Welcome to the CRRA ~
Conserving Constantia’s rural and cultural landscape for all.
Promoting and safeguarding the interests of ratepayers and residents.
Things happening in the Valley!
Photos from Constantia Watch's post
So how do you get the squatters off the land? This is a problem waiting to happen and it could grow to more and more shelters being built.....
Yes I have been concerned about the squatters on that land for some time and there seems to be more
John Hesom What can one do about these squatters behind Constantia Emporium?
The CRRA and Constantia Watch will liaise with the owners and Law Enforcement. 👍
ALEC PIENAAR 14 April 1938 – 4 May 2020
The Constantia Ratepayers and Resident Association (“CRRA”) acknowledges the great contribution to the community of Alec Pienaar who passed away last week at the age of 82. Alec served as Chairman of the CRRA from 2003- 2010 and again from 2014-17 and continued as member of CRRA’ EXCO until his fatal heart-attack on Monday 4 May. He was also an enthusiastic member of the Ward 62 branch of the Democratic Alliance and served on its committee for many years.
Alec was born in Graaff Reinet and grew up on a sheep farm in the remotest area of the Karoo. Matriculating with distinction at Union High School in 1954, he entered UCT at the age of 16 and qualified in 1959 with a BA.LLB degree. He read for a Master’s degree in International Law at the London School of Economics and also for the English Bar at Grays Inn.
He met and married his English wife Sara in London and they moved to Johannesburg at the end of 1964. After a couple of years working for Nedbank, Alec joined and became of a partner at Bowman Gilfillan. Later in his career, he was Group Legal Adviser and Senior Manager at Standard Bank.
Passionate about justice for all in South Africa, Alec and some fellow UCT students staged a torch-lit vigil outside Parliament in 1959 in protest against the so-called Extension of University Education Act, which effectively banned black people from all “white” universities. At the start of his 40 years in Johannesburg, he joined the Progressive Party and worked for Helen Suzman. He held many posts in Party structures and was a doughty fighter at general and local elections. He was a founder member of the DP, now the DA and wholeheartedly welcomed the dawn of a new and democratic South Africa in 1994.
He retired in 2003 and moved to Constantia where he immediately got involved in community affairs. Alec loved indigenous flora, especially the Western Cape fynbos. He built a beautiful holiday home in Betty’s Bay, where he was probably at his happiest. He adored classical music and was a regular at the City Hall symphony concerts and at the Baxter Concert Hall. Good wine, especially a fine Constantia red, was another great enthusiasm.
He was much loved for his generosity, warmth, kindness, hospitality, humour and optimism, even in South Africa’s darkest times He leaves behind his wife Sara and three children, Claudia, Kate and Julian, as well as eight grandchildren who were the light of his later life.
Sounds like a wonderful person.
Rip dear Alec
🚨 | MUST WATCH
DA Leader John Steenhuisen will make an announcement of national importance regarding the lockdown and the re-opening of the economy
Live-stream his address at 2pm today, Friday 8 May.
Please share this message far and wide for awareness.
Greenbelt pathways in Constantia during stage 4 Lockdown
The Constantia greenbelts are officially open to the public again thanks to a challenge by the CRRA regarding conflicting statements from Mayor Dan Plato and local Ward Councillor.
In a media statement on 30th April, the Mayor stated that various specific walkways/promenades were opened including ‘all other publicly accessible boardwalks or pathways’. The latter would presumably include pathways through the greenbelts.
On 1st May Cllr Liz Brunette sent out an email stating that: “Unfortunately we are not allowed to use the public parks, public open spaces, greenbelts and recreational facilities during Alert Level 4.
The National Government’s Covid-19 Regulations specify that residents may not use the City’s public parks and recreational facilities to walk, run or cycle. Please note that ‘public parks’ include public open spaces and greenbelts used by the public.”
This was obviously in conflict with the Mayor’s statement.
The CRRA wrote to Cllr Brunette and Mayco member for Transport, Ald. Felicity Purchase seeking clarity.
The City obtained legal opinion which supported the opening of the greenbelts and public walkways, lanes etc.
You may walk on the grass, just keep off the sea sand. 🙄
Is this only ruling only for constantia or all greenbelts ?
This appears to be contrary to the advisory issued by SAPS, which denied access to and put tape across access to the Tokai/Keysers River Greenbelt.
The state president is speaking to us tonight. Let,s hope
I wasn't even aware there was an issue. They were packed 2 days ago.
Go Constantia!! Well done, lovely to see you standing up for your rights and fairness!! 🙂 🙂
Well done all! Fantastic news. 👍👍⭐️
Is this fake news? Have the police been informed?
Presuming the path around the forest is off limits?
Does this mean that we can walk on the fields at Virgin Active? Steven Horwitz constantia ratepayers
Carolynne Franklin ???
Dear Parks friends
The City’s Recreation and Parks Department would like to invite you all to take part in this year’s City Nature Challenge which will occur from 24 – 27 April 2020. citynaturechallenge.org/participate/
The City Nature Challenge is organized by the citizen science teams at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the California Academy of Sciences. For Cape Town, the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) together with the City’s Biodiversity Management Branch are the main organisers, numerous organisation such as CapeNature, Table Mountain National Fund, BOTSOC, CREW etc. are also taking part. There are many opportunities for the recreation and parks department to put our hubs on the map, we would like to kindly request that you take part; you can rally your respective Friend’s groups, volunteers and active surrounding community members to participate and, put our parks, conservation areas, gardens, greenbelts and, public open spaces on the map in 2020.
About:
The project was started in 2016 in the USA with only 2 participating cities to record and capture nature in cities to better understand biodiversity in an urban context; over the three year it has grown to over 159 participating cities across the globe with Cape Town winning two of the tree main categories last year. This year Cape Town aims to reach more participants and record more fauna and flora and take home all three top prizes.
www.inaturalist.org/…/city-nature-challenge-2020-ca…
Keeping the Mother City on the top of the biodiversity map!
Please Diarize: 24-27 April 2020 – please be here
Our 2020 targets: 55,000 observations, 4000 species and 2500 observers!
ALSO PARTICIPATING: Durban, Garden Route, Gaborone, Nelson Mandela Bay, Tswane – BE PART OF THE FUN!
Our role:
Cape Town boasts of being one of the most biodiverse cities on Earth and we proved it in 2019. Let us prove it again and make sure that Cape Town stays on top of both the Biodiversity and Citizen Science maps. We need observations, we need species and we need observers – WE NEED YOU.
Please sign up, join this project and watch the press and your society newsletters for details in your area.
Follow progress here: www.inaturalist.org/proj…/city-nature-challenge-2020
Steps on how to participate:
It is simple to participate.
Simply download the iNaturalist App onto your smart phone between 24 - 27 April 2020 and sign up to iNaturalist and get practicing for the big event, please ensure that you practice before the event so that we can get lots of good observations over the weekend.
Over 100 cities around the world will be calling on their citizen scientists to bioblitz their biodiversity, any wild animal, plant, tree or fungus is game.
On the days of the event, participants simply capture any plant/tree/animal/fungi of interest and load it on iNaturalist, ensure that you specify the location; you do not have to know what it is - there are people that will be ready and waiting to ID them for you on the app.
You can make it a friend’s event, a family outing or simply hike and jog through your favourite park/greenspace, conservation area, garden, open space and capture as you go!
Loads of prizes to be won by participants!
After the event, SANBI and partners will host a prize giving event, were numerous prizes are up for grabs to participants!
Pease indicate if you and your respective group are interested and/or will be taking part by emailing or phone call.
Feel free to contact me if you have any queries.
Enkosi,
Sihle Jonas
Ecological Coordinator
Recreation and Parks
Community Services and Health
Jan Burger Sports Complex, Parow North
Tel: 021 444 6025 |Email: sihle.jonas@capetown.gov.za |Web: www.capetown.gov.za
📢 | Don't miss today’s CoronaCast!
At 2pm, DA Leader, John Steenhuisen, and DA Shadow Minister of Small Business Development, Zakhele Mbhele will unpack the various options available to small business owners during this Covid-19 crisis.
Tune in here at 2pm: www.facebook.com/DemocraticAlliance/
www.facebook.com
South Africa's second-largest political party. Committed to building one nation with one future underpinned by freedom, fairness, opportunity, and diversity for all. 🇿🇦
Do you have a more recent graph? Unless I read it wrong this one shows South Africa ar around 100+ cases and we are over 2000+
www.westerncape.gov.za/department-of-health/news/statement-premier-western-cape-alan-winde-extens...
www.westerncape.gov.za
South Africans have shown their deep commitment to one another by abiding by the lock down. We can do so for another two weeks in order to stop the spread and save many lives. I
Dear Parks friends
The City’s Recreation and Parks Department would like to invite you all to take part in this year’s City Nature Challenge which will occur from 24 – 27 April 2020. citynaturechallenge.org/participate/
The City Nature Challenge is organized by the citizen science teams at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the California Academy of Sciences. For Cape Town, the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) together with the City’s Biodiversity Management Branch are the main organisers, numerous organisation such as CapeNature, Table Mountain National Fund, BOTSOC, CREW etc. are also taking part. There are many opportunities for the recreation and parks department to put our hubs on the map, we would like to kindly request that you take part; you can rally your respective Friend’s groups, volunteers and active surrounding community members to participate and, put our parks, conservation areas, gardens, greenbelts and, public open spaces on the map in 2020.
About:
The project was started in 2016 in the USA with only 2 participating cities to record and capture nature in cities to better understand biodiversity in an urban context; over the three year it has grown to over 159 participating cities across the globe with Cape Town winning two of the tree main categories last year. This year Cape Town aims to reach more participants and record more fauna and flora and take home all three top prizes.
www.inaturalist.org/…/city-nature-challenge-2020-ca…
Keeping the Mother City on the top of the biodiversity map!
Please Diarize: 24-27 April 2020 – please be here
Our 2020 targets: 55,000 observations, 4000 species and 2500 observers!
ALSO PARTICIPATING: Durban, Garden Route, Gaborone, Nelson Mandela Bay, Tswane – BE PART OF THE FUN!
Our role:
Cape Town boasts of being one of the most biodiverse cities on Earth and we proved it in 2019. Let us prove it again and make sure that Cape Town stays on top of both the Biodiversity and Citizen Science maps. We need observations, we need species and we need observers – WE NEED YOU.
Please sign up, join this project and watch the press and your society newsletters for details in your area.
Follow progress here: www.inaturalist.org/proj…/city-nature-challenge-2020
Steps on how to participate:
It is simple to participate.
Simply download the iNaturalist App onto your smart phone between 24 - 27 April 2020 and sign up to iNaturalist and get practicing for the big event, please ensure that you practice before the event so that we can get lots of good observations over the weekend.
Over 100 cities around the world will be calling on their citizen scientists to bioblitz their biodiversity, any wild animal, plant, tree or fungus is game.
On the days of the event, participants simply capture any plant/tree/animal/fungi of interest and load it on iNaturalist, ensure that you specify the location; you do not have to know what it is - there are people that will be ready and waiting to ID them for you on the app.
You can make it a friend’s event, a family outing or simply hike and jog through your favourite park/greenspace, conservation area, garden, open space and capture as you go!
Loads of prizes to be won by participants!
After the event, SANBI and partners will host a prize giving event, were numerous prizes are up for grabs to participants!
Pease indicate if you and your respective group are interested and/or will be taking part by emailing or phone call.
Feel free to contact me if you have any queries.
Enkosi,
Sihle Jonas
Ecological Coordinator
Recreation and Parks
Community Services and Health
Jan Burger Sports Complex, Parow North
Tel: 021 444 6025 |Email: sihle.jonas@capetown.gov.za |Web: www.capetown.gov.za
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PLEASE DONATE TO STREET CLEANING:
R200 pays for one cleaner per day!
Council have an extended PublicWorks Programme which allows for some cleaning of the main roads, but as you can see from the amount of litter everywhere, this is not working and despite our best efforts, Council will do nothing further. SO HOW CAN YOU HELP US TO SUSTAIN THE CLEARING? SNAPSCAN THIS CODE ON THE LEFT!!
Simply scan this code into your Snapscan application on your phone and enter an amount to donate.
The Future of Constantia is in your hands.
