The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) yesterday (27 May 2026) called on the City of Cape Town Council to ensure that residents’ rights, particularly their right to peace and safety in their living areas, are protected and prioritised, while still allowing for economic growth.
This follows residents and businessowners, primarily from the Bo-Kaap, expressing serious concerns during a recent public participation process about how their right to live in a safe, clean and peaceful environment is being undermined.
They are not satisfied with developments taking place in certain areas, as they are to the detriment of existing residents and businessowners.
The participation process followed the Metro releasing its informal trading plans for Greenmarket Square, St George’s Mall, the Company’s Garden, Cape Town’s Civic Centre, the Bo-Kaap and numerous other earmarked locations.
Residents pointed out that the current management of these areas has failed and they cannot see how the proposed changes will improve the situation.
Residents from the Bo-Kaap, among others, reported that the influx of tourists to these areas often hinders them from exiting their own front doors.
They feel it demonstrates callous disregard for their religion and culture, while crime and anti-social behaviour are on the rise.
During the meeting, the Freedom Front Plus requested improved governance by the city authorities through the establishment of dedicated management teams for important informal trading areas, especially in culturally and residentially sensitive areas such as the Bo-Kaap and Greenmarket Square.
The party further requested that the City review its trading plans, particularly for areas such as the Bo-Kaap, and that community participation and cultural preservation be prioritised.
In addition, enforcing measures for improved infrastructure and waste management systems is essential for all informal trading zones.
The City should adopt a more strategic, data-driven approach to identifying informal trading locations, balancing economic viability for traders and preventing traffic congestion.
The living conditions of residents in the affected areas should be taken into account when decisions are made and development takes place.
The Freedom Front Plus will keep a close eye on the implementation of the City of Cape Town’s plans to ensure that neither human rights nor residents’ privacy is violated.
Freedom Front Plus Sports Development: The FF Plus supports sports development programs in schools.
Swan Mustang
A Priest was seated next to Van Der Merwe on a flight to Brakpan.
After the plane was airborne, drink orders were taken.
Van Der Merwe asked for a Rum and Coke, which was brought and placed before him.
The flight attendant then asked the priest if he would like a drink.
He replied in disgust \”I\’d rather be savagely raped by a dozen whores than let liquor touch my lips.\”
Van Der Merwe then handed his drink back to the attendant and said \”Me too, I didn\’t know we had a choice.\”
Troubadour
Diary of an Englishman after he moves to South Africa….
**August 1**: Just got transferred with work from London, UK to our new home in Phalaborwa, Limpopo, South Africa. Now this is a town that knows how to live! Beautiful, sunny days and warm, balmy evenings. I watched the sunset from a deckchair by our pool yesterday. It was beautiful. I’ve finally found my new home. I love it here.
**September 1:** Really heating up now. It got to 31 today. No problem though. Living in air-conditioned home, driving air-conditioned car. What a pleasure to see the sun every day like this. I’m turning into a sun-worshipper – no blasted rain like back in London! Had the back yard landscaped with tropical plants today. Lots of palms and rocks. No more mowing lawns for me! Another scorcher today, but I love it here. It’s Paradise !
**October 1:** The temperature hasn’t been below 35 all week. How do people get used to this kind of heat? At least today it’s windy though. Keeps the flies off a bit. Acclimatizing is taking longer than we expected. Fell asleep by the pool yesterday. Got third degree burns over 60% of my body. Missed three days off work. What a dumb thing to do. Got to respect the old sun in a climate like this!
**October 25:** This wind is a bastard. It feels like a giant fucking blow dryer. And it’s hot as hell! The home air conditioner is on the blink and the repair man charged R200 just to drive over and tell me he needs to order parts from @#$# Johannesburg. The wife & the kids are complaining.
**October 30:** The temperature’s up around 40 and the parts still haven’t arrived for the fucking air conditioner. House is an oven so we’ve all been sleeping outside by the pool for 3 nights now. Bleeding R4 million house and we can’t even go inside. Why the hell did I ever come here?
**November 4:** Finally got the fucking air-conditioner fixed. It cost R1,500 and gets the temperature down to around 35 degrees. Stupid repairman. Fucking thief. If one more smart bastard says ‘Hot enough for you today?’ I’m going to fucking throttle him. Fucking heat! By the time I get to work, the car radiator is boiling over, my fucking clothes are soaking fucking wet and I smell like baked cat. Fucking place is the end of the Earth.
**November 9:** Tried to run some errands after work, wore shorts, and sat on the black leather upholstery in my car. I thought my fucking backside was on fire. I lost 2 layers of flesh, all the hair on the backs of my legs and off my fucking behind. Now the car smells like burnt hair, fried bum and baked cat. The Weather report might as well be a fucking recording – hot and sunny. Hot and sunny, Hot and fucking sunny. It’s been too hot to do anything for 2 bleeding months and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week. Fuck!!
**November 15:** Doesn’t it ever rain in this darn place? Water restrictions will be next, so my R5,000 worth of palms might just dry up and blow into the fucking pool. The only things that thrive in this hell-hole are the fucking flies. You don’t dare open your mouth for fear of swallowing half a dozen of the little buzzards!
**November 20:** Welcome to HELL! It got to 45 degrees today. Now the air conditioner is gone in my car. The repair man came to fix it and said, ‘Hot enough for you today?’ I wanted to shove the car up his backside. Anyway, had to spend the R2,500 of the mortgage payment to bail me out of jail for assaulting the stupid fool. Fucking PHALABORWA! What kind of sick, demented idiot would want to live here!
**December 1:** WHAT!!!! The FIRST day of Summer!!!!
You are fucking kidding me, right?