Cape Argus
15th July 2011
Bronwynne Jooste, Metro Writer
RESIDENTS of Durbanville and Somerset West have slammed the City of Cape Town for its handling of the new proposed subcouncil boundaries.
Public comment in respect of the boundaries closes on Monday.
Residents have also taken the city to task for the timing of the public participation period, which tell during the school holidays. They charge that there was not enough time to comment oh the proposal.
The Durbanville Community Forum (DCF) has slated the proposed boundaries, saying they make “no logical sense”.
In Somerset West, the Helderberg Residents Action Association said they would split the suburb apart, “striking at the heart of the community”.
Last month, the city announced that the sub-council boundaries were set to be redrawn after the Municipal Demarcation Board created an extra six wards in the city to accommodate an increase in the number of registered voters.
The number of wards in Cape Town increased from 105 to 111. The city explained that because of this move, the city would legally have to refine its sub-council boundaries.
The proposal is that the number of sub-councils increase from 23 to 24.
The new Cape Town Sub-council Further Amendment By-law was opened for public comment at the end of last month. It ends on Monday.
George Sieraha. chairman of the Durbanville Community Forum, said one of the main objections was that some parts of Durbanville would now fall under the Goodwood sub-council, including wards 21 and 70.
At a meeting with residents and some city councillors earlier this week, he said, it was stated that the head of the Goodwood sub-council would be based in the sub-council chambers in Goodwood, while the head of the Durbanville sub-council was set to be based in Brackenfell. This would have “major impacts” on Durbanville. ”It came through very clearly in the meeting that the general community has absolutely no idea what this is about, and how it can affect their lives in one way or another… The proposal makes absolutely no logical sense,” Sieraha said.
The forum was also concerned that councillors living outside Durbanville would now be involved in making decisions for the area.
“The DCF is of the opinion that the city is trying to ram this through, based on their-agendas and not for the overall good of the various communities. The lack of information and the timing of this debacle is an absolute travesty. The DCF will definitely be requesting a postponement and I encourage all forums across Cape Town to do the same,” he said, adding that residents were given too short a time to make informed comment, which was not helped by the school holidays.
“The city is on a mission to get this all wrapped up before full council when it can be rammed through. It is strongly advised that the city take a step back and listen to the community. Politicians and officials are servants to the public and not the other way round,” he said.
The Helderberg Residents Action Association called the timing of the public comment “unfortunate”.
The proposed by-law is downloadable here -
https://www.capetown.gov.za/en/ByLaws/Draft%20bylaws/AmendmentSub-councilBy-lawEnglish.pdf
Further details can be obtained from the City of Cape Town at -
https://www.capetown.gov.za/en/subcouncils/Pages/CommentonCitySubcBoundaries.aspx
The City of Cape Town supplied map of the proposed Subcouncil boundaries can be viewed at -
https://www.capetown.gov.za/en/Documents/24Subcouncil_Proposal.pdf
