/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The City of Cape Town’s Recreation and Parks Department is committed to providing efficient and effective mowing services for the upkeep of public spaces and is currently addressing backlogs. Read more below:

The City of Cape Town's Recreation and Parks Department oversees approximately 5 941 properties, spanning 483 km², or 19,75% of Cape Town's total land area. Within this, the Vegetation Control Management programme tends to 8,9 km² of public open space, with about 7 080 ha designated for mowing and 1 812 ha for weed control. 

Recreation and Parks Department is committed to providing efficient and effective mowing services to maintain public open spaces.

In addition to the current staff assigned to do so, the department also went through an intensive supply chain management process, which resulted in the appointment of contractors in each of the four service areas of the City: North, South, East and Central. 

Although challenges with service providers have arisen, which have led to disruption of service delivery in some areas, the department is committed to effectively managing these issues to ensure the public receives optimal value. 

Upon non-compliance with service provider contractual obligations, contracts and tenders may be cancelled, as is the case currently in Area North. 

The issuance of a purchase order to begin work with a newly appointed contractor is currently in progress. 

In Area South, recent challenges have been encountered, primarily related to the quality of work.

This has resulted in the imposition of penalties for substandard performance by service providers in an effort to improve the performance of the contractor, but importantly, to not perpetuate a practice of paying for sub-standard service delivery. 

Further to ensuring that the services are being delivered, the department also needed to take into account the impact of the recent adverse weather conditions, including the bad storm and extreme rainfall, which prohibited the mowing of areas that became waterlogged and inaccessible for mowing machinery to be used. 

This has led to disruptions in planned work schedules and the need for schedule adjustments. 

Consequently, adaptations have been made to mowing plans by shifting the focus to areas where mowing could take place such as certain road reserves and greenbelt, until waterlogged spaces are dry enough to be mowed. 

As is the pattern of seasonality, the spring growth period has been spurred on by the high and more than adequate rainfall and the increase in daytime temperatures resulting in all public open spaces and road reserves becoming rapidly overgrown. 

All resources are being optimised to undertake all mowing as soon as possible, including working over weekends and extended work days. 

The importance of the environment in terms of the look and feel of the City is a critical consideration within the City’s overall services and therefore future strategies relating to the mowing function within the City include the exploration of new operating models and innovative solutions. 

‘We are dedicated to maintaining our public spaces and are actively exploring new approaches, including the possibility of in-house capacity, to enhance our resilience and improve response times. 

‘We appreciate our residents' patience and understanding during these transitional phases and unforeseen circumstances. Residents can expect improvements in the next few weeks as these actions are implemented,’ said the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community and Services and Health, Councillor Patricia van der Ross.

Issued by: Media Office, City of Cape Town