Author: Nadine Payle

Alderman Leon Van Wyk, Executive Mayor of George Municipality

Over the past couple of weeks, we have experienced unusual weather conditions ranging from the storm surge to disruptive rain across parts of the Western Cape that have kept disaster management teams at full stretch.

We are thankful for the efforts of our teams dealing with service delivery who have worked like trojans to clear up and restore services. In anticipation of the rain expected over the long weekend, Sanparks and the municipal teams tackled the massive amount of sand that the storm surge deposited under the Touw River bridges and in the lagoon. This has been an attempt by mankind to prevent flooding while dealing with the forces of nature.

It is awesome to note how our proactive citizens have reacted by documenting the work being done for social media while also profiling George and the Garden Route. Their efforts have attracted widespread coverage on social media that will benefit the tourism sector as we start preparations for our summer season.

From a municipal perspective, we also held our scheduled inaugural planning and preparedness meeting for the season where the task lists to deal with the tourism influx are compiled. Now is therefore the time for the broader tourism stakeholders to finalise their proposed activities and to get them listed for inclusion on the George QR code system that will be easily accessible on social media. It is anticipated that many visitors will flock to George and the Garden Route in the coming months.

I believe that our eateries can contribute to a memorable experience if each of them offers their distinctive signature dish that will make the holiday extra special. It is also so important that the tourism sector assists in sharing the message of being safe on our beaches and elsewhere with their guests.

Over the past two weeks, I have had the privilege of meeting with entrepreneurs to talk about business opportunities that they are creating in George that will translate into employment and further economic activity. In local government, it is a key objective to create an enabling environment for businesses to feel comfortable to undertake ventures and to grow them. The ultimate goal is to provide employment.

We are starting to witness the positive effect of providing a high level of services, maintaining infrastructure, upgrading systems and policies, employing skilled staff, and managing our budgets. The range of projects being launched or being planned includes infrastructure and investments in businesses that will benefit sectors such as health, housing, agriculture, tourism, sport, business services and creative arts. It is encouraging to note the passion of entrepreneurs and investors who are eager to drive ventures that will open up prospects and opportunities for our citizens.

Lunch boxes, sunglasses, ID documents, groceries, backpacks, clothing, and shoes are just some of the items typically left on the bus. Ryan Manuel shows some of the bags full of unclaimed items in the GO GEORGE office.

Nobody leaves their cell phones, wallets, umbrellas, grocery shopping, identity documents or school books on the bus on purpose. However, passengers get caught up in conversations or are in such a rush to get off the bus at the correct stop, that they forget what they have been carrying when they boarded the bus.

Although passengers are responsible for their own property and the bus company cannot take responsibility for items left on the bus, there is a system in place for managing goods found on the bus and handed in by other passengers, or found by staff at the end of their shift.

All lost and found items are handed in at the bus depot and taken to the GO GEORGE office. Here it is entered into an inventory and kept for different periods of time, depending on the nature of the item – all according to an official Lost and Found Policy.

Phone immediately
The best route to retrieve lost items is to phone the GO GEORGE Call Centre as soon as you realise that you have left something on the bus. The Call Centre agents will do everything in their power to trace the lost goods and give feedback to the passenger. If not found immediately, they will keep tabs on items brought to the office and inform the passenger of any finds.

Unclaimed goods donated
For all found items with identification, attempts will be made by GO GEORGE to contact the owner, but unclaimed goods cannot be kept indefinitely.

• Refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers must be discarded after four hours, according to government health rules. If a person phones within that timeframe and their goods are found, arrangements for collection can still be made.
• Covered and sealed food will be kept from one to seven days (depending on the expiry date) whereafter it will be donated to the George Municipality for distribution while it is still good for use.
• Miscellaneous items such as clothing, cleaning materials, toys, umbrellas, sports equipment, and books will be kept for at least 30 days before being donated for use in the Municipality’s Social Relief programme.
• Valuable items such as electronic equipment, jewellery, cell phones and handbags will be kept for at least 30 days whereafter it will be taken to the Municipality to be sold at a municipal public auction to be held periodically, at least once a year. This will be duly advertised in advance.
• Unclaimed cards, such as bank cards, ID cards, and loyalty cards will be returned to the issuing authority after 30 days.
• Strict requirements are in place for the management of any flammable or hazardous materials left behind on the bus.

It should be noted that GO GEORGE and George Link staff cannot be held liable if lost items cannot be traced or found. It could have been lost elsewhere than on a GO GEORGE bus.

To prevent dishonesty or misuse of the system, people who make enquiries will have to describe their lost items clearly before they are handed over. They will also need to present proof of identification and sign for the item upon collection.

The GO GEORGE Call Centre can be reached on 0800 044 044 between 05:00 and 20:00, seven days a week.

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PERSVERKLARING: Doen Onmiddellik Navraag oor Goedere Wat op die Bus Gelaat Is

Niemand los hul selfone, beursies, sambrele, kruideniersware, identiteitsdokumente of skoolboeke doelbewus op die bus nie. Passasiers raak egter vasgevang in gesprekke of is so haastig om by die regte halte uit die bus te klim, dat hulle vergeet wat hulle gedra het toe hulle op die bus geklim het.

Hoewel passasiers verantwoordelik is vir hul eie eiendom en die busmaatskappy nie verantwoordelikheid kan neem vir items wat op die bus gelaat word nie, is daar ‘n stelsel in plek vir die bestuur van goedere wat op die bus gevind word en deur ander passasiers ingehandig word, of deur personeel aan die einde van hul skof gevind word.

Alle opgetelde items word by die busdepot ingehandig en na die GO GEORGE-kantoor geneem. Hier word dit op ‘n voorraadlys ingevoer en vir verskillende tydperke gehou, afhangende van die aard van die item – alles volgens ‘n amptelike “verlore-en-gevind” beleid.

Bel onmiddellik
Die beste roete om verlore items terug te kry, is om die GO GEORGE-inbelsentrum te skakel sodra jy besef dat jy iets op die bus gelos het. Die inbelsentrum-agente sal alles in hul vermoë doen om die verlore goedere op te spoor en terugvoering aan die passasier te gee. As dit nie onmiddellik gevind word nie, sal hulle die items wat na die kantoor gebring word, dophou en die passasier van enige opsporings in kennis stel.

Onopgeëiste goedere word geskenk
Vir alle items met identifikasie wat gevind word, sal pogings deur GO GEORGE aangewend word om die eienaar te kontak, maar onopgeëiste goedere kan nie onbepaald gehou word nie.

• Verkoelde, bederfbare kos soos vleis, pluimvee, vis, eiers en oorskiet moet na vier uur weggegooi word, volgens die regering se gesondheidsreëls. As ‘n persoon binne daardie tydraamwerk bel en hul goedere gevind word, kan reëlings vir afhaal daarvan steeds getref word.
• Bedekte en verseëlde kos sal van een tot sewe dae (afhangende van die vervaldatum) gehou word, waarna dit aan die George-munisipaliteit geskenk sal word vir verspreiding terwyl dit nog goed is vir gebruik.
• Diverse items soos klere, skoonmaakmateriaal, speelgoed, sambrele, sporttoerusting en boeke sal vir minstens 30 dae gehou word voordat dit geskenk word vir gebruik in die munisipaliteit se maatskaplike verligting-program.
• Waardevolle items soos elektroniese toerusting, juweliersware, selfone en handsakke sal vir minstens 30 dae gehou word waarna dit na die munisipaliteit geneem sal word om op ‘n munisipale openbare veiling verkoop te word wat van tyd tot tyd gehou sal word – minstens een keer per jaar (dit sal betyds geadverteer word).
• Onopgeëiste kaarte, soos bankkaarte, ID-kaarte, lojaliteitskaarte, ensovoorts, sal ná 30 dae aan die uitreikingsowerheid terugbesorg word.

Let daarop dat GO GEORGE- en George Link-personeel nie aanspreeklik of verantwoordelik gehou kan word as verlore items nie opgespoor of gevind kan word nie. Dit kon elders as op ‘n GO GEORGE-bus verlore geraak het.

Om oneerlikheid of misbruik van die stelsel te voorkom, sal mense wat navrae doen, hul verlore items duidelik moet beskryf voordat dit oorhandig sal word. Hulle sal ook bewys van identifikasie moet toon en teken vir die item.

Die GO GEORGE–inbelsentrum is tussen 05:00 en 20:00 bereikbaar by 0800 044 044, sewe dae per week.