Tag Archive for: western cape

Andrew Stegmann
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Western Cape Launches Safe Travels Tourism Website

The Western Cape province has launched its Safe Travels tourism website.

The website was developed by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism together with destination marketing and promotion agency Wesgro to help domestic and international tourists to navigate the restrictions on travel and be informed about the important health and safety protocols they need to follow when visiting Cape Town and the Western Cape.

Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, David Maynier said the website aims to offer peace of mind to those travelling for business or leisure.

“As a result of national government’s risk-based approach to international travel and the ‘red list’ of countries restricted to travel to South Africa, there is still much confusion and uncertainty in the travel and tourism industry, especially as the ‘red list’ is not being reviewed consistently every two weeks as promised.

“And so, to guide tourists and ensure their visit to Cape Town and the Western Cape is as hassle-free as possible, our Safe Travels website provides the latest information on travel restrictions and the ‘red list’, as well as visa requirements and the latest Covid-19 health and safety information,” he said.

Maynier said the website is an example of the many ways that the province has worked hard since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic to support businesses, especially tourism businesses in the Western Cape.

“International markets are a key economic driver for the tourism sector in the Western Cape, especially during the summer season, and will be critical to the survival of the sector. Which is why we have maintained from the start that national government must scrap the ‘red list’ and allow all visitors entry into South Africa subject to presenting a negative PCR test conducted at least 72 hours prior to departure, together with screening protocols,” he added.

The content for the Safe Travels website was largely developed using social listening tools which provided real-time insights into what potential travellers to South Africa and the Western Cape are concerned about so that we could develop the right content to help address these concerns.

To assist tourists in distress, the Tourism Safety Support Unit at the Department of Economic Development and Tourism is also available to answer queries via email.

Travellers looking to visit the Western Cape, and who require assistance can send their questions to tourismsafety@westerncape.gov.za

On the launch of the Safe Travels website Wesgro CEO, Tim Harris said SafeTravels.CapeTown has been established as the ‘go to’ page for all visitors coming to enjoy the world-class tourism experience on offer in the province. “It features safety news, FAQ’s and safety initiatives implemented in the province. We invite visitors to peruse the site and put their minds at ease knowing that Cape Town and the Western Cape is travel ready,” he said.

To visit the site, click here.

 

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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Western Cape Wants To Be the First Province to Ditch Load-shedding As It Moves Away From Eskom

As part of the Western Cape’s promise to eliminate load shedding, the provincial government says it has assisted 24 local municipalities and the City of Cape Town with their small-scale embedded generation (SSEG) projects.

This forms part of the province’s new Municipal Energy Resilience (MER) project which aims at upscaling and assisting Western Cape municipalities in procuring wholesale electricity from Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

“The procurement of energy can be a complex, challenging task, and municipalities do not always have the necessary policies, plans, resources, and procurement expertise to purchase their own electricity,” said Deidré Baartman, the DA’s Western Cape spokesperson for Finance, Economic Development, and Tourism. “However, the national gazetting of regulations to allow for municipalities to generate and procure their own electricity independently of Eskom is a move in the right direction toward the Western Cape being the first province to eliminate load shedding – a promise on which we will hold the premier to account in his Western Cape Recovery Plan tabled last week.”

Baartman said that the MER’s aim is to offer structured support to municipalities in navigating these complexities in order to realise new, more cost-effective energy and create economic opportunities for their communities.

The project is also aiming to improve municipalities’ revenues by balancing energy security with creating more secure, reliable and cost-effective future electricity price paths. “These 24 municipalities are poised to take advantage of the recent regulations that allow municipalities in good financial standing to procure their own energy. “In order to grow the economy, energy security is paramount and will lead to reduced business costs, build business confidence, and help to attract investment for the province.” Baartman said. She added that the DA  is committed to producing reliable, cost-effective energy and creating economic opportunity for residents of the Western Cape.

New directive 

On 16 October, Mineral Resources and Energy minister Gwede Mantashe gazetted a directive which provides a framework around electricity generation for the country’s municipalities. The minister said that will give effect to president Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment during the state of the nation address that government will enable municipalities in good financial standing to develop their own power generation projects, he said.

“The amendments to the regulations clarify the regime applicable to municipalities when requesting determinations under Section 34 of the Electricity Amendment Act,” he said. “This will ensure an orderly development that is in line with the applicable Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) and municipal Integrated Development Plans (IDPs).” Mantashe said that the amendments will ensure that requests are from municipalities in good financial standing, with feasible project proposals. He said that his department has also put in place internal mechanisms to ensure that these requests are attended to in the shortest possible time.

 

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 Government to Allow Municipalities to Source Their Own Power

According to the Government Gazette, South Africa will allow municipalities to source their own power rather than buying electricity solely from the state-owned utility, potentially easing a dispute with its second-biggest city, Cape Town.

Earlier this year, a judge ordered further negotiations between the City of Cape Town and the energy ministry after the municipality sued the government because it wasn’t allowed to proceed with its own energy procurement plans. Under the planned rules, the local authority would still need government permission to do so, which it objects to.

In addition to wanting to generate more power from renewable resources, South African cities including Cape Town, Johannesburg, the adjacent industrial hub of Ekurhuleni and Tshwane, which includes the capital, Pretoria, have been subjected to regular power cuts because state-owned Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. cannot meet demand and distribution infrastructure is dilapidated.

Cape Town has outlined plans to source electricity from solar plants and waste-to-power projects at its landfill sites. Eskom produces most of its power from coal.

Leila Mahomed-Weideman, director of sustainable energy markets for the City of Cape Town, said she couldn’t immediately comment.

 

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
,

Risk of Second Wave of COVID-19 in South Africa as Cases Rise

South Africa faces a high risk of resurging coronavirus infections that may lead to a review by the council deciding on lockdowns after new cases rose by 42% in Western Cape province in the last two weeks, the health minister said recently.

Zweli Mkhize said in a statement that the increase in infections and deaths “will inform the recommendations that the Health Department makes to the National Coronavirus Council”, the body that determines the different levels of lockdown restrictions.

“According to our resurgence plan, we define this significant spike in new cases in the Western Cape as a resurgence,” said Mkhize, adding that nationally infections in the last two weeks had risen 10.7%, which was also a “concerning trend”.

Mkhize said the cause of the spike in the Western Cape was a “super-spreader event” at a bar in southern Cape Town. The popular tourist city was originally the epicenter of South Africa’s first wave of infections.

Africa’s most advanced economy, which also has the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the continent at more than 700,000 infections, eased lockdown restrictions to their lowest level in September as the rate of new cases fell.

It also opened its borders to international travelers at the beginning of October after a six-month ban, in what was one of the world’s strictest lockdowns that included restrictions on movement, economic activities and the sale of alcohol and tobacco.

The lockdown cost the country more than 2 million jobs in the second quarter, while the economy shrunk by its most on record.

To track worldwide cases via the Bing COVID map, click here.

 

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].