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Strand Business Improvement District 2023 Roundup

Strand Business Improvement District

It’s been another year of successes and tackling challenges head-on for the Strand Business Improvement District. As part of our renewed commitment to public safety and urban cleaning and management, we persist in leading the way toward the continuous improvement of Strand as a thriving business and residential hub.

Our CID team has increased their presence on the ground, resulting in improved statistics across the board for 2023. We’ve driven more kilometres in our patrol vehicles, engaged with more members of the public and attended to more service requests and urban defects than ever before. We’ll continue with this increased presence in the community in 2024 and the years beyond.

This year, with 51 CIDs now in operation in the City of Cape Town, the new CID by-law and policy has come into effect. Geocentric, who has now been working with city improvement district initiatives for more than 2 decades, is proud to be responsible for over 25% of the total CIDs in operation. 

In addition to taking care of the public’s safety and urban cleaning, our CID placed a focus on safety across Strand in 2023. These urban improvement projects will be continued throughout 2024, in line with the goal of continuously upgrading our community. 

2023 Strand Business Improvement District Stats

“Despite the challenges of a struggling economy, ongoing load shedding and higher fuel prices, the aim of the SBID remained focussed on delivering top-up services to the public spaces of Strand throughout the year,” says Gene Lohrentz of Geocentric Urban Management, tasked with the delivery of our City Improvement District services.

The SBID Board and Geocentric management team is committed to finding innovative, efficient and cost-effective ways to continue delivering on the vision for a safer, cleaner, well-maintained and vibrant community.  We look forward to more opportunities to make a tangible difference in 2024.

Safety Tips for the Holiday Season

As the festive season approaches, it is essential to prioritise safety at this time, as crime, accidents and fire hazards are usually on the rise during the holiday period.

Being mindful of potential risks and hazards can help safeguard you, your business and your property – from road safety considerations to vigilance against petty crimes in crowded business premises to more serious crimes such as hijacking and robbery. 

Along with keeping your personal safety in mind, if you are a business owner, it is imperative to be vigilant and proactive in implementing strategies that protect your assets, property and staff during the busiest time of year. 


Prevention is better than cure. That’s why we urge property and business owners to make every effort to prepare their properties, businesses, staff and themselves against opportunists and criminals with our safety tips below:

Emergency Numbers

Quick access to relevant emergency numbers can be the difference between life and death. We have compiled a comprehensive list for you to save and share for easy access to these numbers.

Once again, our 24-hour security control room is always available for your public safety emergencies.

Whatsapp group info 

If you’re interested in staying informed about our initiatives, as well as the newest developments in your improvement district, you can become a member of our SBID business WhatsApp group by:

• Sending a WhatsApp message to 081 869 8911.

• You will need to include your Name and Surname or the name of your business

• You will need to include your street address, which should be within the boundary of the CID

• We will add you to the relevant CID Community Group

Rules and regulations for communicating will be stipulated in the group.

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Welcoming a new year, new challenges and new triumphs

As we charge into 2022, there is undeniable trepidation surrounding the new challenges and triumphs the year will bring. This year we will continue to create an urban ecosystem that is safe, accessible and inviting to all the workers, visitors and community members of our district. As in years before, we are unwavering in our commitment to the property and business owners of our area and intend to consolidate and elevate our services based on the successes of last year.  

In 2022 we strive to:  

  • Create a safe and clean public environment by addressing issues of maintenance and by cleaning our streets, pavements and public spaces.  
  • Increase public safety through proactive visible patrolling and by supporting the efforts of the SAPS, City of Cape Town and private security providers.  
  • Manage existing and new public infrastructure for the future benefit of our community members.   
  • Decrease property-related crime to protect community members through our security-related partnerships and to protect property values to attract new investment to the area.  
  • Support the promotion of the businesses in our area by implementing urban greening, promoting energy efficiency initiatives, widening our recycling networks and bettering our risk and disaster management services.  
  • Support and promote social responsibility in the area and assist with the management and upliftment of people living on the streets.  
  • Encourage the maintenance and upgrading of private properties and public spaces in the area. 

We believe in the heart of our institution that the challenges we face are not insurmountable. 

Together with the City of Cape Town, our partners, outreach initiatives and local business owners, we will continue to strive towards reinvigorating our urban environment. Ultimately, together we can create a stable, safe, clean area that is prosperous for our community both economically and socially.  

Headlines from the City  

The City of Cape Town warns to be aware of scammers posing as electricity officials to gain access to your wallet and home. All officials will have an identification card with the City logo, with their name and surname and a photo. If you have any doubts call the COCT on 0860 103 089 to confirm their ID and work order number. 

The City of Cape Town urges their suppliers to be cautious of fake Request for Quotation (RFQ) emails sent to them, as if it is being sent from the City. Please report any suspicious emails to the City for further investigation.  

Struggling to pay your rates and taxes? The City of Cape Town has a wide range of financial relief options available. To learn more, click  here.   

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Strand BID and Future Strand share a new online home

In an effort to continue keeping this special seaside town inviting to both residents and visitors, Strand BID has partnered with an exciting new initiative called Future Strand.

While the BID will continue the good work its been doing with keeping the streets clean and safe, Future Strand wishes to nurture a renewed sense of community within the town.

Read more

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SBID and partners help save feathered and fluffy friends

It appears that even injured, neglected or lost birds or animals who happen to find themselves in Strand, can rely on the kindness and efficiency of the SBID and its partners! 

 

Relief for Hot Dog 

On 6 February around midday, Strand Safety Officers Kevin en Nxesi came to the rescue of a dog that had been locked in a car since about 7am that morning. They had been informed about the animal by members of the public. 

 dog rescue1

It had appeared that there was no water for the dog, notwithstanding the fact that it was a particularly hot day. (The incident occurred just beyond the boundaries of the Strand BID.) 

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The safety officers assisted in forcing open the windows of the vehicle and putting a bowl of water in the car for the overheated animal. The SPCA had meanwhile been alerted and subsequently removed the dog. 

 

The SAPS was also in attendance. 

 

Help for Hassled Birds 

injured rock kestrel

In one incident, Inspector Rohann Nolte of Secure Rite, who is employed by the SBID in Strand, found two small rock kestrels in Beach Road, one of which had possibly been injured by an airgun bullet or something similar. He arranged for the ruffled birds to be safely delivered to Birds of Prey Africa in Stellenbosch for further care. 

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Pleased with progress – SBID chairperson

In a special message SBID board chairperson Grant Goodwin said they were again pleased with the progress made by Geocentric, the management body of nine metro improvement districts, during the 2016/2017 year.

He went on to say statistics confirmed that “we currently reside and do business in a much safer, greener and cleaner Strand. We realize that we cannot take the status quo for granted and that the team must consistently work hard to maintain the current standard”.

“We are very excited about the proposed new interventions by Gene and his team regarding the management of the Traders Market and the Strand Initiative Marketing project. We believe that the afore-mentioned interventions by Geocentric and the CID are important ingredients to our goal of making the Strand a more attractive business and tourist destination.”

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Informal market intended to add energy, attract spending

The tourist-friendly location of the Strand market and the history of informal traders in the area set the stage for a prime opportunity to transform the newly upgraded market into a modern, vibrant, commercially sustainable business. The market space is located in the Strand Precinct on Beach Road and the draft Strand Informal Trading Plan proposes that it will consist of 70 trading bays.

A series of infrastructural upgrades took place in Strand during 2017, which included among others the reconfiguration and resurfacing of the parking areas, the realigning and upgrading of the sea wall, the redevelopment of the ablution facilities and offices and provision of space for an informal trading market.

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In view of the fact that the traders who will be operating in the market area do not currently have a legal entity – representative of all traders – that would potentially contract with the City of Cape Town for management of the market, the City approached the SBID to consider and propose a management plan for the Strand Pavilion Trading Market. The task of the management body would be to ensure that the facilities are well maintained and that trading activities are managed optimally.

In its call for a proposal the City pointed out that it was a high priority to ensure that the market was well managed and that the space was safe, clean and inviting for customers to have fun and enjoy all that would be on offer.

It would be a priority to create a safe market environment through, amongst other things, monitoring compliance by not only traders, but also visitors with the rules of the market. Law enforcement officials would have to be involved in the event of any law infringements in the market. The City of Cape Town advises that the service provider may employ a combination of CID security and EPWP Unit City Law Enforcement Officers in order to ensure that the market would be safe and secure throughout the week.

In his message SBID chairperson Grant Goodwin said he was excited about the prospect of the intervention and wished Geocentric’s Gene Lohrentz and his team well with the process.

The current management of informal markets is based on the formulation of by-laws and policies, as well as trading plans and permit fees in some cases. Management is also based on the employment of district area cooridinators responsible for informal trading in specific regions.

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The Strand Precint, which is a historic beach resort area that is popular with with tourists and locals alike, is home to many economic activities. Both recreational and small-scale fishers sell fesh fish directly to the public from the slipway. The area also includes a parking area, a hotel, offices, restaurants and public ablution facilities, as well as accommodating traders predominantly over weekends and during the summer season.

 

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