The vice-chairperson of Western Cape Bee Industry Association (WCBA) and commercial bee farmer Brendan Ashley-Cooper has already lost 100 hives and he sent a sample to be tested in the Hearshaw & Kinnes Analytical Laboratory in Cape Town.
This week, Ashley-Cooper received the sample back confirming his fears. It is from fipronil, a pesticide used on ants. On Friday wine farm owners and bee keepers held a meeting to discuss using pesticides.
Africa’s biggest kite festival is proudly hosted by Cape Mental Health.
All profits go towards helping Cape Mental Health provide vital services to adults and children in resource-poor communities.
Watch amazing professional kiting displays – including giant inflatables, stunt kites and kite fighting – in the main arena.
Plus competitions, kite-making workshops, stalls and lots to eat and drink. Full programme.
Curated content for Chas Everitt Cape Town South by eNeighbourhoods
The Inside Guide’s has released a list of the best organic food shops in Cape Town and plenty of them are in the Southern Suburbs. You might say more than a fair share!
First on the list was Organic Zone in Lakeside
“Let food be thy medicine; and medicine be thy food.” – Hippocrates
In a perfect world, the food we eat would all be produced ethically and sustainably, devoid of chemicals, pesticides and antibiotics. In the real world, that’s sadly not the case… the food industry lost its way decades ago, thanks to a few greedy stakeholders more interested in turning a profit (selling GMO- and mass-produced crops) than in the wellbeing of our planet and its inhabitants.
Curated content by eNeighbourhoods for Chas Everitt Cape Town South
Chas Everitt Cape Town South are delighted that, for the first time, we are able to EXTEND our quarterly hamper project (called Our Mothers Our Fathers) outside of False Bay.
These hampers go to very deserving elderly beneficiaries. We have been working with the great staff and organisers at Meals on Wheels to identify deserving elderly residents in Plumstead / Diep River area building on what we already do in the False Bay area.
Thank you to all who have contributed to making the Spring Hamper possible.
We will start collecting our Christmas Hamper early in November. Donations can be dropped off at Chas Everitt Fish Hoek or Chas Everitt Tokai or Chas Everitt Bergvliet or if you call Eileen on 021 712 5029, we will if there are at least ten items collect contributions from you.
Well done to our many clients and friends who make these quarterly hampers ‘happen’ and the Chas Everitt Cape Town South team who ALL contribute so generously. In particular thanks to our Hamper Co-ordinators, Diep River agent Joan Ross and our Plumstead agents Franlize Fourie and John Gentz.
For more details on Our mothers Our Fathers www.OMOF.co.za
Dam levels continue to improve and have risen 1,9% over the last week to 75,9% of storage capacity.
The average water consumption for the past week is up slightly from 511 million litres per day to 520 million litres per day.
Water restrictions and tariffs have been lowered from Level 6b and Level 6 respectively to Level 5 from today, 1 October 2018, due to the encouraging dam recovery and the conservation efforts by Capetonians.
This is an interim measure to provide some relief to the City of Cape Town’s customers. Level 6b restrictions and Level 6 tariffs were there to cater to an extreme situation. The situation has changed materially due to good rainfall, the solid recovery of Cape Town’s dams and the great conservation efforts by residents and businesses.
Normally, the national government makes its determination on the water situation going forward in December. The City, however, believes that it is unfair to wait until December to make an announcement about water restrictions as this will lead to our customers having to pay the highest tariff for an unnecessarily long period of time.
The key elements of Level 5 restrictions are as follows:
Residential tariffs (ex VAT)
Commercial and Industrial tariffs
Level 5 restriction don’ts
Please visit www.capetown.gov.za/thinkwater for all water-related information, such as the Level 5 guidelines.
Curated community news and content content for Chas Everitt Cape Town South
No surprise – DA ruled Cape Town is still the leader with 65.2%
Consulta and SA-csi have released their latest barometer focusing on South African municipalities. The barometer focuses on citizen satisfaction and trust in the metro municipalities – focusing on the main metros of Buffalo City, Cape Town, Ekurhuleni, eThekwini, Johannesburg, Mangaung, Nelson Mandela Bay and Tshwane.
The total sample size was 2,287, with random interviews conducted across the metros.
The delivery gap between what citizens expect, and what the perceive to be receiving has resulted in an overall drop in SA-csi score from 59.3 index points in 2017 to 57.4 this year.
The only metro to have increased its SA-csi score in 2018 is Nelson Mandela Bay – increasing from 59.0 to 61.9 year on year.
All other municipalities have produced a lower performance from last year. Cape Town is still the leader with 65.2, while Ekurhuleni, eThekwini, Nelson Mandela Bay and Tshwane are on par with the industry, despite their declines.
Buffalo City and Mangaung continue to be below par, contributed to by the fact that Mangaung received the lowest ever SA-csi score of 41.1, showing a 10-index point drop from 2017.
The City of Cape Town on Wednesday said it was planning to spend more than R40 million this financial year on library maintenance and upgrades across the city.
In a statement, the City said its Library and Information Services (LIS) plans to spend more than R43 million on library upgrades, the completion of the Dunoon library, new Wi-Fi connections, services and the acquisition of reading materials.
LIS will spend just under R18,5 million on books, magazines, newspapers and e-resources subscriptions to ensure that the City’s libraries have appealing reading materials to engage all library patrons. Other City libraries will receive R7,7 million for proactive maintenance.
“In a technological and digital age, the City is often asked why it spends money on upgrading and maintaining these spaces. Libraries have always been at the heart of the communities they serve and are accessible and safe spaces, providing access to a huge repository of information and knowledge,” said the City of Cape Town’s mayoral committee member for safety and security, JP Smith.
The City of Cape Town last month approved a number of amendments to the Water By-law. In addition to noting the amendments, the City encourages residents to familiarise themselves with what is required of them in terms of this legislation.
Read more below:
On 31 May 2018, Council voted to approve a number of proposed amendments to the Water By-law. These changes were aimed mainly at improving clarity, as well as preparing the City for a more water-scarce future.
Residents should please note that this amendment does not replace the Level 6 Water Restrictions. Rather, water restrictions are implemented in addition to this by-law, when necessary.
Changes most relevant to the general public include the following:
· Landlords must now keep record of consumption for each residential unit in a multi-tenant complex/block of flats, and inform the City if contraventions of water restrictions are taking place
· New developments must install water conservation and demand management systems, or alternative water systems, and these must be approved by the City before development proceeds
· The City’s oversight of plumbers has been strengthened by allowing the City to not only remove plumbers from its register but institute legal action if they are found to have transgressed the Water By-law
· Updates have been made to align the By-law with new legislation, standards and technical specifications.
· A prepayment meter is now an option, in addition to the WMD, as a Council water meter. While this technology is not yet at a stage of development for uptake by the City, having this item of legislation in the By-law allows the City to make use of it in the event that it becomes appropriate and necessary.
· Potable (drinking) water storage tanks must be impervious to sunlight to prevent the growth of bacteria
· No cross-connection must exist on private property between potable and non-potable water systems
· No irrigation of gardens is allowed between 09:00 and 18:00, including from boreholes and well-points. Previously no irrigation was allowed 10:00 and 16:00, and did not include borehole water. Watering gardens in the heat of the day can result in significant water lost to evaporation
· Maximum capacity for toilet cisterns and shower head flow has been lowered. Toilets are now only allowed a maximum 6 litre cistern volume (down from 9 litres), and water from shower heads must flow out at no more than 7 litres per minute (down from 9.5 litres/minute)
· All pools must be fitted with a cover to avoid evaporation when not in use
From Babylonstoren blog – If you still have not visited why deny yourself?
Free-roaming chickens can often be spotted scratching in the garden and plucking pesky bugs off our farm produce. We have five different types of chicken here at Babylonstoren – Boschvelders and Potch Koekoeks in the garden, as well as the Leghorns, Araucanas and Lohmann Browns that are looked after by farmer Christo. We collect their eggs daily to be served at Babeland the Greenhouse, and there’s always a fresh supply available to purchase at the Farm Shop. They never fail to charm our guests and make up a hard-working part of our farming staff.
Chickens are very easy to keep and play a host of helpful roles in the garden and kitchen: they’re fantastic at ridding your garden of insects and snails, and a small brood of about six chickens can lay enough eggs to feed a family of four to six people. Apart from their usefulness, there is something intrinsically therapeutic about keeping chickens – their determined busyness and gentle companionship make them perfect family pets in even smaller-sized gardens. Chicks take about six months to mature into laying hens, after which they will provide you with a steady supply of eggs and delightful company in the garden.
This post curated for you interest
by Chas Everitt
Whether you’re after a windswept coastal wander, a mountainous hike with spectacular views, or a leisurely amble through one of the Cape’s lush nature reserves, here’s our pick of the best hiking trails in and around the city. So, lace up your hiking boots and get cracking… And, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Important note:
Although the Cape is rich in natural beauty, tourists and locals are urged to take necessary precautions when exploring secluded areas, as crimes and accidents do happen.
Those venturing into the Table Mountain National Park should have the following emergency numbers on hand: 086 110 6417/ 107 or 021 480 7700. Criminal incidents should be reported to the nearest police station as soon as able.
We also recommend @safetymountain as a useful resource for hikers. This free safety tracking service allows you to notify local trackers of your contact details, intended route and travel time via WhatsApp. You are then able to provide hourly updates on your progress and to notify trackers when you are safely off the mountain.
It helps to have a map, and for that, SANParks and The Inside Guide recommends Slingsby Maps as an essential resource for hiking enthusiasts. Detailed maps of some of the Cape’s best hiking trails are available, including the Pipe Track, Cape Point and the Cederberg. Contact Slingsby Maps at 021 788 4545 for more information.
Hiking trails in Cape Town
Hiking trails around the Cape