With voters heading to the polls for the local government elections (LGE) on Wednesday 4 November political parties are setting out their plans for communities across Cape Town.

People’s Post spoke to candidates from the Democratic Alliance (DA), Action SA and National Coloured Congress (NCC) about their plans for Ward 45, which includes Vrygrond, Seawinds, Hillview, Costa da Gama, Muizenberg East, Capricorn Beach Estate, Lavender Hill and parts of Marina da Gama.

The ward is currently represented by the Democratic Alliance (DA). Candidates were asked: What are your plans for the ward if elected and how do you intend to achieve these plans?

Housing, jobs and safety

Mandy Marr of the DA said: “One top priority for Ward 45 centres on housing: with nine informal settlements and five housing projects underway; my focus is moving residents out of informal homes into dignified ones, accompanied by a dedication to building a safe, clean community and creating real opportunities for jobs. I want our streets to be safe so families can walk freely without fear. Clean environments bring dignity, making tackling dumping essential. By the same token we must unlock work and invest in our people, giving children the best start through strong early childhood development (ECD) centres, while supporting families facing substance abuse. With the inclusion of Marina da Gama and Marine Estate in the ward my focus will also be on the waterways, which suffer from constant pollution. ​

“I will deliver by continuing to work directly on the ground, driving our five housing projects to completion and making City resources work for our ward. For safety I will continue working hand-in-hand with Metro Police Neighbourhood Safety Officers, the police and neighbourhood watches for visible patrols. To keep our ward clean I submitted a Subcouncil motion for twice-weekly bin collections to tackle dumping, while exploring alternative waste collection models for informal settlements and bringing the City’s waste recycling swap shop to Vrygrond.

“On employment the City has created more jobs than any other metro, largely through public-private partnerships. I will champion these locally and bring in organisations to run job readiness courses, connecting residents to real skills. Furthermore, I have given and pledged further ward allocation to our early-childhood development (ECD) centres and community drug rehabilitation programmes. I’ll become more active in the various waterways groups, and continue to work on traffic calming strategies for the whole ward. Above all, I will remain an accessible, hands-on councillor who listens and gets things done.”

Ayesha Davids of Action SA said: “I will make sure there’s proper housing and job opportunities. The education department should be kept accountable to stop suspending school learners. The day hospitals and clinics should have better services. I will ensure the justice system to be sorted out. Basic needs will become a priority, there will be skills development for our youth and more rehab centres and because I’m a community activist, I know what the community is facing for all these years are just promises.”

Basic services and accountability

Jacobus Gelant of the National Coloured Congress (NCC) said: “My priority is to build a ward where residents feel heard, respected and properly served. I will focus on improving basic service delivery, addressing housing and infrastructure concerns, keeping communities safe, improving cleanliness and maintenance of public spaces, and creating better opportunities for young people.

“I will prioritise the concerns of residents in areas including Capricorn, Seawinds, Hillview, Overcome and Muizenberg. I will achieve this through regular engagement with residents, community meetings and consistent follow-ups with the relevant City departments. I will monitor service-delivery complaints and push for clear timelines and accountability. I will also work with community organisations, youth groups and local stakeholders to identify problems and develop practical solutions. Most importantly, I will remain accessible to residents and report back to the community on progress. My commitment is to serve the people of Ward 45 and ensure that their voices are heard at City level.”

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