Dear Mr Frank Allewell,
I note your letter in the Cape Times on Wednesday, February 3, and find your tone to be extremely presumptuous, although you are entitled to your opinion or fabricating scenarios of my days to support your views.
I have no time for a bubble bath as I find myself on the road or in meetings from 6.30 in the morning. For someone who works between 14 and 16 hours a day, I still do not have the luxury of mornings starting after 7am.
Yes, I see the many hard-working men and women making their way to work in the morning and this continues my train of thought which keeps me awake at night and that is: “What can I do today to make this great city even greater?”
You must understand that the City of Cape Town is a sphere of government and we have to adhere to legislation and ensure that we run the city effectively.
We have moved from an active government/passive resident approach (“The City works for you”) to an approach which highlights the shared responsibility we have to take in building a better city. We now “Make progress possible together”.
So I welcome your engagement and can assure you that we do our best every day to run an efficient government.
With regard to signage, there are many reasons for an advertising by-law. If there were no laws in place, the city would look like a very different place as there needs to be a balance between environmental consideration and development needs. All the City’s by-laws are not meant to be obstructive; they are there because we need to consider the needs and aspirations of three-and-a-half-million citizens.
We have laws in place for the safety of residents and to ensure fairness and there is a fair and due process followed, like with all successful cities in the world. Regarding buildings plans, please send details of your application to [email protected] so that we can assist you.
Regarding licensing renewal delays – that is no reason to break the law and drive an unregistered vehicle. I have stepped in on this issue in recent weeks to ensure that the administration employs more staff and extends office hours so that we can assist as many people as quickly as possible.
I am humbled to be serving the people of Cape Town and I look forward to engaging with them, as I do on a daily basis. In the coming weeks and months, I look forward to meeting as many residents as possible and listening to their concerns so that we can continue our work of taking the city forward.
I need the residents of Cape Town to do that.
The fact that we are the fastest-growing city in the country keeps me awake at night. More and more people are moving to the City of Cape Town in search of opportunity and because we have the highest level of service delivery.
So we are constantly working with a moving target and, as I have always said, the wheels turn too slowly as we have to work within the confines of a myriad of legislation. However, it is a daily feat for the City to find ways of delivering as best and as fast as we can.
We have delivered on many fronts and, most importantly, on clean, good governance. This is the work I want to continue.
I will continue working with residents and people who can help me find ways to do things faster and more innovatively, because I believe the people of Cape Town deserve the best.
Patricia de Lille
Executive Mayor of the City of Cape Town