Author: Chantel Edwards

Construction of the satellite fire station in Wilderness, 14km outside George, is going well. George Chief Fire Officer Neels Barnard said construction was currently ahead of schedule and should be roof height by the end of the month (March 2021). “We look forward to serving Wilderness from a local base, which is currently being addressed from the main fire station in the George CBD.” Situated near the Caltex The Waves traffic circle on the N2, the station will ensure quick access and faster response times to road accidents and fires east of the Kaaimans River Bridge. The station is expected to be ready for occupation in July 2021 and will be manned around the clock by four firefighters.
Wilderness will be the municipality’s third satellite station in addition to Thembalethu and Uniondale.

Massive wildfires in the Garden Route in recent years have highlighted the varied needs of an area with some of the most diverse biomes in the country.

There are few municipalities that deal with the combination of fire and rescue challenges faced in the George municipal area.

From hot and dry conditions in Uniondale and Haarlem north of the Outeniqua Mountains to windy seaside environments in the south, the George Fire and Rescue Services address fire management for semi-desert,
mountainous terrain on both sides and over the mountain, as well as large tracts of agricultural land, pine plantations, alien vegetation, coastal fynbos, indigenous forest and winding inaccessible roads connecting towns and villages over long distances.

In addition, two major national roads and several provincial roads go through the area, which require the fire department’s response at vehicle accidents and transport related hazardous material incidents. The city’s industrial node has also significantly grown over the past decade, which increased factory and hazardous materials fires.

Chief Fire Officer Neels Barnard said the devastating wildfires in the neighbouring town of Knysna in June 2017, which took place outside the Western Cape’s traditional summer fire season, was a huge wake-up call for municipalities everywhere. “The George Municipality council approved a multi-faceted approach by the department to acquire key equipment and additional vehicles over a few financial years to systematically address different aspects of fire and rescue management.

“We wanted to be smart and use resources wisely, so we did the research, consulted with colleagues and role players and came up with practical, sustainable solutions for a variety of fire-fighting situations,” said Mr Barnard.

Denneoord fire base
The establishment of the Garden Route’s first dedicated emergency firefighting airstrip on municipal property above Denneoord in December 2017 proved a gamechanger during the month-long wildfires around George less than a year later.

The project between George Municipality, Southern Cape Fire Protection Association, Working on Fire and Garden Route District Municipality meant firefighting planes could respond much faster than they would have been able if they were stationed at a commercial airport where they would have had to wait in line for a runway along with other aircraft. This is especially applicable during the summer fire season which coincides with the very busy holiday season when thousands of flights are scheduled at commercial airports.

Five aeroplanes and a chopper are stationed at the base during the fire season, and usually at least one plane and a chopper out of season. Municipalities in the Garden Route district use the facility on a call-out basis as services are required. The airbase consists of a runway, helipad, firebase, hangars, taxiways and a water refilling point.

First-of-its-kind fire tanker and portable dam
The municipality’s capacity to deal with fires in remote and dry areas received a significant boost with the delivery of a large capacity water tanker and portable dam in September 2019. The tanker is the first of its kind to be used for firefighting in South Africa.

The 35 000-litre stainless steel water tanker is a movable water source that can be driven to a suitable site from where all kinds of fire vehicles can refill. The tanker is fitted with a pump that can extract water from sources such as farm dams and can deliver 2200 litres per minute at 10 Bar. On the road the 18-metre (13-metre tanker pulled by a five-metre truck), 22-wheeler vehicle it is an impressive site and requires an advanced EC-driver’s licence for articulated vehicles, which most of the city’s firefighters have.

The 14 000-litre portable dam is one of only three in the country and the first for a local municipality (the others are at West Coast District Municipality and City of Cape Town). The dam is intended as an artificial water source from which a helicopter bucket can scoop water or fire vehicles can be filled. The dam in turn can be filled by the new water tanker or by other fire trucks, depending on where the portable dam is set up. Manufactured from high grade poly-yarn industrial material that can be folded up and transported inside an ordinary trailer, the portable dam’s equipment includes a portable pump, hard suction pipes and valves for filling or emptying the dam water. The water pushes the walls up and the dam readjusts as water empties out (it is not an inflatable). Any water that is not used can be pumped from the dam back into the tanker and reused elsewhere.

“The tanker and dam now become part of a streamlined system in which water can be brought much closer to a fire, and therefore significantly reduce the turnaround time. Instead of having to drive several kilometres to refill one truck, or wasting valuable fuel and water refilling time for choppers, the tanker and portable dam is a sustainable combination solution that will make a significant difference in the first hour of a fire. In firefighting, the first hour is crucial to bring a runaway fire under control, which ultimately increases the chance to save people and property,” said Mr Barnard.

Eyes in the sky
Drone technology is being used for multiple applications, most notably for reconnaissance during fires and rescues in areas that are difficult to access in dense vegetation, mountains, sand dunes and seaside cliffs.

The municipality’s high-tech drone also enables extensive fire risk assessment across the municipal area including footage of naturally inaccessible areas, much of which is on private agricultural and residential land. The department can then take steps to address issues highlighted by assessments such as the issuing of notices to landowners reminding them of their legal responsibility regarding alien vegetation and fire management.

Bush-clearing tractor
A big part of ongoing fire management is the maintenance of permanent firebreaks, which in the 2018 George fires proved very effective in safeguarding residences at the foot of the mountain. George now has a specialised multi-use 4×4 tractor for the clearing of firebreaks, designed to access rugged terrain. It is fitted with a specialised blade in front to scrape roads and a brush cutter (bossiekapper) at the back for cutting grass and fine brush.

Dealing with hazardous materials
A mobile decontamination unit and two hazardous materials suits were introduced in mid-2020 to support the department’s handling of hazardous materials at vehicle accidents and factory fires. The new equipment has the added benefit of protecting firefighters in the unknown possible contaminate situations that the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic may be associated with.

George Fire Department is often the first responder to vehicle accidents in which trucks had spilt dangerous contents. “The hazmat suit is fire retardant and has its own air supply to protect the firefighter from dangerous fumes and chemicals, which is also very necessary at chemical fires at factories and businesses.

“The decontamination unit is mobile and can be set up at the site to decontaminate personnel attending to the situation, which increases the safety of everyone at the site and reduces the chances of transference.”

Mobile command centre
The municipality is expecting the delivery of a mobile command unit that will be used to manage administration and support on the scene of a crisis, disaster or rescue situation.

The custom-built minibus will be set up with two computerised works stations, radio frequency transceivers and internet access, an electric generator and solar panels, and a fixed camera with live footage capability to allow remote monitoring.

Wilderness fire station
Construction of a satellite fire station in Wilderness, 14km outside George, has commenced. “A satellite station here will ensure quick response to areas characterised by dense vegetation and agricultural land with high fire risk and is close to higher risk structures such as hotels and fuel stations. It is located next to the N2-highway to reduce response time to motor vehicle accidents and is near the Wilderness beach for quick response to beach and water incidents.”

Mr Barnard said the fire department was very grateful to its council for recognising the diverse challenges of firefighting in the George municipal area and for supporting an ongoing plan to address as many aspects as possible in a practical and cost-effective manner. “We continue to see the significant difference it makes in the field every day, which ultimately means the more effective protection of people and property.”

GEORGE FIRE AND RESCUE FLEET
The George Fire and Rescue Fleet currently comprises:
Two major pumper fire engines for structural and vehicle accident fires.
One medium pumper fire engine for structural and vehicle accident fires.
One 7000-litre water tanker for back-up water during firefighting operations.
One 34 000-litre water tanker for extended water supply where there are no hydrants.
Two 4×4 bakkie skid unit with 500-litre water tank for quick response to small fires.
Two 4×4 Unimog 2000-litre bush pumpers for tough terrain and fires in informal areas.
One 4×4 Iveco 3000-litre bush pumper truck for tough terrain and fires in informal areas.
One dedicated rescue bakkie for vehicle accidents and other rescue situations.
One response vehicle bakkie for command response for officers.
One service bakkie and a sedan for personnel transfer and general use.

(Article published in Estate Living platform for luxury estates in Autumn 2021.)

Pacaltsdorp’s long-time ‘library lady’ Anita August recently retired after serving her community for 42 years.

The petite 61-year-old senior library assistant has been an integral part of the lives of library users for generations and was one of the longest serving employees at the George Municipality.

An interview with Anita was published in the municipality’s staff newspaper MunIndaba in March 2020, in which she relayed some interesting experiences (see below).

In the 41 years Anita August has worked at the Pacaltsdorp library, none have been stranger than the three years since the clinic next door has been seeing psychiatric patients. And, while it may not be in her original job description, the petite 60-year-old senior library assistant takes the strange behaviour of regular visitors in her stride. “A library is here to serve its community, so all kinds of people are likely to wonder in.”

Like the day a man threatened her with a pair of scissors and demanded library membership. “I grabbed the heavy stapler on my desk, swung it around, and shouted that I would call law enforcement. It must have been a strange sight to behold and I think he was so surprised at my vehement response, he backed off!” said Anita with a smile.

Anita originally hoped to become a nurse, but her family had been teachers and it was expected of her to follow suit. After a year at the teachers’ college in Oudtshoorn, she was convinced teaching was not her calling and she returned home to Pacaltsdorp discouraged and frustrated.

But sitting at home was not her style either, so she walked into the local library in October 1978 asking for a job and got it. “I love reading and books, love being in the community, love knowing all the people who come in. It doesn’t feel like I have been here for four decades…maybe because I enjoy it so.”

While the physical space around her has changed relatively little in her time at the library, Anita has been around for significant milestones including the incorporation of Pacaltsdorp into George Municipality, computerisation of the library catalogue and the internet. “The library has changed from being a quiet place where people came for printed materials to a vibrant centre that empowers people through access to the internet and computer facilities. I have also become a bit of a policeman, having to monitor especially what people search for on the internet.

“There is a part of me that is sad that less people are into books, but I accept that the world is changing. It makes our children and community outreach programmes so much more important. The schools programme is my favourite because I can share my love of books, encourage reading and show kids how to get the most out of the library.

“As a branch library we are also part of a wider community of libraries that serve the outer areas of George and we meet regularly to address our unique needs. There is a special bond between us, a unique unity and understanding that I enjoy and appreciate.”

While colleagues and library users cannot imagine Pacaltsdorp library without her, Anita is looking forward to retirement. “It has been wonderful to be so intricately part of a community and serving my own people, but I am starting to look forward to having time for myself and my family.”

Anita has two daughters, Annabel da Silva and Angelique August, and two grandchildren, Tamsyn and Angelo.

George Libraries Manager Rachel Williams thanked Anita for her service and wished her a rewarding retirement. “Anita has literally been part of the lives, education and enrichment of generations of local people and her contribution is immeasurable. While we will miss her dearly, we wish her the wonderful rest she deserves.”

George Municipality is seeing excellent results following the release of 1500 weevils as part of a multi-faceted plan to sustainably manage Kariba Weed infestation in the Garden Route Dam.

“The municipality is fully aware of the presence of Kariba Weed in the dam, as well as the causes for it, and is working alongside experts in the field to manage the problem holistically,” said George Municipality Superintendent Parks and Recreation Priscilla Burgoyne.

Weevils of the species Cyrtobagous salviniae were released mid-February 2021 at the Kat River inlet into the dam and near the dam wall where most of the Kariba Weed grows. Upon follow-up investigation, studies confirmed a 91% infection uptake and a significant reduction in the amount of dead plant material is expected once the weevils have established.

The weevils reproduce constantly and is expected to stay and reproduce as long as it has Kariba Weed to feed on. The larvae do the most damage as they bore into the stem of the plant and disrupt the vascular system, hollowing it out. The adults eat away at the growing tip which stops growth.

“We are grateful to be working with specialists in the Aquatic Weeds Programme at the Rhodes University Centre for Biological Control, which is currently undertaking studies in the Garden Route Dam. During a visit to the infection sites, the unit indicated that the infestation was not currently a concern as the surface coverage was proportionally small compared to overall size of the dam and could be effectively addressed with a few interventions.

“The Parks and Recreation section is developing a management plan with the assistance of aquatic specialist Dr Jackie Dabrowski and will comprise biological control, manual removal and spraying when necessary. We hope to combine funding with other relevant municipal departments to implement practical sustainable solutions that will address the issue as long as it is necessary.

“The municipality assures the public that this matter is well in hand, is being addressed by learned experts in their fields, and that there is no current threat of oxygen depletion or eutrophication as has been suggested by non-expert members of the public citing ‘Wikipedia’ as their source of reference,” said Ms Burgoyne.

The municipality has already reported on the upgrades of the Eden Pump Station, situated in the Kat River above the main Kariba Weed site, in the 2020-2021 financial year. This project was prioritised because of its proximity to the Garden Route Dam, although sewage is in any case always chemically treated to neutralise the impact of possible spillage.

When a spillage occurs anywhere, it is cleaned and chemically treated as soon as possible. The George Municipality has a scheduled water sampling programme and results are submitted to the Department: Water and Sanitation, who are the custodians of all water sources and courses, as is required in terms of legislation.

Contamination in the Kat River is also attributed to its proximity to built-up areas and it is inevitable that debris, garden and household effluent and other pollution from human habitation are flushed into the water course.

Caption
Roleplayers pay a follow-up visit to the site in the Kat River where weevils had successfully were released as a biological control measure for Kariba Weed. From left are Hershon Amill of service provider A-Turf, Matthew Paper of the Centre for Biological Control at Rhodes University, aquatic specialist Dr Jackie Dabrowski of Confluent Environmental and George Municipality superintendent Parks and Recreation Priscilla Burgoyne.

Following seven frustrating months without a recycling contractor, a new service provider, LGE Waste, will start with the collection of green and blue bags on Monday 1 March 2021.

George Acting Director Community Services Allen Paulse said the municipality was relieved to make an appointment after the previous service provider Interwaste had closed its regional offices in George and ended its contract with the municipality in July last year.

“The municipality has been trying to provide the service in addition to its own schedule since September 2020, which we acknowledge has had mixed success due to factors such as unprotected strikes, diminished availability of staff due to Covid-19, limited overtime budget to address backlogs and increased workload associated with three types of bags instead of just black bags.

“We look forward to working with LGE Waste and believe that together we can work towards sustainable, integrated waste management for the entire municipal area,” said Mr Paulse.

The new service provider takes up the service as per the previous schedule and will be collecting green and blue bags from Monday (1 March 2021) from all areas that have a recent history of recycling. These include most suburbs of George – incorporating more recent participating areas Ballotsview, Borcherds, Conville, New Dawn Park, Delville Park, Pacaltsdorp, Parkdene, Protea Park, Rosemore and Sea View – as well as the outer areas of Wilderness, Kleinkrantz, Hoekwil, Victoria Bay and Herolds Bay.

Two green and two blue replacement bags will be issued to every household in the above-mentioned areas this coming week and thereafter to households in exchange for bags placed out.

Implementation in Harlem and Uniondale is currently being investigated to ensure the most effective service, details of which will be announced to the affected communities as soon as arrangements have been finalised.

Service to Lawaaikamp and Thembalethu will, for now, be handled on request via the ward councillor or office numbers as listed below. The municipality and service provider hope to commence awareness campaigns in these areas as soon as Covid-19 restrictions allow, with the intent to roll out a more extensive service as more households participate.

Residents can put out four green bags and unlimited number of blue bags together with up to seven black bags on their scheduled removal day. Blue and green bags will be collected on the same day as black bags, but by different vehicles.

“While we expect the switch-over to go relatively smoothly from the first round, we appeal to residents to remain patient a little while longer should there be any hiccups. We thank residents who have kept the faith with us in these challenging times and hope that others will join our efforts as the service gains momentum once again,” said Mr Paulse.

Households or businesses that are actively recycling and require additional green or blue bags, can collect from George Municipality Environmental Services or LGE Waste (details below).

ENQUIRIES:
Green and blue bags:
LGE Waste
Physical address: 10 Extension Road, Pacaltsdorp Industrial Area. Phone: 044 878 0688 Email: lgewaste@gmail.com
Black bags:
George Municipality Environmental Services
Physical address: 82 Meade Street, George. Phone 044 802 2900

Building is underway for the last 37 houses of a 700-unit housing project that commenced in Thembalethu in February 2017.

George Municipality Director Human Settlements Charles Lubbe said Phase One of the Upgrading of Informal Settlements Programme (UISP) was coming to a close with the second-last batch of 50 completed and transferred to owners at the end of last year. “This project has been life-changing for 700 new homeowners and the municipality is proud of its role in administering the process.”

The last section of the project is situated on land where beneficiaries had been temporarily relocated while their houses were being built. As beneficiaries moved into their new houses, construction of top structures on the already laid foundations could start and the first five units are already at roof-height. Weather and circumstances permitting, the anticipated completion date for the entire project is end of May 2021.

The UISP is funded by the Western Cape Department Human Settlements with the George Municipality acting as implementation agent via the Enhanced People’s Housing Process (EPHP). Beneficiaries could be involved in the planning including selection of a house with or without a patio.

A retention phase of three months applies in which defects can be reported and addressed. Thereafter homes are the responsibility of the owner, including maintenance and alterations.

Caption
Houses built in a previous phase of the UISP in Thembalethu.

Construction of a satellite fire station in Wilderness, 14km outside George, has commenced this week.

George Chief Fire Officer Neels Barnard said the satellite station in Wilderness had been a long-term goal of the department to cover incidents east of the Kaaimans River Bridge more efficiently. “The station’s location near the Shell Garage circle on the N2 will allow for easy access to the major fire and rescue risks of the area – vehicle accidents including hazardous materials spills, Wilderness beach and lakes for water incidents, fuel stations, hotels, dense vegetation and agricultural land.”

The Wilderness station will also be one of the first in the Southern Cape to be a double-storey facility with a fireman’s pole.

The 440sqm station will comprise 348sqm bottom-floor space for vehicles and equipment and 92sqm above for a control room and staff quarters. It will have three spaces for specialised vehicles including a major fire appliance, 4×4 off-road firefighting vehicle and a jetski and quadbike. The facility will be manned around the clock by four firefighters.

The necessary building plans have been submitted and approved as per any other building in George municipal area, and all necessary permits were obtained for the removal of trees and other environmental impacts.

The station is expected to be ready for occupation in July 2021. “Until then, we appeal to the neighbouring communities to be patient during construction – it will be a short-term inconvenience with a long-term reward that will benefit the entire area.

“We look forward to having a base in Wilderness, which is currently being addressed from the main fire station in the George CBD. There are many advantages of having a fire station in an expanding and diverse community such as Wilderness and surrounds, including the much faster response times to road accidents and fires. Its location next to the Wilderness police station is ideal as there are several overlapping services and administration between the SAPS and municipal emergency services during and after an incident.

“The department is grateful to its Municipal Council for recognising the diverse fire and rescue needs that exist in the area and for supporting an ongoing programme to equip the Fire and Rescue department with specialised gear and facilities to continue protecting land and property,” said Mr Barnard.

Wilderness will be the municipality’s third satellite station in addition to Thembalethu and Uniondale.

Caption
From left: Protection Services portfolio councillor Cecil Noble, Executive Mayor Alderman Leon van Wyk, Chief Fire Officer Neels Barnard, contractor Andrew Burger of Golden Awards and Wilderness ward councillor Marlene Barnardt celebrated the start of the construction of the Wilderness satellite fire station with a small soil turning ceremony at the site.

George libraries reopen to the public on Monday (8 February 2021) with Covid-19 measures in place. The facilities have been closed since December 2020 when national and local infection rates reached its peak.

George Acting Municipal Manager Dr Michele Gratz said libraries offered a valuable service to communities and the municipality was glad that these facilities could now reopen following a significant decrease in Covid-19 cases and recently announced amendments to Level 3 restrictions. “It is especially good that our libraries in Thembalethu and Pacaltsdorp can reopen as these have been closed for longer as they were situated in former Covid-19 hotspots,” said Dr Gratz.

Safety of staff and patrons remains of utmost importance and all Covid-19 protocols are in place at all libraries. Opening hours remain reduced and admittance to the George Main Library remains by appointment only while the community libraries will be access-restricted based on the amount of people inside the library according to the size of the facility.

George Libraries Manager Rachel Williams welcomed back all library users and thanked them for their ongoing patience and consideration during challenging times. “Library users who have material on loan from before libraries closed need not worry about any fines as materials were automatically renewed during the most recent closure.

“We are also launching a service in which patrons can select books via the online library portal (see details below) and email a list of materials they want to loan. Librarians will make up piles of available materials and arrange a time for collection. You can also phone your librarian to inquire about a book-by-phone service,” said Ms Willams.

Library services remain limited as follows:
Issue and return of books.
Ten books per library member for lending period of a month at a time.
Admittance to adults and children older than 12.
Children’s section is closed to children, but adults can take out books on behalf of children.
Research and reference services arranged by phone and/or email.
Internet services – preference given to pre-booked patrons, maximum two people at any given time.
Study area limited in compliance with regulations.
Wearing of masks and sanitising of hands are compulsory.
Your temperature will be taken before entering the library area, no admittance if it is 37.5C and higher.

Library materials handed in will be quarantined for 72 hours as per national and Western Cape safety standards and plastic covered materials wiped with sanitiser before being made available for loan.

Avontuur Library: 044 752 3351 avontuurbiblioteek@gmail.com – Monday 12pm-3pm, Tuesday 11am-2pm, Wednesday and Thursday 10am-1pm.
Blanco Library: 044 870 7047 gmblancobib@gmail.com – Monday to Friday 9am-4pm
Conville Library: 044 801 9320 Jrhode1@george.gov.za – Monday 9am-4pm
George Library: 044 801 9288 rwilliams@george.gov.za – Monday to Friday 9am-4pm, Saturday 9am-12pm
Haarlem Library: 044 763 1023 shonisemichels@yahoo.com – Monday, Thursday and Friday 2pm-5pm, Tuesday and Wednesday 2pm-5pm
Noll Library: 044 745 1014 dieprivierprim@gmail.com – Monday and Wednesday 12pm-3pm, Saturday 9am-12pm
Pacaltsdorp Library: 044 803 9340 pacsbib@george.org.za – Monday to Friday 9am-4.30pm
Thembalethu Library: 044 803 9260 xakortman@george.gov.za – Monday to Friday 9am-4.30pm
Touwsranten Library: 044 803 9285 touwsbib@george.org.za – Monday to Friday 9am-4pm
Uniondale Library: 044 752 1024 fortuinelton@yahoo.com – Monday to Friday 10am-4.30pm
Waboomskraal Library: angiefigeland@gmail.com – Monday to Friday 10am-2pm

George Municipality library portal link: wc.slims.gov.za/desktop/desktopwcgeplge
You can search online according to author, title, subjects, keyword, publisher or ISBN number.
Type in your library number on your card to check your library materials status including due date and opportunity to renew your books yourself.

Caption
Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport Anroux Marais (right) paid a courtesy visit to Uniondale Library on Thursday. Library assistant Sandra van Vught showed her around.