City Review - News highlights from City of Cape Town Council Meeting of 31 January 2007

1. Cape Town inducts new Deputy Mayor
2. Cape Flats Nature gets three more sites
3. No changes to Municipal Boundaries
4. City gets R2,3 million for water projects
5. Approval of Claremont Boulevard design
6. City and Province swop land for housing
7. City submits Service Delivery Plan

CAPE TOWN INDUCTS NEW DEPUTY MAYOR

Councillor Charlotte Williams of the ID has replaced Cllr Andrew Arnolds of the ACDP as the new Executive Deputy Mayor of Cape Town. Ms Williams (50), a former chairperson of the Mitchells Plain Subcouncil, has served as a city councillor since 1996. Cllr Arnolds will take up the seat as Mayoral Committee Member for Sport & Recreation. (C02/01/07)

Media enquiries: Cllr Dirk Smit, Speaker, Tel: (021) 400-1287

CAPE FLATS NATURE GETS THREE MORE SITES

THE Cape Flats Nature initiative, which aims to build sustainable management of urban nature conservation sites in the City of Cape Town, will be extended to three more biodiversity network sites - at Harmony Flats, Mamre and Silverstroomstrand. Launched in 2002, the highly successful partnership has provided capacity at four pilot sites at Wolfgat Nature Reserve, Macassar Dunes, the Edith Stephens Wetlands Park and Harmony Flats Nature Reserve. Cape Flats Nature has sourced R307 000 for the latest extension and the City is to match this contribution for the duration of the two-year project. (C10/01/07)

Media enquiries: Osman Asmal, Tel: (021) 487-2200 Marian Nieuwoudt, Tel: (021) 400-1307

NO CHANGES TO MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES

The Municipal Demarcation Board has rejected a proposal to include the Drakenstein Municipality, Cape Winelands and Stellenbosch with Cape Town. It has also decided to exclude two West Coast farms from Cape Town's municipal boundaries and to incorporate these into the Swartland and West Coast municipalities. (C12/01/07)

Media enquiries: Adv Brent Gerber, City of Cape Town, Tel: 400-2471

CITY GETS R2,3 MILLION FOR WATER PROJECTS

Council has approved the expenditure of a R2,3 million grant from the National Department of Water Affairs & Forestry, on community-based Masibambane projects, before the end of June 2007. (C14/01/07)

Media enquiries: Danie Klopper, Water Demand Management, Tel: (021) 590-1488

APPROVAL OF CLAREMONT BOULEVARD DESIGN

Council has approved the layout plan for the Claremont Boulevard that will replace the old Claremont bypass. (C15/01/07)

Media enquiries: Eddie Chinnappen, Transport, Roads & Stormwater, Tel: (021) 400-1168

CITY AND PROVINCE SWOP LAND FOR HOUSING

Five parcels of land earmarked for the N2 Gateway project will be transferred from the City of Cape Town to the Provincial Department of Local Government and Housing. The properties are Joe Slovo in Langa, New Rest in Guguletu, Boystown in Crossroads, Delft Towns 7-9, and Delft Symphony. In return, Province undertook to abide by the City's housing allocation policy; provide land in Ocean View required by the City to store rock excavated from the adjoining housing development; and transfer land in Blackheath required by the City to implement the Happy Valley housing project. (C32/01/07)

Media enquiries: Cllr Dan Plato, Tel: (021) 400-1304

CITY SUBMITS SERVICE DELIVERY PLAN

The City has approved a Service Delivery Budget Implementation Plan for 2006/7 and a three year capital plan of R8,4 billion. The services are listed under 68 departments, and include water and sewerage infrastructural projects to upgrades of municipal facilities. (C33/01/07)

Media enquiries: Dr Martin van der Merwe, Tel: (021) 400-4483

ISSUED BY:
JAN KRUGER, Communication Department,
Tel: 021 400 1292