News from the Wynberg Improvement District

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AGM 2024 Save the Date

As the year progresses, we invite all stakeholders to join us for Wynberg Improvement District’s Annual General Meeting (AGM 2024). This is a vital opportunity to reflect on our achievements over the past year and begin planning for 2025/26. Details below.

This year, we have worked on revising our Frequently Asked Questions with the City, revisiting the official definitions of a City Improvement District to create a better understanding of the CIDs and how we work.

Read on for more.

Save the Date!

We are excited to announce that AGM 2024 is just around the corner. All stakeholders are welcome to participate as we review our progress and set the direction for the year ahead.

Please note: Resolutions presented at the AGM can only be voted on by bonafide members. All non-members wishing to take part must be registered before Thursday, 3 October.

AGM Details

Date: Monday, 14 October 2024
Time: 10:00
Venue: Methodist Church, 72 Church Street, Wynberg, 7800

RSVP to info@wynbergid.co.za.

faq

Update to Our CID FAQs

We’ve recently updated our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section, providing a detailed overview of City Improvement Districts (CIDs) in the City of Cape Town. This update covers how CIDs are formed, their regulatory framework, the benefits they offer property owners, and the types of services they provide. Additionally, it explains the different types of CIDs and the process for establishing one.

For a comprehensive look, visit our FAQ page.

Here are some key updates:

  • What is a CID? A defined area where property owners contribute additional rates for supplementary services.
  • Types of Services Provided: Public safety, cleansing, infrastructure maintenance, and environmental projects.
  • How CIDs are Formed: A community-driven process with input from property owners.
  • CID Benefits: Increased safety, improved urban management, and enhanced property values.
  • Do Property Owners Have a Say? Yes, all property owners can participate, but only registered members can vote at meetings like the AGM. Membership is required to have a vote.
  • Can my CID additional rates be spent anywhere in the City? No, it is ring-fenced to be ploughed back exclusively into the CID

For more information, visit our FAQ page.

Meet our Wynberg Improvement District Managers!

We’re excited to announce the return of De Wet Beck to our Wynberg ID management team. Joining him this year are Rimone Thomas and longstanding CID manager Lennox Leyile, both committed to enhancing the safety and development of Wynberg.

You can contact them directly on the following details:

General CID enquiries can be directed to info@wynbergid.co.za.

For Public Safety Emergencies, contact our 24-hour control room on 021 565 0900.

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Winter Hope & Giving Back Responsibly  –  help combat poverty & inequality

International Mandela Day - 18 July

Winter in Cape Town is a time in which poverty and homelessness become heightened social issues, because of the extremely harsh weather conditions. At the same time, the annual Mandela Day initiative coincides, taking place this 18 July, helping to bring hope and support to vulnerable communities.

Indigent people in South Africa are an inherent part of the cityscape, with hundreds of thousands of people homeless and living on the streets.

It is well-known that cash handouts are not a good solution for supporting people living on the streets  –  as these often serve to fuel the problem by funding addiction and other negative or self-perpetuating behaviour.

However, most of us would like to help in some way to combat poverty and inequality. For this reason, it’s important to work with known NGOs, nonprofits or charities, who have built social infrastructures and relationships that have longevity.

MES Cape Town - Mould, Empower, Serve

Mould, Empower, Serve  –  how the City Improvement Districts are working with MES

MES Cape Town is a key partner in the mission to sustainably rehome the homeless across various City Improvement Districts. Their extensive network of outreach and social relief programs provides the vital reach and resources our CID needs. Additionally, their responsive help desk is always available to assist with the immediate and short-term needs of the homeless and unemployed community.

We work closely with MES to identify individuals for casual labour on specific projects. Their team actively scouts promising candidates, placing them with us each week on a probationary basis as one of our on-the-ground workers, fondly known as our “Green Ants”. For those who show dedication, we offer pathways for them to become supervisors and advance their training, making them valuable members of our workforce in a way that allows us to support their growth.

To ensure the funds generated through our partnership are used effectively, we pay stipends directly to MES, which helps cover their living expenses sustainably throughout their stay.

Winter Hope 2024

MES is running a WinterHope campaign until the end of July, in a mission to spread hope and warmth this winter, by gathering essential items such as warm clothing, blankets, and nourishing food supplies.

Visit MES @mouldempowerserve on Facebook, or @mesorgsa on Instagram, to see causes near you to support this winter.

Read more
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Notice for Application for the Proposed Boundary Expansion of the Wynberg Improvement District

WID boundary extension
  • At the WID Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on 16 October 2023 the Members of the WID approved an amended business plan in support of the proposed boundary expansion, as required in terms of section 26(2)(b) of the City of Cape Town: City Improvement District By-law, 2023 (the “By-law”).
  • In terms of section 26(2)(f)(i) of the By-law, the AGM resolution referred to in paragraph 1 above (attached as Annexure A) is available on the WID website,
  • The proposed boundary expansion will include properties in the area. A map depicting these geographical boundaries is attached hereto as Annexure B.
  • In terms of section 26(2)(f)(ii) of the By-law, Additional Rate Payers (ARPs) in the WID were informed of their right to submit a written objection to the proposed expansion of the WID.
  • The WID is a Mixed-Use Improvement District with a rates base value consisting of less than 40% of residential property, in terms of section 26(2)(f)(iii) of the By-law, Council may approve the amendment if written objections are not received from at least, 50% plus 1 of ARPs of the WID.
  • In terms of section 26(2)(g) of the By-law, Following the public meetings held on the 16 November 2023 and 22 May 2024 the local community, ARPs and proposed ARPs were provided with a 30-day period to submit comments on the amended business plan. No comments were received.
  • The Application to amend the WID geographical boundary will now be submitted to Council for consideration.

KENNISGEWING VAN AANSOEK OM DIE VOORGESTELDE GRENSUITBREIDING VAN DIE WYNBERG-VERBETERINGSDISTRIK (WID)

  • By die WID se algemene jaarvergadering gehou op 16 Oktober 2023 het die lede van die WID ’n gewysigde sakeplan ten gunste van die voorgestelde grensuitbreiding goedgekeur, soos vereis ingevolge artikel 26(2)(b) van die Stad Kaapstad: Verordening op Stadsverbeteringsdistrikte, 2023 (die “Verordening”).
  • Ingevolge artikel 26(2)(f)(i) van die Verordening is die besluit waarna in paragraaf 1 hier bo verwys word op die WID-webwerf beskikbaar (aangeheg as bylae A).
  • Die voorgestelde grensuitbreiding sal eiendomme in die gebied insluit. ’n Kaart wat hierdie geografiese grense uitbeeld is aangeheg as bylae B.
    Ingevolge artikel 26(2)(f)(ii) van die Verordening is betalers van addisionele belasting (ARP’s) in die WID ingelig oor hul reg om skriftelik beswaar teen die voorgestelde uitbreiding van die WID aan te teken.
  • Die WID is ’n gemengdegebruikverbeteringsdistrik met ’n eiendomsbelastingbasiswaarde wat uit minder as 40% residensiële eiendom bestaan, en ingevolge artikel 26(2)(f)(iii) van die Verordening, kan die Raad die wysiging goedkeur tensy skriftelike besware van minstens 50% plus 1 van die ARP’s van die WID ontvang word.
  • Ingevolge artikel 26(2)(g) van die Verordening, na die hou van openbare vergaderings op 16 November 2023 en 22 Mei 2024, is die plaaslike gemeenskap, ARP’s en voorgestelde ARP’s ’n 30-dae-tydperk gebied om kommentaar oor die gewysigde sakeplan in te dien. Geen kommentaar is ontvang nie.
  • Die aansoek om die WID se geografiese grens te wysig, word nou vir oorweging aan die Raad voorgelê.

Annexure A

resolution

Annexure B

More information

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New law enforcement officers for Wynberg, Winter preparation, Wheelie Bin Safety and Expansion of the Wynberg Improvement District

CID wheelie bins

Our Wynberg team have been busy as always and we have an update from our managers to share regarding our new law enforcement officers in the area and other positive developments.

As we head into the colder months, we’re preparing you with some winter readiness tips to keep both yourself and your property safe. Additionally, we share some tips on keeping your wheelie bin safe so that you know it’ll always find its way back home.

Lastly, the proposal for the expansion of the Wynberg Improvement District is underway. Read more below.

On-the-ground Report from our CID Managers

Meet the Wynberg improvement district managers

Recently, we have seen the introduction of 16 Law Enforcement Officers being deployed into the Wynberg CBD.

These officers will be patrolling the CBD and policing a range of City By-Law infractions.

We thank the Mayor, Ald. Geordin Hill-Lewis, and Ald. JP Smith for their efforts in getting this deployment into Wynberg and trust that residents will give them a warm welcome.

We have seen the following results thus far:

Two arrests:

  1. Undocumented Person (Contravention of Immigrants Act)
  2. Possession of suspected stolen goods

5 different aspects were tackled under the following groupings:

  1. The Traffic Department running a Vehicle Control Point (VCP) on both Brody Road and Main Road.
  2. Foot patrols through the area in two groups.
  3. Inspecting the current tented camps in the Wynberg area, led by Inspector Ras.
  4. Roving patrols, led by Inspector Siyo, where Metro Police and Law Enforcement stopped and searched people.
  5. Foot Patrol with Alderman JP Smith, to introduce him to the problems encountered in the Wynberg Improvement District area, including the difficulties faced with the subways and drug-related issues.
Read more
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Q1 update & review the Draft National Business Licensing Policy before 31 March

It’s been full steam ahead launching into 2024. As we look forward to the Easter break, we share our CID’s stats and achievements for the first quarter of the year.

Don’t forget to review the Draft National Business Licensing Policy before 31 March if you haven’t done so already. And, we remind you to stay safe on the roads over this busy holiday period.

Q1 2024 statistics

Have Your Say on the Draft National Business Licensing Policy by 31 March

Since 1994, a substantial body of new laws has emerged from all levels of government to fulfil the mandate presented by the 1996 Constitution. The journey towards a constitutional, democratic order began with the adoption of the Constitution in 1996 and has continued with the enactment of new laws and the amendment and/or repeal of old laws.

Part of developing new legislation and even amending existing legislation is the development of a policy paper that will inform the policy thrust and direction of the proposed legislation. The Department has developed the draft National Business Licensing Policy, which will inform the review of the Businesses Act of 1991.

Members of the public are hereby invited to send their comments to MMasoga@dsbd.gov.za or submit them by hand at The DTI Campus, Department of Small Business Development, 77 Meintjies Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria, Block G Ground Floor within 30 (thirty) days of publication of this notice. This means that the comments period is from the 1st of March 2024 to the 31st of March 2024.

Access the draft national business licensing policy here.

We encourage you to provide your comments by completing this survey at the link.

Stay Safe this Holiday Season

It’s a busy time of year on the roads and we urge you to take extreme caution at this time. Check your vehicle before embarking on long trips, be sure to take necessary breaks as the driver, remain aware of other road users and never, ever drink and drive.

Read more on our post on Road Safety Tips here.

Wishing you all a happy Easter!

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Safety & fire during the hot, dry and windy Cape Town Summer months

Cape Town fire

Cape Town fire season occurs from November through May. Here’s what you need to know to stay safe.

Cape Town is notoriously prone to wildfires that occur in natural vegetation when it is hot and dry in the summer months, which coincide with the windy season – creating ideal conditions for wildfires to occur and quickly get out of control. This season has already been earmarked to be the worst fire season in 8 years.

Cape Town fires are particularly common in the Table Mountain National Park due to the natural conditions in our fynbos ecosystem. But, homes and businesses are not exempt from danger, as any fire can spread quickly and far – up to tens of kilometres from the source. It is most important to keep your home, family and business safe, protecting life and property, as our urban living spaces share a boundary with the national parks in many parts of Cape Town and the Western Cape.

By 18 January 2024, there have been a total of 22 new fire incidents, with SANParks firefighting teams demonstrating swift response and effective containment. This influx has occurred particularly in the southern section of Table Mountain National Park, in Kalk Bay, Oceanview and Red Hill areas, as well as in the north of the park, in the Signal Hill and Pipe Track areas, posing significant risk to the communities living adjacent to the park, particularly with hot temperatures and strong wind conditions being experienced.

Fire Safety Precautions & Interventions

In Cape Town, there are various organisations in place to manage fire safety and interventions that should be taken, both to avoid fire and to control it when it happens. 

Read more
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Wynberg Improvement District 2023 Roundup

It’s been another year of successes and tackling challenges head-on for the Wynberg Improvement District. As part of our renewed commitment to public safety and urban cleaning and management, we persist in leading the way toward the continuous improvement of Wynberg as a thriving residential and business hub.

Our CID team has increased their presence on the ground, resulting in improved statistics across the board for 2023. We’ve driven more kilometres in our patrol vehicles, engaged with more members of the public and attended to more service requests and urban defects than ever before. We’ll continue with this increased presence in the community in 2024 and the years beyond.

This year, with 51 CIDs now in operation in the City of Cape Town, the new CID by-law and policy has come into effect. Geocentric, who has now been working with city improvement district initiatives for more than 2 decades, is proud to be responsible for over 25% of the total CIDs in operation. 

In addition to taking care of the public’s safety and urban cleaning, our CID placed a focus on greening areas across Wynberg in 2023. These urban beautification projects will be continued throughout 2024, in line with the goal of continuously upgrading our community. 

2023 Wynberg Improvement District Stats

“Despite the challenges of a struggling economy, ongoing load shedding and higher fuel prices, the aim of the WID remained focussed on delivering top-up services to the public spaces of Wynberg throughout the year,” says Gene Lohrentz of Geocentric Urban Management, tasked with the delivery of our City Improvement District services.

The WID Board and Geocentric management team is committed to finding innovative, efficient and cost-effective ways to continue delivering on the vision for a safer, cleaner, well-maintained and vibrant community.  We look forward to more opportunities to make a tangible difference in 2024.

Safety Tips for the Holiday Season

As the festive season approaches, it is essential to prioritise safety at this time, as crime, accidents and fire hazards are usually on the rise during the holiday period.

Being mindful of potential risks and hazards can help safeguard you, your business and your property – from road safety considerations to vigilance against petty crimes in crowded business premises to more serious crimes such as hijacking and robbery. 

Along with keeping your personal safety in mind, if you are a business owner, it is imperative to be vigilant and proactive in implementing strategies that protect your assets, property and staff during the busiest time of year. 


Prevention is better than cure. That’s why we urge property and business owners to make every effort to prepare their properties, businesses, staff and themselves against opportunists and criminals with our safety tips below:

Emergency Numbers

Quick access to relevant emergency numbers can be the difference between life and death. We have compiled a comprehensive list for you to save and share for easy access to these numbers.

Once again, our 24-hour security control room is always available for your public safety emergencies.

Proposed changes to the M3

Comment on the amended road plans to improve traffic flow along the M3 in Newlands by 13 December.

The City of Cape Town’s Urban Mobility Directorate has drafted a number of proposed changes to the intersections along the M3 in Newlands to improve traffic flow along this important road link between the Southern Peninsula and the Cape Town CBD.

They plan to alleviate the bottlenecks along the M3 between Upper Hillwood Road and Newlands Avenue, and assist with the free flow of traffic along this section of the M3, by:

  • Removing two signalised intersections
  • Implementing three median closures and a road closure, among others
  • Reinstating a signalised pedestrian crossing at Upper Hillwood Road in Bishopscourt
  • Constructing a third southbound lane between Rhodes Avenue and Upper Hillwood Road, including upgrades to the side roads

Access more details on the proposed upgrades and submit your comment online at the link.

Whatsapp group info 

If you’re interested in staying informed about our initiatives, as well as the newest developments in your improvement district, you can become a member of our WID business WhatsApp group by:

• Sending a WhatsApp message to 081 869 8911.

• You will need to include your Name and Surname or the name of your business

• You will need to include your street address, which should be within the boundary of the CID

• We will add you to the relevant CID Community Group

Rules and regulations for communicating will be stipulated in the group.

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AGM Save the Date, logging a service request & new CID by-law

AGM save the date 2023

Come October, we hold our Annual General Meeting (AGM 2023) to review the year’s activities and begin our planning for 2024/25. We hope all our members can attend. Non-members still have time to register. The new City of Cape Town CID by-law and policy came into effect on 1 July and that is available to view online.

The recent bout of storms and cold fronts experienced in the Cape have certainly added to the work of the CIDs, in particular in the way of road maintenance and fallen trees. We’d like to remind you at this time to assist us in providing effective service by logging a service request for any faults encountered. More on this below. And if you missed our Spring updates, we have undertaken several urban beautification projects, adding greenery and cleaning up public areas of Wynberg, which you can read about in our August blog. Otherwise, read on for more on the above.

SAVE THE DATE! Our AGM 2023 is coming up

At the forthcoming Annual General Meeting for the Wynberg CID, all stakeholders are invited to a review of the year’s activities and planning for 2024/25.

Resolutions presented at the AGM can only be voted for by bonafide members. All non-members wishing to take part must be registered before 5 October.

View all AGM documents here.

AGM Details

Monday, 16 October 2023, 10:00
The Methodist Church, 72 Church St, Wynberg
RSVP to info@wynbergid.co.za.

New CID By-law Policy

The new CID by-law policy came into effect from 1 July, which serves “To provide for the establishment of City Improvement Districts; to provide for additional rates; and to provide for matters incidental thereto.”

The City of Cape Town’s by-law and policy regarding the establishment and management of City Improvement Districts has gone through several iterations over the years since the concept of a CID was first tested in the year 2000.

The latest revisions of the by-law and policy comes as more than 50 CIDs are now in operation.

The by-law is available to download on our website here.

Read more
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Spring cleaning and greening for Wynberg Improvement District

potted garden in Wynberg Improvement District

As we move into Spring, we review our initiatives to landscape, green and keep clean the Wynberg CBD to improve the urban environment for residents, businesses and visitors to the area.

We also remind you to save the date for our upcoming AGM on 16 October at 10am. Venue to be confirmed. Subscribe to our newsletter in the footer below for updates.

Greening the Wynberg area

The Wynberg Improvement District seeks to create an inviting urban environment for all of the people living, shopping, working and visiting the Wynberg CBD. For this reason, the WID explored different ways to improve the landscaping and greening of the Wynberg urban environment.

Over the last two years, the WID placed tree cages around all the newly planted trees close to the library and Magistrates Court. In addition, the area was made more user friendly with the addition of wooden benches for seating and more plants to beautify the urban environment.

As part of our latest project, we have placed large pots along the wider sidewalks in Main Road, planted with plants to further green and enhance the urban landscape. Fortunately the WID also acquired a water trailer this year to assist with the watering of plants in pots throughout the area.

Wynberg subways now reopened

The safe movement of pedestrians is very important to the WID management. The Wynberg CBD is a highly congested area where pedestrians, buses, taxis, commercial vehicles, and cars often compete to cross the same area.  In addition, the railway line dissects the greater Wynberg area even though people still need to move from one side of the line to the other. Until the COVID pandemic, this movement was facilitated in part by several subways facilitating movement underneath the railway line and linking both sides of Wynberg for pedestrian use.

After some months of planning, these subways are now once again being reopened in a partnership between the City of Cape Town and the WID.  After cleaning and repainting the subways, the WID will assist the City in monitoring these areas and will lock the subways at 19:00 each night and open the subways at 07:00 on weekdays.

The subways will remain closed on weekends.

Wynberg ID water trailer

The Wynberg ID is constantly exploring ways in which to improve the urban environment.  One of the most frustrating aspects is the tendency for people to use secluded corners and sheltered alleyways to urinate. This creates a very unhygienic and negative bad-smelling impression of our walkways and sidewalks.

Similarly, acts of illegal dumping often contain household waste with leaking content.

Both issues needed serious action from the WID. Although, in partnership with the City’s sanitation teams, they provide water spraying activities in the WID area, they cannot get to all the places needing this attention.

The WID commissioned the fabrication of a 1500-litre water trailer this year and equipped it with a high-pressure pump and hose system.  This new addition to our arsenal of tools allows the WID team to hose down and clean small areas and sidewalks with the high-pressure water.

In addition, the high-pressure water trailer provides the opportunity to clean some of the green public litter bins in the area.  The water trailer can also be deployed to water some of the potted plants that we have placed in the WID to beautify the area. 

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First quarter 2023 updates & meet our WID managers

Wynberg City Improvement District

2023 is well underway and as we embark on a year that promises to elevate our Wynberg Improvement District to new levels, we’d like to introduce you to our core team and provide some essential reminders and updates from WID and the City.

As always, our focus remains on developing a safe, accessible and welcoming urban ecosystem for all workers, visitors and community members in our district. We are firmly committed to supporting the property and business owners in our locality, and our aim is to build upon last year’s successes by strengthening and enhancing our services.

Meet our Wynberg Improvement District managers!

Meet our Wynberg Improvement District managers! Senior manager Deon Manuel (left) and manager De Wet Beck (right) are committed to making Wynberg better for our community, working tirelessly in their key roles as our City Improvement District managers.
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