Cape Town to repeal 300 outdated by-laws

21 Nov, 2016

Cape Town inherited old by-laws from former municipalities.

Cape Town plans to repeal more than 300 antiquated by-laws, many of which are outdated and in conflict with more recent city legislation.

The by-laws were inherited from the city's 30 former smaller municipal councils when Cape Town merged into a single metropolitian municipality in 2000.

However the 306 inherited by-laws, many of which date back to the 1950s, remain on the statute books and are still technically in effect.

Among the legislation set to be repealed is a 1977 by-law which requires taxi drivers to wear a clean, white coat, approved by officials from the Durbanville Municipality.

Other by-laws under the spotlight relate to regulations on camping and caravan parks from the 1960s, rules for television aerials from the 1970s, and by-laws on dog ownership from the 1980s.