Cape Town - Interesting Articles

That's amazing @Hooked
Nice to know and thanks for posting

I love Table Mountain. The views up there are absolutely incredible and breathtaking.
Haven't been up for a long time. Need to go up again and have a vape ;-)
 
Proudly SA! Tiny SA beach-side eatery named ‘Best in the World!’

A 20-seater beach-side restaurant in Paternoster on the Western Cape was just named “Best restaurant in the world” at the World Restaurant Awards!

Opened by chef Kobus van der Merwe, the Wolfgat Restaurant focuses on sustainable, local food. Each sitting can only host a maximum of 20 people for a seven-course tasting menu. Van der Merwe and his staff forage for ingredients daily, creating delicious dishes straight from their natural surroundings.

“Sustainable seafood, local lamb and venison, and seasonal veldkos is featured, enhanced by wild herbs, seaweeds from the local rock pools, and pickings from the garden,” boasts the website. “Some of the elements on the tasting menu take weeks of preparation, while other ingredients are handpicked on the day for the exact number of bookings received.”

The Wolfgat cave

The restaurant building dates back around 130 years, but the Wolfgat cave is also situated on the property which boasts huge archaeological and geological significance.

“The place is super simple, rustic yet perfectly elegant. We sat by the fireplace. The restaurant is directly on the beach with an ocean view. We could watch the fishermen go out, come back and empty the catch from their brightly coloured boats.”

Wolfgat also scored points for its unique ‘Strandveld’ menu, its focus on providing jobs for locals, and its focus on sustainability.


 
This is unbelievable! These are the rules of a FB group:

View attachment 158619

The Centurion page also got similar rules. I can understand it. Sometimes it really can get out of hand with all the cure-alls and scams that people post online.

Although "Stop smoking stuff" does sound a bit sketchy. Can always argue vaping is harm reduction .
 
Table View motorists beware!!!

Spike in Table View hijackings
Residents of Table View have been warned to be on high alert in the area in light of a marked increase in hijacking incidents over the past several weeks.

“Criminals are stealing occupied vehicles in a violent manner, focusing on those members of the public that are going about their business very early in the morning or very late at night,” a notice by the Table View Neighbourhood Watch reads.

Speaking to IOL, a resident of the area said she had fallen victim to a smash-and-grab just last weekend. Two men allegedly smashed her car’s passenger side window when she stopped at a red light. The men demanded her phone, and when one could not find it, he climbed in through the window and entered the car. Fortunately, her husband was driving in front of her and managed to manhandle the assailant. The two men proceeded to hit the back of her husband’s head and made an escape.

Grant Lemos, Neighbourhood Watch chairperson, said that a number of cab drivers have also been attacked recently.

Chairperson of the area’s Community Police Forum (CPF) said although Table View has the fastest-growing population in the Western Cape and has the worst-resourced police station. “The provincial average is one SAPS member to 560 community members. We are sitting with a ratio of 1 to 970. We have a very committed SAPS station that is battling to cope with the chronic lack of resources,” he said.

https://www.capetownetc.com/news/spike-in-table-view-hijackings
 
Cape Town Pizza & Pasta Festival 2019
February 23 @ 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Expect gourmet pizza and pasta dishes, dessert pairings, wine pairings, craft beer pairings, LIVE music, kiddies entertainment, 360 degree views of Table Mountain, Granger Bay, V&A Waterfront, CT Stadium, and much, much more.

PIZZA & PASTA EATING COMPETITION

This edition of the Cape Town Pizza & Pasta Festival will include a PIZZA and a PASTA eating competition. Battle it out to WIN amazing prizes on the day, TBA.

Categories:
Pizza eating contest – Male
Pizza eating contest – Female
Pasta eating contest – Male
Pasta eating context – Female

Total cost: R200 including admission into the festival as well as the food provided. These tickets can be purchased through Webtickets or any Pick n Pay store nationwide or click here.

LINE UP TBA

*Kids U13 get in free!

Tickets on sale now, through Webtickets & any Pick n Pay store or by clicking here. (https://webtickets.co.za/)

Early Birds R60 (very limited)
Normal Birds R80
Late Birds R100
Door R120 (if available)

T’s & C’s apply.

For more information & vendor enquries please email capetownpizzapastafest@gmail.com






 
WIN: Tickets to the Cape Town Motor Show

The Cape Town Motor Show (CTMS) is ready to wow car fans and their families and friends again at GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World, March 2-3 2019. The show promises a weekend of memorable experiences and excitement for all car and bike enthusiasts, petrolheads and casual fans, at an auto show that stretches the length and breadth of GrandWest’s exhibition and outdoor spaces.

Here are 10 reasons to head to the Cape Town Motor Show.
The Cape Town Motor Show (CTMS) is ready to wow car fans and their families and friends again at GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World, March 2-3 2019. The show promises a weekend of memorable experiences and excitement for all car and bike enthusiasts, petrolheads and casual fans, at an auto show that stretches the length and breadth of GrandWest’s exhibition and outdoor spaces.

Here are 10 reasons to head to the Cape Town Motor Show.

1. Dare a Drift Flip or Go With a Pro at Driftkhana

The highly-specialised skill of drifting will be on full-throttle display with all the spectacular action hosted by XS Promotions. For those who want to do more than to simply watch the wheel-spinning and tyre-smoking, there’s the opportunity to take a drift flip, or even go with a pro as passenger at the Driftkhana event, where obstacles are added into the mix. Tickets to both can be purchased separately via Computicket or at the show.

2. View and Test the New Models in The Grand Arena

The Grand Arena is the place to see the very best new models and concepts from the top manufacturers in South Africa. Joining us this year are BMW, Shelby, Lexus, Mazda, Toyota, Suzuki, Ford, and VW, amongst others. Best of all, several of the brands will offer test drives on-site. What more is there to think about?

3. Rock Out with Dusty Rebels and The Bombshells and The Miss Bombshell Betty Pageant

After their wildly popular debut at CTMS last year, Dusty Rebels and the Bombshells will be back, offering visitors an experience of the good old days of vintage 40s, 50s and 60s Rock ‘n’ Roll style. Check out the cars, the fashion and the music of the era, and make a point of attending the Miss Bombshell Betty pageant, hosted by the always-delightful Blue Haired Betty at 2pm on Sunday March 3.

4. Challenge the 4×4 Challenge Tracks

The Wildebeest 4×4 Challenge Club hosts the ever-popular 4×4 track on both Saturday and Sunday, built for all classes of vehicles to challenge technical skills as well as different vehicle capabilities. Saturday’s highlight will be the Extreme 4×4 Challenge, so come and see how these extraordinary 4x4s ramp and jump their way through the highly-technical course, or join as a passenger to experience the thrills first-hand.

5. Kit up in The Sun Exhibits Hall

There are lots of extras that go with being a car owner. And it will pay to visit the Sun Exhibits Hall, where all the dealers and suppliers that make motoring such a personal pleasure will be offering deals and discounts on products like insurance, parts, accessories, apparel, collectors’ items, and gear.

6. Get the Full VIP Zone Experience

The much-desired VIP ticket gets you some special treatment this year. Besides access to the exclusive VIP area in the Sun Park, you receive a light lunch, drinks vouchers, a drift ride from the folks at XS promotions, a 4×4 drive experience from the Wildebeest Challenge Club, a CTMS cap and shirt, and an entry to win the amazing custom MG build by Cape Kustoms. A great all-round CTMS experience for just R950 via Computicket.

7. Enter the Show & Shine Stancewars

Leading audio experts Soundmatch will deliver a world-class Show & Shine event called Stancewars on Sunday March 3, with a wide range of the finest cars showcasing custom builds. Anyone can enter their pride and joy at any Soundmatch branch around the city. Prizes on offer include Best Wheel, Best Classic Car, Best Interior, Best Race Theme, and others.

8. Join the Sound Off Competition and World Record Attempt

Soundmatch will also host an internationally-recognised Sound Off audio competition in association with IASCA (the standard by which mobile electronics performance is measured). The louder the sound, the greater the chance to win, and the aim this year is to beat the world record for collective volume. There are limited entries, though, at R200 per car. Enter at any Soundmatch branch around Cape Town.

9. Time Travel in the Market Hall Nostalgia Zone

The Nostalgia Zone has been so popular with visitors, it has been given the entire Market Hall this year. Join the Crankhandle Club for a trip down automotive memory lane, with its vehicles dating as far back as the early 1900s. Check out some of the most rare and unique motor vehicles in the world, including beautifully-restored models and the products that make it possible for these classics to be brought back to their original or showroom conditions.

10. Enter the Ultimate Classic Car Giveaway

A highlight for true classic fans is the opportunity to drive away with a custom rebuild of a 1970s era MGB GT. This special project boasts a complete rebuild, some unique Cape Kustoms elements and a 3.9-litre Rover V8 motor. Enter to win by purchasing some CTMS merchandise at the MG display, and look out for the additional bike giveaway, the details of which are yet to be revealed.

Win tickets to the Cape Town Motor Show and experience an array of festivities on offer, tailored for car-lovers and more.

Prize Details:

Two lucky readers can win two tickets each to the Cape Town Motor show taking place from March 2-3 2019.

How to enter:
Simply enter your details on the form below so we can contact you if you win.
My comment: You'll find the form at the bottom of the FB article:

https://www.capetownetc.com/competitions/win-tickets-to-the-cape-town-motor-show


Competition Ts & Cs:
The winners will be announced on Facebook
– Winners will be contacted via details entered on form on Thursday February 28
– Winners are required to claim their prize by Friday, March 1 or another winner will be drawn
– Prizes are not refundable and cannot be exchanged for money
– Transport will not be provided.





 
Armed Forces Day - I came across this on FB and I just had to post it! The army wouldn't be much good if SA is ever invaded from the sea :-D

Armed Forces Day.jpg
 
Battery Park at the V&A Waterfront: Skate, Swim, Shop + Picnic
https://insideguide.co.za/cape-town/things-to-do/battery-park/

"Tired of taxis? Irked by Uber? Or just looking for a scenic, safe and convenient way to get from the V&A Waterfront into Cape Town’s CBD? May we introduce Battery Park, a 1.2-hectare urban park at the V&A Waterfront, whose canal provides the perfect pathway for water taxis to transport passengers from the V&A Waterfront to the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). [my emphasis] [My comment: Get a water taxi to Vape Fest! ;-) ]

In addition to this convenient canal, the park offers a range of other attractions that make it a destination in itself. We’re talking a walking (and running) path, benches, a piazza with a coffeeshop and shops, a skatepark, pavillion, lush lawns, an AstroTurf multi-court, plus a four-story parking garage (for easy access).

The Canal is designed for swimming, stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking, and it also provides an accessible pathway for water taxis to transport passengers from the V&A Waterfront to the CTICC.

The Piazza is a central space, surrounded by shops, a restaurant and lush gardens.

The Play Area consists of an AstroTurf multi-court for netball, basketball and soccer games, and a skatepark built to world-class standards using lightweight construction by famous skatepark designer Mark Baker.

The Pavilion, similar to an amphitheatre, offers shelter from the wind and will host various entertainment. Look forward to the Galileo Open Air Cinema experience held here, too.

The Park is fully wheelchair friendly, with elevated areas offering stunning views of the V&A Waterfront and surrounding city streets. It’s the perfect place for a chilled picnic or a relaxed walk or run.

Battery Park: Did you know?
The Park, as its name suggests, contains rear ramparts of the historical Amsterdam Battery, which was constructed by the Dutch in 1784 to defend Table Bay Harbour from attack. To accentuate the look and feel of the old Battery, stone-filled gabion walls have been used throughout the park.

During its construction, huge focus was spent re-establishing the connection between the city and the sea, retaining the Amsterdam Battery as a new heritage site, and creating the line of sight between the Battery and the Noon Day gun on Signal Hill.


 
Cool Food and Wine Fest: Make it a wine weekend of fun in Elgin

https://www.traveller24.com/TravelP...-find-your-long-weekend-fun-in-elgin-20170421


"The Elgin Wine valley will opens its doors to visitors from far and wide for the annual Elgin Cool Wine and Country Food Festival to be held over the weekend of 27-28 April 2019, from 10h00 until 17h00 daily.

Located less than an hour’s drive from Cape Town, the Elgin Valley offers city-dwellers and visitors to the Mother City, the perfect countryside escape.

... the festival offers a chance to indulge in South Africa’s best cool climate wines accompanied by some delicious food offerings ...

Entertainment includes performances by live bands, art exhibitions, nature walks, vertical tastings and cellar tours. Each venue will offer different dishes, along with their signature wines, to tantalise your taste buds and keep those bellies filled. These include a la carte menus, farm style picnics, food trucks and much more. Your kids and pets are not forgotten either. Plenty of the wine farms will have child-friendly activities on offer to keep your tots and tweens safe and entertained. Children under the age of 18, and accompanied by an adult, enter for free and many of the farms are also dog-friendly.


Where: Elgin Wine Valley - Click here to see participating wine farms
https://ecwcf.winesofelgin.co.za/index.php?page=programme-and-map

When: 27 April and 28 April
Time: 10:00 to 17:00 daily
Ticket info: Weekend access is R200 per person or a day pass is R150 per person - Click here for more info
 
Here’s why Cape Town number plates are changing from “CA” to “CAA”

It’s the end of an era for this current batch of Cape Town number plates. Motorists are in for a big change as early as this week, as the city begins to roll out licenses beginning with “CAA”, rather than “CA”.

Why are Cape Town number plates changing?
It’s simply a game of numbers. Almost every possible variation of the “CA” plates have been taken by car owners across the province. The local code of the Mother City has been exhausted, meaning that a new variation has to be introduced so people can continue to register new vehicles.

It’s a testament to just how many vehicles are on the road in Cape Town. The city is often identified as South Africa’s most congested and technical issues such as these serve as a perfect illustration.

The good news is that you can still transfer your old plates to a new vehicle if you so wish. Furthermore, registering your vehicle with the new “CAA” comes at no extra cost, unless you’re feeling frivolous.

he bad news is that authorities can’t predict the exact day that the changeover will happen. And, they are at the mercy of their technology: Once the final “CA” plate has been sold, the registration systems will not allow any new licenses to be processed that day.

“At the moment that available CA combinations run out, the system will not permit new licence numbers to be issued for the rest of that day. Anyone waiting for a new licence mark will have to wait until the next business day for a CAA number to be issued.”

“This disruption is unavoidable for technical reasons, and members of the public are requested to be patient with registering authorities on the day of the changeover.”

Details of the special license number fees and further information on the new Cape Town number plates can be found on the Department of Transport and Public Works website.

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/why-cape-town-number-plates-change-caa-when/
 
Here’s why Cape Town number plates are changing from “CA” to “CAA”/

I found out the real reason and it's got nothing to do with numbers/technical issues. It's so that we all know that it's a caa...
 
Cape Town has SA’s highest murder rate

"Cape Town is the city with the highest murder rate in the country according to the 2018/19 State of Urban Safety in SA Report ...

The SA Cities Network report released on Thursday showed that almost 2500 people were murdered in Cape Town in the 2017/18 reporting period, which is 69 murders per 100 000 people.

Cape Town continues to buck the trend, with a murder rate that has steadily risen since 2009/10, increasing by almost 70% between 2009/10 and 2017/18, despite stabilising over three years (2014/15 to 2016/17).

The increase in the murder rate in Cape Town is presumably driven by gang violence, which has been exacerbated by the supply of thousands of illegal firearms to criminal gangs. Police investigations and court proceedings have implicated corrupt police officials as one source of the illegal firearms. "

https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/cape-town-has-sas-highest-murder-rate
 
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I'm sure that my little town of Yzerfontein has the highest burglary incidence in South Africa. There are 2 - 3 break-ins every night.

The modus operandi is to break in between 2 - 5 a.m. and they usually target houses where people are staying (which would be about a fifth of the houses here - the rest are holiday homes) and their Pick-don't-Pay is always the TV, laptops and mobiles.

They remove the glass from windows and enter the house that way. Alarm systems don't stop them. They operate so quickly that they're in and out before Armed Response arrives - and we're a small town so at the most it would take 10 minutes for Armed Response to arrive on the scene.

We have an Armed Response, Neighbourhood Watch and now another group who does foot patrols with tracker dogs, but they're unable to catch the culprits. SAPS operates here too but they have limited resources. The other night at about 3 a.m. there was a break-in in the road above me and the tracker dog lead the handler to the garbage cage on the pavement outside my house. I guess the guy(s) must have hid between it and the wall.

It's said that the burglars must live here, because no vehicles have been seen entering or exiting the town on the security cameras - and there is only one road into town.

At a meeting a week or so ago N/Watch suggested that people install their own security cameras and gave a link to Takealot! Sorry folks! Nothing more that we can do. Go to Takealot. Great.

As for me, I've left the Neighbourhood Watch group which I iniated as I was sick and tired of the ridiculous messages which people were sending which had nothing to do with security concerns. I no longer belong to Armed Response either. What's the point of paying R400 per month for them to arrive after my house has been burgled?? In addition, I no longer switch on the alarm, because it never works the way that it's supposed to. It goes off when it shouldn't and doesn't go off when it should. One gets tired of phoning the company every few weeks to come and adjust the sensors.

I feel safe in my house as I have shutter-blinds on all the windows and, in addition, I've had shutter-blind doors installed outside the normal front and back doors. To me they're the best security that one could have. The engineer who installed them told me that it would take about 1.5 hours to break through them and it would make an incredible amount of noise, so I don't think anyone is going to break in here in a hurry.

If they do ... take my TV ... take my laptop ... but don't take my mods and juice!
 
Cape Town has SA’s highest murder rate

"Cape Town is the city with the highest murder rate in the country according to the 2018/19 State of Urban Safety in SA Report ...

The SA Cities Network report released on Thursday showed that almost 2500 people were murdered in Cape Town in the 2017/18 reporting period, which is 69 murders per 100 000 people.

Cape Town continues to buck the trend, with a murder rate that has steadily risen since 2009/10, increasing by almost 70% between 2009/10 and 2017/18, despite stabilising over three years (2014/15 to 2016/17).

The increase in the murder rate in Cape Town is presumably driven by gang violence, which has been exacerbated by the supply of thousands of illegal firearms to criminal gangs. Police investigations and court proceedings have implicated corrupt police officials as one source of the illegal firearms. "

https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/cape-town-has-sas-highest-murder-rate

Alarming indeed @Hooked
And I thought JHB had way higher stats on the violent crimes and murders.
Sad to hear about this because I always perceived Cape Town to be a MUCH safer place.
 
Alarming indeed @Hooked
And I thought JHB had way higher stats on the violent crimes and murders.
Sad to hear about this because I always perceived Cape Town to be a MUCH safer place.

@Silver It probably is, depending on the area. Most of the murders are gang-related and since we don't live in those areas it doesn't have a direct affect on us.
 
New Takealot collection points for Cape Town
https://www.capetownetc.com/news/new-takealot-collection-points-for-cape-town

As part of its national launch of 25 new collection points across South Africa, Takealot has increased the number of pickup points for parcel delivery in the Western Cape to eight.

These new collection points, called Takealot Pickup Points, allow locals to have an alternative to their work or home address as the pickup point.

Customers can select the “Collect” option when checking out on Takealot and then select the location most convenient from them to have their order delivered to for easy collection.

In addition to the original Takealot Warehouse in Montague, Cape Town residents can now make use of new pickup points in Brackenfell, Milnerton, Parow, Woodstock, Somerset West, Westlake, and Tygervalley.

For added convenience, customers can also return items to these well-located pickup points, which are open seven days a week.

Collection times run from 10am to 7pm on weekdays and 11am to 5pm on weekends, as well as 11am to 5pm on public holidays, but hours are subject to change.


You can find information about the exact address of each pickup point here:
https://www.takealot.com/about/takealot-pickup-point
 
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