STCA Newsletter
Posted: 28 Jun 2008 04:23 AM CDT
From: Lesley Shackleton
Safety and Security
The long-awaited meeting we have been asking for with the Sub-council around law enforcement in greater Simon’s Town eventually took place. Unfortunately, despite the meeting being scheduled to accommodate official diaries, of the four City department considered critical for progress, only the Legal Department attended.  However, as Councillors and the Chair of the Sub Council were present, it was decided to continue with the meeting.  Simon’s Town was represented by STCA, the Community Police Forum, STADCO, the Simon’s Town Business Association, and Happy Valley.  Issues discussed were management of vagrants including the provision of basic facilities (eg access to toilets) for them to minimize their negative effect; the possibility of initiating Municipal (rather than Community) Courts to deal with by-law enforcement, and the cooperation of liquor outlets.  The Simon’s Town Bottle Store has now joined the Lord Nelson Cellars in formally undertaking not to provide known vagrants with cheap alcohol.
Discussions have recently been held around establishing a preliminary disaster control centre to serve Simon’s Town. The recent fires, the refugee situation and possible disasters such as mud slides on our steep mountain slopes, point to the need for communities to take initiatives themselves.
A concern is the fact that we now have 34 taxis operating through Simon’s Town, of which only 8 are licensed.
The Simon’s Town police have again requested that people should report all suspicious behaviour.  The recent incidents of theft and vandalism in Glencairn highlight the need for continued vigilance on the part of residents.
Soetwater Refugee Camp
Through its membership of the Far South Peninsula Community Forum (FSPCF), the STCA has been keeping abreast of the situation at the Soetwater Refugee camp.  Our councillors, Nicki Holderness and Felicity Purchase, have been working tirelessly to ease the plight of the refugees.  They have been supporting and facilitating the actions of the many local volunteers, and trying to stimulate appropriate action from City and Provincial officials.  The FSPCF has earned the respect of the refugee leaders and volunteers and has also been interceding with the City to resolve the numerous impasses.  The City and Province seem overwhelmed and unaware of many of the problems on the ground. A major concern is the lack of nutritious food, especially for babies, children and women.  In the absence of any viable plan of action from Province, the volunteer leadership have drawn up a protocol for volunteers and, with the refugee community, worked out communication structures.  Volunteers and Councillors are focusing on supplying the basic humanitarian assistance (nutritious food and trauma counselling) that is being overlooked in the broader political posturing.  Of note for the greater Simon’s Town community:
Donations to enable the volunteers provide suitable nutritious food for the vulnerable in the refugee community are desperately needed. Donations should be put into the Fish Hoek Valley Residents and Ratepayers Association (FHVRRA) Bank Account, giving your surname and reference “refugees”. The bank details are:   name: FHVRRA
a/c no. 374203091
Bank : Standardbank
Bank code: 036009
Donations of new men’s clothing are urgently needed – this is to help overcome the health hazard arising from scabies infections. Clothing can be left at the Sub-council offices or at Regal Cycles, Kommetjie Road, Fish Hoek.
There is a strong effort being made to manage the volunteers more effectively so anyone wanting to volunteer in future will need to register formally with the volunteer leadership (contact person Sam Pearce email sam@samp.co.za, or if not on email, contact one of the Councillors).
In the light of the confusions emanating from the Provincial Government around the future fate of the refugees, the volunteers have decided to proceed with basic humanitarian assistance on the assumption that the camp will continue to exist for some time to come.
Amenities
Much thought and discussion has taken place on how most effectively to manage requests for repairs and maintenance to amenities and services.  Discussions have been held with Desirée Mentor, our Sub-council Manager, and our Ward Councillor and we are now proposing to build the “positives” we have identified. These are:
A very efficient Sub Council Manager and a dedicated Ward Councillor, both of whom like to know what is happening in their ‘cabbage patch’
The new tracking system the Sub-council have introduced to monitor responses to problems. At the end of each week, a list of issues raised is circulated to the Councillors so they know what is happening in their wards, thus keeping them in the picture. In this way, duplication will be weeded out and there will be careful monitoring of outstanding work required.
The fact that many people prefer to report directly to someone in ‘authority’ and only when things aren’t happening do they call for help from the STCA.
Accordingly we ask that in future, issues needing the City’s attention are reported directly to the Sub-council Manager, either by email to desiree.mentor@capetown.gov.za 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.
Date: (of submitting the request)
Category: (Roads, Waste Management, Parks, Water supply, Graffiti, etc)
From: (full name of person submitting the request)
Contact details: (street address, and telephone number, and email if used)
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)
In addition, the STCA wants to stress the importance of people taking responsibility for and rectify the little things that they see amiss rather than calling for Council action.
Remember in case of emergency, the numbers are:
Electricity: 0800 220 440
Water: 0860 103 054
Fire and Emergency: 107 from Telkom phones
Fish Hoek Emergency Centre: 021-782 0333 / 0444
Property and Development
During June two letters detailing STCA comments on the proposed development on the Marine Oil Refinery site at Dido Valley were submitted, one concerning the application for rezoning, subdivision and departures to the City’s Director of Planning and Building Development Management, and the other to the Department of Environmental Affairs, Provincial Government, commenting on the Final Basic Assessment Report.  In both cases, the STCA expressed support for the Marine Oil development and encouraged its acceleration as we believe that, if properly and sensitively executed, it will provide accommodation, business facilities and job opportunities for residents in our area. However, we expressed strong concerns about two aspects of the proposed development. Firstly, we are not satisfied that the pollution of the site arising from the adjacent Municipal Dump and the smaller “Tiger” dump has been adequately addressed. Both of these we feel will expose future residents of the development to health risks, and will be likely to incur huge costs at a later stage.  Secondly, we expressed concerns about the high density of the residential units and aspects of the planning which we feel are inappropriate to the Far South and Simon’s Town.  Strong objections were made to the proposed heights of the buildings, especially those adjacent to the Main Road and war graves, and to the Visual Impact which we feel has been deceptively presented in the Report.  We are grateful to the STCA property team who spent many days going through reams of documentation in compiling these carefully thought-through comments which also included constructive suggestions towards a way forward.
Signage and Environment
We are convinced that controlled, appropriate signage enhances the beauty of heritage sites and the environment. This is something that we in Simon’s Town are striving to achieve. We are delighted to report some successes: after many months the Sanlam signs on St Georges Street were removed, and the empty metal frame which previously housed the SHELL sign at the garage has been removed.   Unfortunately we are finding that when approached, estate agents make promises, but these are usually not kept. 
There have been repeated disappointing approaches to Metrorail to remove the dilapidated fencing alongside the grass parking area from Mackerel Bay Klein Vishoek and the rusty stanchions on the sea side of the railway in front of the flats and Fire Station. Again promises are made, but not kept.  On a more positive note, the Simon’s Town Environmental Action Group and the Friends of the Simon’s Town Coastline have been involved in the alien clearance and restoration of Burgers Walk, resulting in a much needed improvement.  This will be followed by a ‘plantathon’, to put in appropriate vegetation.
Citizen of the Year
Don’t forget to submit your nominations for Citizen of the Year.  Nominations, providing a full motivation should be sent to the above addresses before the end of July. (Details were in the May Newsletter.)
Subscriptions
STCA membership fees (R50 per annum per household) became due on 1 January 2008.  Please pay these 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 PLEASE NOTE NEW BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS:
Bank: Standard Bank
Branch: Fish Hoek
Branch code: 036009
Account number: 073815209
Account name: Simons Town Civic Association
Account type: Market link savings account
Please say “Subs and your name” as the sender.
STCA Web Page: http://www.stcivic.info/

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