On the 26th of May 2021, the Willow Arts Collective, residents of the premise on 2 Willow Road Observatory, saw ourselves once again before Magistrate Khan at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court (case number 8917/19). We have been fighting the City of Cape Town’s attempts to evict us, now seeking an application to strike-out the…
Category: Social Issues
Call for proposals – “Telling the story of Observatory through heritage & memorialisation”
Background: The Observatory Improvement District NPC (OBSID – see www.obsid.org.za) adopted a public space policy in 2020 that is guiding the use of resources for the improvement and celebration of public space in the neighbourhood. Part of this process entailed a public call for ideas amongst residents and businesses. There was some interest in celebrating the history…
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME COORDINATOR
The Observatory Improvement District (OBSID) is an established Special Rating Area (SRA) and provides top up services to the City of Cape Town, including cleaning and urban management, public safety and social development. Our social development programme delivers social services to people living inside of the OBSID boundaries, in line with the programme’s implementation framework – with a focus on…
UPDATE on the court case regarding the City’s eviction order against the WAC residents
Advocate Zeynab Titus (on behalf of the Willow Arts Collective) argued in court today (Tuesday 23 March) that the City’s admission of a Housing Report into evidence was done late, rather than in their founding affidavit as is required by law. This means that it should be struck out from the court papers. The City…
Please support petition calling on alcohol industry to withdraw court challenge against government
Dear colleagues The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance in SA (SAAPA SA) is concerned that the alcohol industry (SAB and Vinpro) is using the courts to challenge government’s right to control access to alcohol as part of the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While SAAPA SA does not encourage the suspension of access to…
Social Issues Autumn Equinox Request
With the change in season comes cold, wet days and nights. We have had requests from the Singabalapha settlement on Main road Observatory for tents to keep them dry this winter. Please contact Kiki [email protected] to arrange collection or drop off at Ferdinandos Pizza in Observatory and mark for donation. Thank you. Kimon Kiki Bisogno 🙂 Watts…
Special General Meeting called for Thursday 25th March 2021!!
Dear Obs residents The OCA held a successful Town Hall meeting on Wed 17th March which was attended by about 70 people in a combined virtual and in-person format using a venue at the Obs Methodist Church organised consistent with COVID-19 protocols (thank you to Eric Judd for making the venue available and to OCA…
Willow Arts: A collective project for Observatory
Sustainable development is a popular buzzword nowadays, used even to describe the most top-down, environmentally destructive, corporate mega-projects. The monstrosity that is being planned on the River Club property in Observatory is a case in point; it is ironically billed as an ecologically sensitive development that will open private land to the public and protect…
City wants to allocate land for gardening purposes.
Please see below for correspondence received from the City of Cape Town. Send us your opinion on how the OCA should respond to this notice @ [email protected] Good day City of Cape Town, Application – Case Number: 130000711, Lease of City Land, Portion of Erf 28925 – Allotment – Cape Town (Mowbray) PROPOSED RENEWAL OF LEASE…
Update on the Obs Library
Our facility officer has confirmed with me that the Library HVAC system is now in good repair and mould free. The facility has been opened for drop and collect service. The libraries books are available for reservation on the online OPAC Service. The Library and Information Service are not charging late fees during COVID-19, and…