or purpose built venues, subject to any other legislation. This exclusion does not apply to events or parts of events which by their nature, size or impact are considered outside the normal use parameters for the venue.

Anyone who wishes to organise a public event must apply to the City’s Events and Permitting Office on the prescribed form with full details of location, facilities, times, numbers, road access and closures and other information requested. The event cannot proceed without a permit. This requirement serves to ensure the safety of those attending, avoid disruption and limit inconvenience to surrounding areas.

Following an application, various aspects of the event are checked, including fire escapes and hazards, impact on traffic, health requirements, noise restrictions and the safety of any temporary structures. Public safety and security is an important consideration at events. The SAPS have to be advised and become involved in any significant event, together with the City’s Metro Police, Traffic Services and Law Enforcement. In addition, other municipal services may be required e.g. the supply of electricity, water and sanitation for the event and waste removal. Once all of these requirements have been met, a permit is issued.

Event organisers who do not apply for a permit, proceed with the event before it is granted, or deviate from their event plan run the risk of incidents which could lead to damage, injuries or even death. In cases where the events are non-compliant, organisers will be held accountable and could face legal action.

The event footprint for the hosting of the World Cup is far greater than just the Cape Town Stadium and its precinct. It includes the airport; main transport routes; key hotels for teams, officials and dignitaries; training grounds; the Fan Fest at the Grand Parade; the Fan Walk to the stadium; and the four fan jols(Public Viewing Areas), all funded by the City for free viewing and entertainment for residents and visitors to Cape Town.

While the City does not discourage gatherings at homes or on a small scale at safe venues, it must act responsibly by warning organisers and attendees of the risk of hosting non-compliant events.


End

Issued by: Communication Department, City of Cape Town

Media enquiries: Pieter Cronjé, Director: Communication and 2010 Spokesperson, City of Cape Town, Tel: 021 400 4592 or Cell: 082 465 4965

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

City Processing Objections to Property Valuations

City processing objections to property valuations

The City plans to resolve the bulk of property valuation objections received for the 2009 Valuation before the end of 2010.

Some 35 000 valid objections were lodged during the objections process, which translates into approximately 4.5% of the total number of rateable properties in Cape Town. Of these 19 600 objections came from residential properties, 12 500 for sectional title units, 2 330 for commercial and 440 for agricultural. The remainder of the objections fall into other categories.

“National legislation provides for the lodging of objections against valuations where the property owner disagrees with the value as determined by the municipal valuer. We are confident that we will process most of these objections by the end of 2010,” said Christopher Gavor, Director: City Valuations.

Property owners who lodged objections at the objection venues during the two month window period that ended on 30 April 2010 were provided with written acknowledgements at the venue. Property owners who lodged valid objections via e-mail, fax or mail by 30 April 2010 would have received written acknowledgements by mail.

Property owners will still receive rates bills based on their new valuations, but must contact the City’s Call Centre on 086 010 3089 to arrange payment options during the time their objections are being processed.

“The objections process gave us the chance to review any errors or omissions. We received about half the number of objections during this period, compared to the previous general valuation exercise in 2006,” said Gavor.

Qualified, experienced and registered professional valuers will investigate every objection, either by means of a physical visit to the property or by means of desk-top tools or both. The decision will then formally be communicated to property owners and ratepayers. Objectors who are still dissatisfied with the results can appeal the decision to a Valuation Appeal Board. The Valuation Appeal Board is an independent tribunal appointed by the MEC for Local Government in the Province. The appeal boards have already been constituted.

A project team will track the progress with the finalization of the objections on a monthly basis to ensure that the majority of the reviews are completed by the end of the year. Anyone with queries can contact the Call Centre on 086 010 3089.

End

Issued by: Communication Department, City of Cape Town

Media enquiries: Christopher Gavor, Tel: 021 400 9900 or Cell: 082 899 3308

Monday, May 10, 2010

MYCiTi - Cape Town transport gets a new name and look

CITY OF CAPE TOWN - MEDIA RELEASE - 06 MAY 2010

Cape Town transport gets a new name and look – MYCiTi


The City of Cape Town today introduced its first branded Integrated Rapid Transit(IRT) buses and unveiled the name, colours and design. The new public transport system will be known as MYCiTi.

At the launch today, at the Granger Bay Bus Station near the new Cape Town Stadium, Councillor Elizabeth Thompson, Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Roads and Major Projects, said: "We hope users of MYCiTi will feel a sense of belonging and ownership when they are passengers or refer to the service. This name identifies a user-friendly service which transports people safely, conveniently, reliably and helps them avoid being stuck in traffic. We want them to feel proud to live in a world-class city with modern facilities. MYCiTi will offer people greater choice and quality in their own public transport system."

"As the IRT rolls out across Cape Town in the coming years, it aims to be much more than a transport system, it must give citizens a sense of control, ownership, greater choice, mobility and access to opportunities, " Cllr Thompson said.

Alderman Ian Neilson, Executive Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Finance, said that although the primary benefit of the IRT service was for passengers, the wider benefit would extend to all residents and visitors as the service will unlock economic opportunities. It will make the city more accessible.

"The IRT will add value to Cape Town by making it a better place to live and work in. It makes Cape Town a better place in which to invest resources, both human and financial", Neilson said.

The name MYCiTi is multilingual, easy to use for Capetonians and visitors alike, and unique to Cape Town with its play on the city’s name. It extends to the creation of a ribbon element that is a central theme in the design and represents how the service threads through the city, linking places and people to each other and to opportunity.

The logo shape is aligned to the City's corporate identity. The red ribbon in the logo is an abstract interpretation of Devil's Peak, Table Mountain and Lion's Head and also resembles the red roads that MyCiTi buses will use as they weave through Cape Town.

The font or letter type is bold to easily identify the system while the colour palette is warm and approachable. The inspiration is drawn from the many colours of the deep blue ocean that surrounds the Cape Peninsula. The accent colour red represents red IRT roads, but is also symbolic of the connections that the system will offer to all its passengers across the city.

"We believe the exhilaration of this new brand design matches that of the Cape Town experience", said Cllr Thompson.

"The slogan, ‘siyajikeleza, laat wiel, going places’ is obviously related to transport, but it also represents other themes central to the IRT service including a sense of achievement and of going places in one's life. The underlying promise of the slogan is that the IRT will expand as the city grows. It also extends to Cape Town itself, as a city that is ready to go and compete on the international stage” she added.

The City has ordered 43 IRT buses, eight 18m long articulated buses and thirty five 12m long buses. The buses will first be used during the 2010 FIFA World Cup to ferry visitors from the airport to and around the central city. They will also provide a free shuttle service on match days from the Hertzog Boulevard Bus Station to Cape Town Stadium for people who hold tickets for the match.

After the World Cup the buses will also be used in the roll-out of Phase 1a of Cape Town’s IRT system.

The airport shuttle service will launch on Saturday 29 May 2010.


End

Issued by: City of Cape Town, Communication Department

Media enquiries: Kylie Hatton, Media Manager, Cell: 082 874 4605

Road Closures during 2010 Soccer World Cup

CITY OF CAPE TOWN MEDIA RELEASE - 05 MAY 2010 - Road closures during World Cup

“Traffic will be affected on match days in Cape Town during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ due to a number of necessary road closures. The City asks the public to be aware of these and to plan their routes and travel times accordingly. We apologise for any inconvenience caused,” said the City’s Director: Communication and 2010 Spokesperson, Pieter Cronje.

Public transport services have been extended as part of the City’s transport plan for the event. “We encourage commuters to utilise these extended public transport services offered by the City,” said Peter Sole, Manager: 2010 Transport Operations.

All trains and certain train stations will have additional security for the duration of the World Cup. In addition, the use of non-motorised transport and car pooling is greatly encouraged.

Detailed information appears below.

Impact of road closures during 2010 FIFA World CupTM - ROAD CLOSURES ON CAPE TOWN MATCH DAYS

Routes affected within the Central Business District (CBD)
Four hours before kick-off there will be no general access to Hertzog Boulevard between Civic Avenue and Heerengracht, along Hans Strijdom Avenue, and along Adderley Street between Strand Street and Hertzog Boulevard. Premises in this area will be provided with the necessary access via alternative routes and opening the left lane of affected roads as required. The intersections of Hans Strijdom, at Long and Loop Streets will remain open to crossing traffic at all times, but may close for short periods before and after matches to give priority to the Match Day shuttle.

CBD connections to Green Point, Sea Point, Fresnaye and Atlantic Seaboard
Western Boulevard will be closed in both directions, from Buitengragt in the central business district (CBD), to the Beach Road intersection at Three Anchor Bay. However, motorists will be able to exit the V&A Waterfront using Portswood Road, turning left into Western Boulevard, and then making a left turn only into Buitengragt.
Somerset Road will be closed from Buitengragt to Ebenezer Road in both directions between Ebenezer Road and York Road from 4 hours before the match to 4 hours after final whistle. From Ebenezer Road to York Road, the CBD-bound carriageway will be closed. However, two-way traffic will be accommodated on the Sea Point-bound carriageway. This route is intended for local access only, and should be avoided by non-residents.

Road closures will mostly impact upon traffic leaving the CBD during the evening peak period. People travelling to the Bantry Bay, Clifton and Camps Bay areas along the Atlantic Seaboard are advised to use Kloof Nek Road when leaving the city centre. During match day closures, public transport will be redirected onto High Level Road. It is thus recommended that, due to the expected congestion on High Level Road, Kloof Nek Road be used by general traffic.
On match days, it is expected that traffic volumes on High Level and Kloof Nek Roads as well as at the Buitengragt intersections will be very heavy. Thus, wherever possible, it is recommended that commuters adjust their routes and travel times to avoid these routes during road closures.

At the Stadium
Beach Road from Fritz Sonnenberg Road to Haul Road will be open for two-way traffic on the seaward carriageway. The mountain side carriageway will be open to accredited vehicles only. Beach Road from Haul to Portswood Road will be open for one-way traffic towards the CBD. Vehicles exiting the V&A Waterfront in the direction of Mouille Point will access Beach Road via Haul Road. Fritz Sonnenberg Road south-east of the Metropolitan Golf Course entrance, Vlei Road and Fort Wynyard Road will be closed to all but accredited vehicles.

ROAD CLOSURES FOR THE DURATION OF THE 2010 EVENT

Around FIFA Fan Fest™ on Grand Parade
The Grand Parade in the centre of Cape Town, near Cape Town Station, is the venue for the FIFA Fan Fest™. This is a festival venue at which all the matches played will be televised on big screens in addition to daily live entertainment. Minimal road closures will enhance accessibility to the venue. As of 1 May the closures will be:-
· Lower Plein Street between Darling and Castle Streets in the direction of Cape Town Station. Lower Plein Street will remain open for traffic moving between Castle and Darling Streets in the direction of the mountain, and
· Corporation Street between Longmarket and Darling Streets.

Between 6 June and 14 July the following additional road closures will be in place:
· Darling Street between Buitenkant and Plein Streets will be closed.
· The eastbound (Woodstock direction) carriageway of Darling Street between Plein and Adderley Streets will be closed for the duration.
· Plein Street between Longmarket and Darling Streets will operate one-way only in the direction of Darling Street.
· Corporation and Parade Streets will be closed to general traffic between Caledon and Darling Streets with the exception of vehicles requiring access to premises in these streets.
· Lower Plein Street will be open daily only for one-way traffic in the direction of the mountain in the morning up to 09:30 after which the road will be closed to traffic.

Around the Stadium
Fritz Sonnenberg Road south-east of the Metropolitan Golf Course entrance, Vlei Road and Fort Wynyard Road will be closed with access for accredited vehicles only.
Granger Bay Boulevard from Western Boulevard Circle to Beach Road will be closed to all vehicles.

IMPACT OF ROAD CLOSURES ON NORMAL PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Public transport services that, for any portion of their routes, operate along closed or restricted roads may have some route section deviations. Bus services provided by Golden Arrow will be affected by the envisaged road closures in the Green Point area as well as the CBD on both match and non-match days. The affected services in the different areas, as well as their rerouting, are listed below:

Bus services travelling through the Green Point area
On match days, the section of Somerset Road in Green Point, i.e. between York Road and Buitengragt, will be closed to traffic.
All bus services from the CBD travelling through the Green Point area will be redirected to High Level Road, as will all buses travelling from the Camps Bay area through Green Point towards the CBD. Buses will be able to enter Main Road from High Level Road along Cavalcade and Glengariff Roads using existing bus stops on High Level Road.

Bus services entering the CBD
All bus services affected by the road closures will be redirected. Golden Arrow is still to confirm the new route, but all services will
terminate at the Golden Acre. Updated information is available from the 24/7 Transport Information Centre on 0800 65 64 63. Road
closures will have a minimal impact on services entering the CBD via Darling Street.

MINIBUS TAXI SERVICES
The minibus taxi industry is being consulted with regard to routes and pick-up/drop-off areas that have to be rerouted or moved. These will be communicated as soon as finality is reached.

SWITCH TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT
All fans and commuters travelling to the CBD (City Centre) are strongly encouraged to use public transport, non-motorised transport and car pooling. The World Cup period is an ideal opportunity to try out the extended public transport services. Trains and certain train stations will have additional security measures in place for the duration of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.


End

Issued by: Communication Department, City of Cape Town

Media enquiries: Pieter Cronje, Director: Communication, City of Cape Town, Tel: 021 400 4592 or Cell: 082 465 4965

Peter Sole, Manager: 2010 Transport Operations, City of Cape Town, Tel: 021 400 4735 or Cell: 084 222 1462

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Community Braai in Constantia Hills

Twice a year the CHRA hosts a community braai. The residents of our lovely suburb enjoy a fun-filled, late afternoon/early Sunday evening braai on the field at the top of Rodgers Avenue, Berg-en-Dal and Welgelee roads.

The committee arranges the braai drums and fires, and everyone stands around the fires chatting and sharing wine and a beer or two, from 16H00 until about 19H30 when the last people pack up.

We have almost always had good weather, sometimes a bit of a chilly wind, but every one comes suitably kitted out, together with chairs, food, children, dogs and liquid refreshments.
These get-togethers are such fun as long time residents meet up, catch up (and then only get to see each other from passing cars or whilst walking their dogs) and new residents get to meet their neighbours, members of the committee, and make new friends.
In 2009 we held the braais in March and September, and this year on 18 April 2010, all of which were well attended. So, next time you get an email advising the date of the next braai, make a diary note and come along!


It's such an easy relaxed and uncomplicated way of getting to know the people who live in the neighbourhood, and for the children to get to know each other as well!
photos taken and supplied by FRENSKE OTZEN.




























Thursday, January 28, 2010

We need your Help!

from Mark Day, Co-ordinator: Awareness, Census & Volunteer Work
Western Leopard Toad Conservation Committee


It has come to my attention that there is a development scheduled to start on Monday when developers will begin bulldozing the site. The area of concern consists on three large erven in Bergvleit (driving down the M3 after Firgrove bridge on the right is this huge overgrown grove of trees and shrubs).

The approval has somehow passed through the unscathed and so I am organising two big search & rescue sessions taking place tomorrow (and possible again on the weekend)

Address: 6 Barn Rd, Bergvleit (driving down Ladies Mile (over the circle towards Main rd, you will take the first right after the circle into Homestead Ave. Drive right down to the bottom of Homestead and just before the end is Barn Rd on your right. We will be meeting outside number 6 Barn Rd at 07H00am tomorrow morning and will continue on until 10 or 11. Then again from 17H00 till late.

We will be sifting through the vegetation and debris looking for reptiles, frogs and other critters.

What you need to bring are: any kind on containers with holes in the lids (ice cream; glass jars, plastic margarine containers, etc...; a hat; gloves if you feel you need them (incase we come across snakes and spiders/scorpions.)
In the evening the usual night gear like a torch, bucket; closed shoes, etc.
Also remember snacks and water as essentials for yourself!

It will be interesting to record what we find so bring a camera, clipboard, paper and pencil and we can document our findings.

THE PROPERTY IS VERY DENSE IN PARTS AND FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD, HAS A HUB OF SMALL FAUNA ACTIVITY SO PLEASE RALLY AS MANY FRIENDS AND PEERS AS POSSIBLE FOR THIS, IT IS A BIG ONE!

Our findings will be relocated to Die Oog which is very close to the site which as probably know is a protected area.

PLEASE SMS ME YOUR NAME AND SESSION YOU ARE ATTENDING (MORNING OR EVENING) TO 0825163602.'

I look forward to seeing you there!

Many Thanks

Mark Day
WLT Hotline:0825163602
Facebook: The Endangered Western Leopard Toad
www.leopardtoad.co.za / www.toadnuts.co.za / www.toadvolunteer.ning.com