CityViews
March 2011
Photo: Bruce Sutherland
CLEAN | SAFE | CAR I NG
THE TRANSPORT ISSUE
SHARING
New York’s Wisdom
>> page 4
CAPE TOWN
Bicycle Map
>> page 6
Cape Town as a
Transport
City
>> page 3
FRESH
Food Market
>> page 8
OUTWIT
ATM Scams
>> page 9
Natalie Becker’s
Cape Town
>> page 12
As a forward-thinking Central City, we
are constantly rethinking transport and
mobility towards becoming a walkable
city with an integrated and reliable public
transport system.
2
about
town
CityViews
March 2011
FROM TASSO
Let’s become a City
with a strong public life
Tasso
Have you ever had the pleasure
of walking in the Central City in
the quiet cool of the morning, just
before the hustle and bustle starts?
I do it often. The mornings - and the
early evenings, for that matter – are
a wonderful time to be walking in
the CBD.
I regularly stroll along St George’s
Mall or along Bree Street on my
way to work – and for me it is a real
highlight to see things in a different
way, when the City is free of traffic,
both human and cars.
We at the CCID are passionate
about encouraging a move towards a
more car-free City. This month in City
Views, we focus on transport – and
all that it means to our Central City.
We believe that, in line with
other major cities in the world, it is
important to promote non-motorised
transport, to encourage people to
cycle and walk more to the Central
City and in the Central City. We also
believe strongly in promoting our
public spaces.
Our vision at the CCID is for a
Central City with a strong public
life – with its citizens walking,
cycling and enjoying the public
spaces. Our vision is to see more
families in the Central City, more
children, more prams.
We would also like to be
more accessible to our disabled
community.
We are aware that there are a
number of challenges in this regard.
It is difficult for disabled people
to manoeuvre around town. Our
landscape is not as disabled friendly
as we would like it to be. This is a
challenge we take seriously, as
we take all challenges in our bid
to make Cape Town Central City a
world-class location.
Another key challenge is that we
are still a car-dominated City. The
more people we have using public
transport, the fewer problems we
have with parking shortages and
traffic congestion and the easier it is
on the terrain.
It is important that we face up to
these challenges and that we do it
inclusively. We would like to hear
your ideas on how to deal with some
of the transport challenges we face.
For instance, what more can we be
doing to make pedestrian life easier
in the Central City? What needs to be
done to encourage people to use our
cycling lanes?
Keep us posted on what you think.
We welcome your input.
This month we welcome three key
new staff members to our ranks
– they are Rushdi Toefy, precinct
manager; Reuben Thomas, our new
night manager and Tracy Clayton,
the new PA/operations assistant for
the CCID. See our interviews with
them on page eight.
We implemented the night manager
position during the World Cup,
and it proved to be such a success,
that we have decided to keep the
position going.
Reuben will, effectively be our “onestop-shop” dealing with the efficient
running of the Central City at night.
Rushdi, a professional cyclist, was
last seen testing our Central City cycle
lanes with colleague and avid cyclist
Sarel Strydom to see where they can
be jacked up and they report back to
us in this issue on page 6. Welcome
Reuben, Rushdi and Tracy.
CITYVIEWS
Published by:
The Central City Improvement
District (CCID)
For more info:
Sue Segar: 021 419 1881
[email protected]
Website:
www.capetowncid.co.za
Design: Infestation
021 424 6701
SAVE THESE NUMBERS ON
YOUR PHONE
CCID Security Manager:
082 453 2942
CCID Deputy Security
Manager: 082 442 2112
CCID 24-hour number:
082 415 7127
SAPS Control Room:
021 467 8002
Social Department
082 563 4289
Social Development grows from
strength to strength
Straatwerk
has job rehabilitation
projects for men
and women.
021 425 0140
The Haven’s
vision is to get the
homeless home.
021 425 4700
The Homestead
provides residential
care and family
integration for boys.
021 461 7470
Ons Plek
provides residential care
while undertaking
reunification process
for girls.
021 465 4829
The Carpenters Shop
provides rehabilitation
services and skills
training for adults.
021 461 5508
Salesian Institute
Youth Projects
provide education, skills
training and rehabilitation
to vulnerable youth.
021 425 1450
Many children and young adults living
on the streets have severe drug addiction problems. More often than not,
the money they receive from begging
is used to buy their next “fix”.
The CCID therefore requests that
members of the public do not give
money or handouts directly. If you
would like to help, please contact one
of the listed organisations mentioned.
Contact the Central City Improvement
District’s (CCID’s) Social Development
Department for further information or
assistance.
Pat 021 419 1881 | Dean 082 928 3862
Headman Sirala-Rala 082 262 0113
Mark Williams 082 262 0112
www.capetownpartnership.co.za
Photo: Anita van Zyl
“K
eep money off the streets.” This is the
strong, simple message from Hassan
Khan, CEO of The Haven Night
Shelter Welfare Organisation.
The Haven provides temporary shelter, physical
care, social welfare and family re-unification
services to adult homeless people.
In an interview with City Views, Khan called
on people who care about homeless people to do
their bit towards ensuring that the Haven’s card
system is not abused.
A Haven Shelter card, which costs R10, provides
a homeless person entry to one of their shelters
and includes a hot shower, a clean set of clothes, a
nourishing meal and a bed, if available. Cards can
be purchased from The Haven Head Office or at
any of the shelters.
Khan confirmed that there have been incidents
where the Haven card is being misused. One way
of doing this is for people to show their Haven
Shelter cards to people and use it as a means of
soliciting money.
“One can understand this. One would expect
it,” said Khan, who has worked for the Haven
organisation for 30 years. “A street person flashes
his card and says, please give me money. I need
money to go to The Haven.
“What we are asking people who care for the
homeless people to do is to just read the back
of the card. They will see that the card entitles
the homeless person to go into the shelter and to
benefit from the services.
“Read the card. See yourself in him. If he flashes
the card, he doesn’t need your help. He just needs
a reminder to get to The Haven.”
Khan stressed that giving money directly to
homeless people does not benefit them in the long
run. “They should rather be encouraged to apply
to The Haven for help. It is all about choices – the
choice of the person who wants to help and the
Homeless people
choice of the homeless person.”
Khan took pains to stress that nobody has the
right to confiscate the card from homeless people.
“Nobody has the right to do this. It amounts to
theft,” he said.
The CCID’s Social Development Department,
which runs the “Give Responsibly” campaign, has
joined the call. The Give Responsibly Campaign
is aimed at promoting awareness around
responsible giving and the detrimental longterm effects of giving ad hoc donations to people
begging on the streets.
Pat Eddy, Social Development Manager for the
CCID said: “The Haven Shelter card is a good
example of responsible giving as it provides all
the necessary basic services to a destitute person
and can often be the first step in enabling him
to turn his life around. The public must just be
aware that there are some opportunists who can
still abuse this service by using the Haven Shelter
card to beg”
For more information on The Haven Night Shelters,
visit www.haven.org.za.
CityViews 3
March 2011
City Views
Welcome to the Transport edition of City Views. We at the CCID and the Cape Town
Partnership are still reeling with inspiration after the visit to our City by Janette Sadik-Khan,
the commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation and Amanda Burden,
director of the New York City Department of City Planning. They came to discuss issues of public
transport, NMT, public space and city planning. Enjoy reading about developments and ideas
around transport and mobility. Let’s hope we can one day be counted, along with Amsterdam,
Copenhagen, Barcelona, Paris, New York, Melbourne and Portland as one of those cities that
walks the walk, that makes use of bicycles and that gets on the buses and trains.
See the next few pages for our focus on transport matters.
Photos supplied
Photos supplied
Fields Of Play
Catalogue
Fields of Play: Football Memories and Forced
Removals in Cape Town was an exhibition hosted last
year at the District Six Museum’s Homecoming Centre
before and during the World Cup. A memoir of this
exhibition , the Fields of Play Catalogue, is now available
and captures the essence of the exhibition that looked at
the beautiful game and societal displacement through the
lens of memory, heritage and change. District Six Museum
focuses on exploring how notions of race were created,
imposed, experienced, internalised and rejected in South
Africa. For its contribution to exploring new exhibitionary
forms, the project has the support of DEDT (the Western
Cape Provincial Department of Economic Development and
Tourism) and the Carl Schlettwein Foundation in Basel.
For more info please visit www.districtsix.co.za
DON’T MISS
Toffie Popular Culture Festival
The President Design Agency hosts the second Toffie Popular
Culture Festival - a design and creative festival featuring a range
of local and international speakers - at the Cape Town City Hall
from 24 to 26 March. For more information, see toffie.co.za or
book at [email protected].
National Water Week
March 21-28 is National Water Week and March 22 is World
Water Day - held annually as a means of focusing attention
on the importance of fresh water and advocating for the
sustainable management of fresh water resources. This year
the SA Government is hosting the United Nations in Cape Town
at the CTICC with live broadcasts to other water events around
the world. For a list of educational & entertainment events &
activities in your region visit www.forloveofwater.org.za.
Earth Hour 2011
At 8.30 PM on Saturday 26 March 2011, households and
businesses will be asked to switch off their non-essential lights
and other electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness
on climate change. Grab your spot along Tafelberg Road to see
the effect on the Central City!
TAKE NOTE
Some of the musicians lined up for this years festival are
Simphiwe Dana (left) and Earth Wind and Fire (right)
Cape Town International
Jazz Festival: packed with the best
One of the major highlights at this year’s Cape Town International Jazz
Festival (CTIJF) will be the presence of stellar saxophonist Wayne Shorter.
The festival takes place at the CTICC on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 March.
T
he organisers have always
wanted the 77-year old
saxophonist to appear in Cape
Town, says festival director,
Rashid Lombard of espAfrika.
At the centre of every innovation
that occurred in jazz in the last 50years, Shorter leads a quartet made
up of pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John
Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade.
The 1970s band Earth, Wind and Fire
(EWF) and US saxophonist Dave Koz
will join Shorter as headline act.
As in previous years, this year’s event
will see an equal split between African
and overseas artists. Leading Africa’s
contingency is West African great
Youssou N’dour and reigning queen of
Afro-soul, Simphiwe Dana.
The African squad includes
South African-based Mozambican
saxophonist and flautist Ivan Mazuze
and up-and-coming Angolan vocalist
Sandra Cordera, who fuses bossa nova
with strong Afro-jazz styles.
Festival organisers are again
sticking to programming that offers
a memorable choice that ranges from
straight-ahead jazz sounds to urban
and contemporary styles.
Also in the line-up is US trumpeter
Christian Scott; Patricia Barber who
is revered for her pianism and her
contralto voice; and Cape Town-based
guitarist, pianist, vocalist and gifted
composer Dave Ledbetter.
Programming at the festival continues
to provide a stage for younger but
serious musicians. On this year’s lineup
is South African singer Lisa Bauer,
Hong Kong-based Singaporean singer
and producer Hanjin, and bassist/
vocalist Esperanza Spalding.
The lineup will be incomplete
without a touch of nostalgia and a
sense of déjà vu. One artist that will
definitely create such feeling is US
flautist Hubert Laws.
Sure to bring down the house is the
old South African band, The Flames.
Gang of Instrumentals, the South
African group that fuses electro, disco,
funk, pop and African rhythms will
provide the contemporary sounds, as
will Gazelle, and Monique Bingham
whose name is synonymous with the
live band Abstract Truth.
The festival will also present a
series of workshops at various venues
throughout Cape Town over eight
days, including workshops on Arts
Journalism, Music Workshops, Music
Business and Master Classes.
Another element of the CTIJF is
the esteemed Duotone Photographic
Exhibition that documents the
emergence and growth of jazz globally.
The free Community Concert will
take place prior to the festival on
the Wednesday at Green Market
Square and will showcase some of the
international and local acts scheduled
to perform at the festival.
Ticket prices for the 2011 festival
are: R365 for a single day pass and a
two-day weekend pass is R499. As in
previous years, there will be an extra
fee of R25 per act for patrons wishing
to attend concerts on the Rosies stage.
Tickets are available at Computicket
and Shoprite-Checkers stores.
For more information go to:
www.capetownjazzfest.com
4 CityViews
March 2011
New York City planners share their wisdom with
Photos: Anita van
Zyl
CAPE TOWN
n Ryneveld
an with Philip va
Janette Sadik-Kh
City partners were
privileged to host
Janette Sadik-Khan,
commissioner of the New
York City Department
of Transportation and
Amanda Burden, director
of the New York City
Department of City
Planning recently to
discuss issues of public
transport, NMT,
public space and
city planning.
Described as activists for change
in their city, both Sadik-Khan and
Burden have been major players in New York mayor Michael
Bloomberg’s bid to transform New
York into a green city by, among
other things, reducing the city’s
carbon footprint by 30% by the year
2030 while improving the livability and quality of life of the city.
The duo, accompanied by Walter
Hook, director of the Institute for
Transportation and Development
Policy (ITDP) met with key players in South Africa’s transport
sector, including deputy Transport minister Jeremy Cronin
and Western Cape premier Helen Zille. They also delivered a
public lecture on non-motorised
transport and other transport
trends.
Janette Sadik-Khan
Since her appointment, Sadik-Khan has
activated a programme to improve safety,
mobility and sustainability throughout New
York City, and to ensure a state of good repair
on all the Department’s roads and bridges.
These efforts include protected bike lanes
or segregated cycle facilities, in which
parked cars serve as a barrier against
moving traffic; improved bus lanes, with
bus priority at stop streets and pedestrian
plazas in which portions of streets are
transformed into green spaces free of cars.
The initiatives have led to many more people making cycling their primary mode of
transport and have increased numbers on
subways and buses in the city. They have
helped reduce morbidity and mortality
amongst cyclists and pedestrians. New York
City’s air quality is improving as a result.
Sadik-Khan’s efforts have seen a dramatic
transformation of New York’s streets.
Amanda Burden
Since being appointed in 2002, Burden,
who is also the chair of the City Planning
Commission, has earned an impressive reputation as a woman who is leaving a vital
legacy on how key boroughs in New York
will look and feel for decades to come. An
advocate of revitalizing Lower Manhattan,
Cape Town’s IRT system will be
Walter Hook
“Cape Town’s IRT system is going to be
great.” These were the words of Walter
Hook, the New York-based, internationally renowned authority in sustainable
transportation policy and practice.
Hook, the Executive Director of the
respected Institute for Transportation
and Development Policy (ITDP), accompanied Janette Sadik-Khan and Amanda Burden on their trip to Cape Town.
In an interview with City Views,
Hook, who served as an advisor to
the City of Cape Town on the IRT, said
he believes strongly that, while user
of improving public access to the Brooklyn
waterfronts and of improving commuter
rail into the city, she also promotes rezoning plans, and has a reputation of holding developers to strict design standards.
Burden has spearheaded Mayor
Bloomberg’s economic development initiatives with comprehensive urban design
master plans designed to catalyse commercial and residential development throughout the city and to reclaim its waterfront.
Recognizing the value of neighbourhoods
of special character, she has sponsored rezonings to protect numerous low-density
neighbourhoods throughout the city.
quickly to increased facilities for pedestrians.
“Create spaces for people”
Sadik-Khan said a key finding which has
been addressed was that New York City
was previously a “city without seats”.
“In the past, we would see people squatting on fire hydrants. We have worked to
transform this situation all over. We are
creating spaces for people to use, such as
pop-up plazas. The simple step of providing seating is one of the quickest ways to
improve a city’s public space.”
“Provide information
systems for pedestrians –
Sadik-Khan and Burden spoke extensively not just cars”
PlaNYC
about Bloomberg’s far-reaching and transformative PlaNYC design for the sustainability of New York City over the next 25 years.
The plan is aimed at preparing for a
sharp rise in NYC’s population, repairing the city’s aging infrastructure and
conserving the city’s resources, by reducing its carbon emissions by 30 percent.
Sadik-Khan said her department believes
that providing directions to people and pedestrians in a city is as important as guiding cars. For this reason, a state-of-the-art
“wayfinding” system, providing information to pedestrians is in the pipeline.
“Use streets differently”
Another move which the women said has
“Start with the vision of a proven to be highly successful in New York
transit-oriented, pedestrian- is to “use streets differently every day”.
“We have weekend walks in some neighoriented city”
The duo emphasised that setting a vision to- bourhoods, and we close Park Avenue for
wards change is key to transforming a city. three Saturdays in August,” they said.
Clearly two women who are blazing a
A priority in New York, towards these
trail
in sustainability in their own city,
goals, was sustainable transport. “We had
to reinforce our city as a transit-oriented, Sadik-Khan and Burden told Capetonians:
pedestrian-oriented city,” they stressed. “If you are serious about climate change,
Citing one example, Sadik-Khan said move to New York City.”
Times Square now sees
about 354 000 pedestrians walking through it
every day. “Before that,
90 percent of it was
dedicated to cars.”
On pedestrianisation: “If you create the
space for people, they
will use it.” SadikKhan said higher pedestrian numbers in
a city translate into
higher retail spending. All the more
reason why Cape
Town should move
The New
York pair
with Infect
ing the Cit
y particip
ants
GREAT
numbers will be low in the beginning, the numbers will grow. “People
will switch,” he assured City Views
Hook said it will take time for Cape
Town to change its patterns from being a largely car-based society to relying more on public transport. However, enough people will use it to
demonstrate the possibilities, he said.
Hook, who was also closely involved
in the development of Johannesburg’s
BRT system, has also worked on similar systems in Asia and Latin America.
Commenting on the IRT route, Hook
said the structure has come up “very
nicely”. “The quality of the station de-
sign is very good. Most of the bus route
has passing lanes, which means that an
express bus service can be introduced.”
Hook said the challenges facing the BRT in Cape Town are the
same that have always been faced.
“For example, bus frequency – starting with one bus every five minutes is low by international bus standards.
“That is the drawback of starting on a less
bus-intensive corridor.”
However, he said, given the complexity of integrating the existing mini
bus taxi industry into the operations,
the City of Cape Town was right not
to start on the Khayelitsha corridor.
“Mini bus taxis were originally very
resistant to the BRT. We thought we
needed to prove the concept on a corridor with less complexity,” he said.
Hook said an excellent communications strategy will be required to encourage the public to
use the public transport system.
“One way of doing this is to introduce
car-free days. Another is to offer free
trips in the opening stages of introducing the system. Thirdly, it is very important to employ station ambassadors to
tell people what to do and where to go,
because it will take time for people to
get used to the system.”
CityViews 5
March 2011
PEDICAB Power
A
Pedicab power
novel idea to transport
tourists by cycles has
taken off in a big way in
the Cape Town Central
City, with the company behind the
venture now looking to expand.
According to Bertie Phillips,
Director of Cyclecabs, the company
was formed by like-minded
investors who saw the benefits of
promoting sustainable transport
within the CBD.
The cycle-rickshaw, or pedicab,
has low barriers to entry and the
requirements for riders are not
stringent, he says.
“This means that unemployed
persons can enter the market and
the project is a strong employment
generator in the small enterprise
development sector,” says Phillips.
Cyclecabs was formed in
December 2008 towards meeting
both the aims of the Green Goal
programme of the FIFA 2010 World
Cup and key objectives within the
Cape Town Partnership.
One of the company’s longest
serving “drivers”, Sebenzile Msweli,
who has been with Cyclecabs
for nearly two years, says he was
unemployed before being given
this opportunity.
“Things are tough, work-wise, and
this has been a good opportunity
for me. But it’s very hard work,”
he says.
Sebenzile, 32, is based at the Cape
Grace Hotel where he earns a basic
salary plus tips.
“Once tourists have used the
service, they generally like it and
come back for more,” he says. “It’s a
very different way of getting around
the Central City”.
One such passenger, Jerome
Foreshaw, from the USA, says
he has used cyclecabs “dozens of
times” and recommends the service
to other visitors as it is a convenient
and unusual way to see Cape Town.
“These guys work damn hard
and they deserve support,” he
says. Seeing the Central City from
a cyclecab is a unique, and very
special, experience”.
Prices range from R5 to about
R40 per person, depending on the
distance. A ride from the Cape Grace
to the Waterfront, for instance,
would cost about R30.
“Our target market is the Cape
Town tourism industry and the
hotels and important venues
such as the CTICC and the Iziko
Museums. Most of our riders’
customers are tourists who tend
to hop on at Government Avenue
at the top of Adderley Street. This
is an idyllic pathway through the
magnificent Company’s Garden and
a tremendous tourist experience,
which combines well with the
cultural destinations of the Iziko
Museums,” says Phillips.
He says business has been “fairly
tough” since inception, with high
operating costs and attrition,
with riders advancing from
the Cyclecabs business to other
employment opportunities.
He came up with the idea through
his involvement in the Bicycling
Empowerment Network (BEN) and
when he visited Bogota, Colombia, as
a delegate to an international Bicycle
Conference in 2004 and experienced
Pedicabs for the first time.
When it comes to Cape Town’s
topography, there are a few
challenges for the riders, including
gale-force southeasters in summer
and raging northwesters and
horizontal rain in winter.
“Climbing lower Long Street
with two passengers can be a bit
of a challenge, but we find that the
riders manage to negotiate most
of Central Cape Town and avoid
using the very busy intersections,”
says Phillips.
“The cycle-rickshaw,
or pedicab, has
low barriers to
entry and the
requirements
for riders are not
stringent
He says there has been
“tremendous response” from
advertisers, with Cape Town
Partnership’s CCID taking the
lead when the company first
started trading, followed by the
Netherlands Consulate General,
Century City, the Cape Grace
Hotel, CTICC, Kalahari Ads and
Ratanga Junction.
Anyone who wants to become a
pedicab driver, or any corporates
interested in taking up an advertising
opportunity on the mobile units, is
welcome to approach the Operations
Manager David van der Lingen by
emailing [email protected].
Transport TIPS
Why commuting by train is tops
For four short weeks, the 2010 World Cup gave Capetonians a glimpse
of a possible future in terms of changing the way we think about
transport and mobility. We saw what it means to walk around safely
in the Central City at night, with our families and to use integrated
and reliable public transport. Our Cities Ourselves by the Institute for
Transport and Development Policy (ITDP) contains useful guidelines on
improving public life and on making cities more liveable. Five of them
relate to transport issues.
Ivan Turok, professor and deputy executive director at the
Human Sciences Research Council based in the Central City,
tells City Views why he commutes by public transport.
Walk the walk: great cities start with
great pedestrian environments..
Powered by people: Bicycles are great for
short trips; create a great environment for bicycles
and pedicabs.
Get on the bus: mass transit can move millions
of people quickly and comfortably using a fraction of
the fuel and street-space used by cars. Focus on the
passenger, and make it flexible and responsive.
Cruise control: some trips will be need to be
made by cars, but, make it safe for people, and
balance access with opportunities to linger.
Deliver the goods: create incentives to use
cleaner, quieter, slower and safer delivery vehicles.
Ivan Turok
I
moved back to Cape Town
about a year ago after many
years of living and working
in the UK. My office is in
the Central City and I live in
Muizenberg. Against the advice
of my colleagues, who all come
to work by car, I commute by
train every day.
I enjoy using the train for
a variety of reasons. Above
all, it brings me into contact
with a wide range of ordinary
people going about their daily
lives. Faced with an onslaught
of sensational stories about
crime in the local press, it
is reassuring for someone
relatively unfamiliar with the
City to experience the normal
reality of everyday life. I have
never felt vulnerable or had any
problems with safety.
Cape Town also has an amazing
cosmopolitan mix which middle
income groups miss by living
their lives in exclusive bubbles
and
enclaves.
Travelling
by train is a very sociable
experience in which you
“Cape Town also
has an amazing
cosmopolitan
mix which middle
income groups miss
by living their lives
in exclusive bubbles
and enclaves.”
encounter people from highly
diverse backgrounds. Just being
among such cultural diversity
is a source of genuine interest
and even entertainment when
people reveal their wonderful
sense of humour. Commuting
during the World Cup was
particularly memorable when
people’s excitement spilled
over into spontaneous jokes and
gestures.
Of course commuting by train
is also much cheaper and far
less stressful than travelling
by car. You can read the paper
undisturbed, prepare for the
workday ahead, or wind down
afterwards without the hassle
of sitting in traffic.
There are some disadvantages
and Metrorail certainly has
scope for improvement. Many of
the trains are in poor condition
and some of the stations and
platforms need upgrading.
Additional investment might
also prevent the occasional
breakdowns which cause delays.
Most important, Metrorail
managers and staff don’t seem to
appreciate the need for customer
care and communication. The
service could be a great deal
better with a bit more attention
to passenger needs.
6 CityViews
March 2011
West Coast CYCLE
Bicycle Empowerment Network
(BEN), which has a mission to address
poverty and mobility through the
promotion of the bicycle in all its
forms. Also on the ride were a range
of bicycles from folding to mountain
and recumbent bikes, and a number
of skateboarders and pedestrians
joined in as well.
“The 15-km cycling
route provides
pedestrians and
cyclists with their
own dedicated
lane...”
Wheeldon commented afterwards
that a group of Dutch colleagues
who joined the ride had commented
that the route is “world class”.
With the focus on new mobility
transport, the aim of the new route
is to encourage commuters to make
use of transport other than their
cars and ease the congestion which
has become being a daily problem
in and around the City.
Mayor Plator said afterwards he
was heartened by the number of
cyclists and pedestrians who were
already using the route and by the
positive feedback it had received:
“It is an exciting and groundbreaking project and shows our
City’s commitment to provide safe
thoroughfares for pedestrians and
commuters right across the City.”
He said he also fully supported
the ride, especially in light of
an “important time in our City’s
calendar” - the run-up to the Cape
Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour on
13 March.
“We are only a few weeks
away from the Cycle Tour and
unfortunately at this time of year
we often hear stories of accidents
involving cars and cyclists,” he said.
Cape Town
BICyCLE MAP
Cyclists take to the West Coast route
Ever wondered where the bicycle lanes are in Cape
Town (there’re a lot more than you might think…)? Or
which shopping centres have bicycle parking racks,
which coffee shops let you bring your bike indoors, and
what those new bicycle road signs mean?
e Town
The cover of the Cap
Bicycle Map
“In 2006, I spent three weeks
cycling all over Manhattan and
greater New York City with only
my New York Cycle Map in hand
… and ever since then, I’ve been
wanting a similar map of Cape
Town,” says Gail Jennings, editor
of Mobility magazine, urban
cyclist and now creator of the
Cape Town Bicycle Map.
“For the last few years, wherever
I’ve cycled in the city, I’ve taken
my GPS with me, explored
the little urban shortcuts and
back roads of Cape Town, and
slowly built up a picture of Cape
Town’s ‘cycling geography’,
together with a database of safer
commuter routes and bicyclefriendly venues. Other cycle
commuters have given Mobility
their favourite routes, too, and
once the City started setting up
The Mayor also used the
opportunity to call on all road
users to obey the rules of the road
–for cyclists to always wear their
helmets and reflective clothing,
and for motorists to be considerate
of cyclists at
all times.
bicycle parking racks and building
more bike lanes, I reckoned it
was time to start putting a map
together.
“London, Paris, Berlin - these
cities all have bicycle maps, and
so should we. A lot of people
want to commute by bike, but
don’t have a clear picture of the
network of safer routes.”
The print edition of the Cape
Town Bicycle Map was developed
to encourage more people to
ride as a mode of transport, by
identifying a network of safer,
connected routes; locating bicycle
lanes and parking; educating
cyclists about their rights and
responsibilities; and informing
cyclists about bicycle signage.
The next edition plans to include
information about roads with
slower speed limits, and hotspots
where collisions between cyclists
and motorists have been known
to occur.
“We’re now working on the online
edition of the Cape Town map,
the print edition of a Winelands
map, and have even had requests
for a Gauteng map. The website
is already live, and we welcome
suggestions about routes, ways to
bypass the traffic, bicycle-friendly
venues, and whatever else urban
cyclists need to know.”
For more information
on the map visit
www.capetownbicyclemap.co.za
CCID duo test the City cycle route
CCID precinct managers
and avid cyclists Sarel
Strydom and Rushdi Toefy
took to their bicycles
recently to try out the new
City cycle routes.
“W
e left from
our offices in
Bree Street in
the morning
and went all the way up Bree
Street to Longmarket Street,”
said Strydom.
They found that the cycle
lane in Shortmarket was being
upgraded, with workers still
putting in bollards, trees and
places to sit. “It looks as if this
section will be finished soon,”
said Toefy.
The pair then went down
Waterkant Street towards the
Cape Town Station and had
what they called a “wonderful,
smooth run”.
“It was really pleasant along
that part of the route and, with
quite a few trees in the area,
this is a great space for people,”
said Strydom.
The duo then cycled up
Adderley Street. The dedicated
cycle lane progresses from the
Golden Acre shopping centre to
Spin Street, where the remainder
of the route is still being built.
“We didn’t test the route
along Heerengracht and lower
Adderley because construction
work taking place there makes
the road very narrow to cycle,”
said Toefy.
Asked whether they got the
feeling many other cyclists are
making use of the cycle routes,
the pair said it did not appear
so yet.
While they felt that the
tracks which are in operation
appear well-maintained, they
did cite problems along the
way: in parts of Bree Street,
particularly between Waterkant
and Shortmarket streets, the
cycle lanes are being used for
illegal parking.
Rushdi Toefy (left) and Sarel Strydom
Testing the City Cycle Route
Are you a cyclist in the City? What has your
experience been of the City cycle lanes?
Highlights of the trip were,
simply, to be out cycling in the
Central City and to feel safe on
their bikes. “We did not have
to worry about other vehicles
bumping into us,” said Toefy.
“The best part of the route is
Waterkant Street.”
Asked to suggest improvements
to the route, the pair agreed that
what is needed is for motorists to
respect the fact that these lanes
are for bikes – and for cyclists to
be encouraged to use them.
“I hope that a public event
is organised soon which pulls
cyclists together to do the inner
city route, to promote public
awareness of this wonderful
opportunity,” said Strydom.
Let us know. E-mail sues@
capetownpartnership.co.za
and tell us what’s good and
not so good about the route.
Photos: Anita van Zyl
M
otorists on the daily
commute into town
enjoyed an unusual
sight on 1 February
when a pack of about 300 cyclists
– including Mayor Dan Plato and a
number of mayoral committee members – cycled into the CBD along the
R27 from Milnerton, to make the
point that City officials want Cape
Town to be taken seriously as a cycling city.
The cyclists took to the streets to
celebrate the official opening of the
first section of a dedicated cycle
route from Table View to the Central
City, a route which links the City to
the West Coast. The 15-km cycling
route provides pedestrians and
cyclists with their own dedicated
lane, separate from normal traffic,
and runs parallel with the MyCiTi
bus system along the R27 which
will soon be in operation.
The Mayor rode on a tandem bike
with Andrew Wheeldon of the
ROUTE a huge success
Photos: Bruce Sutherland
LAUNCH OF
CityViews 7
March 2011
Negotiations progressing to run
new MyCiTi service
Alderman Dan Plato, Mayor of
Cape Town recently issued a
statement about the progress
towards implementing the MyCiTi
service. This is an edited version.
Mayor Dan Plato
R
Photos supplied
esidents of the West Coast areas of
Cape Town are rightly frustrated
that the MyCiTi bus service between
Table View and Cape Town is not
yet up and running. I can assure them
we are working intensively with multiple
partners to get this service running as soon as
possible. Capetonians deserve an explanation
and assurance that the City of Cape Town
is wholeheartedly committed to providing
this service.
The City has been planning to launch the
first commuter route in early April. This will
be a major milestone - the first commuter
route of a safe, clean and affordable new bus
system. The launch will also give a taste of the
level of service that lies in store for the rest of
Cape Town in coming years.
With goodwill from all parties, we believe
we can launch the service in April. However,
negotiations with the existing transport
providers are complex and we are committed
to involving them in the new system.
The IRT System
“By law, all taxi and bus
organisations running
legitimate services
on routes that will be
replaced by Bus Rapid
Transit systems, must
have the opportunity to
be part of the system.”
The new service, which we call the interim
service, consists of several elements in a
synchronised system that will benefit a vast
number of people. This is a very large project.
The interim service will consist of a trunk
route running between Table View and Cape
Town Central City; interim feeder services in
the Table View, Blaauwberg and Parklands
areas, leading to the trunk bus stations;
and an interim feeder service in Cape Town
Central City running to the Waterfront, and
up Long and Loop streets to Gardens. At
the Civic Centre Station, these services link
up to the Airport shuttle, which is already
running. The feeder services are interim
services, supporting the trunk route until
permanent feeder services are running. The
aim is to provide a service that will allow large
numbers of people to travel to a network of
destinations by bus.
The hardware for this interim service the
bus lanes, stations and depots is finished,
and the City has bought enough buses for
this service. Now the software, meaning the
companies that will operate the buses, is being
finalised. This is where the complexities lie, as
this part of the process deals with the large
existing public transport industry.
By law, all taxi and bus organisations
running legitimate services on routes that
will be replaced by Bus Rapid Transit systems,
must have the opportunity to be part of the
system. Alternatively, they can choose to
receive compensation relative to their current
share of the existing public transport market,
or receive shares in the new companies.
These choices are open provided they agree
to surrender their operating licences and
vehicles. Eight taxi associations and two bus
companies will be affected by the interim
service.
For the past two years, City officials have
been negotiating with the existing public
transport industry to ensure none of the
relevant players are worse off in the MyCiTi
system than they are now.
The parties are working towards an
agreement in principle, but there is detail still
to be finalised. The City originally intended
to have two vehicle operating companies
running the bus service. This has proven
problematic for some parties in the industry.
A proposed solution is to have three, rather
than two, companies running the interim
service, and the City Council will consider a
report on this proposal at its next meeting.
Staff members are working extremely
long hours to finalise the negotiations, and
politicians are discussing progress at weekly
meetings. Two highly skilled facilitators
are working on the negotiations between
the City, the mini-bus taxi associations and
bus-operating companies. There has been
substantial progress.
The MyCiTi project is funded by national
government, and is being developed in line
with national legislation. When completed
MyCiTi will be the biggest project the City has
ever undertaken. It is an enormously difficult
and complex project but it will unlock many
economic and social opportunities. When
there are challenges, we work through them.
This recent delay does not mean the service
will not come. We regret the delays, but are
confident that when it is finished the service
will be well worth the wait.
Strand Street – a Pedestrian’s nightmare
Overcrowding, jaywalking, failure to
respect the “green man”.
These are just some of the
problems which thousands of
people – both motorists and
pedestrians – face on a daily basis
when they make use of the busy
Strand Street in the Central City.
Regular pedestrians in the Central
City probably all have their own tales
about “surviving” Strand Street.
Anyone familiar with the busy
street would have to admit it is a
pedestrian’s nightmare.
It was the respected Danish
architect Jan Gehl, the author of
the influential book, Life between
Buildings: Using Public Space, who
said, in 2004, that pedestrians in
Cape Town are “a hunted race”.
But, says CCID Security Mo
Hendricks, motorists in the street
also have a hard time, as rushed
pedestrians regularly tend to jaywalk
across the streets in the city.
One of the major problems in
lower Strand Street, says Hendricks,
is the fact that it is generally very
over-crowded with people entering
or coming out of the bus terminus
and the station.
“Pedestrians tend to cross the road
when the lights are still green for
motorists. This poses a big risk, both
Pedestrians on busy Strand Street
to themselves and to motorists,”
says Hendricks.
Hendricks says another problem
in Strand Street is that motorists
regularly fail to respect the green
man when the traffic light on the
intersection of Plein and Strand
streets is green.
A further issue, believes
Hendricks is the timing of the
traffic lights and the limited time
which pedestrians are given to get
to the other side in one piece. “There
needs to be better synchronicity to
suit both motorists and pedestrians.
“At the corner of Strand Street
and St George’s Mall, we see
a particularly large number of
jaywalkers. This regularly results in
accidents,” says Hendricks.
“Taxis in this area are also violating
the law when they drop and collect
people, because they block the
thoroughfare for pedestrians. This
can be very dangerous.”
Hendricks called on both
pedestrians and motorists to
respect the law and to obey all
traffic signs and rules.
“I find it fascinating that it is
generally the tourists visiting Cape
Town who abide by the rules. The
people waiting for the green man,
the ones complying with the traffic
law are usually the tourists. This is
because it is common practise – as it
should be – in other countries.
“We really need to inculcate a
culture of abiding by the law. Their
needs to be tolerance and respect
from both motorists and pedestrians.”
While a number of pedestrians
have been killed in the Central City
in the past few years, statistics are
hard to come by.
As Gail Jennings, editor of
Mobility magazine says, there is
very little data available.
“This is because it is not a
regulatory requirement to collect
such date in South Africa. Most
travel surveys record only general
traffic volumes and most surveys
exclude cycling and motorcycling
trips,” says Jennings.
8
around
town
CityViews
March 2011
CHECK OUT
Modern market
takes Central City back to its roots
T
he Earth Fair Food Market @ St
Georges opened on 17 February on
Upper St Georges’ Mall, to be run
every Thursday. It offers visitors and
Central City dwellers a smorgasbord of fresh,
organic food. The choice spans smoked fish,
speciality sausages, homemade pies, farm
cheeses, fruit and vegetables, biltong, pâtés,
organic nuts and grains, breads and a host
of other products from small producers and
artisans.
Central City office workers can snack on
sushi, kebabs or pasta at lunch time, or meet
a friend for a quick bite after work.
“Many cities have iconic, fresh-food markets
- Borough Market in London, the Dublin Food
Coop Organic Food Market and the Marché
de Pont de l’Alma in Paris – now it’s Cape
Town’s turn,” says Jacqui Simpson, owner of
the Earth Fair Market.
“In many ways it’s a return to our roots. The
Company’s Garden originally provided fresh
fruit and vegetables to passing ships and
Greenmarket Square was somewhere where
farmers could sell their produce. That’s why
upper St George’s Mall in the historic heart of
Cape Town is the ideal location.”
The St Georges’ Mall Market is based on
the successful Saturday Earth Fair Market
in Tokai, which has become so popular that
is now also open on a Wednesday afternoon.
The Earth Fair concept is one of a country
market, where visitors can shop for fresh
goods from local producers, building
relationships with them in the process.
The driving forces behind the initiative
include the Cape Town Partnership/ Central
City Improvement District (CCID), Cape
Town Tourism and the Upper St Georges’
Mall Forum comprising a number of Central
City companies, including urban developers
Eurocape and the Taj Cape Town. The Forum’s
objective is to promote the Cape Town CBD as
one to rival that of other popular city centre
experiences around the world.
Andrew Boraine, chief executive of the
Cape Town Partnership, said the market was
the next chapter in the success story of the
Cape Town CBD.
“Something we’ve learnt over the years is
that events drive development and the Earth
Fair Market provides yet another reason for
people to congregate and enjoy the Central
City at lunch time or after work.”
Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, CEO of Cape
Town Tourism says the market will also
give domestic and foreign tourists added
incentive to visit the inner-city.
“We’re very lucky to have the Waterfront
and Table Mountain, but there’s a lot more to
see and do in Cape Town. I hope the market
encourages more people to experience an
incredible part of the Central City and while
they’re visiting the Company’s Garden, St
George’s Cathedral, the Slave Lodge and to
find out a bit more about the people, history
and culture of this amazing place.”
Celebrity chefs, televised cooking
competitions, the slow-food movement
and international culinary events such
as Taste - in which Cape Town is one of
the participating cities - have contributed
to increased interest in food and cooking
worldwide. This has prompted demand
for quality, fresh ingredients and
consequently the growing popularity of
fresh produce markets.
The organisers believe that the market also
provides an alternative for the increasing
number of people living in the Central City
and wanting fresh, quality produce.
The Earth Fair Market will offer fresh
produce and food that contains no
preservatives or hormones and is not overly
packaged. It provides an outlet for small, local
producers and artisans as well as Central
City community upliftment programmes.
The Earth Fair Food Market @ St George’s is
open every Thursday from 12.30 until 18.30.
For more information contact:
Aoife Gormely, St Georges Mall Forum
on 071 820 4016 Jacqui Simpson, Earth Fair
Food Market on 084 220 3856, or visit
www.earthfairmarket.co.za
Farm produce for sale
NEW FACES at the CCID
The Central City Improvement District welcomes three new staff members
to its ranks. They are Reuben Thomas, the new night manager and Rushdi
Toefy, precinct manager. Tracy Clayton takes up the position of PA/operations
assistant to Tasso Evangelinos.
many, precinct
Rushdi Toef er for the CCID
ag
Rushdi Toefy,
precinct manager
for the CCID
Rusdi Toefy worked as
security manager at Canal
Walk before joining the
CCID. Before that he worked
in Airside Safety for the
Airports Company for more
than 13 years.
“I am excited to take up this
new position in the Central
City,” says Toefy who is a
born and bred Capetonian.
“I know the Central City
well. I have seen such big
changes
over the past years. Fifteen
years ago I would not have
been comfortable to walk
in the Central City. In
recent years it has become
a much more beautiful City
to be in – for instance there
are so many more trees.”
Toefy is a passionate
cyclist and has been active
in the sport since 1986. “I
have done most of the major races. I had an accident
in 2000 and only started
cycling again three years
ago. I am much more serious and competitive now
and am on the Cycle Labs
race team.”
He is also a runner and will,
this year, take part in his first
Two Oceans Marathon.
With all that exercise going
on, we can be sure Toefy is
fit to walk the streets of the
Central City! He and fellow
precinct manager Sarel
Strydom recently took to the
inner city cycle lanes to test
them out. Read more about it
on pg 6.
Vegetables at
the fresh food
market
Photos supplied
Cape Town’s Central City,
known for its historic
buildings, restaurants and
cafés, museums, nightlife,
arts and crafts has become
the home to another
attraction – an open-air
freshfood market.
Reuben Thomas, nig
ht manager for the CCID
Reuben Thomas,
night manager for
the CCID
Tracy Clayton, PA/operations
assistant for the CCID
Tracy Clayton,
PA/operations
assistant
Tracy, who has worked as a
PA for nearly ten years, previously worked as the Training
Co-ordinator for Old Mutual
Group Schemes. A born and
bred Capetonian, she enjoys
keeping active at gym, socialising, camping, water sports
and is am a loyal Stormers
fan. “I am proud to be part
of this dynamic, passionate
team, striving to work towards
the Central City’s continual
improvement,” she said.
Reuben Thomas is responsible
for the internal and external
operations for the CCID. This
means he will effectively be
in charge of ensuring that all
CCID services – including the
security and cleansing operations, as well as a range of
urban management projects
- run efficiently at night.
He is also tasked with dealing with conflict, crime or social behaviour incidents that
come up at night, and will
interact with all businesses in
the Central City on all issues
to do with night operations.
For a night manager, urban
management issues include
public light audits, attending
to emergencies such as collapsed trees or burst pipes
and generally running the
organisation at night.
“We introduced the
position of night manager
during the World Cup last
year as a trial. It worked so
well that we have decided
to make it a full-time post,”
says Tasso Evangelinos, COO
of the CCID.
“The CCID is now well and
truly a 24 hour operation. Reuben Thomas will effectively
be a “one-stop shop” for all
issues arising at night.
Thomas has previously
worked as operations manager for Fidelity Securities, and
said after first Saturday night
shift as CCID night manager:
“It was a real eye-opener.
A great deal goes on in the
Central City at night. This is
going to be a really hands-on
job,” he said.
“I like to work with people.
I am passionate about work
and am a team player,” he
said, adding that he is a “no
nonsense person” who won’t
break rules for anyone.
Asked what he does in his
spare time, Thomas said he
watches sport, particularly
rugby and cricket, and enjoys
playing the occasional game
of cricket.
March 2011
around
CityViews
town
9
Reclaiming and remaking public life in
CAPE TOWN
C
Church Square
Green Market Square
“Penalosa makes the case for public space
for public life: ‘The least a democratic
society should do is to offer people
wonderful public spaces.
“Public spaces are not a frivolity. They
are just as important as hospitals and
schools. They create a sense of belonging;
a different type of society. A society where
all people of all income levels meet in
public space is a more integrated, socially
healthier one. We need to see other people.
We need to see green. Wealthy people
can do that at clubs and private facilities.
But most people can only do it in public
squares, parks, libraries, sidewalks,
greenways, public transit.’ ”
Boraine put forward a “manifesto” for
reclaiming and remaking public life in
Cape Town:
Participate in public life at every
opportunity – for example, Infecting
the City (February); Cape Town Festival
(March); Community Jazz concert on
Greenmarket Square (April); switching
on of the Festive Season lights (end of
the year); Twilight Run (December);
and many more.
Defend and expand public space
at every opportunity – active streets
and pavements, public squares, markets, transport interchanges, the
right to peaceful protest in public
space.
Use your neighbourhood park; rediscover the Company’s Garden,
Kirstenbosch, Sea Point Promenade;
discover the Green Point Park and
the West Coast bike route.
We have a traffic department, why not
a pedestrian department?
Get out of cars and walk/ cycle/ catch
public transport at every opportunity.
Don’t wait for public transport to
improve – let’s become consumers
and hold the transport authorities
accountable for better services (rail
and road).
Drivers: respect pedestrians, runners
and cyclists. Understand that the
flashing red man means that pedestrians still have the right of way.
Pedestrians and cyclists: walk and
ride smart. Don’t give motorists the
excuse to get irritated.
Boraine believes strongly in tearing down
everything that keeps us apart as a City.
“One of the best ways of doing this is to
reclaim public life in Cape Town in all its
forms,” he concludes.
How to outwit ATM SCAMSTERS
Mo Hendricks, Security Manager for the CCID shares some tips
Tips on how to avoid
Security officers apprehended eight ATM scamsters in the
Central City over the festive season, indicating that this is
an area where people working and playing in the City need
to be highly alert.
“As times get tougher, and in a climate of recession,
people try all types of crime,” said Mo Hendricks,
security manager for the CCID. “This always increases
during the festive holidays - and ATM users are
particularly soft targets.”
Hendricks said the arrests were made possible through
a partnership between the City of Cape Town’s security
camera division, the South African Police Services and the
banking industry.
“Our co-operation made it possible to nab these
suspects, and we will continue to do so,” Hendricks said.
Turning to the profile of ATM scamsters,
Hendricks had this to say: “These guys
are very professional. They are not the
cloak-and-dagger, evil-looking types of
crook. They are businessmen dressed
in suits. They operate in groups of three
and four and are highly organised.
“They will also look as if they have
wads of money in their hands, to
give the impression that they are
not poor and that they are not
criminals.
“They use all sorts of tricks. For
instance one guy will watch your
pin while the other distracts you.
One might pretend to drop a R100
Mo Hendricks
note on the floor – and then when you bend to help him
pick it up, the other will cancel your transaction, grap
your card and immediately clone it. Then they have your
pin number.
“In ten to fifteen minutes, before you even have time
to cancel your card, they can draw cash with a blank
card with your cloned pin number on it. Your money can
be gone in minutes.
“They keep a laptop and card-machines in their
cars nearby so the whole operation is very slick.”
Hendricks said the scamsters move from city to city
when they know that the heat is on.
“We apprehended people in Cape Town who were
wanted for the same crimes in Johannesburg.”
He said the criminals import the cloning machines
from overseas.
Hendricks added: “We owe a huge gratitude to
members of the public and the business sector who
constantly report suspicious behaviour to the
correct channels.
No police force in the world can operate without
information from the public. The increase of calls received
shows a definite shift in stakeholder confidence levels
towards law agencies. People are no longer turning a blind
eye to crime - they are actually taking responsibility for
their areas.”
Hendricks said that every bit of information provided
is investigated and followed up on. “The main aim of the
CCID is to prevent crime from occurring as opposed to
having to react after the crime has occurred and this goes
a long way to assisting with this.”
ATM SCAMSTERS
1. Use ATMs in well-lit and safe places.
allow your card to be removed from
2. Don’t
your sight.
accept help from strangers or give out
3. Don’t
your pin, not even to persons claiming to be
bank officials.
out for the people standing very close to
4. Watch
you and looking over your shoulder as you type
in your pin.
leave your card in the ATM. If it is stuck,
5. Never
follow instructions provided on the ATM
machine.
sure you are not followed after a
6. Make
transaction.
be distracted while conducting your
7. Don’t
transaction.
you feel unsafe, cancel the transaction
8. Ifimmediately.
Photos: Ed Suter
ape Town has a reasonably strong
tradition of public life – and this
should be reclaimed, says Andrew
Boraine, Chief Executive, Cape
Town Partnership, who recently addressed
the UCT Summer School on the importance
of public life in cities.
Here’s a summary of what he said. “Three
key factors conspired to diminish what public life had been built up over time – namely
the formal political and legal policies of segregation, culminating in the apartheid era;
the growth of car-centred urban sprawl in
the post-World War Two industrial era; and,
lastly, the various responses to the issues of
public safety and security which developed
over the years.”
“In terms of security, the ‘securocrat’
mentality which developed in the 1980s
resulted in a loss of public space, as did
the high levels of crime and violence,
and the ‘gang control’ associated with
public spaces in many communities. The
response was to fence off the open spaces,
and cut down the bushes and trees as
they represented a threat and not an
opportunity.”
According to Boraine, the cumulative effect
was to increase fear and loathing in public
spaces and to radically diminish economic,
social and cultural life in Cape Town.
Citing the inspiring story of Bogotá,
Colombia, Boraine as produced in the
brilliant documentary, Cities on Speed
– Bogotá Change produced by Andreas
Dalsgaard in 2008, Boraine notes: “This is
the story of two mayors, Antanas Mockus
and Enrique Penalosa.
Grand Parade
10
on the
town
CityViews
March 2011
Spitz sets Kurt Geiger
Flying Solo
Kurt Geiger adds some class to Adderley Street
ria, the stand-alone Kurt Geiger
stores will showcase premium
quality clothing sourced from all
over the world. A complete countrywide rollout of the Kurt Geiger
stores will take place this month,
with 24 stores being opened by
year-end.
“The stores have been created
for the discerning buyer - tailoring and quality are critical,” Merchandise executive for Kurt Geiger, Nicky Eisen said. “The Kurt
Geiger look is sophisticated, chic,
elegant and very New York.”
“Our vision is to create a chic
environment, that showcases
the clothing and footwear itself.
The products for sale are the representation of the brand; they
really are the heroes of the shopping story. When shoppers enter
they will have the experience
that was intended when wearing
premium, quality clothing like
Kurt Geiger.”
The look and feel of the store
is also “very New York”. Using
strong lines, colours and contours,
the stores have encapsulated the
essence of the city life and its magical pace, and convey the energy
and powerful impact that clothing
and footwear makes in an urban
environment.
“Spitz is planning an entirely
more tailored experience with
the Kurt Geiger stores. Using artifacts and gadgets collected from
around the world, the stores will
be given a cosmopolitan feel. The
change-rooms will be plush and
expansive,with textured fabric
frames to visually inspire a full
fashion solution from head to toe.
“The challenge for a lot of
men is not so much choosing the right items but
combining them effectively,” continued
Eisen, “with a fully
inclusive Kurt Geiger line in one store,
we’re aiming to provide a complete solution for the man in
the city and the woman looking for an accomplished look for
her man!”
Items for sale
The Kurt Geiger exterior
Photos: supplied
K
urt Geiger, the exclusive
store for men’s footwear
and apparel with a connection to the Spitz brand,
has brought an extra splash of
style to the Central City by opening a store on the corner of Adderley and Longmarket streets.
“Confident, self-assured, dashing and successful - Kurt Geiger
has gone solo and we’re very
excited!,” the store leaders said,
after the move in mid-December
last year. Offering a range of
clothing for the man-of-the-city,
who wears his style with some
edge, the Kurt Geiger stand-alone
stores will offer the ultimate
shopping experience, and, even
though the store only contains
menswear, the visit is worth it
for the ladies too.
Manager Portia Morai said
since opening, in the middle of
the holiday season, the store has
hit the ground running.
To date, seven Kurt Keiger concept stores have been opened for
trade. From West Street Durban
to Sammy Marks Square in Preto-
Examples of the
clothing on display
RESTAURANT
Photos: Anita van Zyl
New eateries add to the networking vibe in Long Street
Lelani Boshoff at Olivia Eats
Olivia Eats, one of the new eateries at 210 Long Street,
is a dream come true for co-owner Lelani Boshoff. A
look at the goods on offer makes the visitor realise
that cooking and baking are close to Boshoff’s heart.
“I thrive when people are happy because of something I have cooked for them,” says Boshoff. “I
want people to feel as if they are making contact
with the person who has just made them a meal.”
Boshoff, who grew up on a farm in northern Namibia started the restaurant with
her partner Yacoob Carr in January. Since
opening, they have hit the ground running.
The restaurant, so named because of Boshoff’s
love for the name Olivia (“All my pets were always called Olivia”), is a delightful surprise
haven in the busy hubbub of Long Street.
On the menu are ranges of gourmet sandwiches
and salads as well as coffee and home-baked
pastries and cakes. The sandwiches feature Boshoff’s trademark range of spreads, pestos and
toppings. Expect sandwiches of delicious roast
beef – marinated, roasted and sliced in her own
kitchen – and marinated chicken, roast vegetables with cream cheese and fresh herbs.
The salads range from crispy green salads, to healthy
rice, lentil and chickpea salads to roast vegetables.
“I love adding different herbs to my food
and trying different combinations. There will
be something new every day,” says Boshoff.
Food and cooking are in Boshoff’s blood. Her
mother ran a restaurant in Namibia – so she
learnt the ropes from a young age and has worked
in the catering industry for nearly ten years. “It’s
time for me to run my own restaurant,” she says.
“I am a farm girl – but I love the Central City
of Cape Town. Long Street is fascinating – full
of cosmopolitan people. I love being here.”
The interior décor is a treat – blue embossed
wallpaper and her favourite Winslow Homer print
on the wall. It’s a place where you will feel immediately at home. The restaurant will soon be
selling deli items like Boshoff’s home-made preserves, chutneys, flavoured sugars and other items.
Olivia Eats is at 210 Long Street. The restaurant
will deliver meals anywhere in the Central City.
Meet me at YOURSTRULY
If you’re wondering what the
buzz at 175 Long Street is all
about, it’s because people are fast
discovering Daniel Holland’s vibey
new eating spot, YOURSTRULY.
The restaurant, which opened at
the end of last year, has already
become a popular venue for good
coffee, gourmet sandwiches,
pastries and networking.
Holland (24), who qualified as a
textile designer and then worked
as a graphic designer, always
wanted to run his own restaurant.
By the time he turned 23 he
decided that the nine-to-five hours
of graphic design were not for him.
Having also worked as a waiter,
he had learnt a great deal about
hospitality.
“I wanted to be in the Central
City. I love the vibe here. The
concept behind my store is
youthful and subversive,” he says.
“I want this place to be an
accessible platform for people
to come and network and
socialise.” YOURSTRULY is also a
gallery space which features a new
local art exhibitor every month.
“In the future, we also hope to
sell fresh flowers and fruit in the
store as well,” says Holland.
Another vision he has for the
restaurant is for it to become a
New York-type newspaper café,
where people can sit with a range
of international magazines and
newspapers and catch up with
what’s going on in the world.
In true entrepreneurial style,
Holland offers another service
which is proving to be popular:
free shoe-shining outside the
shop. “I do it myself and I don’t
charge,” he says with a smile.
Open 6 am to 4pm Monday to Friday
and 9 am to 2pm on Saturdays.
Phone : 021 422 3788.
Photos: supplied
OLIVIA EATS – a haven of home cooking
Olivia Eats, 210 Long Street
Open from 7:30am to 4pm every
weekday. Call 021 422 1318
Staff at YOURSTRULY
March 2011
on the
CityViews
town
11
RESTAURANT
A series featuring chefs who are doing great things in the
Central City. Giorgio Nava of 95 Keerom
customers and I am gathering new
customers all the time. People
eat here, they eat well and they
recommend the restaurant to others.
Giorgio Nava
I
talian-born chef Giorgio Nava
is firmly established as one of
the Central City’s best chefs. He
runs Carne restaurant in Keerom
Street as well as the Down South
restaurant at 267 Long Street. He
is also set to open the Land Bank
building at 54 Queen Victoria Street
as a function venue for weddings,
fashion shows, launches and
exhibitions. Also look out for Nava’s
Mozzarella Bar at 51 Kloof Street,
which specializes in mozzarella
cheese – and his Café Milano at 153
Kloof Street, an Italian patisserie.
Who comes to 95 Keerom?
People who are looking for good
Italian food. Our customers are 60
percent local and 40 percent foreign.
With the Supreme Court close by, we
see a number of legal people over
lunch time.
How did the restaurant
evolve?
I arrived in Cape Town ten years
ago and opened the restaurant
two years later. It became popular
quickly because the quality and the
service are consistent and because
I am always here. Through the
years, I have attracted many regular
What’s on the menu at
95 Keerom?
We have all the classic Italian
meat and fish dishes and a large
selection of pasta and Italian
desserts.
What brought you to the
Central City of Cape Town?
When I arrived ten years ago,
I could see the opportunity. The
Central City was turning around
- moving and improving - and
property was very cheap.
What has been your
experience in the Central City?
Having a restaurant in the Central
City is convenient for many people
– for those coming from the Atlantic
Seaboard, the Southern Suburbs
and other outlying areas as well as
for those who work in the Central
City. This is the perfect location for
everybody.
What are some of your
favourite ingredients?
I only cook with fresh ingredients.
I love fresh fish and fresh herbs. The
restaurant is supplied by an organic
producer contracted by me. Most of
the meat comes from my two farms
in the Karoo. I used to have boats to
supply the restaurant, and am still in
touch with the fishermen we worked
with then. That’s where we get all
our fish.
What trends do you foresee
in food in the next year or two?
The trend for the next couple
of years will be towards value for
money in food. People want to eat
what they order. They don’t want
any extra fancy items on their plate.
Another trend is to see different cuts
like liver, brains, kidney, sweetbreads
on the menu. For example, sardines
have always been considered a poor
fish, but now they’re very trendy.
Where do you eat in the
Central City, besides your own
restaurants?
Photo: Anita van Zyl
Photos: Anita van
Zyl
Great Chefs of Cape Town
Bizerca, Bukhara, Aubergine.
What are your favourite
spots in the Central City?
I go to the National Gallery often
– as well as to all the museums,
galleries and exhibitions.
Has the Central City
changed over the past ten
years?
Absolutely. I have seen a huge
improvement. Lots of people are
moving to live here, and they need
groceries, restaurants, bars etc.
That’s why, in the last few months,
I have invested in a few new
businesses, and plan to invest more. I
believe there is more potential in the
Central City than any other area in
Cape Town.
Tell us about your newish
restaurant, Down South, at
267 Long Street?
The concept is prawns and ribs
based. The cuisine is typically New
Orleans, with very spicy, good
quality food and a friendly vibe.
Grilled
asparagus
with rocket,
parmesan
and fried
chicken egg
20 asparagus spears
100g rocket
50g shaved parmesan
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
75ml clarified butter
4 free range chicken eggs
Gently rinse the asparagus
to remove dirt. Remove
the woody end of the
stalk and peel halfway
up the stalk from the
base up. Blanch in boiling
salted water and refresh
immediately in iced water.
Wash the rocket well
and dry.
Heat a grill pan till hot.
In a non-stick pan heat
the butter. Cook the
asparagus and the eggs
at the same time. Season
and oil the asparagus and
place in the grill pan to
mark and heat. Meanwhile
fry the eggs ensuring that
the yolks stay runny.
Place grilled asparagus
onto plates. Place a soft
fried egg over the heads
of the asparagus. Lightly
dress the rocket and mix
in shaved parmesan.
Place over the base of the
asparagus.
Serve immediately with a
sprinkle of sea salt .
TRy EURODOLLAR for a fresh dynamic in bureau de change
There’s a fresh dynamic in the bureau
de change industry – and the Central City is one of the beneficiaries.
While the industry in South Africa
has evolved in a measured form since
1994, it did not see any new entrants for
nearly a decade, says Denzil Chalmers,
CEO of EuroDollar Foreign Exchange.
According to Chalmers, the nature of
competition – dominated by a couple of
major tourist industry owned franchises
and banks - had become quite predictable.
“However, since December 2009 the
South African Reserve Bank has licensed four new entrants and there
are now thirteen licensed bureaux de
change or Authorised Dealers in Foreign Exchange with Limited Authority. In June last year EuroDollar Foreign
Exchange was granted such a license.
“EuroDollar offers a dynamic alternative to the bureau de change land-
scape,” says Chalmers. “It offers all
travel-related foreign currency services
to individual and business travellers as
well as to tourism industry businesses.”
Eurodollar’s first two branches were
recently opened in the Cape Town
CBD, one on the lower level of Picbel Parkade Mall and the other in
the Caldis Building at 57 Long Street.
Chalmers says the company intends to
consolidate a branch network in Cape
Town by opening at least two more branches during 2011 while building a national
footprint organically over the next three
years with a visions of become a leading foreign exchange brand by that time.
“EuroDollar has deployed industryleading point-of-sale technology into its
branches and this gives it a competitive
edge against some of the established
players. This is complemented by a very
knowledgeable and highly experienced
team and a business model that offers
hugely competitive deals. EuroDollar is
ready and determined to ensure that its
clients experience a much higher level
of service than they have come to expect
from other foreign exchange providers.
In fact, the branches have already exceeded the expectations of many of Cape
Town’s foreign tourists and of course,
several local leisure and business travellers,” says Chalmers.
Are you a new retailer in the CBD?
Or have you moved premises
recently? We want to keep in touch
and to help you spread the word.
Send us your details, including the
name of your outlet, what business
you do as well as your address and
contact details, and we will put the
word out in City Views.
Euro Dollar outlet,
Caldis building, 57 long street
my
town
CityViews
Notes from a
Comedy Wild side
M
ahatma Gandhi once
said: “If I had no
sense of humour, I
would, long ago, have
committed suicide.” I have always
felt that Gandhi and I have a lot in
common. Apart from the fact that
we could both quite easily slip into
a dhoti (not to be confused with
a roti) we are not easily provoked.
At least that’s what I thought until
I invited my comically challenged
friend, Jenny, to accompany me
to watch the new comedian on
the block, Dylan Skews, in his
first one man show, Skews Me.
“Excuse me?” Jenny replied.
“Skews Me” I shouted.“Excuse Me”
she said again…this went on for quite
some time.
Finally we agreed to meet at the
new On Broadway Theatre in
Long Street. I waited patiently
downstairs at the restaurant.
The staff were friendly and the
menu seemed reasonably priced.
In keeping with the comedy theme,
I ordered the cheese platter for two
and decided to check Facebook on
my phone (a foolproof way to look
busy while you are being stood up).
I noticed Jenny’s status: “In Broadway in New York about to watch
a show”. I commented that she
was at the wrong On Broadway and she should get on the
first plane back to Cape Town.
“The one in Green Point?” she replied. “No it’s moved to the City
Centre,” I retorted before she
hit back with: “Oh Shortmarket
Street?” I finally slayed her with:
“It moved again to Long Street”.
The staff informed me that the
show was about to start. I paid my
bill and walked next door to Boo
Radleys, a quaint pub with beautiful leather couches and checkered
Anne
Hirsch
floors. I had a shot of tequila to
calm my nerves and suddenly
remembered I hate tequila (the
Mexican devil drink) and that it
makes me feel quite ill. The barman
then offered me a Suitcase instead.
I explained that I already had
a handbag and that the theatre
was just upstairs, I wouldn’t need
any luggage. He explained that
a “Suitcase” was in fact a shot of
whiskey and passion fruit. I apolo-
gised and took him up on his offer.
I slowly made my way up to
the theatre. As I arrived the last
of the audience members, still
hysterical with laughter, were
leaving the venue. The show was
over. I cursed Jenny, tequila and luggage and asked the staff if I could
have a peek at the stage. It’s a beautiful theatre, with thick red curtains
surrounding the 200 raked seats.
There was nobody around and I decided to jump onto stage and sing
Celine Dion’s All by myself. Suddenly I was ushered out by a friendly yet stern front of house manager.
I explained to them that my best
friend stood me up for America,
that I can’t hold my liquor and
that I had to write about their
venue. They offered me two tickets to Big Boys don’t Dance – a
dance/comedy on at On Broadway
(the one in Long Street) in March.
I thanked them and called a taxi.
I got home, de-friended Jenny
instantly on Facebook and then
tweeted about taxi drivers who
don’t stick to the speed limit in
town. I woke up with a hangover,
sent a friend request to Jenny and
tweeted about how I shouldn’t
tweet after drinking.
Big Boys don’t Dance is on for one
week only, 1 – 5 March 2011.
R95 per person. On Broadway,
44 Long Street. Show starts
8:30 pm. Book @ 021 424 1194.
Creatives show
support for
WORLD DESIGN
CAPITAL BID 2014
Design Indaba WDC 2014 stand
At the recent Design Indaba Expo, this stand, sponsored by
Cape Town Tourism, supported the City of Cape Town’s bid
for World Design Capital 2014, by encouraging delegates and
other visitors to leave their comments as to why they thought
Cape Town was a “Design City”. The bid is being coordinated
for the City by the Cape Town Partnership and will reach the
international judging committee in Canada by the end of March
– accompanied by many of the comments left behind by the
ever-growing “tribe” of WDC 2014 supporters. Cape Town will
know by the end of the year if its bid has been successful.
FOCUS ON
My Cape Town: Natalie Becker
Award-winning actress, voice
artist and presenter Natalie Becker
has worked in film, television and
radio. She won a South African
Film and Television Award
(SAFTA) for Best Supporting
Actress in a Feature Film for her
role in The World Unseen and
has performed with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including
John Malkovich in Disgrace, and
William H. Macy and Meg Ryan
in The Deal. She was also voted
one of the world’s sexiest women
by FHM magazine.
What work are you doing
at the moment?
CV
I am an actress, writer, speaker
and ambassador for a number of
social development, and life skills
projects. I am in the process of
launching a brand new interactive multimedia website. My BBC
movie Atlantis is due out shortly.
NB
CV What are your plans for
your life in the months
ahead?
2010 was a year of big change
and shifts for me. I left my radio
and TV shows to move to the
NB
next level of expansion of my
career globally. Moving out of
one’s comfort zones is never easy
but it’s worth it. I cleared my life,
space and energy of things that
were no longer serving me and
I’m travelling light. 2010 was a
year of fearlessness and of planting new seeds. 2011 will continue
that journey of holding my vision
strong and living as authentically,
passionately, blissfully and fully
as possible.
NB I don’t drink coffee. It would
be tea at the Taj Hotel! They have
a brilliant selection and it is a
great ritual.
CV What are your favourite
design features of Cape
Town?
CV What are your favourite
night spots in the Central
City?
NB Wow! The City has so many
architectural influences. I really
enjoy the new Taj Hotel with its
fascinating mixture of heritage
and modernism. It is classic with
a modern twist
NB Cape to Cuba in Long Street –
and any venues with great
live music.
Hong Kong is also impressive
for its scale and modernity.
What is your favourite
Central City restaurant?
CV
NB
Haiku
What is your top coffee
spot in the Central City?
CV
Where do you prefer to
shop in Cape Town?
CV
NB
In the little boutiques.
What are your favourite
cities abroad and what have
you learnt from them?
What are the best-kept
secrets of Cape Town?
NB I love NYC which feels like a
city of possibilities, where anything can happen. It has an
aliveness that fuels you and is
eclectic and culturally diverse.
NB It’s seductive and has a siren
call, making visitors fall in love
with her and turning their week
- long vacation into months and
sometimes years.
CV If you could pass any law
in the city, what would
you do?
I would make recycling
mandatory and easy.
NB
CV What would you do
with visitors from out of
town to show off the
Central City?
NB I’d take them for a walk in
the Company’s Garden, visit
the Iziko Museum and then for
tea at the Taj.
CV What is the trait you
like most about Capetonians?
NB
CV
Their diversity.
CV If you could choose
to live anywhere else
in the world where
would it be?
I wouldn’t choose
just one place.
There are so
many to explore,
so it would be to
travel freely and
live wherever
I wanted.
NB
CV
March 2011
Photo: Skye Grove, CTT
12