Despite having a recently added responsibility as the City of Cape Town's Transport Roads and Storm Waters Portfolio Committee (TRSWPC) chairperson, ward 50 councillor Theresa Thompson, says she always makes time for her community.

"I have much bigger responsibilities now as the chairperson of TRSWPC but I always make time to render services to my electorates. I am currently working on projects that will benefit my community," Thompson told CFNews. She became councilor in 2001and immediately noticed housing was a "burning issue" in Bonteheuwel, dumping causes headaches and concrete roads need upgrading.

She said there are 4 500 people on housing waiting list, with many families sharing a house. "I know that many houses are shared by three families. We have identified the sites to build for them." As for the dumping that causing "headaches", she said there are on-going clean up campaigns. She urged the community not to make the area a dumping zone. "We are cleaning the streets regularly. But the problem is Camellia Street. It is a big dumping site causing my headaches. That is where scrap metal collectors burn metals and leave dirt lying around. Boundary Primary is also extremely dirty. People have this notion because they pay rents the city must clean after them. They must take responsibility and have regard for their living conditions. If your area is clean everyone starts taking you seriously," she said. Concrete roads will be upgraded from May-June, she promised. Thompson said she is negotiating with Telkom to buy the Town Centre building for rehabilitation of drug addicts where there will be Metro Police station.Before the end of June, she said, she will launch the Bonteheuwel Business Forum that will herald the formation of Bonteheuwel Chamber of Commerce.