Baboon Action
Thanks to all who participated in the very constructive and informative Baboon Solutions Public Meeting. The STCA is now following up on the many suggestions that were offered and is working hard to pressurise the responsible authorities to prioritise the issue. We are doing this as the Simon’s Town community and are also working with other baboon-stressed communities in the Peninsula. We feel that it is very important that all of us do what we can both to baboon-proof our properties and to keep up the pressure for action. To this end we encourage you to participate in the peninsula-wide public protest that has been initiated by a Simon’s Town resident following the Baboon Solutions meeting (see below).
A number of people volunteered their assistance and they will be meeting on Tues 26 May to plan the next steps. These will include continued advocacy through the press, establishing early warning systems, exploring electronic and other control systems, reporting baboon-related law infringements, establishing the full legal positions of all concerned, monitoring baboon activity and supporting the work of the Baboon Research Unit, raising interim funds for monitors, exploring the longer-term possibility of a Special Rating Area, getting comprehensive, multi-lingual signage, and ensuring baboon-proof waste management. Anyone who would like to assist and attend the meeting on the evening of 26 May should telephone Cilla Bromley on 021 782 6400.
Environment
In support of a new by law that is being drawn up to tighten up on the prosecution of land-owners who have alien vegetation on their land, the public are encouraged to be proactive and report and, where possible, eradicate alien plants. A resident of Glencairn, Steve Coe, has put together a wonderful web site on identifying and dealing with aliens and fire precautions and safety: http://www.southerncrossroads.info/community/cape-of-fire.php. We recommend everyone to take a look at this very useful site. Steve has also drawn up a template for neighbourhood watches and residents to use to catalogue alien vegetation in their area to report to the City authorities. Steve can be contacted on africoe@iafrica.com or 021 782 2771.
GEESE “unveiled” their new stepping stones at their recent AGM, and this active group has now moved on to a “GEESE Bench Project”. Besides these projects members of GEESE do a magnificent job of keeping the Glencairn Vlei cleared of litter and in top environmental shape to encourage bird- and wildlife. To this end, the GEESE AGM unanimously decided that dogs and humans should not be allowed to swim in the Vlei’s top pan.
Safety and Security
There has been a big increase in poaching activity and Law Enforcement officials ask that anyone noticing any suspicious activities along the coast to report these to the 24 hour National Parks Hotline on 0861 106 417. Other crime has remained at normal levels, with theft from vehicles still being prevalent, especially in coastal areas. Theft of metal for resale to scrap dealers also continues and the public are asked to be alert. In a recent case a white CA bakkie with a number plate ending in ….813 was noted stealing metal from a house in Glencairn.
Red Hill
The Pre-School at Red Hill Middle Camp now has a new roof as a result of the hard work of volunteers and donations from a number of people, including roofing material donated by one of our residents. Thanks to all.
Urban Conservation
Erf 4053 – Hospital Terrace / Harbour Terrace Development: Members of the STCA met with officials of the Provincial Government, Department of Environmental and Development Planning on site to discuss their qualified approval of this development. Our major concerns continue to centre around the non-compliance with the Simon’s Town Structure Plan and that fact that the access issue has not been satisfactorily resolved. The meeting was positive in that a number of future steps were agreed upon which could influence Province’s decision. The STCA is very keen to promote pro-active planning in accordance with the Simon’s Town Structure Plan across this whole undeveloped area in the centre of historic Simon’s Town. To this end we will be asking the City to call a meeting of all the relevant property owners.
Erf 928 – The ABC Building: A Stop Works Order was served by Heritage Western Cape on the owner in-February 2009 for alleged unauthorised or illegal work. Work has restarted but it is unclear whether this is in breach of the Order or whether HWC has lifted the restraint. Repeated attempts to get a Situation Report from HWC have proved fruitless (nil response to emails and telephone calls). A strong email requesting urgent feedback was sent to the HWC Deputy Director but no response has been received. It appears that although Heritage Western Cape has put in place the mechanism whereby community organisations such as the Historical Society could monitor work at local level, they are now failing to communicate further.
Liaison with the Simon’s Town School
The Simon’s Town School are currently promoting an ‘Adopt a Learner’ project whereby a deserving pupil’s school fees are sponsored either in part or in full. In discussion with the school it has been suggested that residents could participate in this, and/ or give practical assistance, e.g. through their ‘Help to Read’ project and their recently circulated Wish List. An immediate need is a
computer for their school library. The STCA Exco plans to meet with the Headmaster on a regular basis and we hope to develop a network of local residents to liaise with the school and community.
Liaison and Collaboration with other Civic Groups
The STCA is strongly in favour of working in collaboration with other civic and community organisations around issues of mutual concern and it was great to see a number of Simon’s Town residents participating in the Chapman’s Peak protest march. STCA members also participated in a Far South Peninsula Community Forum (FSPCF) meeting to assess the reworked draft of the Integrated Zoning Scheme. We also participated in an information session on the Zoning Scheme to the Greater Cape Town Civic Alliance by Jaco v d Westhuysen of the City of Cape Town. The reworked draft incorporates many of the suggestions from the public and civics. However we continue to stress the links to other planning policies and frameworks. We believe that the new Zoning Scheme must not come into operation before the Spatial Development Frameworks are in place. As part of the FSPCF we have also co-signed a letter to the new Provincial Minister of Development, Environment & Planning about the unseemly, and apparently illegal, pushing through of the Dassenberg development proposal by previous Provincial Minister, Pierre Uys.
Reporting infrastructure and amenities maintenance requirements
Issues needing the City’s attention should be reported directly to the Sub-council Manager, either by email to desiree.mentor@capetown.gov.za, fax 021- 782 1185, or by dropping off a note at the Sub-council offices at Fish Hoek (something written on paper is preferable to a telephone conversation).
The following 5 points must be detailed in each report, and each issue must be reported separately, on a separate piece of paper or email.
1. Date: (of submitting the request)
2. Category: (Roads, Waste Management, Parks, Water supply, Graffiti, etc)
3. From: (full name of person submitting the request)
4. Contact details: (street address, and telephone number, and email if used)
5. Detailed description of the problem (this must include the exact location – eg not just a street name, but opposite which house number, or which end of a beach)
Please keep Desiree Mentor informed of progress / or lack of progress so that she can follow-up if necessary. If necessary send reminder notes headed “Reminder”. Thanks are also welcomed after a successful job.
Subscriptions
STCA membership fees (R50 per annum per household) become due on 1 January 2009. Please pay membership fees at the STADCO office on Jubilee Square during office hours. You may also post a cheque made out to ‘STCA’, clearly stating who it is from, to P O Box 47, Simon’s Town, 7995.
For internet banking : BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS:
Bank: Standard Bank, Branch: Fish Hoek
Branch code: 036009 Account number: 073815209
Account name: Simons Town Civic Association (Market link savings account)
Please say "Subs and your name" as the sender. Please also notify the STCA that you have paid.
New members must let the STCA have contact details so as to be put onto the Newsletter mailing list.
Emergency numbers:
· Simon’s Town Police: 021 786-8646 or 8647
· Fish Hoek Emergency Control Centre: 021 782 0333, 782-0444
· Fire and Emergency: 107 from Telkom phones
· Roads, potholes and stormwater: 0860 103 054 (24 Hours)
· Water/Sewage Emergencies: 0860 103 054 (24 hours)
· To report people tossing burning cigarette butts into vegetation: 021 424 7715
STCA Web Page: http://www.stcivic.info/
