Welcome to our Cape Town Living Tips

September 2018

Dear all,

welcome sunshine! The last weeks we luckily were blessed with plenty of rains and now we can look forward to the summer season with more positivity again. Of course, we all will need to continue to save as much water as we can but the worry that Cape Town's taps might run dry in the coming summer months is less acute - if we all stick to the water restrictions and continue to arrange for alternative water supply.

Amid the shocking figures in the South African crime statistics which state that 56 people are murdered every day in South Africa, we also received the news that South Africa's economy is in recession and business confidence is at the lowest since the last recession in 2009.

The falling Rand value will hit all of us who live and earn in South Africa, import costs will be so much higher and thus this affects living costs especially, with higher food prices as well as most probably increasing petrol and diesel costs from October.

After plentiful rains, the reservoirs supplying the city with water are filling up again. Now the dam levels exceed those from 2016, and water levels stand now at over 70%, which is really good news. The water tariffs which have been raised substantially earlier this year, will be slightly lowered from 1 October and water saving measures will be relaxed to 70 liters per person per day.

Water Dashboard City of Cape Town 17 September 2018

And a short reminder: The 50-litres-per-person-allowance (70-litres from 1 October only) refers to usage per day, whether you use water at home or out and about. Households with more than four residents are advised to register with the City of Cape Town to avoid penalties.

Now spring arrives with big steps, the rains are subsiding slowly and the multi-colour wildflower carpets in the Western Cape are in full bloom. Make sure to go on a road trip to do some flower spotting. A short trip out of town is certainly worth while the effort. We just have been back from a trip to the splendid Northern Cape and have been mesmerised again by the natural beauty of the landscape. The drought impacted on growth during the last two flower seasons, but now again the magnificent carpets of daisies and fynbos in bloom have returned to full splendour.

In South Africa, 24 September is a public holiday. Heritage Day is celebrated also as Braai Day. On this national holiday, which was first introduced in 1996 by Nelson Mandela, it is now a South African tradition to meet with your friends and celebrating your heritage and friendship while enjoying a good braai (the South African style barbecue). Numerous celebrations will take place around the city and many of Cape Town’s museums will be granting free entry. Read on below what's on this Heritage Weekend in Cape Town.

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, spokesman for the Heritage Day - Braai Day initiative said about this national holiday: "We're going to have this wonderful thing on the 24th of this month... when we all gather round one fire...It's a fantastic thing, a very simple idea. Irrespective of your politics, of your culture, of your race, of your whatever, hierdie ding doen ons saam ['we do this thing together']... just South Africans doing one thing together, and recognizing that we are a fantastic nation.”

Now enjoy our newsletter and have a great time in Cape Town or wherever you are!

Updates and News

Heritage Weekend in Cape Town