Tag: winter

Staying Safe and Warm This Winter: How We Prepare and Support Our Communities

WID winter 2025

As temperatures drop and the rains return, winter in Cape Town brings with it both seasonal challenges and the opportunity for communities to come together. For residents and businesses, preparation is key to ensuring safety and continuity. At the same time, the City of Cape Town is stepping up support for our most vulnerable residents through its strengthened Winter Readiness Programme.

This season, we share practical tips on how to prepare your property for winter, and we highlight the ways the City is working with shelters and non-profit organisations to offer care and dignity to those most in need.

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Winter Hope & Giving Back Responsibly  –  help combat poverty & inequality

Winter in Cape Town is a time in which poverty and homelessness become heightened social issues, because of the extremely harsh weather conditions. At the same time, the annual Mandela Day initiative coincides, taking place this 18 July, helping to bring hope and support to vulnerable communities.

Indigent people in South Africa are an inherent part of the cityscape, with hundreds of thousands of people homeless and living on the streets.

It is well-known that cash handouts are not a good solution for supporting people living on the streets  –  as these often serve to fuel the problem by funding addiction and other negative or self-perpetuating behaviour.

However, most of us would like to help in some way to combat poverty and inequality. For this reason, it’s important to work with known NGOs, nonprofits or charities, who have built social infrastructures and relationships that have longevity.

MES Cape Town - Mould, Empower, Serve

Mould, Empower, Serve  –  how the City Improvement Districts are working with MES

MES Cape Town is a key partner in the mission to sustainably rehome the homeless across various City Improvement Districts. Their extensive network of outreach and social relief programs provides the vital reach and resources our CID needs. Additionally, their responsive help desk is always available to assist with the immediate and short-term needs of the homeless and unemployed community.

We work closely with MES to identify individuals for casual labour on specific projects. Their team actively scouts promising candidates, placing them with us each week on a probationary basis as one of our on-the-ground workers, fondly known as our “Green Ants”. For those who show dedication, we offer pathways for them to become supervisors and advance their training, making them valuable members of our workforce in a way that allows us to support their growth.

Woodstock Improvement District 2022

To ensure the funds generated through our partnership are used effectively, we pay stipends directly to MES, which helps cover their living expenses sustainably throughout their stay.

Winter Hope 2024

MES is running a WinterHope campaign until the end of July, in a mission to spread hope and warmth this winter, by gathering essential items such as warm clothing, blankets, and nourishing food supplies.

Visit MES @mouldempowerserve on Facebook to see causes near you to support this winter.

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Winter Readiness, Wheelie Bin Safety and Woodstock Greening Initiative

As we head into the colder months, we’re preparing you with some winter readiness tips to keep both yourself and your property safe.

Additionally, we share some tips on keeping your wheelie bin safe so that you know it’ll always find its way back home, as well as some exciting news about a greening initiative being run in Woodstock.

And, we share some recent updates from our WID manager on their operational achievements in the CID.

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Are You Ready to Go with the Cape Town Winter Flow? Essential Tips for a Smooth Season + Loadshedding Updates from the City

As the chilly and wet winter season approaches, it’s time to prepare ourselves for the unique challenges and delights that it brings.

From the brisk air to the rain-soaked streets, Cape Town winter demands our attention and readiness. Here, we explore practical tips to help you navigate the winter months with ease. From maintaining your home and business’ functionality to prioritising safety on the roads, these essential suggestions will ensure you’re well-prepared to go with the flow this winter. Let’s dive in and discover how to make the most of the wet season while keeping everything running smoothly.

Cape Town winter readiness tips

Are You Ready to Go with the Winter Flow? Clear the Clutter from Your Gutter Keep your gutters in optimal condition by ensuring they are undamaged, securely attached to your building, and free from any branches. Shine A Little Light Combat the winter darkness by checking your outdoor lights. Make sure they are waterproof, functioning properly, and free from obstructions. Trim Your Trees Give your trees the care they deserve. Trim any dead, diseased, or damaged branches to prevent breakage during storms. Stop the Slip Create a safe environment by adding doormats, anti-slip coatings, and slip grip strips to stairs and slippery tiles, reducing the risk of accidents. Clean Your Cameras Maintain clear visibility by cleaning the lenses of your cameras. Remove dust particles that can cause a muddy mess when it rains. Be Reliably Roadworthy Ensure the safety and punctuality of your employees by keeping your vehicle fleet in top shape. Check headlights, rear and brake lights, tyre tread, and windshield wipers. Protect Our Pedestrians Promote pedestrian safety by encouraging your staff to wear bright reflective clothing and to drive with caution on the roads. Report and Respond Take action when needed. Report instances of flooding or blocked drains through www.capetown.gov.za/servicerequests or the Call Centre on 0860 103 089. Power outages can be reported via SMS to 31220 or email power@capetown.gov.za. In case of emergencies, dial 107 from a landline or 021 480 7700 from a cell phone to reach the Public Emergency Communication Centre.
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WID Winter Warmers

WID Winter Warmers

Winter is officially in full swing and we are anticipating many more cold, dark and damp days ahead. We also know that there are men, women and children suffering on the streets during this time that could greatly benefit from a small act of kindness – so why not keep the heat in and the cold out this winter by spreading the love becoming involved in these heart-warming initiatives in the Woodstock community and its surroundings.

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Happy holiday programme helps homeless children

We have a vision to take care of, and support, children in the Woodstock and Salt River areas who live in shelters, informal settlements or severely underprivileged homes.

There are currently 120 children living on the streets of Cape Town – this is a significant decrease to the estimated 800 in early 2000. While this is a large improvement, the problem is far from over. Paul Hooper of Homestead Project for Street Children says, “Cape Town is still surrounded by chronically deprived communities where children continue to be abused, neglected and exploited.”

There is a need for greater care of the city’s children through collaborative community efforts. We have pioneered a project to address this need, by hosting holiday programmes for children twice a year – in July and December. There is currently one underway at Al Noor Orphanage Centre in Woodstock until 24 July.

The organisations involved in the facilitation of these holiday programmes include our WID team, Woodstock SAPS, City of Cape Town, ACVV and Law Enforcement. The programme includes fun activities such as face painting, colouring in, swimming, and playing outside.

A different meal is served every day, depending on the donations that are brought in on the day. These include hot dogs, cooked meals, soup and sandwiches.

Abigail, our social officer says, “I love that these types of programmes uplift and help children in need. It’s also an opportunity for them to gain some self esteem and self worth through the lessons they learn.”

We rely on community sponsors and donations for this programme to run. We would like to thank Power Flow Exhaust in Salt River for sponsoring R500 towards the holiday programme, and to Al Noor for hosting us and sponsoring food and fruit. More than that, we’d also like to thank Mr Parker for sponsoring juice to the holiday programme and continuing to make an impact in the lives of our children in Woodstock and Salt River.

If you’d like to find out more about this project, donate bread and other ingredients, or make a financial contribution, please email Abigail at WID at abigail@wid.co.za.