Day: September 6, 2022

Would be firefighters can now apply for the 120 seasonal positions within the City of Cape Town’s Fire & Rescue Service. The annual recruitment drive aims to strengthen the City’s defences against vegetation fires between November and April.

Seasonal firefighters are expected to work at least 40 hours a week for the duration of their contracts.

Their key tasks include firefighting duties under the guidance and supervision of firefighters and officers, preparing for emergency incidents, and creating fire breaks along the urban edge.

‘The Fire & Rescue Service responded to 8 202 vegetation fires between November 2021 and April 2022. Our seasonal recruits are critical to our efforts to protect lives and property during this busy period.

‘The seasonal firefighters not only increase and strengthen our firefighting capabilities, but also provides skills and opportunity to those who are successful,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.

Seasonal firefighters work alongside permanent staff and were introduced as an EPWP programme in early 2009 to fund the appointment of an initial 40 seasonal firefighters.

The programme has grown since then to 120 seasonals to increase resources and minimise the risk to lives and property, particularly where vegetation and mountain fires threaten the urban edge.

‘All our firefighters risk their lives to save others not only endure long hours in unbearable heat, but they provide an indispensable service crucial to the safety and security of all our residents,’ said Alderman Smith.

‘I encourage prospective seasonal firefighters to apply via the appropriate channels. They provide essential assistance to our permanent cohort making the service a force to be reckoned with over the busy summer season,’ added Alderman Smith.

The closing date for applications is 19 September 2022.

Please note the following important information:

Applicants must apply online via eRecruitment

No hard copy or emailed applications will be accepted

In order to apply online, applicants must first create an eServices Account on the City of Cape Town website at www.capetown.gov.za

Applicants may use any computer with internet access to apply. Smartphones are not compatible with this online application process and cannot be used to apply

Shortlisted candidates will be required to undertake a compulsory fitness test, and when they pass the physical test will also be required to pass a written assessment and interview.

The fitness test includes:

a reach test of 1,9m

a 2,4 km run within a prescribed time (12 minutes for men and 13 minutes for women)

30 sit-ups within 60 seconds

30 push-ups within 60 seconds

a 50 kg dead load carry over 100 m

The top overall performers will be offered contracts as seasonal firefighters and will start their firefighting training on 1 November.

Source: City Of Cape Town

WESTERN CAPE – On Friday, 02 September 2022, an alleged gang leader (42) and his 11-year-old son were shot and killed in their Shepherd Way home in Lavender Hill. The case was assigned to the Anti-Gang Unit detectives who worked around the clock to bring the perpetrator of this double murder to book.

On Monday evening, 05 September 2022, the detectives made a breakthrough in the case when they conducted a tracing operation which led them to an address in Cradock Road, Steenberg where a 22-year-old male was arrested in connection with the murder.

Once charged the suspect will appear in the Wynberg Magistrates court on murder charges.

Source: South African Police Service

Registering for upcoming free business development workshops is only a click away for entrepreneurs

This week the Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, Alderman James Vos encouraged entrepreneurs to register for its free business development workshops at his meetings with business owners and entrepreneurs.

‘Small and medium enterprises absorb between 50-60% of the country’s workforce and contribute 39% to the national GDP. They are vital to growth, opportunity and innovation and so our support in the form of skills and information-sharing is critical,’ said Alderman Vos.

The online courses will cover a range of issues, including tendering, costing and pricing, and business improvement strategies.

‘Cape Town’s start-up scene is currently worth R48,25 billion and more and more entrepreneurs are moving from elsewhere in the country and setting up shop here because of the strong support systems the City has put in place.

‘We want to make further inroads in making Cape Town a pro-growth hotspot. It is for this reason that the City government is undertaking an Ease of Doing Business strategy wherein we are aiming to learn what we can do to make life easier for SMEs,’ said Alderman Vos.

To sign up for workshops, go to https://www.investcapetown.com/news-events/business-events/.

For data-free access to the virtual sessions, attendees can use the SmartCape services in public libraries or go to one of the 100 City-run buildings in the metro with free Wi-Fi access. Find out more here: https://www.capetown.gov.za/local%20and%20communities/get-online/Public-Wifi-Zones/public-wifi-across-the-city

Contact The Business Hub team at business.support@capetown.gov.za or +27 21 417 4043 with your business-related queries.

Source: City Of Cape Town

NELSPRUIT – A 32-year-old man was detained, though still in hospital under police guard, awaiting questioning regarding the murder of his 17-year-old girlfriend and her grandmother (63) at Emadamini, near Ermelo on Monday, 05 September 2022.

The grandmother and granddaughter’s lifeless bodies were found in their house by family members after being contacted by the granddaughter’s employer, who was worried that she failed to show up for work on Monday, 05 September 2022.

On their arrival, family members enquired from neighbours, but no one had knowledge on their whereabouts as the doors were locked and nobody responded to their calls.

The granddaughter’s boyfriend is said to have been contacted to give family members the house keys but he reportedly denied any knowledge of the keys. When asked about the whereabouts of his girlfriend, he allegedly mentioned that his girlfriend was in hospital as she indicated that she was not feeling well.

On the said Monday at about 18:00, family members grew concerned and resorted to breaking the house window to investigate. They were reportedly met with two lifeless bodies covered with blankets, both had head injuries and bruises all over.

The report further indicates that community members started a manhunt for the boyfriend with the hope that he will give some indication of what might have happened. The man was tracked down this morning, Tuesday 06 September 2022 and handed over to the police at about 02:00. He sustained some injuries and community members alleged that he stabbed himself with a knife. Police then apprehended him for questioning, hence placed under police guard in hospital so that he could give clarity and information that may assist in the investigation.

The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has vehemently condemned such a gruesome murder of the two females. “We continue to experience senseless killings of the vulnerable groups and in this instance, it is a female senior citizen as well as a female minor. This is a matter of concern however police will work hard to get to the bottom of this where any person who is behind their murder will have to face the full might of the law. A team of investigators has been assembled to investigate and we hope that they will make a breakthrough soon” said Lieutenant General Manamela.

Source: South African Police Service

On 8 September 2022, the City’s Mobile Office will be deployed at the Kalkfontein Community Hall, Verenigde Street in Kalkfontein, from 09:30 to 13:30.

Officials from the Customer Relations Department’s Mobile Office will assist with general municipal account enquiries including rates, sewage, electricity, water, refuse collections, potholes and all other account enquiries. They will also assist with general enquiries relating to City Parks, Urban Waste, Property Management, Valuations, and all other general enquiries.

‘The Mobile Office is one of the means we use to improve access to services for people living in remote areas. Thus, I urge residents to please take full advantage of this opportunity. We are saving residents time and money. Residents are reminded to please bring their IDs and municipal accounts for ease of reference. Should residents want to find out when the service is coming to their area, they are advised to contact their ward councillor and make a request,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Corporate Services, Alderman Theresa Uys.

Source: City Of Cape Town

NORTHERN CAPE – Sobriety Week under the theme, “Sobriety is my responsibility” commenced today, 06 September 2022 in Postmasburg.

The Sobriety Week campaign was initiated by Sgt Karlien Nel, the FLASH official at Postmasburg SAPS in conjunction with the Northern Cape Liquor Board, FAMSA, TAD, the CPF, Departments of Health and Education as well as SAPS components and units.

This campaign was started in September 2021 and will continue to be on Postmasburg’s SAPS calendar of events.

The main objective of Sobriety Week 2022 is aimed at restoring, rehabilitating and educating the youth and the greater community of Postmasburg on the dangers of substance abuse, more specifically underage drinking.

A focus area for the week will include compliance inspections to liquor outlets to enforce responsible trading, drinking and compliance with the regulations of the Northern Cape Liquor Act, 2008.

A public speaking competition was hosted during which 19 high school learners from Blinklip high school, Ratang Thutu High school, Postmasburg High school and Shiloa Academy participated.

The learners were afforded an opportunity to present their speeches to a panel of adjudicators under the theme, “Peer pressure in terms of Substance abuse and Moral regeneration”.

Three winners were selected and awarded trophies while all 19 participants received certificates and gift bags.

The Provincial Head of the FCS units in the province, Brigadier Nicky Mills was one of the adjudicators.

It was amazing and extraordinary how the learners interpreted the theme and how strong their opinions came to the fore.

Numerous police actions will continue for the duration of Sobriety Week which will be concluded with a fun run on 10 September 2022.

Source: South African Police Service

The City of Cape Town’s State of the Environment Report, 2022, is now available on the City’s website. The State of the Environment Report is a critical instrument for monitoring and reporting on changes to Cape Town’s natural environment. This provides the City and external stakeholders with accurate data and information to support decision-making and management responses aimed at reducing environmental risks and degradation.

The natural environment underpins our society and economy. It provides recreational, educational and tourism opportunities, as well as direct and indirect job creation and skills development.

‘Cape Town’s natural assets provide a wide range of essential ecosystem goods and services such as clean air and water, food security, climate regulation, and protection from natural disasters such as floods, fires, sea level rise and coastal erosion. We cannot realise our social and economic development objectives in the absence of environmental sustainability. As such, the City has developed indicators to measure, track and report on environmental changes and progress towards realising environmental sustainability. The State of the Environment, 2022, reports on a wide range of environmental indicators. I invite residents and interested parties to go online and read this report, it has a wealth of information,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.

The selected indicators were established with guidance from international and local best practice on environmental reporting, and are aligned with the City’s Integrated Development Plan for the current term of office, and the City’s Environmental Strategy, among others.

In addition to the State of the Environment Report, the City has a range of other structures to monitor and report on aspects of environmental sustainability, including the City Inland Water Quality reports, Know Your Coast reports, State of Energy and Carbon reports and Biodiversity reports.

The last City of Cape Town State of the Environment Report was published in 2019.

The 2022 report relies on data for 11 different themes, collected from 2019 to 2021. These include biodiversity, invasive species, green open space, inland and coastal water quality, water use, wastewater, climate change, air quality and solid waste. The 2022 report also includes a cultural heritage chapter.

‘The results highlight the fact that Cape Town confronts considerable environmental challenges. In particular, during this reporting period, trends related to inland water quality and wastewater are of particular concern. On the other hand, positive trends are apparent in relation to biodiversity, and solid waste. Trends in relation to coastal water quality, water use and air quality are largely unchanged,’ said Alderman Andrews.

Since the publication of the 2019 State of the Environment Report, the City has seen an increase in the frequency and intensity of major shock events and increased climate change impacts such as floods, coastal erosion, extreme heat and fires. These shocks and changes, inclusive of the Covid-19 pandemic, affect the ability of the environment to provide essential goods and services, and have an impact on human health.

Nevertheless, the City has a long track record of policy and action in pursuit of environmental sustainability and resilience. The City’s Environmental Strategy, Resilience Strategy, Water Strategy and Climate Change Strategy provide robust policy and governance frameworks for realising a more sustainable and resilient city.

‘The City has obligations and responsibilities to promoting and protecting our environmental sustainability. However, we cannot do this on our own. We need all who live and work in Cape Town – from residents, to business owners, civil society and academia – to work with us in pursuit of sustainable change. I also want to thank all of those who are already partnering with us, residents who are involved in projects in their neighbourhoods, and all others who are contributing in their areas of expertise,’ said Alderman Andrews.

Source: City Of Cape Town