City Views is one of the many ways in which the CCID communicates with its stakeholders – whether they work, play, live in or are visiting the traditional “downtown” of Cape Town, the Central City. But there’s much more to the CCID, and we’ve prepared the following information for our readers to keep at hand.
INTRODUCING THE CAPE TOWN CENTRAL CITY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT (CCID)
A public-private partnership and NPO, the CCID was established in 2000 by property owners with a vision for Cape Town’s traditional CBD to rise from the crime and grime scenario it had fallen into, to once again become a safe, clean and caring urban environment that was open for business.
Working within a 1.62km² radius, the CCID is one of the City of Cape Town’s Special Rates Areas, and provides top-up services in addition to those rendered by its primary partners in the CBD – namely, the City of Cape Town and the South African Police Service (SAPS). The CCID works across four departments: Safety & Security, Urban Management, Social Development and Communications, to develop, promote and manage the Central City area.
Let’s introduce you to each of our departments in terms of the top-up services they provide, as well as important contact numbers for the primary service providers at the City of Cape Town and SAPS.
SAFETY & SECURITY
The CCID Safety & Security department works around the clock to provide top-up services to those of its primary partners at the City of Cape Town and the South African Police Service (SAPS). Along with a four-person fulltime team (including two night managers) overseeing operations, there are 270 public safety officers deployed on a 24/7, 365 days-a year rotational shift basis. The CCID also funds 20 City of Cape Town Law Enforcement Officers as well as six traffic wardens, dedicated to the CCID footprint.
URBAN MANAGEMENT
With four full-time staff, this department provides the following top-up services in addition to those of the primary service provider, the City of Cape Town.
- Professional street sweeping, provided via J&M CLEANING’s team. Present both day and night, and easily identified by their yellow uniforms and green CCID bibs, this team operates in two nine-hour shifts, from 08h00 until 17h00, and from 20h00 until 05h00.
- Via NGO partner STRAATWERK, 300 work opportunities are created each year for disadvantaged individuals. With their green overalls, Straatwerk members undertake:
- Minor road maintenance and paving repairs
- Beautification, including gardening, street furniture repairs and waste removal
- Graffiti tagging removal
- Maintenance of the CCID’s 270 cigarette bins
- Municipal and stormwater drain cleaning
- Litter picking and hotspot sanitisation
- Rodent baiting (with City of Cape Town’s Environmental Health Department)
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Along with a Social Development manager who is a registered social worker, the CCID deploys four field workers (two of whom are also registered social workers) to work with the CBD’s streetpeople community and liaise between them and the NGO partners with whom the CCID works, as well as the primary social development departments at the City of Cape Town and Western Cape Government.
Believing a hand up will always be better than a handout on the streets, the CCID encourages concerned members of the public to support its “Show you Care” campaign (www.showyoucare.co.za) by helping the NGOs that help the homeless. Please access this website for ways in which you can assist.
The following 24-hour hotlines are also available:
To assist an adult, call the City of Cape Town Social Development Department: 0800 872 201
To assist a child, call the Western Cape Department of Social Development: 0800 220 250
COMMUNICATIONS
With the primary tasks of promoting the work of the CCID as well as the Central City as a downtown for all, this four-member team handles all publications and campaigns produced by the CCID, as well as all media and general public enquiries. Publications include: the annual investment guide The State of Cape Town Central City Report, the quarterly City Views newspaper, and the popular annual Best of Cape Town Central City guide to places at which to shop, eat, play in, stay at or visit.
HOW (AND WHEN) TO CONTACT THE CITY OF CAPE TOWN AND SAPS
While the CCID provides many top-up services, major services are still provided by the City of Cape Town and SAPS. Here’s a list of numbers to keep at hand for the following matters:
EMERGENCY NUMBERS:
SAPS Cape Town Central:021 467 8002
SAPS Flying Squad: 10111
City of Cape Town Metro Police: 021 596 1999
Fire Department: 021 535 1100
Ambulance: 10177
All emergencies: 107 (landline only) or 112 (cellphones only)
Netcare 911 & NSRI: 082 911
CITY OF CAPE TOWN SERVICE DEPARTMENTS
For any of the following, call the City of Cape Town’s toll-free number 0860 103 089
- Water & sewerage faults
- Cleaning & waste management
- Electricity enquiries Streetlights
For faulty traffic signals, call 0860 001 948
For health & noise queries, call 107 on landlines or 021 480 7700 all hours
HOW TO CONTACT THE CCID
There are many ways in which you can contact the CCID, from our 24/7 control centre number for emergencies to contacting our teams or chatting to us on social media. Keep the following close to hand.
24-HOUR CCID CONTROL CENTRE:
- Call or WhatsApp 082 415 7127
INFORMATION AND GENERAL ENQUIRES:
W www.capetownccid.org
E info@capetownccid.org
T +27 (0)21 286 0830 (office hours)
Facebook: CapeTownCCID
Twitter: @CapeTownCCID
Instagram: CapeTownCCID
This article was first published in the CCID’s summer 2018-19 issue of City Views.