Author: Chantel Edwards

The George Integrated Zoning Scheme By-law was first promulgated in terms of section 13 of the Local Government Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Act 32 of 2000) on 1 September 2017 by virtue of P.N 017/2017. The amendment is in terms of Section 27 of the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act, 2013 (Act 16 of 2013). The draft amended George Integrated Zoning Scheme By-Law was tabled before Council on 26 April for adoption in principle to proceed with public participation.

The intent of this By-law is to:
• Make provision for appropriate rural and urban zoning categories;
• Consider environmental management instruments adopted by relevant environmental management authorities – coastal management setbacks, wetlands, etc;
• Include provisions to permit the incremental management and upgrading of rural areas;
• Include provisions to promote the inclusion of affordable housing in residential land development;
• Provide incentives to promote the effective implementation of the municipality’s spatial development frameworks and other development policies;
• Include provisions that promote the effective implementation of national and provincial government policies;
• Give effect to the Municipal Spatial Development Framework and the Integrated Spatial Development Plan.

The following are the most important changes to the current by-law:
• The present list of consent uses was revisited to see which can become primary uses;
• Establishing special zones (overlay zones) to address development priorities in the municipal areas;
• Providing for minor deviations from the conditions (land use development parameters) of the zoning scheme, excluding deviations which have a material effect on the use;
• To accommodate the business tourist, we make accommodation in the zoning scheme for guest accommodation in town – like guest houses, bed and breakfasts, and hotels.
• The eco-tourist may stay longer, want other types of accommodation – resorts, farm cottages, guesthouses on The beach, self-catering rooms.
• Accommodating the eco-tourist must not however come at the expense of other objectives such as the protection of the natural environment (rivers, wetlands, dunes, forests, etc) or agricultural activities on farms.

Public Participation Details
The George Integrated Zoning Scheme (Draft Amendments March 2023) will be published on 4 May 2023 in the George Herald, on the Municipal Website and Municipal social media sites. The George Integrated Zoning Scheme (Draft Amendments March 2023) will be available on our website for review.

Follow this link for the documentation on our website https://www.george.gov.za/george-doc-categories/documents/bylaws-and-regulations/planning-and-development/

Hard copies will be provided at all public libraries in George for review. Feedback is required by no later than 5 June 2023.

Comments and inputs can be emailed to, kmeyer@george.gov.za phoned in to 044 801 9435 or submitted in person at the George Municipality, 5th Floor, 71 York Street, George, 6530.

Enquiries to Clinton Petersen (cpetersen@george.gov.za); Ilane Huyser (ihuyser@george.gov.za) or Jeanne Muller (jmuller@george.gov.za).

Promulgated in Western Cape Provincial Gazette
A municipal by-law may be enforced only after it has been published in the official gazette of the Western Cape Province on request of the local municipality. The promulgated by-law is then uploaded to the municipal website for easy access by the public. Transgression of a by -law is treated the same as a normal law, if you break a by-law, you can be fined or prosecuted. Most transgressions are handled in the George Municipal Court.

DRAFT INFORMAL TRADING BY-LAW
The draft informal trading by-law was provisionally approved by Council on 23 February 2023 and a public participation process was also approved.

The intent of this by-law is to:

• provide for the right to engage in informal trading;
• to establish informal trading areas and informal trading sites on municipal property;
• to provide for the granting of trading permits to trade on municipal property;
• to restrict and prohibit informal trading in certain areas;
• to regulate the conduct of informal traders;
• to regulate informal trading at special events;
• to provide for measures to ensure health and safety;
• to create offences and penalties;
• to provide for the repeal of laws; and
• to provide for matters incidental thereto.

The following are the most important changes to the current by-law:

• Adoption of Trading Zones in areas where there is significant overlap between formal and informal trading;
• changes to types of trading- roving traders who can move around from place to place in the municipal area;
• food trucks/mobile trading- which is regarded as trading from caravans, trailers, light delivery vehicles or a trolley or a similar device;
• transfer of payments in certain cases;
• boundaries of trading; and
• demarcation of trading areas.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION DETAILS
The draft Informal Trading By-Law notice will be published in he George Herald, on the Municipal Website and municipal social media sites. The draft Informal Trading By-Law will be available on our website, follow this link https://www.george.gov.za/george-doc-categories/documents/bylaws-and-regulations/planning-and-development/

Hard copies will be provided at all public libraries in George for review. Deadline for feedback is 5 June 2023. Comments and inputs can be emailed to, khaarhoff@george.gov.za  phoned in to 044 801 9148 or submitted in person at the George Municipality Ground Floor ,71 York Street, George ,6530

Enquiries to Dr Kosie Haarhoff khaarhoff@george.gov.za

George Municipality, acting under the Constitution and relevant legislation, and being aware of its duty to control the use of streets and sidewalks and to manage any work undertaken in such streets and sidewalks so as to provide a safe environment for all people within the municipal area, adopts this by-law to provide mechanisms and guidelines for such control and management.

The Streets, Sidewalks and Public Places By-law was first promulgated in 2010. Minor amendments have been made to the existing document. The by-law addresses a wide variety of actions that may or may not be permitted on a street, a sidewalk or a public place:

• Advertisements in streets
• Animals or objects causing an obstruction
• Trees or growth causing an interference or obstruction
• Refuse, motor vehicle wrecks, waste material, etc.
• Parking of heavy vehicles and caravans
• Parking attendants
• Encroachments
• Vehicle repairs in streets
• Games and other acts in streets
• Use of explosives
• Conveyance of animal carcasses or other waste products through streets
• Fences on street boundaries
• Building materials in streets
• Balconies and verandas
• Drying of washing on fences on boundaries of streets
• Damaging of noticeboards
• Street, door-to-door collections and distribution of handbills
• Poison in streets
• Roller-skating and skating on skateboards
• Persons to be decently clad
• Amusement shows and devices
• Animals in a street
• Restriction of access to streets
• Use of vehicles that may damage street surface
• Obstruction on streets
• Work in streets
• Discharge of water on streets
• Prohibited conduct
• Street numbers
• Closure of or restriction of access to streets
• Construction, maintenance and naming of streets
• Declaration of streets
• Processions

PARTICIPATION DETAILS
The draft Streets, Sidewalks and Public Places By-Law notice will be published in the George Herald, on the Municipal Website and municipal social media sites. The document is available on our website, follow this link https://www.george.gov.za/george-doc-categories/documents/bylaws-and-regulations/civil-engineering-services/ Hard copies will be provided at all public libraries in George for review. Feedback is required within 30 days.

We encourage the residents of George to keep an eye out for the notices and to provide input. Once the input has been received from the public and addressed, the final by-law then goes back to Council for approval. Comments and inputs can be emailed to Lionel Daniels, rldaniels@george.gov.za phoned in to 044 801 9111 or submitted in person at the Civil Engineering Services Building, Corner of Market and York Street, George ,6530

By-laws differ between municipalities.
The Constitution of South Africa gives municipalities the power to pass their own legislation, in the form of by-laws, for subject areas. These by-laws hold the same power and force as other national and provincial legislation but are laws managed by the individual municipality in order to regulate the affairs and the services it provides within its area of jurisdiction.  The details of by-laws can differ from one municipality to another, and the public is always advised to check their local municipal by-laws which can be found on the relevant municipal website.

Promulgated in Western Cape Provincial Gazette
A municipal by-law may be enforced only after it has been published in the official gazette of the Western Cape Province on request of the local municipality. The promulgated by-law is then uploaded to the municipal website for easy access by the public. Transgression of a by -law is treated the same as a normal law, if you break a by-law, you can be fined or prosecuted. Most transgressions are handled in the George Municipal Court.

The new Stormwater By-law focuses on stormwater drainage from domestic as well as trade (business and industrial) premises. This includes open areas discharging to the George Municipality stormwater system and natural streams or rivers.

Stormwater management was previously dealt with under the George Municipality Water and Sanitation Services By-law and the By-law Relating to Streets, Sidewalks and Public Places.

The need for a separate By-law which deals exclusively with stormwater management was therefore identified. The purpose of the by-law is to regulate stormwater management and activities that may have an adverse impact on the development, operation and maintenance of the stormwater system.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION DETAILS
The draft Stormwater By-Law notice will be published in the George Herald, on the Municipal Website and municipal social media sites. The document will be available on our website, follow this link https://www.george.gov.za/george-doc-categories/documents/bylaws-and-regulations/civil-engineering-services/ copies will be provided at all public libraries in George for review.

Feedback is required within 30 days. We encourage the residents of George to keep an eye out for the notices and to provide input. Once the input has been received from the public and addressed, the final by-law then goes back to Council for approval.

Comments and inputs can be emailed to Lionel Daniels, rldaniels@george.gov.za phoned in to 044 801 9111 or submitted in person at the Civil Engineering Services Building, Corner of York and Market Street, George ,6530

The Community Services Directorate, division Community Safety has amended three of its by-law’s recently and which were approved in draft format in Council on 20 April 2023, and are now published for public participation purposes. These by-laws hold the same power and force as other national and provincial legislation but are laws managed by the individual municipality in order to regulate the affairs and the services it provides within its area of jurisdiction.

DRAFT BY-LAW RELATING TO IMPOUNDMENT OF ANIMALS

The intent of this by-law is to provide for, interalia:

• The control over the number of dogs , cats and other animals that may be kept, the breeding with these animals, and the control over these animals by their owners.
• Impoundment of stray animals as mentioned in this chapter, the prevention of nuisances and the provision for incidental matters.

The following are the most important changes to the current by-law:

• An authorised officer and powers of the authorised officer.
• The terms of Nuisance in relation to comfort, convenience , peace and quiet of other people or which adversely effects the safety of people.
• The Definition of the establishment of the Municipality was corrected with reference to Section 12 of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act,1998 ( Act 117 of 1998).
• The definition of a Municipal Manager in Terms of Section 54 A of the Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000 and an acting Municipal Manager was included in the definitions.

DRAFT BY-LAW RELATING TO THE REGULATING OF THE KEEPING OF DOGS AND CATS AND OTHER ANIMALS

The intent of this by-law is to provide for, interalia:

• The control over the number of dogs , cats and other animals that may be kept, breeding with such animals, and the control of these animals by their owners.
• Impoundment of stray animals as mentioned in this chapter, and the prevention of nuisances as well as the provision for incidental matters.

The following are the most important changes to the current by-law:

• The clarification of the Director Community services and the relevant scope of appointment, in Terms of Sec 56 of the Municipal Systems Act.
• An authorised officer and powers of the authorised officer.
• Defining the terms of Nuisance in relation to comfort, convenience , peace and quiet of other people or which adversely effects the safety of people.

DRAFT BY-LAW ON LIQUOR TRADING DAYS AND HOURS

The intent of this by-law is to:

• Provide for the days and hours on which the holder of a Liquor license may sell liquor to the public.

The following are the most important changes to the current by-law:

• The definition of Municipality with reference to George Municipality in terms of Section 12 of the Municipal structures act, 117 of 1998.
• The Appeal process for people who feel their rights has been affected, with relevant terms and references, inclusive of how the process must be directed.
• The By-Law Trading days and hours promulgated in the Provincial Gazette 7102 dated 8 March 2013, are repealed.
• The Trading Days and Hours known as the George Municipal By-law on Liquor Trading would come into  operation on the date of the publication thereof in the Provincial Gazette.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION DETAILS

Notices will be published in the George Herald, on the Municipal Website and municipal social media sites. Please follow this link to access the Community Services By-Law documentation https://www.george.gov.za/george-doc-categories/documents/bylaws-and-regulations/protection-services/  Hard copies will be provided at all public libraries in George for review. Feedback is required within 30 days. Comments and inputs can be emailed to Ms Lee-anne Meiring lameiring@george.gov.za , phoned in to 044 801 6367 or submitted in person at the George Municipality Law Enforcement Offices, 25 B Cathedral Street, George.

Aerial photographs of the new Water Treatment Works Residuals Handling Facility and construction site.

National Treasury, accompanied by the representatives from the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), Neighbourhood Development Partnership Programme and Provincial Treasury visited the George Municipality on a two-day programme as part of the Mid-Year Budget and Performance Assessment for Municipalities.

This included a National Treasury delegation visit to the 20 Ml/d extensions to the New Water Treatment Works (New WTW) earlier in March 2023. George Municipality received a Budget Facility for Infrastructure Funding (BFI) grant to the value of R1.107 billion from the National Treasury in the 2021/22 financial year. The BFI project with its various components has shown significant progress and expenditure to date in the 2022/23 financial year. George Municipality is actively working to keep our economy on the go – by ensuring adequate long-term planning and investment in our resources with the current main focus on water, sewerage, and electricity.

National Treasury praised the Municipality for its well-maintained infrastructure. “Service delivery is clearly visible with well looked after roads networks and cleanliness of the town. This will go a long way in attracting investments into the city.”

The full BFI project is to be completed in the next twenty seven (27) months. George Municipality provides water services to over 212 120 residents from 62 722 households (STATSSA 2017) across 28 wards including the coastal areas of Kleinkrantz, Wilderness, Victoria Bay, Herold’s Bay and Gwaing in the city of George area. The objectives of the project are to ensure adequate potable water supply to meet the demand of the current population and to provide security for future development, both social and economic, and to reduce pollution of certain main water courses.

Updates on the Potable Water Security and Remedial Works components funded by BFI
The project consists of 12 components, some of which will be executed in more than one construction phase.

Component 1 and 2
Residuals Handling Facility and the 20 Ml/d extension to the New Water Treatment Works (New WTW).

Status: The first contract, valued at R263 million, was awarded for the civil engineering works and construction is progressing on site. The second contract, for the mechanical, electrical and instrumentation (MEI) works, was awarded for R217 million. Component 2 is the largest single component of the BFI project. The completed earthworks for the Water Treatment Works extension consisted of some 20 000 metric cubes of earth material that has been stockpiled on site for re-use elsewhere on other components of the BFI project as well as other municipal projects. Placing of concrete is progressing well and the structures are now above ground level.

The construction on the 600m long, 900mm diameter, clear water HDPE pipeline commenced towards the end of 2022 and is currently nearing 50% completion. The forestry permit was issued in early January 2023 and the remaining construction through sensitive indigenous forest can now proceed.

The dewatering facility for the water treatment process residuals is also progressing well and the concrete wall of two of the three tanks was cast while the third tank will be done shortly. This facility will eliminate the abrasive residuals from being discharged to the sewer system and therefore reduce the load on the sewage conveyance system and pumpstations, reduce the abrasive effect on pumpstation mechanical equipment as well as reduce the load on the wastewater treatment processes and the main sludge dewatering facility. The aim of this facility is to free up capacity that is currently being utilized by residuals discharged to the Eden, Meul and Schaapkop sewage pump station system as well as the Outeniqua Wastewater Treatment Works.

Component 3
The refurbishment of the existing Sludge Discharge System Phases 1 and 2 commenced at the Eden, Meul and Schaapkop Pumpstations.

Status: Construction of the first phase is progressing well at the Meul and Eden Pump Stations

Phase 1: The first phase of the upgrading and refurbishment of the Meul Sewage pumpstation is well progressed and certain components have been completed, including a standby generator and new motor control center panels. The new Motor Control Centre at the Eden Sewage pumpstation has been completed. Civil construction on the Meul Sewage Pumpstation is progressing well and over-pumping is currently taking place, involving a temporary pumping installation to allow work to be done in the pump sump and in the pump room.  Phase 1 of the Schaapkop Sewage Pumpstation implementation was delayed, and the design process is now under way to incorporate both phases 1 and 2 to be implemented as a single project.

Phase 2: Consultants have been appointed for the design of the second phase of the pump station upgrades of the Meul and Eden sewage pump stations.

Component 4
The upgrading of the Garden Route Dam Outlet and Supply project includes the replacement of the existing 600 mm diameter raw water pipeline from the intake tower at the Garden Route Dam to the raw water pumpstations, with a new 800 mm diameter stainless steel pipeline to accommodate a higher flowrate in accordance with the future raw water flow requirements.

Status: Tenders were requested and have closed, with construction planned to commence in June 2023.

Component 5
2 x 1250 kVA generators are being installed at the Garden Route Dam raw water pumpstation. Once completed, it will ensure that during loadshedding or any other power outage, raw water can continue to be pumped uninterrupted to the Water Treatment Works for processing for drinking water supply.

Status: Construction is well progressed, the generators and associated equipment are currently being installed, and full operation of the generators is scheduled for the end of June 2023.

Component 6
An additional approximately 30 mega litre raw water storage balancing dam, including a 340m long 800mm diameter raw water pipeline, will be constructed to secure sufficient raw water storage capacity to supply the 20Ml/day extension to the Water Treatment Works. The new raw water dam will supplement the 60Ml provided by the two existing storage dams that provide raw water to the two water treatment plants.

Status: The preliminary design process has been completed with consideration of two alternative positions in order to select the most cost-effective solution. Final designs are nearing completion, to be followed by the procurement of a Contractor to construct the works.

Component 7
The rehabilitation of the Old Water Treatment Works, located at 9th Avenue in Denneoord includes the refurbishment of the 25 Ml/d treatment plant which is currently rated at only 20.5 Ml/ per day.

Status: This component consists of four separate contracts and the tenders. Construction is under way at the Old WTW and some condition assessments of the existing infrastructure necessitated design changes at the start of the contract, causing unforeseen delays. The air extraction from the filter galleries was completed and the emergency chlorine scrubbers have been ordered, and delivery is scheduled for July 2023, but with a possible further slight delay due to shipping from the United States. Both shipments of filter media have been delivered and fencing construction is practically complete.

A temporary package water treatment plant was installed and commissioned in mid-December 2022 to facilitate scheduled plant shutdowns to enable work to proceed uninterrupted. This temporary plant also increased the volume of potable water available to meet the peak holiday season demand. Partial plant shutdowns will take place at the old WTW during April 2023. Remedial works is scheduled to be done at the Old WTW and the existing New WTW, and water demand will have to be very carefully managed during any of the planned partial shutdowns to ensure that potable water demand can be met.

Component 8
Refurbishment of the Kaaiman’s River Pumpstation equipment will include the installation of six (6) new submersible vortex impeller pumps in the sump, a strainer system and six (6) new high lift centrifugal pumps, with the replacement of the electrical control equipment also included in the upgrade. The Kaaiman’s Pumpstation discharges raw water into the Garden Route Dam and contributes significantly to the George raw water resource requirements.

Status: Tenders have been requested and closed, and construction is planned to commence in May 2023.

Component 9 and 10
The new 14,5 Ml Pacaltsdorp West Reservoir; 3 Ml Pacaltsdorp East Reservoir, 300 kl Tower and pumpstation will address the inadequate emergency and balancing storage in this suburb.

Status: The designs are in process for both sites, to be followed by the procurement of a contractor for the construction of the works. The detailed design process will be aligned with the environmental and town planning processes.

Component 11 and 12
A new pumpstation and control valves will be provided at the existing Thembalethu West reservoir and tower; a new 8 Ml Thembalethu East Reservoir, 1000 kl tower and pumpstation will provide adequate potable water storage and increase security of potable water supply to Thembalethu as well as provide capacity to meet future development water demands.

Status: The design of both the works is in progress and will be followed by the procurement of a contractor for the construction of the works, scheduled for early 2024.