As 2024 draws to a close, the Salt River Business Improvement District celebrates a year of notable achievements in making our area a cleaner, safer and more vibrant community. And, we share our festive season safety tips for businesses and all those going on holiday this season.
2024 in review – efficient service delivery in urban cleaning.
Urban Cleaning Success
This year, our urban cleaning and management efforts have continued to be a priority across our City Improvement District. Thanks to the tireless work of our team, our streets and public spaces remain clean and well maintained. Improved waste management, rapid response to urban defects, and efficient service delivery have all contributed to creating a cleaner environment for residents and businesses.
Crime on the Decline
As was recently reported by uWatch, we’re pleased to report significant reductions in crime across the areas of Woodstock, Salt River, Walmer Estate, University Estate and Observatory. Crime has decreased across all major categories, including contact crimes, sexual offenses, aggravated robbery, property crimes and other offenses, according to the latest stats from Q3, 2024.
Looking Ahead
“Despite a tough economic climate, rising costs and ongoing service delivery challenges, we’ve stayed focused on delivering high-quality services,” says Gene Lohrentz, Managing Director of Geocentric Urban Management. “The achievements in urban cleaning and continual focus on crime prevention in deploying ever more safety officers this year are a testament to this commitment. We’re eager to continue this momentum into 2025.”
Geocentric, a partner in managing CIDs for 15 years, proudly oversees 13 of the 54 City Improvement Districts (CIDs).
The SRBID Board and Geocentric management team are dedicated to innovative and effective approaches to service delivery, ensuring Salt River remains a thriving, inclusive community for all. Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership in these endeavours. Here’s to a safe, clean and prosperous 2025!
As the year progresses, we invite all stakeholders to join us for Salt River Business Improvement District’s Annual General Meeting (AGM 2024). This is a vital opportunity to reflect on our achievements over the past year and begin planning for 2025/26. Details below.
This year, we have worked on revising our Frequently Asked Questions with the City, revisiting the official definitions of a City Improvement District to create a better understanding of the CIDs and how we work.
Read on for more.
Save the Date!
We are excited to announce that AGM 2024 is just around the corner. All stakeholders are welcome to participate as we review our progress and set the direction for the year ahead.
Please note: Resolutions presented at the AGM can only be voted on by bonafide members. All non-members wishing to take part must be registered before Friday, 4 October.
AGM Details
Date: Tuesday, 15 October 2024 Time: 15:00 Venue: Conference Venue, DoubleTree by Hilton Cape Town, Upper East Side, 31 Brickfield Road, Woodstock, 7935
We’ve recently updated our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section, providing a detailed overview of City Improvement Districts (CIDs) in the City of Cape Town. This update covers how CIDs are formed, their regulatory framework, the benefits they offer property owners, and the types of services they provide. Additionally, it explains the different types of CIDs and the process for establishing one.
Do Property Owners Have a Say? Yes, all property owners can participate, but only registered members can vote at meetings like the AGM. Membership is required to have a vote.
Can my CID additional rates be spent anywhere in the City? No, it is ring-fenced to be ploughed back exclusively into the CID
Meet our Salt River Business Improvement District Manager!
Ashwin Adams is leading the charge in making Salt River a safer and more prosperous place. With his new appointment, Ashwin is eager to strengthen community ties and address local challenges head-on.
Ashwin can be contacted directly on 073 102 9946 or at srbid@geocentric.co.za. General CID enquiries can be directed to info@srbid.co.za. For Public Safety Emergencies, contact our 24-hour control room on 021 565 0900.
Winter in Cape Town is a time in which poverty and homelessness become heightened social issues, because of the extremely harsh weather conditions. At the same time, the annual Mandela Day initiative coincides, taking place this 18 July, helping to bring hope and support to vulnerable communities. Read on for more of this.
And, at our May Council, our 2024/24 Additional Council Rates were approved. More info below.
24/25 Additional Council Rates
The Salt River BID applied for a new 5-year term commencing on 1 July 2024. At our Members’ meeting, members voted in favour of the continuation of the CIDs and these were approved by Council on 27 March 2024.
The additional rates for 2024/25, expressed as a rate-in-the-rand and based on the total property valuation per CID, are submitted for Council approval.
CID additional rates are rated at 15% for VAT. Additional rates are shown as a rate-in-the-Rand.
Indigent people in South Africa are an inherent part of the cityscape, with hundreds of thousands of people homeless and living on the streets.
It is well-known that cash handouts are not a good solution for supporting people living on the streets – as these often serve to fuel the problem by funding addiction and other negative or self-perpetuating behaviour.
However, most of us would like to help in some way to combat poverty and inequality. For this reason, it’s important to work with known NGOs, nonprofits or charities, who have built social infrastructures and relationships that have longevity.
Mould, Empower, Serve: How City Improvement Districts are working with MES
MES Cape Town is a key partner in the mission to sustainably rehome the homeless across various City Improvement Districts. Their extensive network of outreach and social relief programs provides the vital reach and resources our CID needs. Additionally, their responsive help desk is always available to assist with the immediate and short-term needs of the homeless and unemployed community.
We work closely with MES to identify individuals for casual labour on specific projects. Their team actively scouts promising candidates, placing them with us each week on a probationary basis as one of our on-the-ground workers, fondly known as our “Green Ants”. For those who show dedication, we offer pathways for them to become supervisors and advance their training, making them valuable members of our workforce in a way that allows us to support their growth.
To ensure the funds generated through our partnership are used effectively, we pay stipends directly to MES, which helps cover their living expenses sustainably throughout their stay.
Winter Hope 2024
MES is running a WinterHope campaign until the end of July, in a mission to spread hope and warmth this winter, by gathering essential items such as warm clothing, blankets, and nourishing food supplies.
Visit MES @mouldempowerserve on Facebook to see causes near you to support this winter.
The Board of the Salt River Business Improvement District NPC (SRBID) invites suitably qualified service provider companies with existing City Improvement District experience to submit proposals for the rendering of one or more of the following services:
Management of the SRBID
Public Safety Patrols Service
Control Room and CCTV Monitoring Service
Urban Cleaning and Maintenance
Proposals for rendering any of the above services will be evaluated separately and should not be dependent on the rendering of any other service. Once the Board has evaluated all the proposals, a decision will be made on the successful service provider. The lowest, or any, portion of any Proposal will not necessarily be accepted, and the Board does not bind itself to assign any reason for the rejection or acceptance of a proposal. The decision of the Board is final and no further correspondence regarding the proposal will be entered once the successful service provider has been appointed. The Board is under no obligation to qualify its decisions to any of the applicants.
All costs related to the submission of this proposal must be borne by the relevant applicants/companies/service providers and they shall have no claim for cost recovery to the Board or its representatives whatsoever.
All the relevant information and documents are available on the SRBID website on the Proposals Page. All correspondence will be via email and can be directed to rfp@srbid.co.za
As we move into the cooler months, we’re looking back and highlighting the efforts made during Q1 to keep the Salt River Business Improvement District a safe and clean place to live, work and visit. At this time, we also start preparing for winter with all the necessary maintenance to public space, and we ask you to take care of your property and business by doing the same. Lastly, we offer our safety tips for your wheelie bin, which can become a security hazard, especially as our daylight hours decrease.
Looking back at Q1
For Quarter One 2024, we focused on maintaining a safe environment through our security initiatives, which include ensuring bin-pickers and loiterers are monitored and dealt with. Additionally, the Salt River Business Improvement District’s cleanliness was a priority, with our cleaning services ensuring a well-maintained space through initiatives such as emptying public bins on time and cleaning public gutters when needed. You can learn more about what we accomplished this quarter below.
On the ground report from our CID manager
“The most recent positive incident that occurred in SRBID was the arrest the PSO’s made by the substation by Rochester Park, of two males cutting cables at this known hotspot. The PSO’s reacted, arrested both males and our Control Room contacted SAPS.”
Why is it a positive incident?
“Every year the City of Cape Town spends millions of rands repairing damaged infrastructure. A small difference like this can save the City thousands of rands and prevents residents/business owners from being without electricity for a couple of days.” – De Wet Beck
Wheelie Bin Safety
Learn how to keep your wheelie bin and property safe, or replace a lost bin, with these helpful tips.
Keeping your wheelie bin secure benefits both you and the community. Clearly marking your bin with your house number or address increases the chances of its safe return if it gets misplaced. But security goes beyond just the bin itself. To ensure your overall safety, be mindful of what you throw away. Avoid discarding medication bottles with your name or address visible. Shred any personal documents before disposal to prevent identity theft.
Bin placement also plays a role in security. Leaving your wheelie bin too close to walls or fences creates a potential climbing aid for trespassers. Ideally, store your bin in a designated area, like a garage or shed, whenever possible. If not, position it in a well-lit, open area away from fences and walls. By following these simple tips, you can keep your wheelie bin secure and reduce potential security risks around your property.
Winter Readiness
The crisp air and cosy vibes of winter are fast approaching, but so are the challenges of rain, wind and potential disruptions. Don’t get caught off guard! We’ve got you covered with essential tips to navigate the season seamlessly.
From keeping your property prepared and business functioning smoothly, to staying safe on the roads, these handy suggestions will help you embrace the winter flow.
Renewal of the Salt River Business Improvement District
Great news for Salt River! The City of Cape Town Council has approved the renewal of the Salt River Business Improvement District for the next five years. This renewal signifies the continued commitment to enhancing the area’s safety, cleanliness and overall prosperity.
You can expect to see the positive impacts of the renewal through initiatives such as:
Enhanced security: Continued investment in security measures and crime prevention programs will help to create a safer environment for everyone.
Increased cleanliness: Consistent cleaning services and beautification projects will ensure a well-maintained and attractive district.
Economic development: The improvement districts will continue to work towards attracting new businesses, fostering economic growth, and creating a thriving environment for existing businesses.
By working together, the Salt River Business Improvement Districts and property owners can keep the area vibrant and thriving.
You can view the approval letter for the extended term here.
Working together with residents, local businesses and urban management specialists to create a rich urban environment where the Salt River community can thrive, we – the Salt River Business Improvement District – welcome 2024 with the new challenges and opportunities it will provide. Together with the City of Cape Town, our partners, outreach initiatives and you, we will continue to strive towards reinvigorating our urban environment.
Aligned in our collective mission, we are committed to cultivating a thriving urban ecosystem that is safe, accessible and inviting to all the workers, visitors and community members of our district. We are unwavering in our commitment to the property and business owners of our area and intend to consolidate and elevate our services based on the successes of last year.
Please feel free to contact us at any time with queries or concerns and be reminded of our 24-hour security control room number for public safety incidents.
For Public Safety Emergencies Contact
24-hour Geocentric Control Room: 021 565 0900
Let’s embark on this journey together, embracing the challenges and opportunities that 2024 presents, as we collectively shape the future of our Salt River community. Together we can create a stable, safe, clean area that is prosperous for our community both economically and socially.
Safety & Fire During the Hot, Dry and Windy Cape Town Summer Months
Cape Town fire season occurs from November through May. Here’s what you need to know to stay safe.
Cape Town is notoriously prone to wildfires that occur in natural vegetation when it is hot and dry in the summer months, which coincide with the windy season – creating ideal conditions for wildfires to occur and quickly get out of control. This season has already been earmarked to be the worst fire season in 8 years.
Cape Town fires are particularly common in the Table Mountain National Park due to the natural conditions in our fynbos ecosystem. But, homes and businesses are not exempt from danger, as any fire can spread quickly and far – up to tens of kilometres from the source. It is most important to keep your home, family and business safe, protecting life and property, as our urban living spaces share a boundary with the national parks in many parts of Cape Town and the Western Cape.
By 18 January 2024, there had been a total of 22 new fire incidents, with SANParks firefighting teams demonstrating swift response and effective containment. This influx has occurred particularly in the southern section of Table Mountain National Park, in Kalk Bay, Oceanview and Red Hill areas, as well as in the north of the park, in the Signal Hill and Pipe Track areas, posing significant risk to the communities living adjacent to the park, particularly with hot temperatures and strong wind conditions being experienced.
Fire Safety Precautions & Interventions
In Cape Town, there are various organisations in place to manage fire safety and interventions that should be taken, both to avoid fire and to control it when it happens.
Home and work checklist for fire safety
Always have a “grab bag” with your important documents in it such as birth certificates and passports.
Make sure that all your insurance documents and other important documentation are backed up securely to the cloud.
Assign tasks to family members or staff such as placing pets or kids in the car and driving them to safety at a friend’s house out of smoke danger.
Run fire drills so that everyone is prepared in an emergency.
If you need to stay and help fight fires, cover your head, nose and mouth and protect your eyes with goggles. Wear good shoes and gloves.
Wetting the roof and gutters can stop hot ash from burning the roof.
Keep grass cut as short grass helps slow down fire.
Keep a hose pipe rolled up and ready to put out fires.
Keep a fire extinguisher in kitchens and train staff or family members how to use it.
If you volunteer on the mountain in a wildfire, take a spade – this helps to beat out fire or throw sand on smouldering grass tufts.
Always remember, your safety is first and if you are not properly trained, call for assistance.
Each year, the City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Service contracts the use of two Huey helicopters and a Cessna 182 spotter plane to support its firefighting efforts. These aircraft allow for mountain wildfires to be combated in inaccessible areas that pose a serious risk to property and life.
For the first time since using the aerial appliances, they are now branded this season, clearly identifiable as City resources.
Telephone: 107 (landline) or 021 480 7700 (cellphone)
General fire safety enquiries:
Telephone: 021 590 1971 / 021 590 1975
To report a fire in the Table Mountain National Park
Please call:
Hotline: 086 110 6417 or
The City’s Regional Fire Control No: (021) 590 1900
Newlands Fire Base: Tel: +27(0) 21 689 7438
Fire Prevention Tips
There are simple preventatives we can all pay heed to – such as not lighting a fire or braai on a hot and windy day, and never extinguishing a cigarette out of doors, such as out of a car window, in grass or when hiking.
For property owners, ember-proofing any area requires the removal of all flammable plants up to 7m from a building, as well as overhanging branches. Checking and cleaning gutters and roofing for debris is important too.
Other interventions that you can implement on a larger scale include considering your construction materials if you are remodelling and supplementing them for fire-resistant alternatives. You should also ensure full continued compliance with all local and national fire safety codes and think about installing fire protection systems such as overhead sprinklers.
Unfortunately, despite all the precautions, a fire can happen to any size business at any time. That is why protecting your employees and your property should be a top priority. Following the above steps will help you avoid any fires breaking out and minimise fire-related damages. While there may be no such thing as truly “fireproof,” these guidelines are an excellent starting point for safeguarding your business.
It’s been another year of successes and tackling challenges head-on for the Salt River Business Improvement District. As part of our renewed commitment to public safety and urban cleaning and management, we persist in leading the way toward the continuous improvement of Salt River as a thriving business and residential hub.
Our CID team has increased their presence on the ground, resulting in improved statistics across the board for 2023. We’ve driven more kilometres in our patrol vehicles, engaged with more members of the public and attended to more service requests and urban defects than ever before. We’ll continue with this increased presence in the community in 2024 and the years beyond.
This year, with 51 CIDs now in operation in the City of Cape Town, the new CID by-law and policy has come into effect. Geocentric, who has now been working with city improvement district initiatives for more than 2 decades, is proud to be responsible for over 25% of the total CIDs in operation.
In addition to taking care of the public’s safety and urban cleaning, our CID placed a focus on greening areas across Salt River in 2023. These urban beautification projects will be continued throughout 2024, in line with the goal of continuously upgrading our community.
2023 Salt River Business Improvement DistrictStats
“Despite the challenges of a struggling economy, ongoing load shedding and higher fuel prices, the aim of the SRBID remained focussed on delivering top-up services to the public spaces of Salt River throughout the year,” says Gene Lohrentz of Geocentric Urban Management, tasked with the delivery of our City Improvement District services.
The SRBID Board and Geocentric management team is committed to finding innovative, efficient and cost-effective ways to continue delivering on the vision for a safer, cleaner, well-maintained and vibrant community. We look forward to more opportunities to make a tangible difference in 2024.
Safety Tips for the Holiday Season
As the festive season approaches, it is essential to prioritise safety at this time, as crime, accidents and fire hazards are usually on the rise during the holiday period.
Being mindful of potential risks and hazards can help safeguard you, your business and your property – from road safety considerations to vigilance against petty crimes in crowded business premises to more serious crimes such as hijacking and robbery.
Along with keeping your personal safety in mind, if you are a business owner, it is imperative to be vigilant and proactive in implementing strategies that protect your assets, property and staff during the busiest time of year.
Prevention is better than cure. That’s why we urge property and business owners to make every effort to prepare their properties, businesses, staff and themselves against opportunists and criminals with our safety tips below:
Emergency Numbers
Quick access to relevant emergency numbers can be the difference between life and death. We have compiled a comprehensive list for you to save and share for easy access to these numbers.
Once again, our 24-hour security control room is always available for your public safety emergencies.
Whatsapp group info
If you’re interested in staying informed about our initiatives, as well as the newest developments in your improvement district, you can become a member of our SRBID business WhatsApp group by:
• Sending a WhatsApp message to 081 869 8911.
• You will need to include your Name and Surname or the name of your business
• You will need to include your street address, which should be within the boundary of the CID
• We will add you to the relevant CID Community Group
Rules and regulations for communicating will be stipulated in the group.
Mid-October, we hold our Annual General Meeting (AGM 2023) to review the year’s activities and begin our planning for 2024/25. This Spring, we have also undertaken several urban beautification projects, adding greenery and cleaning up public areas of Salt River to improve the community experience of people living in, working in and visiting our area. We also celebrate new additions to our globally renowned urban art collection. Read on for more.
SAVE THE DATE! Our AGM 2023 is coming up
All stakeholders are invited to a review of the year’s activities and planning for 2024/25.
Resolutions presented at the AGM can only be voted for by bonafide members. All non-members wishing to take part must be registered before 6 October.
Our Salt River Circle is one of the most used intersections of our area if not the City of Cape Town, used by many Cape Town motorists and pedestrians every single day.
For the last two years, the Salt River Business Improvement District has been working on beautifying the Salt River Circle. The fist step was to plant new beds in the open spaces of the circle with a waterwise plant. That immediately brought greenery and purple flowers to the circle.
Our next step to further beautify the traffic circle was the addition of some potted plants. We brought in eight planters that we have positioned on the inner side of the circle.
Our CID looks after these plants with the help of the City. Thanks go to City Parks, in particular to Ward Councillor Yusuf Mohamed, for providing us with a water point so that we can easily water the plants at the circle, which is key to the success of the upgrade of the circle and ongoing beautification of our district.
A new mural added to the Salt River street art collection
Salt River has developed into one of Cape Town’s best-known hubs for street art, where homeowners, business owners and developers have decorated large portions of their buildings with beautiful artwork in the form of urban murals. The IPAF international public art festival, recognising the legacy of wonderful urban art in the area, has contributed significantly to this development over the last few years.
New additions to our urban artwork is very welcome. It often bears the expression of the hopes and dreams of our society, in a philosophical and uplifting way that encourages others to express themselves creatively through art and to live in a more open-minded and accepting way, as well as simply adding beauty and art to our area, and further drawing visitors to come and appreciate the art.
At the same time as rejecting the negative scourge of graffiti – differentiated from urban art as illegal and unwanted tagging and slogans being sprayed onto public infrastructure that we as the SRBID remove on a regular basis – our CID patrol officers and staff also monitor and protect the urban art from being vandalised.
This new mural below is ‘Herstory’ by Creative Yeti and can be found at 45 Yew Street.
New CID By-law Policy
The new CID by-law policy came into effect from 1 July, which serves “To provide for the establishment of City Improvement Districts; to provide for additional rates; and to provide for matters incidental thereto.”
The City of Cape Town’s by-law and policy regarding the establishment and management of City Improvement Districts has gone through several iterations over the years since the concept of a CID was first tested in the year 2000.
The latest revisions of the by-law and policy comes as more than 50 CIDs are now in operation.
The by-law is available to download online here at openbylaws.org.za.
Logging a service request with the City
You too can assist with urban management and the growing number of faults and service requests that the City and WID deal with on a daily basis. By reporting water and electricity faults and other maintenance requirements such as potholes, missing road signs or blocked stormwater drains, through the correct channels, we and the City are able to attend to these service requests and log their status in an effective way.
As the chilly and wet winter season approaches, it’s time to prepare ourselves for the unique challenges and delights that it brings.
From the brisk air to the rain-soaked streets, Cape Town winter demands our attention and readiness. Here, we explore practical tips to help you navigate the winter months with ease. From maintaining your home and business’ functionality to prioritising safety on the roads, these essential suggestions will ensure you’re well-prepared to go with the flow this winter. Let’s dive in and discover how to make the most of the wet season while keeping everything running smoothly.
City Update: Top new load-shedding trends impacting Cape Town’s neighbourhoods
Constant load-shedding at high stages and the Cape Town winter demand is bringing new load-shedding-related trends to the fore while some existing impacts.
‘The City is closely monitoring the Eskom situation. There are new trends caused by load-shedding that are having an impact on neighbourhoods and in some cases, existing load-shedding impacts have worsened. There is a lot of pressure on our energy teams on the ground. Not only are the same teams doing all the load-shedding-related work in addition to the normal maintenance and repairs, but due to the long outages per day, the window in which to effect repairs has also been halved. This is impacting services and we thank customers for understanding that we are in an extraordinary situation and all of our teams, across City departments in fact, will continue to do their best to assist residents,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Councillor Beverley van Reenen.
Impact of load-shedding and new trends
Shorter-than-scheduled load-shedding: With the non-stop Eskom load-shedding at high stages, especially Stage 6 load-shedding, Eskom is sometimes ‘over-shedding’. It must then suddenly move to a lower stage to prevent system instability. The change is so abrupt, that it is impossible to communicate timeously. Unfortunately, the City does not have control over this.
Overloading of the system due to peak-time demand spikes between 16:00 and 21:00: Geysers, pool pumps, uninterrupted power supplies and other electrical equipment left on when the power goes off for load-shedding all come back on at the same time when load-shedding is over. This overloads the system so areas can’t be switched on at the same time. What makes the situation even worse, where network trips after a load-shedding cycle, the City cannot assume it is due to overloading of the network. The network must be physically inspected for damage, theft or vandalism and it is thus extra time consuming to restore the supply.
Protecting the grid by switching on in phases: To prevent large area outages, the City is now switching power back on in phases. This means the City is making full use of the switching window it has. As an example: shedding takes place between 20:00 and 22:00 with a window of approximately 30 minutes to switch everyone back on, provided it can be done without harming the power grid.
Increase in very short notice of load-shedding changes and many changes in a day (or even an hour!): The City will continue to do its best to provide information as timeously as possible on its social media pages and website.
City protection stretched: The City tries to provide up to two stages of load-shedding protection where feasible. At the high stages of load-shedding, it becomes more challenging. Over weekends, when the demand is lower, the City often sheds close to the same stage as Eskom to build reserves for the week ahead. It does the maintenance of the Steenbras plant too.
Service requests spike and delays: Often a fault takes longer to repair as teams have to wait for the end of load-shedding before work can be completed. This might add a few hours to the request. Also, where we previously had a 24-hour window for repairs under normal circumstances, with higher load-shedding intervals, the window has shrunk to 10 or less hours a day to do the same repairs with the same staff in half the time. This is leading to backlogs.
Storm-related damage on top of load-shedding-related outages placing pressure on teams.
More household electrical appliance damage due to power surges when the power comes back on after load-shedding: This happens when electrical appliances are not switched off prior to the power coming back on. This is most evident where home installations do not have surge protection devices fitted and it is recommended that all consumers utilise registered electrical contractors to fit such surge protection devices.
Reduced planned maintenance: To avoid further inconvenience for the public and also due to the stretched capacity of our staff, planned maintenance is suspended during elevated levels of load-shedding resulting in a build-up of maintenance backlog. This will have an impact on the distribution network beyond load-shedding.
Vandalism and theft increase: Load-shedding creates a window of opportunity for vandalism and theft of electricity infrastructure. Residents are reminded to remain vigilant and report incidents. The City offers a R5 000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
We leave some streetlights on to deter vandals and criminals. The cost of leaving the lights on are minuscule compared with the cost of replacing the damaged infrastructure. City teams and law enforcement monitors hotspots but the situation is intense.
Increased violence against City teams: Assaults and robberies of teams on the ground often affects repair work.
Explainer:What happens when Eskom declares a certain stage of load-shedding?
The City and Eskom’s electricity control rooms remain in contact. The City’s control room is staffed 24/7.
Once Eskom has declared a particular stage, and the City’s control room has been notified, the City demand is determined, and depending on the Eskom stage, how much protection the City is able to offer through its Steenbras Hydro Pumped Storage Scheme. The City aims to protect by up to two stages where possible, especially in the lower stages of load-shedding. Areas are switched remotely as per the schedule from the network control centre. Each area is switched remotely from a substation in that area. If there is a problem with the switching, operators need to be physically dispatched to resolve the issue. Although there is a central system for switching, it cannot be applied in all areas due to the configuration of the grid and also exclusions that apply, such as for hospitals.
This City’s electricity generation plan is conveyed to the communication team who writes up the new notice as fast as possible and sends it to the City’s social media channels and the City’s website for publication, day and night, and over weekends.
Sometimes, there are some communication delays for instance if the City is awaiting the declaration from Eskom or if there are changes in the middle of the night.
Sometimes, alerts must be revised a couple of times due to the Eskom situation changing multiple times in a short space of time.
Important tips
Communication and connectivity: keep devices charged, find out which parts of the metro will have power
A family plan: Staying in touch with our vulnerable friends and families; children, learners, teachers, elderly, those living on their own requiring assistance
A work plan for health and safety and productivity: reducing the number of people having to travel and occupy an office; how to keep operations safe
Keep cash at hand
Keep fuel in the car
Store medications and perishable items safely
Secure your property and business
Support your local Neighbourhood Watch
Follow the City’s social media pages
Private travel and public commuting: check the impact of load-shedding
Congestion and traffic: Treat intersections where the lights are out as four-way stops
Progress of other components of the load-shedding protection plan:
City’s biggest power tender, a 500 MW dispatchable energy tender issued on 6 April 2023.
Phase 1 of the 200 MW renewable energy from IPPs tender: Contracts for this phase remain on track for final awarding within 2023.
Power Heroes Programme tender: Process for the awarding of contracts under way. This is an initiative to unlock incentives for residents through third parties for voluntary energy savings, which will entail automated remote switching off of power-intensive devices at peak times.
Cash for Power feed-in tariff increased by 10,15% for 2023/24, plus 25c per kWh incentive: Cape Town is the first city in the country to offer households and businesses cash for their excess rooftop solar power.
2023 is well underway and as we embark on a year that promises to elevate our Salt River Business Improvement District to new levels, we’d like to introduce you to our manager and provide some essential reminders and updates from SRBID and the City.
Meet our Salt River Business Improvement District manager!
