Welcome to the CRRA ~
Conserving Constantia’s rural and cultural landscape for all.
Promoting and safeguarding the interests of ratepayers and residents.
For our latest news please download the April 2022 newsletter HERE
 Things happening in the Valley!
From: Cllr Emile Langenhoven – Ward 62
Good Morning Constantia residents.
It seems that the flood of meeting attendance requests for the Baboon Interaction Meeting has exceeded the ability of the department's staff to reply to each one, and the amount allowed on the Zoom platform.
They have therefore split the meeting to focus on different baboon troops. They have therefore released a link for the CT2 baboon troop which is prevalent in the Constantia area.
Please register at the following link, even if you have already registered for the meeting by sending an e-mail as previously suggested. Also, please note the change in date of the meeting.
Constantia north of Constantia Nek (Constantia 2 troop): Thursday, 22 September from 18:00 to 19:30
Register in advance for this meeting:
capetown-gov-za.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMpd-mprj8uGd3D1VAlG042splSN0N30UIw
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Please read the official city media release here:
Links, registration for City’s online meetings about proposals for baboon-affected areas
Kind regards,
Cllr Emile Langenhoven – Ward 62
Subcouncil 20 Alphen Centre
Constantia Main Road,Constantia. 7806
Email: emile.langenhoven@capetown.gov.za
Web: www.capetown.gov.za
capetown-gov-za.zoom.us
Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Constantia Nek Baboon Public Engagement Session. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.LAST CHANCE TO BOOK!!!
A great evening planned for tonight, the enormous fire at Simon's at Groot Constantia will be proving us with warmth, while we enjoy some Groot Constantia wine and canapés all the while listening to Premier Alan Winde. A great event not to be missed.
The CRRA are hosting a fundraiser event where you can come and listen to and interact with Premier Alan Winde in a relaxed atmosphere while enjoying Groot Constantia wines and canapés at Simon's restaurant.
The event is on 15th August at 6 for 6:30pm.
Please book online through Quicket by clicking on this link:
www.quicket.co.za/events/182241-premier-alan-winde-event/
Numbers are limited and please note that there will be no ticket sales at the door.
CITY OF CAPE TOWN
4 AUGUST 2022
MEDIA RELEASE
Give flowers time to bloom
The City of Cape Town’s Recreation and Parks Department advises the public that it will commence its mowing schedule at parks and public open spaces at the end of November 2022, to allow for spring flowers and a variety of indigenous plants to bloom – not just for aesthetic appeal, but also in aid of conservation. Read more below:
The City’s Recreation and Parks Department has adopted a ‘no mowing’ position during late winter and early spring.
This is an annual occurrence to conserve and protect plant species and allowing them to complete the annual growth cycle, between August and November.
Current weather patterns indicate that flowers will start blooming earlier this year, with some already starting to show their colours.
Mowing will be suspended in Public Open Spaces (POS), Parks, Greenbelts and road verges that have been identified as special portions of land that contain important vegetation.
The aim is to protect ecological processes that promote the growth of distinctive Fynbos vegetation. Some areas also act as conservation corridors, connecting to other open spaces, nature reserves and national parks, ensuring a healthy network of interconnected environments. When flowering, the areas will display fields of colour with a variety of spring flowers which residents can enjoy. Flowers also play an important role in the pollinating process.
‘The opportunity to see the tiny flowers and allowing them to mature and seed undisturbed, comes at the cost of letting grass grow where they are found. What appears to be untidy patches of un-mowed grass at times, is in actual fact a sound environmental management tool that allows the flowers to grow undisturbed, so that they survive for many generations to come. It is beautiful to see annual flowers such as yellow centered, bright-orange and white daises on a sunny day, and we ask our residents to join us on this very important and exciting ecological journey,’ said the Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia Van der Ross.
Once the endemic flowers have produced adequate seeds towards the end of the ‘no mow’ period, routine mowing maintenance schedules can resume.
A comprehensive list of the areas that are partially mowed and where mowing will be suspended until November can be accessed here: resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre%20Assets/Recreation%20and%20Parks%20Department...
Residents can apply for their community park or portions of green spaces in their area to be added to the list.
Email RP.Enquiries@capetown.gov.za with the location, some evidence of the flowers and support from neighbours living in close proximity to the area.
End
Issued by: Media Office, City of Cape Town
Looking for something local to do this weekend, why not pop down to Earth Fair Food & Craft Market on Saturday!
From:Cllr Emile Langenhoven – Ward 62
Good day Constantia Residents.
The CT2 baboon troop has penetrated deep into the Constantia suburbs and no longer reside on the urban edge. This could potentially affect all residents as they approach the M3. I have had reports of them going as far as Southern Cross Drive and Brommersvlei Road.
I urge you to join the online meeting on Tuesday, 23 August 2022 from 18:00 by e-mailing wildct@capetown.gov.za with the subject "RSVP Baboon Interaction", and request attendance to the meeting. They should send a return e-mail confirming your attendance. If they do not, please do not e-mail me. Send a reminder to wildct@capetown.gov.za that you have registered. Registrations close tomorrow, 12 August 2022.
Please see the article for this meeting here: City invites residents to online meetings on proposals for baboon-affected areas.
Kind regards,
Cllr Emile Langenhoven – Ward 62
Subcouncil 20 Alphen Centre
Constantia Main Road,Constantia. 7806
Email: emile.langenhoven@capetown.gov.za
Web: www.capetown.gov.za
Planning your weekend. The The Alphen Antiques and Collectables Market will be held this Sunday 14th August for those looking for a special gift.
The Alphen Antiques & Collectables Markets are held on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month at the Garrett Memorial Hall, Eskol Road (off Strawberry Lane), Constantia, Cape Town.
The CRRA are hosting a fundraiser event where you can come and listen to and interact with Premier Alan Winde in a relaxed atmosphere while enjoying Groot Constantia wines and canapés at Simon's restaurant.
The event is on 15th August at 6 for 6:30pm.
Please book online through Quicket by clicking on this link:
www.quicket.co.za/events/182241-premier-alan-winde-event/
Numbers are limited and please note that there will be no ticket sales at the door.
Pristine Pathways Project …. Keeping Constantia Clean!
The Pristine Pathways Project continues with great success.
Looking for something local to do this weekend, why not pop down to Earth Fair Food & Craft Market on Saturday!
Addressing poor cellphone reception in the Constantia Valley
In our September newsletter we reported that, prompted by the many complaints they receive, Vodacom had approached the CRRA in an effort to work with the community to improve cellphone reception in the Constantia Valley. Vodacom has provided the following update of what they have achieved since then.
Over the past couple of months, Vodacom continued driving various activities to improve our network performance in the Southern Suburbs. Our most recent activities focused on upgrading and optimising our existing base stations in Constantia and surrounding neighbourhoods to improve our signal quality. These activities effected improvements in the geographic reach of our signal and contiguity of the LTE coverage, especially along the M3 - we do hope that you experienced this improvement to our network quality. We are also excited to share that further improvements to coverage along the M3 in Newlands can be expected within the next couple of months from a new base station on Van Reenen Street, currently under construction.
Recently, also in the news, Vodacom successfully bid for more spectrum, which will allow our customers to benefit from even wider coverage, faster speeds and enhanced network quality. Once the auction process is fully concluded, Vodacom’s immediate focus will be on the deployment of valuable spectrum to extend both 4G and 5G network coverage to more parts of the country and improve quality of service. We have set aside a good portion of our investment budget for the Western Cape to expand our 5G coverage in the Southern Suburbs over the course of the next couple of months.
As mentioned in our previous newsletter article, we still have substantial grounds to cover with our network improvement project for the Southern Suburbs. This will only be possible by building more base stations. In this respect, we can report that the previously mentioned application for a new base station at Constantia Fire Station is moving along well, with only a few steps under finalisation with the council submission before the Public Participation Process will start. We are furthermore pursuing more new potential locations in conjunction with council, and will certainly advise the community of reportable progress as and when positive progress is made.
Vodacom remains fully committed to drive & fund the necessary improvement projects in your neighbourhood and surrounds, and we trust in your support of our plans to do so.
I hope this happens, it's ridiculous that Constantia has pathetic cell reception. Now Telkom has removed the landlines we are left with shockingly poor communications. Thank God for Fibre broadband, but that's no good while outside the house or during Loadshedding unless you have an inverter.
I hope MTN bounces off your improvements. Trying to operate privately or as a business within these areas, is a nightmare. Being without power or water in addition to no coverage just makes the situation totally impossible and unsafe for all residents.
The health risks associated with cell phone towers are well documented. As a Constantia ratepayer I would be highly opposed to anymore signal towers going up.
I don't get it. You all complain about poor signal but a few months ago you ALL shouted to the cellphone towers removed. What did you expect?
I sincerely hope that there aren't any public objections to the base station at the fire station. Towers are just a fact of life in the 21st century. I can't take calls at home. Can't do banking without OTP. Can't log into MS 365 without phone signal for two-factor authentication. Please and thank you.
Nil or very little phone data available during load shedding. Was told that it’s because of Vodacom’s insufficient battery backup - Could someone possibly verify or explain impact of load shedding please.
Our reception in dip in Nova Constantia Road is virtually non existent! Anyone who works here, even fibre guys have to drive to top of road to speak to their colleagues as they can’t call them from here! 🙈
Does this post mean the Constantia Ratepayers and Residents Association are supporting the installation applications of new cell towers in the area?
Let's hope.
Corneli Lambley
Errol Tichart Paul Gordon
Good! May sanity prevail.
Pristine Pathways Project …. Keeping Constantia Clean!
The Pristine Pathways Project continues with great success.
Not at all still stinks of foreigners
View the issues we are discussing & add your own comments
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PLEASE DONATE TO STREET CLEANING:
Pristine Earth Collective, Keeping Constantia Clean
HELP TO CLEAN UP CONSTANTIA
The City’s Extended Public Works Programme has not been very effective judging from the amount of litter that is still around.
The environment and job creation are amongst the most critical issues for all South Africans today.
An initiative by Pristine Earth Collective (https://pristinecollective.com) addresses both these issues with the aim of delivering the pristine Constantia Valley that we all want. Read moreabout this great initiative here:Â Pristine Pathways_Mailer
Simply scan this code into your Snapscan application on your phone and enter an amount to donate.
