Public Parks in Cape Town to Fall under One Umbrella

City to re-draft Public parks by-law

The City of Cape Town is in the process of consolidating its Public Parks by-law, so that a single by-law will apply to all of the city's 3 052 parks.

In the past, each municipality had its own parks by-laws, which resulted in unnecessary duplication and general confusion. The new Public Parks by-law will attempt to bring all of these different by-laws into one piece of legislation.

"Currently, there are many by-laws relevant to parks, but these by-laws are only applicable in specific areas,” said Johan de Villiers of City Parks. ”For example, the Gordon's Bay Parks By-law is only applicable within the boundaries of the former Gordon's Bay Municipality. What a nightmare this must be for our law enforcement officials when they must follow up on a transgression in a park."

The purpose of the by-law is to regulate the admission of persons, animals and vehicles to public parks as well as to provide for the use and enjoyment of public parks. The by-law also aims to determine conduct that will not be permitted within public parks.

It covers issues such as maximum numbers of persons, admission to a public park, entrance fees, dumping and littering, liquor and food, animals, use of public parks, trees, safety and order, water, laundry and crockery, vehicles, games, and improper and indecent behaviour.

For more information, visit the ‘Policies and By-laws’ page of the City Parks website capetown.gov.za.

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