Cape News

capetownguy said:
Downtown Cape Town is the best in the world

Cape Town’s central city area has been recognised as ‘downtown of the month’ by the International Downtown Association.

The recognition by the organisation, which comprises more than 650 member organisations on four continents, is particularly impressive given that the area was in decline 10 years ago. High Street shopping had almost entirely gone underground (or moved to the malls), streets were quiet after dark, parking was in short supply and ‘overseen’ by self-appointed car guards, and historic public spaces, such as Church Square and the Grand Parade, had become parking lots. Capital was moving to the suburbs, and buildings were losing value. Few people actually ‘lived’ in the central city, mainly due to the forced removal of nearly 60 000 people from District Six in the 1960s and 70s.

Today, 5 000 people live in the CBD and 55 000 in the broader central city area. There are outdoor eateries, designer shops, refurbished residences, and revamped offices, thanks to years of renovation and rejuvenation. More than R1.4 billion worth of development projects were completed in 2008 alone. There are also moves afoot to create more than 1 500 student/affordable ‘beds’ in the inner city.

‘The areas is part of our collective city psyche,’ says Andrew Boraine, historian and CEO of the Cape Town Partnership, the organisation founded in July 1999 to manage, promote and develop the Cape Town central city (in partnership with the City of Cape Town, the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA), the Cape Town Regional Chamber of Commerce and industry and other stakeholders).

The Central City Improvement District (CCID) was established in 2000 to tackle the immediate problems of grime and crime that plagued the area. The CCID’s operations are financed by levies from property owners, which to date have totalled approximately R250 million.

Since then, the area has seen a 90% reduction in serious crime; attracted investment attraction of between R14-18 billion, with a further R20 billion in the pipeline; re-developed more than 170 buildings, revitalised public spaces and pedestrian environments; and established innovative creative industries and energy efficiency programmes.

“A healthy central city is a healthy city,’ says Boraine, ‘and our central city engenders a strong sense of identity among almost all residents.’ He notes the enormous numbers of people who travel from all corners of the city to watch the switching on of the festive season lights, to attend the jazz festivals, the numerous cultural festivals. ‘Because of our history of divisions, people don’t generally go into “other people’s” areas, but they all come here!’
‘Everyone and anyone can come into town – and they’ve been doing so for hundreds of years.’

The International Downtown Association is Washington DC based organisation that works with cities to achieve vital and liveable urban centres.

Some central city statistics…

* Approximately 200 000 people work in or visit the central city every day
* 5 000 people live in the CBD and 55 000 in the broader central city area
* More than R1.4 billion worth of development projects were completed in the central city in 2008
* R440 million is being spent on the upgrade of the Cape Town Station
* 200 CCID security officers with closely with the South African Police Force (SAPS), Metro Police and the CCTV system
* 63 CCID cleaners, in partnership with City Cleansing, keep the central city streets clean every day
* 50 cigarette bins have been placed around the Central city by the CCID
* 823 graffiti removals per year make the Central city graffiti-free
* 300 000 to 500 000 people are expected to visit the City during the 2010 Fifa World Cup
* Eight public spaces have been upgraded by the City of Cape Town
* Over 1 000 creative industries are based in the Central city
* The Cape Town International Convention Centre hosts 50% of all international meetings in Africa and two-thirds of international meetings in South Africa
* One new stadium, situated alongside a new urban park on the historic Green Point Common
* South Africa’s most visited destination – the V&A Waterfront
* One International Book Fair
* One International Jazz Festival, ranked fourth in the world
* Numerous cultural festivals and sporting events
Click to expand...
I don't know where this comes from, but it's a lot of spin.

The City centre is still problematic. We have backpackers hostels where drugs are available from the door, Hostels which don't comply with fire regulations (causing fires and deaths).

The parking fees are expensive and rising. You sometimes have to wait 20 minutes for an attendant to arrive or else they inflate your bill.

The area is largely avoided by tourists because of the crime.

The CCTV camera system is ineffective for operational reasons.

The market area is dominated by immigrants selling art from anywhere but this country. I won't even mention the drug dealing going on there.

Malls in the suburbs are thriving because they have taken business away from the grotty city centre. Weekends, the centre is deserted and many shops don't bother opening.

There is no cinema in the city for the same reason (not counting the Labia which is in the Gardens).

The roads are a disaster. Entire lanes are taken up by stopped taxis. Enforcement is irregular and ineffective.

The underground shopping area is like a slum. That used to be quite grand as I recall. If you want to buy a 15 yr old calculator (in new packaging) or some chinese-made panties, then head there.

The businesses that have vacated the city area have been replaced by apartment blocks. District 6 was a monumental slum, so I don't see why that gets a mention.
 
Cape Town Central City Developments

Foreshore

Three Towers Building
Foreshore: CTICC Expansion and hotel (R730m)
Foreshore: Roggebaai Building
Foreshore: SA Reit Building
Foreshore: Harbour Bridge, Roggebaai (R180m)
Foreshore: Canal Quay, Roggebaai (R220m)
Foreshore: Desmond Tutu Peace Centre (R140m)
Erf 9 and 10, Jan Smuts, Foreshore

Foreshore: CT Harbour expansion (R4,5bn)
Amway House site
Media City Upgrade

Green Point

Green & Sea Developments
Jarvis House, Green Point (R300m)
Green Point: Cape Quarter Expansion (R100m)

Green Point: Cape Royale Hotel
Green Point: World Cup Stadium
Green Point: Green Point Sport and Urban Park (R160m)


Waterfront

V&A Gateway Buildings
Waterfront: V&A Waterfront expansion
Waterfront:One&Only Hotel - R900m
Waterfront: Somerset Hospital site - R1 billion

Central

Portside 34F Building
Pepper Club (R360 million)
Central: #4 Church Square (R20m)
Central:Piazza on the Square (R70m)
Central: Holiday Inn Hotel
Central: New Hotel, Buitengracht/Wale
Liebenberg and Stander Building
Cnr Riebeeck/Bree – two sites
The Pulse (R600m)
T1, Strand/Buitengracht
Central: Strand on Adderley (R2,2bn)
Golden Acre upgrade (R475m)
11 Adderley
Central: Oscar Pearse Hotel (R220m)
Central: Taj Hotel (new - R500m)
Central: 106 Adderley commercial/retail (R300m)
Central: Cape Sun upgrade (R56m)
Townhouse Hotel/Plein Park upgrade
Citroen Building (R90m)
Oval Institute (R12m)
Malgas/Brian Porter site
D6 Homecoming/Sacks Futeran (R30m)
Creative House, Church Square

Central: Four Seasons, Buitenkant (R100m)
Temple House, Buitenkant
Parliamentary extension (R750m)
Central: Parliamentary residential complex (R1,2bn)

Central: CT Station, phase one (R300m)
Company’s Gardens upgrade (R1m)

Gardens


Wembley Square extension, Lower Gardens
Gardens: Orangerie, Lower Gardens (R180m)
Gardens:15 on Orange Hotel, Lower Gardens (R500m)


East City Precinct

Upper East Side
East City Precinct: The District, Woodstock
East City Precinct: Boulevard, Woodstock -R750m
East City Precinct:The Edge
Red Brick Building
Six

Drill Hall/CT Library

East City Precinct: City Hall (R81m)
East City Precinct:Good Hope Centre (R50-75m)
Salt River Market (R1m)

Public Spaces

Granary Building (R35m)
Greenmarket Square (R4m)
St Andrew’s Square (R8m)
Pier Place (R2m)
Harrington Square
Grand Parade (R23,5m)
 
Zille: It's war on crime

Plan for commissioner to protect our children

By Henri Du Plessis

PREMIER Helen Zille has declared war on crime, announcing tough strategies to tackle crimes against children as well as rape and drug abuse.

Her plan announced during her budget vote today includes:

# The establishing of a Commissioner for the Protection of Children.

# Special substance abuse units.

# Improved co-ordination bet-ween police and communities

Zille singled out the issue of drugs, the safety of children and the recent shocking revelation that one in four South African men had admitted to raping someone.

She also announced the creation of a new system of monitoring the performance of the provincial government and its civil service departments.

The premier said the province had already saved R3 million by doing away with "lavish events" to celebrate departments' budget votes and "the puffery associated with" the State of the Province address.

Zille said that while the budget had been allocated to each department before the DA took over the province, the government would look at ways of changing how items were implemented.

Speaking on crime, Zille said it was a crisis that simply had to be addressed.

"If we fail to do so, we cannot expect to reduce poverty by attracting investment and creating jobs in South Africa," she said.

"To address crime at community level, the Department of the Premier's strategic projects unit will work with the police and municipal police to increase safety in communities through co-ordination with neighbourhood watches, and the creation of joint substance abuse units to crack down on drug dealers.

"And it will be mandated to draft a strategy, drawing on international best practice and expert advice, to combat corruption in the police force so that this government can execute, in full, its functions in relation to the SAPS, which are set out in section 206 of the constitution.

"As part of its endeavour to create a safer environment for children, the Department of the Premier will also be establishing a Commissioner for the Protection of Children (in terms of section 78 of the provincial constitution), which will work with the police to address issues affecting mothers and children, such as the non-payment of child maintenance, neglect and abuse."

Zille said that in her department, and all other departments, her government had already started to lay the groundwork for the implementation of its five-year strategic plan, the drafting of which would begin at the end of this month.

"Formally this plan will come into effect from April 2010, when it will translate our core policy objectives into a specific set of targets and projects in each department - and shape the annual budget.

"Well before that, however, we will use the plan in draft form to guide the formulation of each of our departmental annual performance plans (which begins in August), including for the Department of the Premier."

The provincial government's over-arching objective would be "combating poverty and promoting opportunities for all, through policies that encourage sustained economic growth; that attract, develop and retain skills and capital; and that drive infrastructure development," she said.

"What we are changing, and this has started already, is how the existing allocations are used. We are introducing a new set of priorities for the year ahead, based on our policies as a new government."

Zille said a new method of monitoring and evaluating the performance of the new government, called a Dashboard System, would be based on information technology, to be managed by her department.

This would include replacing the public feedback system of imbizos used by the previous government and allow greater public participation.

Zille said the imbizos were "regularly abused as a political platform rather than (used) for meaningful government engagement and interaction with communities".

Published on the web by Cape Argus on June 19, 2009. © Cape Argus 2009. All rights reserved.
 
War on crime: Oh what a joke.

What force is she going to use? The Metro are the most useless bunch going, and what has she done to change that. You can't make promises that you can't keep. or maybe she's going on the march again - fat lot of good.
 
Cape Town gets clean bill of health from A-G

By Anell Powell

Western Cape municipalities showed a "notable improvement" in their financial results according to the 2007/08 audit, with the City of Cape Town getting a clean bill of financial health from the Auditor-General.

With KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape had the highest number of unqualified audit opinions in the country.

Cape Town, the only metro in the province, got an unqualified audit with no outstanding matters needing further investigation. Although the municipality had an unqualified audit in 2006/07, there were still some matters then that needed investigation.

The Auditor-General's audit on local government for the 2007/08 financial year reveals mixed results for the success of the Department of Local Government's Project Consolidate, started to alleviate the shortage of accounting skills in municipalities.

The Auditor-General audited 245 municipalities and 46 municipal entities.Of the 115 municipalities nationally that took part in Project Consolidate, 44 showed an improvement in the 2007/08 financial year, 60 remained unchanged and 11 deteriorated.

Auditor-General Terence Nombembe said that while there has been an improvement in audit outcomes, "much remains to be done" to improve the results of local government.

The Auditor-General gives a disclaimed audit opinion if financial statements are incomplete.

Disclaimer and adverse opinions, when the A-G disagrees with financial assertions, are the worst forms of audit opinions.

Unqualified opinions are given when there are no concerns about the financial information submitted.

While Cape Town performed well, one of its municipal entities received a qualified audit.

The A-G said the Philippi East Trading Centre received a qualified audit because of confusion about the centre's tax status and the submission of financial statements that did not comply with basic accounting principles. The centre has since filed for voluntary liquidation.

An investigation into the infrastructure delivery process in the City of Cape Town is expected to be done by December 2009, said Nombembe.

The province's five municipal districts; the Cape Winelands, Central Karoo, Eden, Overberg and West Coast, received financially unqualified opinions, with matters outstanding.

Nombembe said the Cape Winelands, Central Karoo and Overberg were the better performing districts as they had no municipalities with qualified or disclaimed audit reports.

Municipalities in the Eden and the West Coast districts had qualified audit opinions.

Improved municipalities included Bitou, Breede Valley, Knysna, Stellenbosch and the Overberg. Berg River and Saldanha Bay municipalities had deteriorated.

Oudtshoorn municipality, which had a disclaimed audit in 2006/07 financial year, could not be audited in the last financial year because its financial statements were not ready.

The suspension of key officials and a lack of financial skills also affected this municipality's financial performance.

[email protected]
 
Is your city the best?

Capetonians are more satisfied with the way their city is being run than they were a year ago, but housing and healthcare remain critical areas of service under-delivery, according to a survey released on Thursday.

"Fifty-four percent of residents said that, overall, the city of Cape Town's performance was good, very good or excellent (up from last year's 50 percent)," the city said in a statement.

The 2008/09 survey - conducted by TNS Research Surveys, which polled 3 000 people across the metropole, plus 500 companies - was commissioned by the city's strategy and planning directorate.

It was carried out between mid-November 2008 and mid-January this year. A similar survey was done in 2007/08.

"Cape Town's citizens perceive the level of services provided by the municipality to have improved in the past year, and satisfaction with service delivery has risen since the last survey was done."

The city authorities had also received a big thumbs-up from the business sector, with 77 percent of those surveyed - up from last year's 69 percent - rating the city's performance as "good, very good or excellent".

Further, 75 percent of businesses (70 percent last year) rated the city's role as a provider of municipal services as good, very good or excellent.

"Overall, the provision of essential services remains a relative strength of the city; in particular, refuse removal, water, and sanitation services.

"Community facilities such as libraries, community centres and civic halls are also relatively highly rated, but parks have been identified as an area for improvement.

"The survey responses indicate that we excel in fire and emergency responses, and the training of rescue workers and their quality of service are considered particular strengths."

However, winter flooding remained an area of concern.

"Residents would also like to see us taking a stronger line on refuse dumping and neighbourhood noise levels."

Other areas of concern were provision of housing and health care.

"The survey indicated that housing and health care are perceived as critical areas of under-delivery, although these, like transport and community safety, are not the sole responsibility of local government," the city said. - Sapa

Quickwire

Published on the Web by IOL on 2009-07-16 14:01:28
 
Name me anyone who has actually been surveyed? They certainly haven't asked anyone I know or anyone with recent or past interactions with council workers of any description.

What were the questions and how was it conducted?
 
City running smoothly - business survey

July 17, 2009 Edition 2

Metro Writer

Businesses have given the City of Cape Town the thumbs up for service delivery, although most say it needs to step up efforts to reduce corruption.

According to an independent satisfaction survey of 500 businesses conducted between November 2008 and January 2009, 77 percent said the council's performance was good, very good or excellent - an improvement on last year's 69 percent.

Three-quarters said the city had fulfilled its responsibility to provide municipal services, while 78 percent rated their level of trust in the city council as fairly strong, very strong or extremely strong.

Asked about individual services, the scores for water provision, street lighting, road signage and the cleaning of public streets and public toilets near business dropped relative to last year's survey.

Businesses said they were unhappy with the council's electricity tariffs.

However, most gave the city's sewerage and sanitation services and refuse collection an acceptable average of three out of five. The city's ability to provide safe and affordable public transport rated low.

As with the community survey, law enforcement services were rated as poor. Confidence in the city's ability to control illegal street trading and stop corruption showed a "significant decline" since last year.

Most businesses said communication with the city council and the mayor was satisfactory. However, the city should shorten queues and waiting times at its offices. The city performed poorly in town planning and enforcing planning and building regulations.
 
Most Capetonians 'satisfied' with city's service delivery

July 17, 2009 Edition 2

ANÉL LEWIS

WHILE residents in Khayelitsha, Du Noon and Masiphumelele have resorted to violent protests to demand better basic services, the City of Cape Town believes most residents are satisfied with its service delivery and that conditions in the city have improved.

According to a survey by TNS Research Surveys, 54 percent of residents said the city's performance was good or excellent.

The number of residents rating the city as good or excellent increased from 46 to 54 percent since the survey was first done in 2007/08.

Mayoral committee member for strategy and planning Marian Nieuwoudt acknowledged at a media briefing yesterday that trust levels in the city council and its ability to provide basic services had dropped in Khayelitsha.

She said it was difficult for the city to render services there because of "inherited" problems. The residents "really needed" basic services and did have a reason to be angry.

More needed to be done with services such as stormwater and maintenance, she said.

But overall, the provision of services, in particular refuse removal, water and sanitation services, was being handled well, Nieuwoudt said.

The survey also showed strong support for the city's disaster management team, even though results may have differed during the wet months of heavy flooding.

"There is room for improvement, especially in maintenance. Winter flooding remains a concern and an area we need to prioritise. Residents would also like to see us taking a stronger line on refuse dumping and neighbourhood noise levels."

Healthcare and housing were identified as critical areas of under-delivery. But local government was not solely responsible for these services.

"The city is busy with an upgrade of its rental stock, so there will be an increase (in confidence in this) with the next survey."

She said concerns about housing delivery indicated that this needed urgent attention. Scores for housing dropped from an average of 2.3 (out of five) last year to 2.1 this year.

[email protected]
 
Sackboy said:
I want to see the evidence.
Click to expand...

So email [email protected] and get some.

And when I say "some", I mean "some evidence". Not the other sort of "getting some" because then you'd never know if she was just telling you what you wanted to hear and then you'd be back at square one.

While we're on the topic though, I would highly recommend that you go out and get some too.
 
grayston said:
So email [email protected] and get some.

And when I say "some", I mean "some evidence". Not the other sort of "getting some" because then you'd never know if she was just telling you what you wanted to hear and then you'd be back at square one.

While we're on the topic though, I would highly recommend that you go out and get some too.
Click to expand...
Just had "some", but thanks for the offer.:p

I'm tired of reading these heaped spoons of one way DA propaganda from CTG.
 
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