Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Frustrations Run High for SBHOA Exco Member


Frustrations Run High for SBHOA Exco Member George Zaverdinos regarding the #Vodacom Tower!
The status of the Vodacom tower is as follows:
Vodacom is still waiting for the city electrical department to provide electricity to the tower. Vodacom has paid R200k in July for this but is still waiting.
One of our Exco members, George Zaverdinos, after being asked to by Vodacom, has been in communication with city management to assist in this matter.
George says: “it’s been extremely frustrating dealing with the politicians and managers in this matter. I tried the nice approach at first (going via our new ward councilor) but soon figured I needed a more direct and hard approach. However, nothing seems to work. The politicians have their own priorities and they decide when to act. How long before we have a functional Vodacom signal? Well, my guess is by March next year”.


Thursday, October 26, 2017

Trick or Treat in Sunset Beach on Sat 28 Oct


Dear Sunset Beach Residents,

Together with the support from the residents of Cowrie Crescent, DolaBella Road, and their interlinking roads, SBHOA have planned to celebrate an evening of fun for the Children.

When?
  • This Saturday 28 October
  • Trick or treating 5-6pm only.
  • Enchanted Garden 5-7pm.

The main aim was to create an environment for the whole of Sunset Beach residents children to enjoy Trick or Treating in a safe and enclosed environment. Thank you to the residents of the above mentioned roads who have offered a trick or treat for the children.

What is on offer?
  • Trick or Treats in the roads interlinking with DolaBella and Cowrie Crescent.
  • Enchanted Garden in the servitude that connects the above 2 roads (Behind Lyndon Collins home).
  • Jumping Castle and a Scary Tunnel!
  • Parents are invited to bring a picnic basket/ fold up chairs / blanket to enjoy in the enchanted garden and a fun social.
Competition:
Fun Prizes for the Best Dressed Girl and Boy and the house that made the most effort.
Lucky Draw for a Scary Cake.
Prizes awarded only to those who are present at the prize giving in the enchanted garden at 18h30.

Venues that offer clothing and paraphernalia:
Evermore Retail and Wholesale (next to Brights by Makro), Crazy Store, Pick n Pay, Checkers, Toys r us Table Bay.

What can you bring?
  • Dress up and come Trick or Treat.
  • Picnic social in enchanted garden. Bring your sundowner of choice.
  • R5 Raffle for a Scary Cake Draw.
  • Donate or lend paraphernalia to SBHOA to add to the enchanted garden? Or even just an extra helping hand will be appreciated thanks.
  • Take as many photo's as you wish to share on this page for afterwards.


A very big thank you to all the sponsors and volunteers helping to make this a fun event for all the children and residents of Sunset Beach:
Rawson Blaauwberg Adele Werth Jo Clarke Lyndon Collins Rhosigns Neon Alex Aitkenhead Mark Herd Youlanda Iles Beley Lise Lotze Helena Pereira Nelio Pereira Keanin Welgemoed Leora Adena Jawno Mofsowitz Estetica The Hair Chair Sunset Beach UnWINEd Wine & Tapas Bar Sunset Beach Wines

See you there, if you dare ;)


Friday, October 20, 2017

Safer Cycle Lanes for the Cyclists

12 OCTOBER 2017

Officers deployed to patrol cycle lane between CBD and Table View - CITY OF CAPE TOWN




The City’s Transport and Urban Development Authority recently deployed 10 dedicated officers on motorcycles to patrol the cycle lane between the CBD and Table View. The officers are deployed as part of the Transport Enforcement Unit contingent to address safety hotspots along non-motorised transport routes. Read more below:



The City of Cape Town has embarked on an initiative – the first of its kind – to help safeguard the cycle lane that runs along the red MyCiTi bus lane between the Cape Town central business district and the MyCiTi station in Table View. This cycle lane is very popular among cyclists, and the officers have been deployed to improve the general safety of cyclists – in particular those who prefer to cycle alone or have to use the lane after hours.

The officers are permanently deployed and work two shifts per day. They work in close collaboration with internal role-players like the Graffiti Unit, Anti- land Invasion Unit, Displaced Peoples Unit, Metro Police, Social Development Department, and Traffic Service as well as external role-players like the South African Police Service and the Immigration Department.

The cycle lane is patrolled on a daily basis from 05:30 until 21:30. Some of the officers are deployed in vehicles and others patrol the cycle lane on motorcycles.

Part of their functions involve inspecting the MyCiTi stations and acting as brand ambassadors by educating passengers and making them aware of the rules applicable to those making use of the service.

The officers use two-way radios and have direct access to the control room, camera response unit, and the vehicle operating centre. They can also communicate with each other.

‘Before the deployment of the officers, some members of the public complained about being targeted by opportunistic criminals along certain sections of the route, in particular in those areas which are deserted after hours. I am happy to say that we have seen an increase in the number of cyclists using the cycle lane since the officers have started patrolling,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport and Urban Development, Councillor Brett Herron.

To date the officers have arrested suspects for mugging, pick-pocketing and theft. They have also issued fines to motorists and motorcyclists caught using the red road (BRT lane) illegally.

‘Our Cycling Strategy aims to increase the percentage of commuter trips made by bicycle from the current 1% to 8% by 2030. We have committed substantial resources over the past eight years in pursuing the vision of a cycling-friendly city. Currently cyclists have access to at least 450 km of cycle lanes across the city, some of which are separate from the road. ‘Although some of these lanes are popular for recreational cycling, we want to see substantial growth in commuter cycling which is required to have a noticeable impact on traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and to improve mobility in the lower-income areas,’ said Councillor Herron.

Some of the key strategies identified in the Cycling Strategy are as follows:
·         Improved access to bicycles for lower-income communities is pivotal
·   Road safety (traffic) and personal security (crime prevention) along cycling routes must be improved
·   The planning, design and provision of cycling lanes must be location-specific, i.e. what works in one area does not necessarily apply in another
·       Cycling infrastructure such as cycle lanes, bicycle parking facilities, and storage facilities must be maintained

‘The deployment of the officers along this popular cycle route will assist us in growing the number of commuter cyclists. In so doing, we are also improving the safety of cyclists and MyCiTi commuters. This is one of the priorities identified in the City’s Organisational Development and Transformation Plan, which aims to promote the use of public transport, walking and cycling among commuters,’ said Councillor Herron.


Study 4 Free at I-CAN


We are awarding study-opportunities to kick – start your career in Digital Skills and IT!
The I-CAN Centre, an Initiative of the Western Cape Government in partnership with Genesis CITI, aims to empower citizens with digital skills to narrow the digital divide that exist in communities. 
The funded courses (http://study4free.i-can.org.za/funded-courses/)  has been identified as a needed skills within the IT industry. (http://www.itweb.co.za/?tag=ICT+skills+shortage)
In selected courses students will receive international certification!

The duration of these courses are 7 weeks. Subsequently, potential students will only attend a session of 3 hours on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Requirements: Grade 10 passed (Results) / Certified copy of your ID / Proof of Address.  Start Date: 6th November 2017

In order to secure your seat, please apply online - http://study4free.i-can.org.za/apply-online/

Once application is received, we will send you an confirmation email.

Kind Regards

Centre Manager – I-CAN Centre
CEO of G-CITI
Llewellyn Scholtz
0731547448   021 202 0596

Help Required for Enchanted Garden on 28 Oct

We would like to invite the residents of Sunset Beach to join us to build an ENCHANTED GARDEN on Saturday 28 October at the Gardens (Servitude) which connects DolaBella Drive and Cowrie Crescent. 

If anyone is willing to be part of this fun project, please do let us know. The following is needed:
- People to form a group that will help build this tunnel.
- Materials to Build an enclosed tunnel... (maybe a big tent with 2 open ends on both sides?
- Content for inside the "Scary Tunnel"
We would greatly appreciate if the community could please help us to make this SCARY TUNNEL as fun as possible for the little ones.

Anyone willing to help pls contact Sonet urgently on 0795223466
Thank you.

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Handouts hurt City’s street people

The City today 10 October 2017 renewed its call to residents to refrain from giving handouts directly to street people.

CITY OF CAPE TOWN, 10 OCTOBER 2017, MEDIA RELEASE

This, below, was the key message during an event to mark World Homeless Day, hosted by the City of Cape Town in partnership with Oasis ‘Reach for Your Dreams’. 


The City today 10 October 2017 renewed its call to residents to refrain from giving handouts directly to street people.

This was one of the issues discussed at an event to mark World Homeless Day, attended by more than 100 street people.

The event was hosted by the City’s Social Development and Early Childhood Development Department, in conjunction with non-governmental organisation, Oasis ‘Reach for Your Dreams’. Also in attendance were other NGOs, the Department of Home Affairs and the South African Social Security Agency.

World Homeless Day is now in its seventh year. It aims to highlight issues affecting homeless persons as well as the role communities can play in responding to homelessness.

Why is is bad to hand money to street people?

‘We are constantly reminding residents about the harm in giving money directly to street people. While they may think they’re doing a good deed, in reality it only discourages street people from accepting social services. Giving money perpetuates chronic homelessness as well as various other social issues. The City has a number of programmes to help street people, but we can reach far more people in a more meaningful way if the public support the interventions that will assist with reintegrating and helping street people rather than giving handouts that are nothing more than a plaster on a wound requiring far greater care.

What Should You Do With Your Donations Rather?


‘Often the donations obtained on the street will actively prevent reintegration. While members of the public will complain about the structures erected and activities undertaken by street people, they will often also continue to incentivise such behaviour through donations directly to the street person while forgetting about the person who leaves the street to return home or moves to a shelter. The City therefore encourages people to donate directly to the NGOs working with street persons to ensure that we support street people that attempt to rebuild their lives off the street,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security; and Social Services, Alderman JP Smith.

The City has a dedicated Street People Unit that provides a range of services including:

·         Relocation of street people to various shelters in the city
·         Reuniting street people with their families/community of origin
·         Assistance with access to identity documents and social grants
·         Access to substance abuse rehabilitation programmes
·         Developmental opportunities
·         Short-term work opportunities through the Expanded Public Works Programme

‘While the Street People Unit is doing good work, it cannot operate in isolation and so we rely heavily on other role players like the NGO sector, the City improvement districts and the Western Cape Government to augment our interventions. Building transversal relationships within the City but also with external partners is critical to our Organisational Development and Transformation Plan, but also breaking the mould in how we address issues of homelessness,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Area South, Councillor Eddie Andrews.

During the 2016/17 financial year, the Street People Unit responded to nearly 15 000 complaints about street people and successfully offered assistance to more than 2 600 individuals. The Reintegration Unit reunited 82 persons with their families during this period.

What Happens to a Client That Accepts Help From The City?

Once a client has accepted offers of social assistance, they are relocated to a shelter temporarily while the reintegration officer establishes whether the client can be reunified with their family and identifies additional needs of the client in respect of other services like healthcare, substance abuse interventions or access to grants and other social services.

‘We need to take the long view on this and move away from the perception that law enforcement is the be-all and end-all solution. The reality is that our Law Enforcement Department’s powers are fairly limited and their interventions serve only to displace the problem. The criminal justice system has weaknesses that make law enforcement particularly ineffectual in responding to complaints about by-law transgressions by street people. While we are engaging national government to remedy these criminal justice system shortcomings, we also maintain that social development interventions are more effective and more appropriate than an enforcement approach to homelessness.

‘Social intervention, though time consuming, is ultimately how we will reduce the number of people living on our streets. But again, I remind residents that it’s futile to complain about the presence of street people in your neighbourhood or public open spaces while enabling the behaviour through handouts,’ added Alderman Smith.

Note to broadcasters: audio clips are available for download

Monday, October 9, 2017

Spring Time is Snake Time


Be on the lookout for snakes on your outings during the spring and summer. The warm temperatures and longer daylight hours that stimulate people to get out and enjoy nature also trigger the same response in snakes.  

Snakes lead the list of most misunderstood and feared of all animals. There are 27 naturally occurring species found between the Paarl mountain rangers to Cape Point. Only 3 can cause unfortunate human medical priorities if intentionally handled.

Many harmless snakes meet untimely deaths at the hands of shovel-wielding humans. Even if you do not go out in search of snakes, you may encounter them on your spring and summer adventures. If you encounter a snake, move away and give the creature room to escape. They deserve your healthy respect-for your safety as well as theirs.


Remember, any warnings from a snake are meant to help avoid conflict. A snake will never attack a human but will defend itself if given no other alternative.

Every spring snakes come out of hibernation on the hunt for a much needed spring meal. Snakes are an important part of the natural food chain, eating a great variety of prey, from rats and birds to frogs and other reptiles.

Snakes form part of the very important balance in our ecosystem controlling vermin rodents, who destroy our crops and who carry numerous diseases. A simple equation, the more snakes we kill, the more rodents and pests there are.

We have encroached into their natural habitat, through habitat degradation, fragmentation and urban expansion.

Our ponds, heaps of building rubble and rockeries in and around our garden and homes create micro-environments, which will inevitably attract snakes.

Remember snakes are attracted to neglected areas where there is not much disturbance, as snakes avoid confrontation. There is no real way of keeping snakes off your property, but if you keep your grass cuts short, trees well-trimmed and clean up all your building rubble, just to mention a few, then there is less likelihood for snakes to reside on your property. In short keep your garden tidy.


Shaun MacLeod 082-532 5033
W/Cape Snake Rescue coordinator  
Director of REAC (Reptile Educational Awareness Consultants)


If a snake is encountered contact Shaun 082 532 5033,

 24/7 for advice or for emergencies pertaining to snake encounters.