Demolition and Replacement of Concrete Bus Shelters in Duynefontein

Good day Melkbosstranders,

Following the handover of Cllr. Karl Bodin's Memorandum and our Peition etc, we have released a Media Statement to expose what should have happened years ago and what we expect from the City of Cape Town. Please read the Media Statement in this email and share it if you wish.

Have a good weekend. More news in a few days!

Best regards

Dear Fellow Melkbosstrand Residents,

Today was an important and, we believe, historic day for the Melkbosstrand community.

Following the successful petition campaign, Mr Johann Steyn and Cllr. Karl Bodin (CAPEXIT) visited the City of Cape Town City Manager’s Office to formally hand over the following:

* The petition containing more than 450 signatures from Melkbosstrand residents;
* The comments and concerns submitted by residents;
* The independent Structural Engineer’s report on the Duynefontein bus shelters;
* The relevant City Streets, Public Places and Prevention of Noise Nuisances By-law; and
* Cllr Bodin’s comprehensive Memorandum calling for urgent action on the issues raised by the community.

The City Manager has confirmed that the documents will be forwarded to the relevant Executive Directors and City departments, including Urban Mobility, Safety & Security, Health and Community Services, among others, for their attention and response.

We have been advised that progress feedback is expected by the end of next week. We will, of course, keep all petition signatories informed of developments and the City's response.

A special thank you

This achievement would not have been possible without the dedicated activists and concerned residents of Melkbosstrand who have stood their ground for many years. You have continued to raise these issues, despite the frustrations of not always being heard.

Today demonstrates what can happen when a community stands together, documents its concerns and refuses to give up.

We would also like to express our sincere appreciation to Cllr. Karl Bodin of the Cape Independence Party (CAPEXIT) for agreeing to represent the Melkbosstrand community in this matter. He has taken the concerns seriously, visited the affected areas, seen the problems first-hand and committed himself to ensuring that the City's attention is focused on finding practical solutions. He will continue holding the City accountable over this entire investigation and eventual outcome and provide feedback to all.

The petition has now been handed over. The Engineer's findings are on the City's desk. The community's concerns have been formally recorded.

The ball is now firmly in the City of Cape Town's court.

Thank you to every person who signed, commented, shared information and stood with the community. Please don't leave this Petition page. You'll continue to receive ALL feedback from the City directly in your inbox. Furthermore, we'll be sharing Cllr. Bodin's Memorandum and other important documents with you, so you are fully aware of all the issues on the table and how they are being tackled.

This is our community. These are our public spaces. And we will continue to stand together until meaningful action is taken.

Kind regards

Dear Fellow Residents,

Thank you to everyone who supported and signed our petition. The petition campaign has now concluded, and I am pleased to confirm that we achieved more than 450 signatures from concerned Melkbosstrand residents.

As a result of the serious concerns raised, Concerned Melkbosstrand Residents arranged for an independent Structural Engineer to inspect the Duynefontein bus shelters. The findings are deeply concerning and confirm that the City of Cape Town urgently needs to take action to either repair or demolish and replace the deteriorating shelters, before a potentially serious safety incident occurs.

I have called on Cllr Karl Bodin of the Cape Independence Party (CAPEXIT) to assist us, particularly because of his dedication to holding the City accountable for service delivery across Cape Town, and especially in the Western Suburbs. Cllr Bodin has personally attended site meetings and witnessed first-hand the issues we are dealing with.

He has now arranged for the formal handover of the petition signatures, residents' comments and the independent Engineer's report, together with his own comprehensive Memorandum to the City. The Memorandum addresses, among other issues, the urgent safety concerns surrounding the bus shelters, the growing problem of homelessness and the occupation of public spaces across Melkbosstrand, and the need for the City to enforce its own By-laws.

This campaign has demonstrated that, when residents stand together, our voices can be heard. We have done our part; it is now time for the City to do theirs.

Thank you once again for your support. We will keep you informed of developments later today!

Kind regards,