Tag Archive for: Cape Town

Andrew Stegmann
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COVID-19: Cape Town to Crack Down on Alcohol Non-Compliance During Festive Season

  • City of Cape Cape Town says that not having the ability to have a good time New Year’s Eve is the least of their issues this festive season because the Covid-19 state of affairs might change into a lot dire.
  • When the curfew begins, folks can be required to be off the streets.
  • The City can be visiting at the least three alcohol retailers a day in every suburb, to lower the spate of alcohol-related incidents.

The City of Cape Cape Town can be intently eyeing liquor retailers this festive season, as alcohol-related trauma incidents might place an pointless burden on town’s hospitals amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Tuesday, the City’s Safety and Security and Community Services and Health Directorates held a briefing addressing the City’s 2020/21 festive season preparedness plan, discussing new implementations that will be taken to curb the unfold of the coronavirus.

Cape Town mayco member JP Smith stated operational plans can be put in place for large days reminiscent of New Year’s Eve.

“The South African Police Services, along with the City services, will put an operational plan in place for each of these big days,” stated Smith.

“When the curfew starts, we will require people not to be on the streets”, he added.

Smith stated that in the mean time, the least of their issues was that folks wouldn’t be allowed to have a good time New Year’s Eve as earlier than.

In addition to the brand new plan, the City can be visiting at the least three alcohol retailers a day in every suburb to monitor compliance, in a bid to lower the spate of alcohol-related incidents.

Law enforcement visited 69 retailers in October and 85 in November, checking for compliance.

This would additionally be certain that hospitals weren’t clogged up by alcohol-related trauma.

Beaches, swimming swimming pools

Addressing the accessibility of leisure parks and seashores, councillor Zahid Badroodien stated the general public would have to work intently with the recreation and parks division to ensure that all of the laws have been adhered to.

“The City has about 370km of coastline and a number of beaches and tidal pools along the length of the City,” he stated.

He stated that in any respect these varied places, facility workers, lifeguards and identikits can be out there over the festive season.

Badroodien additionally emphasised that seaside goers ought to attempt to come dressed for the seaside to minimise interplay within the altering rooms.

With the Covid-19 laws, the swimming pools have been solely in a position to take about 50% of the standard quantity of patrons.

“If you have any symptoms or know of anyone who has had Covid-19 within a short space of time, or if you are waiting for test results, please don’t come to any of our public facilities,” urged Badroodien.

The City was anticipated to have over 600 lifeguards that will be positioned; 340 of whom can be situated seasonally on the seashores, whereas 300 can be based mostly at swimming swimming pools.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
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First Woman Construction Management Professor Named in South Africa and Nigeria

When Abimbola Windapo graduated from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1987, she was the first woman to study building in Nigeria.
Now, with her promotion to full professorship at the University of Cape Town (UCT), the academic and builder is also the first Nigerian woman professor of construction management, and the first in South Africa.

Beginning her career as a planning engineer for Bouygues Nigeria Ltd, Windapo worked on numerous high-profile projects, completed a Master’s in Construction Management at the University of Lagos, and qualified for the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria.

In 1996 she left Bouygues and joined Lagos State Polytechnic, then the University of Lagos in 1998 where she finished her PhD in Building in 2005. During that time, she continued providing professional building services for the University of Lagos and was made Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Building in 2007.

Two years later, Windapo joined UCT while continuing to research and practice as a construction professional. She is credited with leading research on how small and medium-sized contractors can grow sustainably, a field she developed in response to high failure rates of construction companies in the South African industry.

“Before my research in this area, there was no previous recipe for sustainable contractor development, while the practices used by construction companies in ensuring health and safety were not established in the literature,” she said.

She has also been praised as an administrator in higher education for chairing the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment’s Transformation Committee from 2015 to 2017, a period of student protests across UCT campuses.

Windapo has said she was drawn to construction by a desire to help solve social problems such as unaffordable housing, overcrowding, inadequate infrastructure and service delivery and poor living environments.

“All human beings should have access to comfortable accommodation in a conducive environment,” she said.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
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South African President Urged to Use Military Sites to Solve Cape Town’s Housing Backlog

Housing activists have taken the City of Cape Town’s housing backlog dilemma to President Cyril Ramaphosa, urging him to immediately release three large, well-located and vacant military sites in Cape Town for the development of low-income housing.

In an open letter penned by the Community Organisation Resource Centre (CORC), Development Action Group (DAG), Legal Resources Centre (LRC), and Ndifuna Ukwazi (NU) they have cited Ysterplaat, Wingfield and Youngsfield as having potential to combat Cape Town’s affordable housing crisis and alleviate the most harmful effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

NU Researcher Michael Clark said: “The rise in the number of land occupations in Cape Town and other cities, soon after the imposition of the national lockdown, is an example of the extent to which the need for land has reached a breaking-point.

“The state, at all levels, therefore has a legal, moral and public health obligation to expedite the release of well-located public land to enable the urgent development of affordable housing.”

Clark said they have outlined in their detailed submissions to the presidency, the National Coronavirus Command Council, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister, Human Settlements Minister and Defence and Military Veterans Minister.

The submissions detail how the identified land could be released and advocated for the sites to be incrementally developed through a “package of plans” that already exist in the housing programmes.

“We have included schematic plans for the development of each sites, along with careful analyses of the opportunities and constraints of each site, and proposed guiding principles and implementation imperatives that should underpin any development of the sites.

“In our detailed submission, we have therefore presented a compelling case for why these sites should be released and how to practically do so,” he said.

larke said in releasing the land, the national government can build up to 67 000 low-income houses in Cape Town.

DAG’s executive director Aditya Kumar said: “The three parcels are located within 10km of Cape Town city centre, very well-placed relative to all the amenities (such as schools, hospitals, economic centres etc) and comprise 670 hectares of prime land. ”

The Presidency’s spokesperson Tyrone Seale told the Cape Argus: “The Presidency has referred this matter to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure who have indicated to the civil society formations that Minister De Lille will give attention to this matter.”

According to the Department of Public Works, Ysterplaat is allocated and utilized by the Department of Defence as an Air Force Base.

Youngsfield is currently utilized by the Department of Defence as the Military Base and Wingfield is currently utilized by as a Naval Base.

Last year, De Lille announced that the government has identified 20 land parcels in the Western Cape to be released for the purposes of human settlements.

De Lille said: “I will set up a meeting with all the concerned stakeholders next week to discuss their issues and I am committed to discussing the government’s land reform and redistribution programme with the groups. Thereafter I will engage them on a regular basis.”

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann
,

Cape Town Launches Free Electric Car Charging Station

The City of Cape Town has launched its first public electric vehicle (EV) charging station, situated in the parking area of the Bellville Civic Centre.

This is the first of two solar-powered EV charging stations that will be offered free-of-charge for the first two years to members of the public, the city said.

The sites were chosen because of their convenient, safe and visible locations and the chargers were donated by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).

“Transport is the second biggest contributor to the carbon intensity of Cape Town’s economy. This is exacerbated by urban sprawl and the long distances freight has to travel over a country as large as South Africa.

“Increased congestion and inefficiencies not only increase the city’s transport-related greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), largely driving climate change, they worsen air quality and contribute to adverse health impacts on residents,” the city said.

How it works:

  • A motorist with an EV drives up to the charging station. Depending on the car, reversing into the space may provide the best access to the charger;
  • Limitless charging is offered and the car’s charge card will be required to start the charge;
  • Using their own cable, users will connect the cable to the charger and then to the car. This initiates the charge. Users can then simply lock their car and attend to other business. The system will be secure and the cable cannot be released. Unlocking the car will stop the charge and release the cable;
  • The length of charge required will depend on the car and charge cable. But it takes roughly three hours to charge the battery from close to 0% to 80% for this particular 22 kW Dual AC charger;
  • How long a charge lasts will depend on the car and driving style. A three-hour charge can last roughly 150km depending on which vehicle one uses;
  • The charging stations will be closed at night.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the devastating economic impact that global crises can have and has shown that planning for climate resilience and reducing emissions is increasingly important,” said the city’s Phindile Maxiti.

“This kind of proactive response to climate change will also assist our city’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic as the green economy offers new opportunities for businesses and jobseekers.

“It also helps to ensure that the local economy can continue to trade competitively in a global world that is rapidly rejecting carbon-intensive goods and services.”

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].