As 2024 draws to a close, the Elsie’s River City Improvement District celebrates a year of notable achievements in making our area a cleaner, safer and more vibrant community. And, we share our festive season safety tips for businesses and all those going on holiday this season.
2024 in review – efficient service delivery in urban cleaning.
Urban Cleaning Success
This year, our urban cleaning and management efforts have continued to be a priority across our City Improvement District. Thanks to the tireless work of our team, our streets and public spaces remain clean and well maintained. Improved waste management, rapid response to urban defects, and efficient service delivery have all contributed to creating a cleaner environment for residents and businesses.
Looking Ahead
“Despite a tough economic climate, rising costs and ongoing service delivery challenges, we’ve stayed focused on delivering high-quality services,” says Gene Lohrentz, Managing Director of Geocentric Urban Management. “The achievements in urban cleaning and continual focus on crime prevention in deploying ever more safety officers this year are a testament to this commitment. We’re eager to continue this momentum into 2025.”
Geocentric, a partner in managing CIDs for 15 years, proudly oversees 13 of the 54 City Improvement Districts (CIDs).
Our Board and Geocentric management team are dedicated to innovative and effective approaches to service delivery, ensuring our district remains a thriving, inclusive community for all. Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership in these endeavours. Here’s to a safe, clean and prosperous 2025!
As the year progresses, we invite all stakeholders to join us for Elsies River City Improvement District’s Annual General Meeting (AGM 2024). This is a vital opportunity to reflect on our achievements over the past year and begin planning for 2025/26. Details below.
This year, we have worked on revising our Frequently Asked Questions with the City, revisiting the official definitions of a City Improvement District to create a better understanding of the CIDs and how we work.
Read on for more.
Save the Date!
We are excited to announce that AGM 2024 is just around the corner. All stakeholders are welcome to participate as we review our progress and set the direction for the year ahead.
Please note: All non-members wishing to take part must be registered before Friday, 11 October 2024.
AGM Details
Date: Tuesday, 22 October 2024 Time: 15:00 Venue: Emplast, 40 Sixth Avenue, Elsies River, Cape Town, 7480
We’ve recently updated our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section, providing a detailed overview of City Improvement Districts (CIDs) in the City of Cape Town. This update covers how CIDs are formed, their regulatory framework, the benefits they offer property owners, and the types of services they provide. Additionally, it explains the different types of CIDs and the process for establishing one.
Do Property Owners Have a Say? Yes, all property owners can participate, but only registered members can vote at meetings like the AGM. Membership is required to have a vote.
Can my CID additional rates be spent anywhere in the City? No, it is ring-fenced to be ploughed back exclusively into the CID
Meet our Elsies River City Improvement District Manager!
Heinrich Cobus is passionate about improving the safety and development of Elsies River, ensuring that our community thrives. Heinrich is committed to making a positive impact on our CID.
Winter in Cape Town is a time in which poverty and homelessness become heightened social issues, because of the extremely harsh weather conditions. At the same time, the annual Mandela Day initiative coincides, taking place this 18 July, helping to bring hope and support to vulnerable communities.
Indigent people in South Africa are an inherent part of the cityscape, with hundreds of thousands of people homeless and living on the streets.
It is well-known that cash handouts are not a good solution for supporting people living on the streets – as these often serve to fuel the problem by funding addiction and other negative or self-perpetuating behaviour.
However, most of us would like to help in some way to combat poverty and inequality. For this reason, it’s important to work with known NGOs, nonprofits or charities, who have built social infrastructures and relationships that have longevity.
Mould, Empower, Serve – how the City Improvement Districts are working with MES
MES Cape Town is a key partner in the mission to sustainably rehome the homeless across various City Improvement Districts. Their extensive network of outreach and social relief programs provides the vital reach and resources our CID needs. Additionally, their responsive help desk is always available to assist with the immediate and short-term needs of the homeless and unemployed community.
We work closely with MES to identify individuals for casual labour on specific projects. Their team actively scouts promising candidates, placing them with us each week on a probationary basis as one of our on-the-ground workers, fondly known as our “Green Ants”. For those who show dedication, we offer pathways for them to become supervisors and advance their training, making them valuable members of our workforce in a way that allows us to support their growth.
To ensure the funds generated through our partnership are used effectively, we pay stipends directly to MES, which helps cover their living expenses sustainably throughout their stay.
Winter Hope 2024
MES is running a WinterHope campaign until the end of July, in a mission to spread hope and warmth this winter, by gathering essential items such as warm clothing, blankets, and nourishing food supplies.
Visit MES @mouldempowerserve on Facebook, or @mesorgsa on Instagram, to see causes near you to support this winter.
As we move into the cooler months, we’re looking back and highlighting the efforts made during Q1 to keep the Elsie’s River City Improvement District a safe and clean place to live, work and visit. At this time, we also start preparing for winter with all the necessary maintenance to public space, and we ask you to take care of your property and business by doing the same. Lastly, we offer our safety tips for your wheelie bin, which can become a security hazard, especially as our daylight hours decrease.
Looking back at Q1
For Quarter One 2024, we focused on maintaining a safe environment through our security initiatives, which include ensuring bin-pickers and loiterers are monitored and dealt with. Additionally, the Elsie’s River City Improvement District’s cleanliness was a priority, with our cleaning services ensuring a well-maintained space through initiatives such as emptying public bins on time and cleaning public gutters when needed. You can learn more about what we accomplished this quarter below.
On the ground report from our CID manager
Our CID Manager shares some positive feedback from Quarter One’s work:
“The ERCID Management met with Councillor Francesca Walker: Ward Councillor, and Councillor Carl Pophaim: Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements. They visited two properties that are owned by the Housing Development Agency, which have been left unbuilt and are currently vacant and posing a threat to the area. Both Councillors were briefed on the issues regarding these two buildings.”
Wheelie Bin Safety
Learn how to keep your wheelie bin and property safe, or replace a lost bin, with these helpful tips.
Keeping your wheelie bin secure benefits both you and the community. Clearly marking your bin with your house number or address increases the chances of its safe return if it gets misplaced. But security goes beyond just the bin itself. To ensure your overall safety, be mindful of what you throw away. Avoid discarding medication bottles with your name or address visible. Shred any personal documents before disposal to prevent identity theft.
Bin placement also plays a role in security. Leaving your wheelie bin too close to walls or fences creates a potential climbing aid for trespassers. Ideally, store your bin in a designated area, like a garage or shed, whenever possible. If not, position it in a well-lit, open area away from fences and walls. By following these simple tips, you can keep your wheelie bin secure and reduce potential security risks around your property.
Winter Readiness
The crisp air and cosy vibes of winter are fast approaching, but so are the challenges of rain, wind and potential disruptions. Don’t get caught off guard! We’ve got you covered with essential tips to navigate the season seamlessly.
From keeping your property prepared and business functioning smoothly, to staying safe on the roads, these handy suggestions will help you embrace the winter flow.
Working together with residents, local businesses and urban management specialists to create a rich urban environment where the Elsie’s River community can thrive, we – the Elsie’s River City Improvement District – welcome 2024 with the new challenges and opportunities it will provide. Together with the City of Cape Town, our partners, outreach initiatives and you, we will continue to strive towards reinvigorating our urban environment.
Aligned in our collective mission, we are committed to cultivating a thriving urban ecosystem that is safe, accessible and inviting to all the workers, visitors and community members of our district. We are unwavering in our commitment to the property and business owners of our area and intend to consolidate and elevate our services based on the successes of last year.
Please feel free to contact us at any time with queries or concerns and be reminded of our 24-hour security control room number for public safety incidents.
For Public Safety Emergencies Contact
24-hour Geocentric Control Room: 021 565 0900
Let’s embark on this journey together, embracing the challenges and opportunities that 2024 presents, as we collectively shape the future of our Elsie’s River community. Together we can create a stable, safe, clean area that is prosperous for our community both economically and socially.
Safety & Fire During the Hot, Dry and Windy Cape Town Summer Months
Cape Town fire season occurs from November through May. Here’s what you need to know to stay safe.
Cape Town is notoriously prone to wildfires that occur in natural vegetation when it is hot and dry in the summer months, which coincide with the windy season – creating ideal conditions for wildfires to occur and quickly get out of control. This season has already been earmarked to be the worst fire season in 8 years.
Cape Town fires are particularly common in the Table Mountain National Park due to the natural conditions in our fynbos ecosystem. But, homes and businesses are not exempt from danger, as any fire can spread quickly and far – up to tens of kilometres from the source. It is most important to keep your home, family and business safe, protecting life and property, as our urban living spaces share a boundary with the national parks in many parts of Cape Town and the Western Cape.
By 18 January 2024, there had been a total of 22 new fire incidents, with SANParks firefighting teams demonstrating swift response and effective containment. This influx has occurred particularly in the southern section of Table Mountain National Park, in Kalk Bay, Oceanview and Red Hill areas, as well as in the north of the park, in the Signal Hill and Pipe Track areas, posing significant risk to the communities living adjacent to the park, particularly with hot temperatures and strong wind conditions being experienced.
Fire Safety Precautions & Interventions
In Cape Town, there are various organisations in place to manage fire safety and interventions that should be taken, both to avoid fire and to control it when it happens.
Home and work checklist for fire safety
Always have a “grab bag” with your important documents in it such as birth certificates and passports.
Make sure that all your insurance documents and other important documentation are backed up securely to the cloud.
Assign tasks to family members or staff such as placing pets or kids in the car and driving them to safety at a friend’s house out of smoke danger.
Run fire drills so that everyone is prepared in an emergency.
If you need to stay and help fight fires, cover your head, nose and mouth and protect your eyes with goggles. Wear good shoes and gloves.
Wetting the roof and gutters can stop hot ash from burning the roof.
Keep grass cut as short grass helps slow down fire.
Keep a hose pipe rolled up and ready to put out fires.
Keep a fire extinguisher in kitchens and train staff or family members how to use it.
If you volunteer on the mountain in a wildfire, take a spade – this helps to beat out fire or throw sand on smouldering grass tufts.
Always remember, your safety is first and if you are not properly trained, call for assistance.
Each year, the City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Service contracts the use of two Huey helicopters and a Cessna 182 spotter plane to support its firefighting efforts. These aircraft allow for mountain wildfires to be combated in inaccessible areas that pose a serious risk to property and life. For the first time since using the aerial appliances, they are now branded this season, clearly identifiable as City resources.
Telephone: 107 (landline) or 021 480 7700 (cellphone)
General fire safety enquiries:
Telephone: 021 590 1971 / 021 590 1975
To report a fire in the Table Mountain National Park
Please call:
Hotline: 086 110 6417 or
The City’s Regional Fire Control No: (021) 590 1900
Newlands Fire Base: Tel: +27(0) 21 689 7438
Fire Prevention Tips
There are simple preventatives we can all pay heed to – such as not lighting a fire or braai on a hot and windy day, and never extinguishing a cigarette out of doors, such as out of a car window, in grass or when hiking.
For property owners, ember-proofing any area requires the removal of all flammable plants up to 7m from a building, as well as overhanging branches. Checking and cleaning gutters and roofing for debris is important too.
Other interventions that you can implement on a larger scale include considering your construction materials if you are remodelling and supplementing them for fire-resistant alternatives. You should also ensure full continued compliance with all local and national fire safety codes and think about installing fire protection systems such as overhead sprinklers.
Unfortunately, despite all the precautions, a fire can happen to any size business at any time. That is why protecting your employees and your property should be a top priority. Following the above steps will help you avoid any fires breaking out and minimise fire-related damages. While there may be no such thing as truly “fireproof,” these guidelines are an excellent starting point for safeguarding your business.
It’s been another year of successes and tackling challenges head-on for the Elsies River Improvement District. As part of our renewed commitment to public safety and urban cleaning and management, we persist in leading the way toward the continuous improvement of Elsie’s River as a thriving residential hub.
Our ERCID team has increased their presence on the ground, resulting in improved statistics across the board for 2023. We’ve driven more kilometres in our patrol vehicles, engaged with more members of the public and attended to more service requests and urban defects than ever before. We’ll continue with this increased presence in the community in 2024 and the years beyond.
This year, with 51 CIDs now in operation in the City of Cape Town, the new CID by-law and policy has come into effect. Geocentric, who has now been working with city improvement district initiatives for more than 2 decades, is proud to be responsible for over 25% of the total CIDs in operation.
In addition to taking care of the public’s safety and urban cleaning, our CID placed a focus on greening areas across Elsie’s River in 2023. These urban beautification projects will be continued throughout 2024, in line with the goal of continuously upgrading our community.
2023 Elsie’s River City Improvement DistrictStats
“Despite the challenges of a struggling economy, ongoing load shedding and higher fuel prices, the aim of the ERCID remained focussed on delivering top-up services to the public spaces of Elsie’s River throughout the year,” says Gene Lohrentz of Geocentric Urban Management, tasked with the delivery of our City Improvement District services.
The ERCID Board and Geocentric management team is committed to finding innovative, efficient and cost-effective ways to continue delivering on the vision for a safer, cleaner, well-maintained and vibrant community. We look forward to more opportunities to make a tangible difference in 2024.
Safety Tips for the Holiday Season
As the festive season approaches, it is essential to prioritise safety at this time, as crime, accidents and fire hazards are usually on the rise during the holiday period.
Being mindful of potential risks and hazards can help safeguard you, your business and your property – from road safety considerations to vigilance against petty crimes in crowded business premises to more serious crimes such as hijacking and robbery.
Along with keeping your personal safety in mind, if you are a business owner, it is imperative to be vigilant and proactive in implementing strategies that protect your assets, property and staff during the busiest time of year.
Prevention is better than cure. That’s why we urge property and business owners to make every effort to prepare their properties, businesses, staff and themselves against opportunists and criminals with our safety tips below:
Emergency Numbers
Quick access to relevant emergency numbers can be the difference between life and death. We have compiled a comprehensive list for you to save and share for easy access to these numbers.
Once again, our 24-hour security control room is always available for your public safety emergencies.
Whatsapp group info
If you’re interested in staying informed about our initiatives, as well as the newest developments in your improvement district, you can become a member of our ERCID business WhatsApp group by:
• Sending a WhatsApp message to 081 869 8911.
• You will need to include your Name and Surname or the name of your business
• You will need to include your street address, which should be within the boundary of the CID
• We will add you to the relevant CID Community Group
Rules and regulations for communicating will be stipulated in the group.
Come October, we hold our Annual General Meeting (AGM 2023) to review the year’s activities and begin our planning for 2024/25. This Spring, we have also undertaken several urban upgrade and beautification projects, adding greenery and resurfacing roads in Elsies River to improve the community experience of people living and working in the area.
Save the Date! AGM 2023
Our AGM is coming up. All stakeholders are invited to a review of the year’s activities and planning for 2024/25.
Resolutions presented at the AGM can only be voted for by bonafide members. All non-members wishing to take part must be registered before 13 October.
AGM Details
Tuesday, 24 October 2023, 15:00 Emplast, 40 Sixth Avenue, Elsies River
The Elsies River CID management team constantly communicate with all the relevant City of Cape Town departments to ensure that the area gets the attention and services it needs. Over the last few years, the condition of the roads in the industrial area have been continuously monitored and reported to the Road Infrastructure Maintenance (RIM) branch. They have the difficult task of planning, coordinating, prioritising and funding road-resurfacing projects for the entire City. It is not always possible to resurface all roads in an area all at once and therefore, this type of long-term rehabilitation and maintenance often takes place in stages over the span of several years.
The Elsies River area is now formally part of the Load Curtailment programme of the City of Cape Town.
Elsies River Industrial (as seen in the footprint area below) is currently excluded from loadshedding as part of the City of Cape Town’s load curtailment programme. The load curtailment programme allows customers to be excluded from loadshedding in exchange for a predefined load curtailment.
All companies are required to perform the necessary load reduction as per ESKOM loadshedding stages between the hours of 06:00 till 22:00 weekdays.
Stage 1&2 – 10%
Stage 3 – 15%
Stage 4 – 20%
Stage 5&6 – 30%
A maximum of 3 violations out of ten daily assessed curtailment event days will be allowed before the area or the individual company is removed from the curtailment programme. A new application will need to be made describing the corrective actions that have been implemented to prevent future violations.
Please see below link that will subscribe you to an automated email notification of the Curtailment stages.
2023 is well underway and as we embark on a year set to take our Elsie’s River City Improvement District to new heights, we introduce you to our manager and share some important reminders from ERCID and the City.
As always, our focus remains on developing a safe, accessible and welcoming urban ecosystem for all workers, visitors and community members in our district. We are firmly committed to supporting the property and business owners in our locality, and our aim is to build upon last year’s successes by strengthening and enhancing our services.
Meet our Elsie’s River City Improvement District manager!
2022 has been a year for celebrating successes for Elsie’s River Improvement District and tackling new and ongoing challenges. We renew our commitment to providing top-up services to the City of Cape Town with a special focus on public safety, urban cleaning and management, continuing to lead the charge in the continual improvement of Elsie’s River as a residential and business area.
As we round up 2022 following our recent AGM held in November, we recap on the year’s work, successes and statistics.
Elsie’s River Improvement District at work, 2022
Elsie’s River Improvement District’s achievements of the last year are a testament to the team’s commitment, experience and increased on-the-ground presence – led by the capable hands of Geocentric, who have been working with city improvement district initiatives since 2001 and responsible for a total of thirteen of Cape Town’s improvement districts from Salt River through to Strand, Tyger Valley and Wynberg.
“The rollercoasting aftermath of Covid lockdowns steadily calmed down in 2022, yet conditions remained difficult as significant increases in the cost of living and the continuous challenges of load-shedding remained at the forefront,” says Gene Lohrentz, director of Geocentric.
“In the face of these new challenges, the Elsie’s River board and management team have remained steadfast in our commitment to providing high-quality top-up services in Elsie’s River. Embracing and implementing adaptability into our vision now seems entrenched in our day-to-day operations as well as our strategic thinking.”
2022 Elsie’s River Improvement District stats
Stay safe this festive season
From increased fire hazards in Cape Town to countrywide holiday travel to seasonal crime spikes, there are many reasons to up our vigilance these summer months and to take the necessary precautions to stay safe.
Home and Work Checklist for Fire Safety
Ember-proofing any area, requires the removal of all flammable plants up to 7m from a building, as well as overhanging branches. Checking and cleaning gutters and roofing for debris is important too.
Always remember, your safety is first and if you are not properly trained, call for assistance.
Make sure that all your insurance documents and other important documentation are backed up securely to the cloud.
Assign tasks to staff and run fire drills so that everyone is prepared in an emergency.
If you need to stay and help fight fires, cover your head, nose and mouth and protect your eyes with goggles. Wear good shoes and gloves.
If you have access to water, wet the roof and gutters to stop hot ash from burning the roof.
Keep grass cut as short as possible as it helps slow the fire.
Keep a hose pipe rolled up and ready.
Keep fire extinguishers around that are regularly maintained and train your staff on how to use them safely and correctly.
Safety Tips To Prevent Property Crime
Ensure your property can be secured properly. This includes checking all locks, gates, doors, windows and roller shutters.
Ensure there are no gaps in your fence or perimeter wall or unintentional points of access to your business or home that may need additional security.
Make sure all bushes or trees close to your walls, gates and fences are trimmed, to avoid the possibility of intruders hiding or using them to access your property.
Adequate lighting around the perimeter of your property acts as a good deterrent
Connecting outdoor lights to timers and motion sensors act as an additional deterrent.
Have an alarm installed by a reputable security company with armed response.
The key to effective security lies in being able to detect a potential intruder before they gain access. Adding detection beams and sensors of electrical fences vastly contributes to property security
Ensure your alarm is in working order. Business and property owners should test their alarms at least once a month and should the system require servicing this should be arranged as early as possible.
Please ensure that all the key holder information is available and ensure that key holders are available and able to come out to the property should the alarm activate, and checking be required.
Don’t leave ladders, spades or tools outside as these can be excellent break-in tools.
Ensure that remote controls for automatic gates and garage doors are not left lying around.
Always be alert to vehicles or persons following you into your entrance or the parking area.
Road safety tips
Check your vehicle before travelling long distances – including tyre tread and pressure, oil and water, wind-screen wipers, headlights and brakelights and ensure your spare tyre, jack and emergency warning triangle are all intact and stored in your vehicle
Leave early to be prepared for road congestion during busy periods
Take breaks to avoid road fatigue which can cause accidents
Be aware of pedestrians particularly when passing broken down vehicles or public transport
If you are curious about the work we do and want to stay up to date with the latest developments in your improvement district, you will be able to join our ERCID business WhatsApp group by:
• Sending a WhatsApp message to 081 869 8911
• You will need to include your Name and Surname or the name of your business
• You will need to include your street address which should be within the boundary of the Elsie’s River Improvement District
• We will add you to the Elsie’s River Improvement District Community Group
Rules and regulations for communicating will be stipulated in the group.
