Highbury Civic Matters

03/06/2026

Call to protest the exclusive use of City of Cape Town property by a racially exclusive group on a 99 year lease at 10 cents, yes, 10 cents per year. Inaction is tacit condonation.
Resident are called apon to submit the below email as a an objection to the continued apartheid policies -
Email template
Email Recipients & Subject Line
TO:
[email protected]
CC:
[email protected] (Executive Mayor)
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected] (Cllr Pieter de Vos)
SUBJECT:
FORMAL OBJECTION: 99-Year Lease of 15 Liedla Street (Voortrekker Hall), Kuils River
Email Body
Dear Councillor de Vos, Subcouncil Manager Mrs Mkhize, Mayco Member Ms Higham, Executive Mayor, and City Manager, Dr van der Merwe
As a resident and community member of Kuils River, I am writing to lodge my formal objection and protest regarding the the lease by City of Cape Town property located at 15 Liedla Street, Elim, Kuils River for the exclusive use to a racially exclusive organisation (the Voortrekkers -
https://www.facebook.com/dekuilenvoortrekkers/?locale=af_ZA
The historical correspondence reveals a profound injustice regarding how this public asset is managed. I strongly object to the continuation of this lease on the following grounds:
Racial and Cultural Exclusivity: A public, municipal facility is being used exclusively by an organisation that caters to a restricted demographic group, actively shutting out the broader, multi-cultural Kuils River community.
Offensive Public Branding: The prominent sign on the premises stating “De Kuilen is ‘n tuiste van die Voortrekkers” is deeply exclusionary and offensive. It directly disregards the painful history of forced removals and spatial segregation endured by people of colour in Kuils River.
Unconscionable Financial Terms: The property is leased on a 99-year term (valid until 2098) at an absurd rate of 10 cents per year.
Commercial Exploitation: While paying the City virtually nothing, the lessee charges local non-profit organisations (such as Project 021) an exploitative rental rate of R1,000 per day to use a public facility. This means they charge a community group in a single day more than 100 times what they pay the City for the entire century-long lease.
The City’s internal processes regarding this matter have been thoroughly exhausted. Superficial property inspections that ignore the demographic reality and actual usage of the hall are entirely unacceptable. The City cannot claim to champion "Future Hope" or redressing the inequalities of the past while actively protecting apartheid-era privilege on public land.
I hereby join the community call to action demanding that the City:
Immediately review and initiate the legal termination of this 99-year lease agreement.
Force the immediate removal of all exclusionary and culturally selective signage from this public asset.
Open the facility up equitably to serve the entire multi-cultural community of Kuils River.
I look forward to your urgent response and a transparent layout of the steps the City will take to resolve this injustice.
Kind regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Street Address / Ward Number, Kuils River]
[Your Contact Number]

07/05/2026

Below we show some demographic information of some of the wards that this corridor passes through. This gives you an idea of some of the differences between the areas. It must be noted that wards are often rather large areas and this is not a clear-cut profile of all the people in the corridor area....

02/05/2026

How the new tarrifs impact residents of Highbury

Shared via Copilot

19/04/2026

19/04/2026

https://www.facebook.com/CityofCT/videos/953238857221271/

07/04/2026

Make your voice heard. Silence is tactit acceptance of the status quo - copy and paste email template into an email and submit.

https://www.capetown.gov.za/City-Connect/Have-your-say/Issues-open-for-public-comment/draft-budget-for-2026-2027

# # # **Highbury Resident Budget Submission Templates**

These templates are designed for residents to use during the **2026-2027 City of Cape Town Budget** comment period. [cite_start]They emphasize the lack of progress since the 2021 meeting [cite: 4] [cite_start]and the City's constitutional failure to provide meaningful engagement[cite: 39, 54, 57].

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Email Template**

**To:** [email protected]
**Cc:** [email protected]; [email protected]
**Subject:** Formal Objection: Exclusion of Highbury Priorities in 2026/27 Draft Budget

Dear City of Cape Town Budget Office,

I am writing as a resident of Highbury to formally submit my comments on the **2026-2027 Draft Budget**.

**1. Failure of Meaningful Engagement:**
[cite_start]Under **Section 152(1)(e)** of the Constitution and **Chapter 4 of the Municipal Systems Act**, the City is mandated to involve residents in decision-making[cite: 100]. This administration, however, treats our engagement as a "tick-box" exercise, relegating us to passive commenters on decisions already finalized.

**2. Ignored Highbury Priorities:**
[cite_start]Despite formal meetings held as far back as **June 2, 2021**[cite: 4], the following critical items remain excluded from the current budget and Ward 19 Business Plan:
* [cite_start]**Excelsior Park Upgrades:** Including the community stage and floodlighting relocation discussed years ago[cite: 42, 51, 92].
* [cite_start]**Infrastructure Audits:** The promised audit of Public Open Spaces in Wards 11 and 19 has not materialized[cite: 86, 100].
* **Traffic Alleviation:** Nooiensfontein Road congestion measures are notably absent from the 2026/27 cycle.

**3. Impact on the Community:**
The unresponsive nature of the municipality directly drives community apathy. Seeing infrastructure rolled out in areas without formal civic structures while Highbury’s organized, good-faith efforts are ignored suggests a continued apartheid spatial planning philosophy.

I am participating in this process to ensure there is a formal paper trail of this administration’s failure to fulfill its constitutional mandate. I request that these documented needs be integrated into the final 2026/27 Budget.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Address/Ward Number]

02/04/2026

Pensioners may qualify for a rates rebate - https://www.capetown.gov.za/City-Connect/Apply/Financial-relief-and-rebates/Individuals/Apply-for-senior-citizen-support

31/03/2026

This formal budget objection is designed to be submitted during the City of Cape Town’s public participation window for the *2026/27 Draft Budget*. It uses the specific project codes and data found in the Subcouncil 14 report to challenge the exclusion of New Nooiensfontein Road.

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# # # *OFFICIAL BUDGET OBJECTION: CITY OF CAPE TOWN DRAFT BUDGET 2026/2027*

**TO: [email protected]
cc: [email protected] SUBJECT:* FORMAL OBJECTION TO THE OMISSION OF CAPITAL PROVISION FOR NEW NOOIENSFONTEIN ROAD CONGESTION RELIEF

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to formally lodge an objection to the *2026/2027 Draft Budget* regarding the lack of dedicated capital expenditure for traffic alleviating infrastructure along the *New Nooiensfontein Road corridor*.

As a resident and ratepayer, I find the current budgetary priorities inconsistent with the City’s constitutional mandate to provide sustainable and safe servicescite: 49]. [cite_start]My objection is based on the following findings from the City's own *"Congestion in the Kuilsrivier Area"* report[cite: 9]:

*1. Failure to Allocate Funds for High-Priority "Planned" Projects*
[cite_start]The Erica Drive Extension (crossing the R300 to New Nooiensfontein Drive) is identified as a vital link to reduce pressure on the M12 and New Nooiensfontein intersection[cite: 30, 31]. [cite_start]However, the budget reflects *zero actual spend* on this project between FY 2017 and FY 2024[cite: 28]. The 2026/27 budget continues this trend by failing to move this project from "Planned" to "Funded."

*2. Unacceptable Dependency on Housing Timelines*
[The City has linked the extension of Saxdowns Road—which is intended to replace the function of the overburdened Nooiensfontein Road—to the *Nooiensfontein Housing Project on Erf 1169* We object to the use of the Housing Budget (CPX.0014611) as a proxy for Transport infrastructure. Traffic relief is an immediate necessity and should be funded independently of residential development timelines.

*3. Evident Geographic Infrastructure Spend Disparity*
The draft budget continues to favor the northern sector of the railway line, where projects like *Langverwacht Road (R57.5m)* and *Amandel Road (R42.5m)* have received full funding and reached 100% completion. The southern sector, specifically the New Nooiensfontein corridor, has been systemically underfunded in comparison.

*4. Inadequate Interim Measures (TDM vs. Capital Spend)*
[cite_start]The City’s reliance on *Travel Demand Management (TDM)* and signal optimization [cite: 57] is insufficient for a Road Class 4 that is operating beyond its capacity. Without capital provision for physical expansion or the Erica Drive bridge, "optimization" will not result in a measurable reduction in the 45–60 minute peak-hour delays currently experienced.

*PROPOSED AMENDMENT:*
request that the Budget Committee reallocates funds within the *Urban Mobility Congestion Relief Programme* to:
* Commencing the land acquisition process for Nooiensfontein Road widening.
* Providing a fixed capital commencement date for the Erica Drive Extension project
Please acknowledge receipt of this objection and provide a formal written response as required by the *Municipal Systems Act*.

Sincerely,

*[Your Name]*
*[Your Physical Address]

Community Notice: Traffic Congestion Concerns (2026–2027 Budget) 🚨

Dear Residents,

We would like to raise awareness and encourage community action regarding the lack of traffic congestion relief measures south of the Kuils River railway line in the City of Cape Town’s 2026–2027 financial year budget.

❗ Key Concern:
There is a noticeable imbalance in capital expenditure on road infrastructure, with significantly more investment directed toward areas north of the railway line, while our communities in the south continue to face growing congestion challenges.

🚗 Why this matters:

* Longer daily commute times
* Increased road safety risks
* Reduced economic activity in our area
* Ongoing strain on local roads and infrastructure

📢 What we can do:
Residents are encouraged to submit formal objections and request:

* Fair and transparent allocation of infrastructure funding
* Clear criteria for project prioritisation
* Immediate plans to address congestion in our area

✉️ An email template is available—please use it and make your voice heard!

Let’s stand together to ensure equitable development and improved mobility for all.

🙏 Please share this message with neighbours and community groups.

31/03/2026

Community Notice: Traffic Congestion Concerns (2026–2027 Budget) 🚨

Dear Residents,

We would like to raise awareness and encourage community action regarding the lack of traffic congestion relief measures south of the Kuils River railway line in the City of Cape Town’s 2026–2027 financial year budget.

❗ Key Concern:
There is a noticeable imbalance in capital expenditure on road infrastructure, with significantly more investment directed toward areas north of the railway line, while our communities in the south continue to face growing congestion challenges.

🚗 Why this matters:

* Longer daily commute times
* Increased road safety risks
* Reduced economic activity in our area
* Ongoing strain on local roads and infrastructure

📢 What we can do:
Residents are encouraged to submit formal objections and request:

* Fair and transparent allocation of infrastructure funding
* Clear criteria for project prioritisation
* Immediate plans to address congestion in our area

✉️ An email template is available—please use it and make your voice heard!

Let’s stand together to ensure equitable development and improved mobility for all.

🙏 Please share this message with neighbours and community groups.