Author: Chantel Edwards

George Municipality has collaborated with local company oZONE to promote George’s trails in partnership with world leading trail runner, Ryan Sandes, who is currently in the area to train for the Ultra Trail Mount Blanc (UTMB).

George’s trails cover an expanse of over 1,000km and are one of the main reasons the area is known as an outdoor paradise.  Trail runners, hikers and mountain bikers can enjoy a variety of terrains and verticals and one particular trail legend has decided it is just right for him.

South African trail running legend, Ryan Sandes, is the first person to have won an ultra-race on all 7 continents and is considered one of the world’s leading ultra-trail runners.  Sandes has been training in the Outeniqua Mountains to prepare for the grueling UTMB and as a by-product, has deemed George’s trails world class.  Sandes is also fast becoming more than just a visitor, after running the local trails in May alongside Kane Reilly.

Local adventure company oZONE approached George Municipality for a partnership where George’s trails could be highlighted for their first-rate offering in collaboration with Sandes.  Ozone Africa is a collaboration between award-winning photojournalist and photographer, Jacques Marais and adventure specialist, Zane Schmahl.  Jacques regularly contributes to a wide selection of premium adventure-, travel- and outdoor magazines around the globe. As a premier columnist for the Media 24 national newspapers, his photographs and articles are published widely, and he has authored more than a dozen outdoor books and guides.  Zane has been central to a range of trendsetting outdoor sporting events as both Project Manager and Race Director, most recently the George MUT 2021.

Portfolio Councillor for Strategic Services, Dirk Wessels himself a keen trail runner said as a municipality we are very proud to be associated with the likes of Ryan Sandes. “Ryan has done remarkable things, and I certainly feel that the Outeniqua mountains hold some of the most beautiful trails in the world. Together with our local trail running organizers and the tourism industry, I am very excited to make George the hub of adventure sport in the country.”

“We’ve always known that George has fantastic trails,” said Joan Shaw, Tourism Manager.  “If you look at the variety of scenery one gets to enjoy – forested sections, beautiful blue mountainous area contrasted against green fynbos sections, trails that wind through farmlands and next to our magnificent dam – that alone makes them very special.  But for an elite athlete to use them as his training ground tells us something else.  It says they are challenging enough for the great trail runners of our time; they are world-class.”

Media content and a collaboration on social media are taking place to create awareness about the magnificent trails and to let the trail running world know that George’s trails are not only stunning to run,  but have been graced by an elite athlete in the pursuit of pushing greater limits, making them worthy of the best-of-the-best.

Learn more about trails in George here www.georgetrails.org.za and see what else the area offers at www.visitgeorge.co.za.

In the photograph, Ryan Sandes, leading trail runner is preparing for the UTMB – Ultra Trail du Mont-Blanc, a 106 miler (160km) race with almost 10000m of vertical gain (the tallest summit in the Alps). Ryan photographed yesterday in George,  preparing  for this gruelling event.

George Municipality has partnered with the 100km Karoo to Coast mountain bike challenge due to take place on the 26 September 2021. The 100km challenge is an extreme endurance off-road race from Uniondale over the Prince Alfred’s Pass and ends at the Knysna High School sports field. This will be the 22^nd race which jointly belongs to the Uniondale and Knysna Lions Clubs with all proceeds going to charity and is formally titled the CCPP Lions Karoo to Coast. The 2020 event was cancelled due to Covid-19 and the 2021 event will be held with all Covid-19 protocols in place.

The small town of Uniondale is flooded every year with 4500 riders all ready and eager to take on the hard challenge ahead of them. The event organisers have indicated that the 2021 event is fully subscribed, this year at 2500 riders, making the already coveted race in even greater demand (taking into account Covid-related protocols required).

The race is focused on the safety of athletes and crew while not forgetting about the exceptional experience riders come back for, year after year.  Not for the faint of heart, the sinewy Prince Alfred’s Pass dirt road is a masterpiece to ride, and the race’s quirky shotgun start makes it all the more memorable.

When asked why the municipality is partnering with the event, Joan Shaw, George Municipality’s Tourism Manager  highlighted the need for events as drivers of Tourism.  “George Municipality has consistently supported a mixture of events to stimulate travel to the destination.  The Karoo to Coast has been voted as the ‘Top MTB Ultra-Marathon in South Africa’ and is an official seeding event of the 2021 Cape Town Cycle Tour.  While it is one of the premier events on the Garden Route calendar, as with all events this past year, the Karoo to Coast was hit hard by not being able to take place in 2020 due to COVID-19.

This event is critical to tourism in the Uniondale area, as it has created a keen interest in mountain biking through Uniondale’s open plains and passes.  Karoo to Coast entrants often book trips to Uniondale throughout the year to get a lay of the land and ride the area pre-event, thereby supporting tourism in an otherwise very quiet area.

This is evidenced through our own Tourism Office insights and again highlighted in the Wesgro Cape Garden Route and Klein Karoo Visitor Trends report for 2019, which indicates that the main reason for visiting Uniondale is Sport (34%).  Uniondale is the only town in the Garden Route where sport is a top driver of Tourism, according to the same Wesgro data.  George Municipality is committed to doing all we can to help events, like the Karoo to Coast, survive our current climate”, says Shaw.

To maximise enjoyment of the event, Race Director Zandile Meneses encourages riders to train sufficiently for the scenic but challenging route.  “The George and Uniondale area are rich in mountain biking trails and have a variety of terrains which offer the perfect training ground leading up to the race” says Meneses.

Riders looking for accommodation can get great deals in the George and Wilderness area.  With Uniondale selling out yearly, establishments in George and Wilderness have come on board to offer participants discounted deals for their stay.  Activity providers have also chimed in, to allow  riders and their supporters extending their stay, to enjoy the area’s offerings.

Find exclusive deals for Karoo to Coast riders and their supporters here www.visitgeorge.co.za/Blog/BlogItem/?id=33 and check out the 2019 Super Sport video to see just how special the Karoo to Coast route really is: https://vimeo.com/369267319

George Municipality, the third largest municipality in the Western Cape, is reaching for the stars and developing an Integrated Economic Growth Strategy, which will put it on the map as a premier business and investment destination in Southern Africa. So why is it such a great idea to locate your business in George?

1. A well-governed city
   George Municipality applies sound financial planning and budgeting, clean governance, high levels of execution and a zero-rated approach to corruption to it’s financial and corporate management. It delivers excellent services to residents and offers highly efficient bulk services to the business community in sectors such as light industry, agro-processing, property development and financial services.
2. A growing city
   Established in 1776 by the Dutch East India Company as an outpost for the provision of timber and covering an area of 5,191 square kilometres in the Garden Route and Little Karoo regions, George is one of the oldest cities in South Africa. With a population of over 220 000 people from almost 70 000 households George Municipality includes the City of George, the pristine coastal areas of Kleinkrantz, Wilderness, Victoria Bay, Herolds Bay and Gwaing as well as the beautiful rural hamlets of Herold, Waboomskraal, Uniondale and Haarlem. And George has room to grow.
   It boasts the largest economy in the Garden Route, one of the lowest unemployment rates nationally, a diversely skilled population, a healthy measure of business confidence, and a mix of contemporary urban and attractive rural spaces. The city and its surrounds offer premium residential and business development opportunities for the astute investor.

3. A competitive, connected city
When you do business in George, it means you will rub shoulders with several respected national and international corporate. Businesses such as Lancewood, Badger Holdings, Tekkie Town, Mr. Tekkie, Tradelink and Data-Dot are headquartered in George, where well-structured business and residential districts enjoy a solid road network, a high level of security, a ready and skilled labour pool, and guaranteed and efficient services. Businesses can access a basket of attractive incentives which ease the process of starting up; and, growth in provision of business services such as broadband access, are ahead of the curve. By 2025, the entire business district will have high speed fibre connectivity and there is already an excellent coverage in almost every area of George and surrounds via a network of service providers.

4. Tourist mecca of note
George has a sophisticated infrastructure with banks, conference facilities, businesses and shopping centres including the Garden Route Mall and Eden Meander, transport and sporting facilities, yet retains its small-town atmosphere. The city is also a major accommodation centre. George has numerous world-class golf courses, some designed by famous golfers. The most well-known is Fancourt Golf Estate, which hosted the Presidents Cup in 2003 and is often the host to high-profile golf tournaments. Throughout the year George hosts a wide variety of events to promote the City, its region and the vast array of opportunities offered.

5. Easy access
George boasts access to the full array of transport modalities. It is situated on the N2 motorway halfway between Cape Town and Gqeberha; is home to the George airport; within 40 km from the nearest harbour; and on a major rail line.  This means producers can get their products to major markets quickly and efficiently.  The George Airport facilitates +- 850 000 passengers annually on scheduled flights, has daily unscheduled private flights, three flight training schools, and several general aviation activities. The airport prides itself on being a green, innovative space which houses its own solar plant and is carbon.   A completed masterplan for the airport will include increased cargo operations and infrastructure upgrades to increase accommodation to 1.5 million passengers per annum. The public bus service branded GO GEORGE launched in 2014 with routes covering a significant portion of the city.

6. Contemporary urban, beguiling rural
Nestled in the pristine beauty of the Garden Route, George has sophisticated urban living spaces range from trendy and affordable, to sophisticated and upmarket, gated complexes such as Kraaibosch, Kingswood, an
d the majestic Fancourt is regarded as one of the world’s top lifestyle estates. The quaint smaller hamlets such Uniondale and Haarlem offer tranquil rural living spaces for those wanting to get away from it all.

7. Local excellence for internationally competitive businesses
The excellent local infrastructure managed and maintained by George Municipality includes a well-developed, sophisticated road network providing good vehicular access. The N2 link runs north-south through the municipal area, guaranteeing ease of access to transport for incoming and outgoing goods.
A drive through George reveals fertile lands and orchards, cheek-by-jowl with some of the largest and most sophisticated agro-processing capability in the country, such as cold-storage and processing facilities. This makes George the go-to place for a wide range of agricultural products – fresh and processed – for both local consumption and the export market.

8. A manufacturing hub
George is a thriving manufacturing hub, with sector representation in textiles, dairy & juice products, furniture & timber products, charcoal with related barbeque products and more. Businesses are attracted by the range of state-of-the-art bulk services and business services on offer. The next ten years will see new light industrial and commercial business hubs developing in the area as well.

9. Quality education
The Garden Route is establishing itself as a skills mecca, and George is central to this vision. There are over 50 schools in the area providing a wide array of quality education opportunities. Schools include the Afrikaans-medium George High School established in 1947 and Hoërskool Outeniqua established in 1923. The largest English medium high school is York High School and there is also a dual medium technical school named Eden Technical High School. Many independent schools have been established such as Glenwood House, an English medium co-ed school from Grade 000 to Grade 12.

George is the tertiary hub of the Southern Cape, with several public and private institutions providing education at various campuses. The South Cape College is a public further education and training college, comprising six campuses. The Nelson Mandela University, at Saasveld Campus, offers two centres of excellence – the Centre for Resource Management and the Centre for Business and Information Technology studies.
These institutions offer brilliant facilities for a range of tertiary studies to support the needs of the growing business and industrial sectors.

10. Solid artisan skills base
The manufacturing infrastructure in George is underpinned by a skilled artisan cohort, and with the increased focus on artisan training, this resource is set to grow, making it an appealing location for businesses that are reliant on skilled artisans.  Various institutions are geared at the development of artisans by offering apprenticeships for plumbers, welders, electricians, bricklayers, carpenters, furniture makers, hairdressers and many more also focussing on alternative energy installations.  Learnerships and IT training bolster the set of skills on offer for George businesses and entrepreneurs.

11. Beautiful surroundings
George is nestled within the Outeniqua mountains, the name derived from the Khoi word meaning “man laden with honey”. The eastern, coastal belt is home to a series of ancient lakes originated at the end of the last era of the ice ages. The  Wilderness Lakes and beach from Mossel Bay to Sedgefield provide ample opportunities for eco-tourism, adventure sports, boating and related ventures. As one traverses the Outeniquas the lush coastal thicket makes way for the sparsely vegetated plains of the Little Karoo.  Rivers, forests and scenic view-points emphasise why this area is called the Garden Route.

12. Quality of Life
According to a well-known Quality of Life Index, which assesses a number of factors that impact the lifestyle of a city’s residents  George offers the overall highest quality of life in the country.  Numbeo’s research proves that with the highest safety rating, good climate, a relatively affordable cost of living, low traffic and low pollution levels, George is the place to be!

Contact George Municipal Economic Development: 044 801 9173, 62 Cathedral Street
Director Planning and Development, Lauren Waring;  Acting ED Manager, Joan Shaw;
www.george.gov.za

George Municipality welcomes Mr Bongani Mandla as Director for the  Electrotechnical Services Directorate.

Mr Mandla comes to George with more than 10 years’ experience in the operations and maintenance and management space. Prior to joining George Municipality, he was in the employ of Transnet Port Terminals as the Senior Engineering Manager responsible for Plant Maintenance. He has also worked for ESKOM Distribution in the Western Cape in various roles, including Acting as Senior Manager for Operations and Maintenance, Zone Manager (Atlantic and Protea Zones) focused on operations and maintenance execution for the 29 Customer Network Centre’s (CNC) throughout Western Cape; Plant Management Manager focused on plant refurbishments, planning and scheduling of maintenance as well as network performance  and quality of supply management. He is not a stranger to the George area, having spent more than 7 years as the Field Service Engineer and Field Service Area Manager for the ESKOM Distribution.

He has also  served on various committees in a variety of roles including: ESKOM Western Cape Distribution Provincial Executive Committee (WC-PEXCO); Chairperson, Employment Equity and Skills Development (EE&SD) Committee and Champion for Energy Losses Committee (WCOU).

Bongani holds a Bachelor in Engineering (Electrical and Electronics) from the University of Stellenbosch. He is a registered Professional Engineer (ECSA), a member of the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (MSAIEE) and passed the Government Ticket (GCC). He was selected and completed the Middle Management Talent Programme with Henley Business School in collaboration with Eskom, as well as the Technology Leadership Programme with the Eskom Leadership Academy. He is currently studying towards a Masters of Business Administration.

Bongani looks forward to working with the electrotechnical team, and with his passion for the development of people, he is hopeful that together the team can streamline their processes and reignite their passion to service customers. “My immediate focus will be on fixing the basics and ensuring we capacitate the directorate to deliver on our core output. With a solid foundation in place, we will be able to deliver sustainable results as well as form strategic partnerships for growth. My vision is underpinned by the drive to build a better tomorrow, today!”

Bongani is married to Amanda and is blessed with three children, Anda, Bonga and Sinobomi.

The public, business and organisations are herewith advised that the George Municipal Logo and Crest are registered as the intellectual property of the George Municipality, and as such  can only be used by the George Municipality for official purposes, unless otherwise authorised by Council. The Office of the Municipal Manager has noted  where several organisations and individuals have made use of the George Municipal logo for their own marketing purposes without the necessary approvals. No business, organisation and/or individual has the right to use the George Municipal logo in any social or printed media, and or including any marketing items such as caps, tshirts, banners, posters and flyers etc.

Where a business, organisation or individual is collaborating with a municipal department on a project,  prior approval must always be requested before using the municipal logo in any format. This will be granted on condition that the project and/or event is endorsed by the municipality officially, and that the product or marketing material which is produced is in good taste, not offensive and adheres to the guidelines as set out by the George Municipal Corporate Identity Manual.

OPENBARE KENNISGEWING:Gebruik van die George Munisipale Kenteken

Die publiek, sakeondernemings en organisasies word hiermee in kennis gestel dat die George-munisipaliteit se Kenteken en Wapen as die intellektuele eiendom van die George-munisipaliteit  geregistreer is, en as sodanig slegs deur die George-munisipaliteit vir amptelike doeleindes gebruik kan word, tensy die Raad anders magtig. Die kantoor van die Munisipale Bestuurder het opgemerk dat verskeie organisasies en individue die George Munisipale-kenteken vir hul eie bemarkingsdoeleindes gebruik, sonder die nodige goedkeurings. Geen besigheid, organisasie en/of individue het die reg om die George Munisipale-kenteken in sosiale of gedrukte media te gebruik nie, en/of enige bemarkingsitems soos pette, t-hemde, baniere, plakkate en strooibiljette ens.

Waar ‘n onderneming, organisasie of individu met ‘n munisipale departement saamwerk aan ‘n projek, moet vooraf goedkeuring gevra word voordat die munisipale kenteken in enige formaat gebruik word. Dit word toegestaan ​​op voorwaarde dat die munisipaliteit die projek en/of die geleentheid amptelik onderskryf, en dat die produk of bemarkingsmateriaal wat geproduseer word in goeie smaak is, nie beledigend is nie en voldoen aan die riglyne soos uiteengesit deur die George Munisipale Korporatiewe Identiteitshandleiding.

ISAZISO SIKAWONKE-WONKE: UKUSETYENZISWA OKUNGAGUNYAZISWANGA KOPHAWU LORHWEBO LUKAMASIPALA WASEGEORGE

uLuNtu, amashishini kunye nemibutho bayaziswa ngale ncwadi ukuba uphawu lorhwebo lukaMasipala waseGeorge kunye nendwe zibhaliswe njengophawu lukaMasipala waseGeorge, kwaye ngenxa yoko lunokusetyenziswa kuphela nguMasipala waseGeorge ngeenjongo ezisemthethweni, ngaphandle kokuba kugunyaziswa ngenye indlela liBhunga. i-Ofisi yoMphathi kaMasipala iqaphele apho imibutho eyahlukeneyo kunye nabantu basebenzisa uphawu lorhwebo lukaMasipala ngeenjongo zabo zokuthengisa ngaphandle kweemvume eziyimfuneko. Akukho shishini, mbutho kunye/okanye mntu unelungelo lokusebenzisa uphawu lorhwebo lukaMasipala waseGeorge kuzo naziphi na izinto zokusasaza iindaba zoluNtu okanye ezishicelelweyo, kunye okanye kuquka  naziphina izinto zorhwebo ezinje ngeekepusi, izikipa, izibhengezo ezibhaliweyo  kunye neeflaya njl njl.

Apho ishishini, umbutho okanye umntu esebenzisana nesebe likaMasipala kwiprojekthi, imvume yangaphambili kumele icelwe ngalo lonke ixesha phambi kokusetyenziswa kophawu lorhwebo lukaMasipala ngalo naluphi na uhlobo. Oku kuya kuvunyelwa phantsi kwemiqathango yokuba iprojekthi kunye/okanye umsitho uvunyelwe nguMasipala ngokusemthethweni, kunye nokuba imveliso okanye izinto zentengiso ezivelisiweyo ziyakholisa, azicaphukisi kwaye zibambelela kwizikhokelo njengoko zibekiwe yiNcwadi yeSazisi seQumrhu kaMasipala waseGeorge.

George Heraldic Embleem Logo

The municipal solar project which entails the installation of a 300 kilo-Watt Peak grid tied PV generating plant at the officials parking area is progressing well and nearly completed.
The construction of the steel support structures which will serve as carports as well, has been completed and  the pv panels are currently being laid on the newly built structures. In total, 692 PV panels will be installed, with each panel rated at 435 Watts, making the system size equal to 692*435 = 301 kiloWatts peak. All of the inverters which will convert DC power from the panels into AC electricity, have been installed in a closed compartment room.

Thabo Yiga, Intern, Candidate Engineer for Electrotechnical Services, who is responsible for the project, was pleased to advise that a weather monitoring station will also be installed. This station is equipped with sensors to measure parameters such as solar irradiation, wind speed, wind direction, humidity, pv panels temperature, and so on. The  site specific measured data collected will be used to calculate the Performance Ratio (PR) of the pv plant on an annual basis to determine plant performance.

The project includes an upgrade with vehicle parking lines to be painted for the carport structures, as well as the installation of LED solar lights to provide additional lighting at night.  The project is expected to end 20^th July and commissioning tests will begin on the last week of July. The plant will be energized by August.

Background information: The PV plant will reduce the peak load demand of the main building and reduce the amount of electricity purchased from Eskom. The plant will also enable the building to meet carbon emission reduction targets by powering most of the required load with energy generated from a clean and renewable source. The total savings in carbon dioxide emissions, would be in the region of 9027 tonnes of CO2 over the plants 25 year lifetime. 500 000 kilo Watt Hours (kWh) of energy is expected to be produced by the PV plant annually, and the system is projected to pay itself off within 7 years of the 25 year estimated lifetime.

The 500 000 kilowatt-hour of electricity that the PV plant will generate annually is the equivalent of the power consumption of 55 households using 25 kwh of electricity per day (or approximately 9000 kwh pa).  The project is funded by the Department of Energy under the Energy Efficiency Demand Side Management (EEDSM) programme. The current public parking area located immediately in front of the municipal building will not be affected during the construction at all.

The promenade at Gwaing Beach boasts with brand new stainless steel railings, installed yesterday (23 June) to replace the existing wooden railings. The railings installed at a cost of R90 000, have been crafted out of stainless steel for durability and still have to be polished up with a burnishing compound. The crossbar design allows for stronger sections to accommodate potential rough seas, as well as allowing for easier repair or replacement. The wooden railings will be removed. Budget used in this project is drawn from the 2020/21 Financial year.