Why community engagement matters in Cape Town's Ward 71

Ward 71 councillor, Carolynne Franklin 

As a resident of Cape Town (born and bred), a community activist, and the elected ward councillor for Ward 71 (Kirstenhof, Tokai, Westlake, Norfolk Park, Orchard Village, Retreat Industrial, Constantia Hills, Nova Constantia), I know well how important information is for a functioning city, and for successful community engagements where we can all participate in ensuring an active citizenry interface.

It is only with information - hopefully all proactive - that we can plan our lives and the daily tasks that impact our families and loved ones. We are all connected, and like a living organism, we rely on one another for the health of the entire entity.

In a city of 5 million people, and with so many demands on our time, it is imperative that we stay up to date with relevant and local WhatsApp Groups, Facebook Pages, and City of Cape Town Channels for information. I would encourage us all not to relinquish our rights and responsibilities as proud Capetonians,  but to ensure we play our part in our forward-thinking and accessible City of Hope.

Ward councillors are the fulcrum for many of these information hubs, and I encourage you to reach out to yours to ensure that you are part of their platforms.

If you don’t yet know who your public representative is, then pop over to https://www.da.org to find their contact details. One can also join the city WhatsApp channel by going to the WhatsApp updates tab, tap the + Icon, or Find Channel option,  then search for City of Cape Town.

The City of Cape Town’s website is found on www.capetown.gov.za and is an absolute font of knowledge and valuable information. There is no need for anyone to be out of the loop with regard to Public Participation, Policies, and Protocols.

If you are a resident in Ward 71, please email my ward clerk  (Dilshaan.Jagger@capetown.gov.za) to be added to our weekly email newsletter database, and/or supply your cell number and suburb,  to be sent the links to my information platforms via WhatsApp.

At this time, we directly reach 2500 residents a day via our Broadcast-only WAG, and on average, around 150 000 monthly on our Ward71news Facebook Page – be part of this movement and let us empower ourselves with information.

Thanks to proactive volunteers and dedicated residents, who act as admins for community Facebook Pages and street or suburb WhatsApp Groups, we also have micro-localised information which is disseminated amongst neighbours.

These are literally interactions and responses that have saved lives. It is only together that we can successfully reside in relative harmony and with the mutual support of our fellow residents.

Reach out to your neighbours to find out if you have a street group, and if not, then consider starting one.

Our Residents’ Associations, Friends Groups, and Neighbourhood Watches also have groups and pages that can be utilised if one is a member of the relevant volunteer organisation.

It is only together that we are stronger and only together that we can show our true humanity and care for those who we live alongside. Information-sharing and communication are the underpinning of this.