The City of Cape Town is to post signage at Rondebosch Common banning the use of drones, a ward committee meeting heard last week.
The common is a popular venue for suburban drone pilots but they could soon have their wings clipped.
The drone issue came up at the Ward 58 meeting at the Alphen Centre in Constantia, last Tuesday.
Ward 58 includes Rondebosch, Kenilworth, Harfield Village, The Greater Lynfrae and Claremont.
Tim Jobson, from Friends of Rondebosch Common, told the meeting that the many people flying drones at the common was proving disruptive.
Councillor Sharon Cottle said the ward was waiting on “no drone” signage from the City’s parks department.
Mr Jobson told the Tatler that the drones posed a threat to birdlife in the common as well as to the flight paths of helicopters at the nearby Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.
The meeting also heard about efforts to stem urban decay in Harfield Village by the Friends of Harfield Parks and the Harfield Village Association which have been picking up litter in the area.
Francine Dieckmann, who oversees environmental issues in the ward along with Mr Jobson, said homeless people were sleeping in the area’s parks and begging for food, which could deter visitors to the facilities.
Ms Cottle said the homeless were an ongoing challenge in the ward.
“Currently a request is for social development from the City of Cape Town to engage with them and offer appropriate assistance where possible. Law enforcement also steps in, responding to any complaints received where City by-laws are contravened.”
Ms Dieckmann encouraged the public to join the annual railway line clean-up next Tuesday which will take place from Kenilworth to Harfield stations.
Apart from Mr Jobson and Ms Dieckmann, the ward committee’s other members are Bruce Burmeister and Peter Linnegar, who handle civic organisations, and Jennifer Coleman, who deals with safety and security. This leaves five vacancies.
“Although ward committees have no decision-making powers, they are the most direct link between a community and the ward,” said Ms Cottle.
She said the ward allocation for the past financial year had been spent on new play equipment in parks, the upgrading of road medians and a license plate recognition camera.
If residents are interested in being on the Ward 58 committee, they should contact Sub-council 20 manager Richard White at 021 444 8112.
The committee meets six times a year. The next meeting is in June.
