The pressure in Skuinsbank Street has been increased. Pressure will continue to build through the night.
All excavations are barricaded and safe. Team will return tomorrow to make neat.
Residents are requested to use water sparingly so that pressure can build up in the network.
Our Contractor is still busy with repairs-joint and termination.
Estimated time of repair is 3 hours
Due to the widespread damage to electricity infrastructure caused by flooding in the Western and Eastern Cape coastal areas, loadshedding will be suspended with immediate effect.
In all other areas, stage 3 loadshedding will continue to be implemented today until 05:00 on Tuesday. Thereafter, loadshedding will be reduced to Stage 2 from 05:00 until 16:00, followed by Stage 3 from 16:00 until 05:00 on Wednesday. This pattern will be repeated daily until further notice.
No Loadshedding for George and Wilderness until further notice.
Uniondale will be affected as follows:
Monday 25/09/2023
13:00 – 15:30
Tuesday 26/09/2023
13:00 – 15:30
21:00 – 23:30
Wednesday 27/09/2023
21:00 – 23:30
Thursday 28/09/2023
05:00 – 07:30
21:00 – 23:30
Friday 29/09/2023
03:00 – 05:30
11:00 – 13:30
ROTATIONAL SWITCH ON AFTER LOADSHEDDING – reduce power to avoid network tripping
Consumers are reminded to PLEASE use electricity sparingly after power returns. Please do not switch high-usage equipment on immediately after Load shedding.
Consumers are urged to turn off high-usage equipment and where possible to not switch on appliances such as stoves and kettles for at least 30 minutes after load shedding is scheduled to return. This will reduce the risk of overload tripping on the network.
Reporting power outages
Please do not phone the after-hours number or the Electrotechnical Department to report that you have no power immediately after load shedding is scheduled to be lifted. Please be aware of the rotational switching on i.e. areas are switched on one by one and not all at the same time to avoid overloading the system. Please wait at least 30 minutes before reporting no power. The Electrotechnical Directorate will be aware of a possible substation trip that needs to be sorted out.
Receive Eskom loadshedding notifications by downloading the free EskomSePush app from Google Play Store at https://sepush.co.za/
Update on the low flow of water, Skuinsbank Street, Herold’s Bay
Issued by George Municipality, 25 September 2023 @12 :11
Please note that our team is still busy attending to the fault.
A water truck is stationed at the higher end of Skuinsbank street.
Please use water sparingly so that the network pressure increases and water reaches high lying areas.
We apologise for the inconvenience
Please note that the Garden Route Disruptive Rain L9 warning has been downgraded to a L6 warning. The other warnings and levels remain as issued yesterday. Rain expected to set in over the Garden Route from the afternoon. Please see the map graphic for reference for the rain warning areas. Regards, SAWS
ESKOM LOADSHEDDING UPDATE, 25/09 @ 8:30
National Control has granted Stage 3 exemption to Bellville Control (8h00-14h00).
Field teams have been activated for repairs and recovery of sites.
George will be affected as follows:
Monday 25/09/2023
None further
Tuesday 26/09/2023
02:00 – 04:30
10:00 – 12:30
18:00 – 20:30
Uniondale will be affected as follows:
Monday 25/09/2023
13:00 – 15:30
Tuesday 26/09/2023
05:00 – 07:30
13:00 – 15:30
21:00 – 23:30
Issued George Mun
Lyra street in Parkdene is currently experiencing a power outage. Our teams have been dispatched to the effected areas. The estimated time of repair will be communicated soon.
Please note that the election of block representatives for the following wards will take place as follows:
See the full schedule of the Ward Meetings
https://tinyurl.com/3wxt2mdm
Link for 26-28 October 2023
https://tinyurl.com/ycx592kw
Members of the local community are requested to bring their identity document or valid driver’s license on the voting day.
For further enquiries please contact Siphokazi Maku on 044-801 9439.
Please note that the election of block representatives for Ward 5, which was initially scheduled to take place on 20 September 2023 has been rescheduled to take place on 11 October 2023.
See the full schedule in the below link:
[https://tinyurl.com/3wxt2mdm]
Link for 11 October 2023
[https://tinyurl.com/5c9x9ef5]
Members of the local community are requested to bring their identity documents or valid driver’s license on the voting day.
For further enquiries please contact Siphokazi Maku on 044-801 9439.
Issued 20 September 2023, George Municipality
The public is advised that all of the beaches in the George area including Gwaing Beach, Victoria Bay, Herold’s Bay, Wilderness and Leentjiesklip remain closed following the storm surges of this weekend. Heavy construction vehicles continue to move around in or near the beaches and beach infrastructure such as benches, walkways etc have been removed. Swimming is not advisable as Lifeguards are not present on any of the beaches and there is a serious concern around the presence of debris in the water. Further updates will be provided on Friday.
The Parks & Recreation Department will be planting trees on the 26th of September this year in commemoration of National Arbor Month. South Africa celebrates Arbor Week in the first week of September annually.
Arbor month is an opportune time to call on all South Africans to plant indigenous trees as a practical and symbolic gesture of sustainable environmental management.
The theme for Arbor Month for 2023 as declared by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, is ‘’Forests and Health”. The George Municipality’s Environmental Services: Parks and Recreation department calls out all interested parties, organizations, etc. who would like to participate in the planting of trees to indicate their availability/interest.
For more information on this, please contact Ms. Nosidima Vumindaba at 044 802 2900 or email her on nvumindaba@george.gov.za
With a public holiday coming up the day after Heritage Day (Sunday 24 September), passengers need to take note that the Saturday bus schedules will be followed on Monday 25 September 2023.
In case of uncertainty about the Saturday schedules, please phone the GO GEORGE Call Centre on 0800 044 044 where agents are on duty from 05:00 until 20:00 seven days a week to help passengers plan their trips. Maps and timetables can also be viewed and downloaded from the web page www.gogeorge.org.za.
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GO GEORGE-SKEDULE OP ERFENISDAG
Met ’n openbare vakansiedag wat voorlê op die dag ná Erfenisdag (Sondag 24 September), is dit belangrik vir passasiers om kennis te neem dat die Saterdagskedule gevolg sal word op Maandag 25 September 2023.
In geval van onsekerheid oor die Saterdag-skedules, skakel asseblief die GO GEORGE-inbelsentrum by 0800 044 044 waar agente sewe dae per week van 05:00 tot 20:00 aan diens is om passasiers te help om hul ritte te beplan. Kaarte en tydroosters kan ook besigtig en afgelaai word vanaf die webblad www.gogeorge.org.za.
Residents who have not had a SMART Water Meter installed yet will have their meter read every month, can submit a reading via email or via the My Smart City – George App.
1. Physical readings are done on a monthly basis by a service provider who visits properties to take water readings on Mondays to Friday between 07:00 am and 05:00 pm, and after hours from 05:00 pm to 07:30 pm. Weekends and public holidays from 08:00 am to 03:00 pm. For identification purposes, the water meter readers will be carrying an identification card and will be wearing s reflective jackets. Should a property owner have any questions/enquiries please call Electro Cuts on Cell: 0623693779 or Cell: 0647431718.
2. Submit your meter reading by email to meterreadings@george.gov.za
Include the accountholder’s name, contact details and George Municipal account number, date of reading and attach photo of meter. Please note that meter readings are done per area at different times of the month, and it is important that your meter reading email is submitted around the same time as your area’s reading time. Please check the date of the previous reading at the bottom of your account to determine your meter reading slot.
3. Submit your meter reading using the My Smart City – George App
Go to your Apps home screen
Tap on the Municipal Self Meter Readings icon
Tap the Add Account and Complete all relevant fields
Please note that you can only proceed once you have selected your location under your profile.)
Once done, tap Save Details
4. Residents can easily determine how much water is used – deducting the current reading from the previous reading will tell you how many units of water have been used.
Water charges are based on the number of kilolitres of water used on the property every month. If you are submitting your own readings to the City (e.g., if your meter is difficult for meter readers to access), you only need to supply the black numbers when submitting your reading. If your bill seems incorrect or suspiciously high, it is most likely due to:
• Water leak
• Human Error
Enquiries regarding water meter readings may be directed to: accounts@george.gov.za
George Municipality has installed a brand new Pay Your Account banner on the municipal website – pay your account with one click! https://tinyurl.com/2p8t83ax
OTHER PAYMENT OPTIONS
Accounts can be paid via electronic transfer (EFT – see details below), via Unipay, by clicking on the QR code on your statement, Pick ‘n Pay, Woolworths, BOXER, GAME, SPAR and Pep.
Please take your most recent available account statement with you so that the shop can access the bar code that connects your payment to your GRG account number.
If you do not have a printed account, ensure that you have the 20 digit number written down to provide the teller with. Ratepayers in Uniondale can get hard copies of their accounts and pay at the Uniondale Post Office, Pep Stores and Uniondale Municipal Office, 39 Voortrekker Steet. To register you can email accounts@george.gov.za or phone 044 752 1024 for more information.
In Haarlem ratepayers can get hard copies and pay their accounts at the Haarlem Municipal Office, 99 Berg Street, to register you can email accounts@george.gov.za or phone 044 763 1013.
Bank details for electronic payment:
First National Bank (FNB)
Account Type: Public Sector Cheque Account
Account Name: George Municipality
Account Number: 62869623150
Branch Code: 210554
Swift Code: FIRNZAJJ
Reference: your GRG account number
Proof of payment is to be sent to payments@george.gov.za
UPDATE YOUR DETAILS USING OUR SIMPLE FORM ON OUR WEBSITE
A reminder that accounts are no longer issued by post, they are only emailed to residents. Update your details quickly and simply with our new form, simply click on the Banner Update Your Details on the municipal website https://tinyurl.com/2p8t83ax
Other options to access your Account
• A hard copy of your monthly account can be printed at the cash hall of the Municipality’s main building situated at 71 York Street or our Area Offices in BLANCO, CONVILLE, PACALTSDORP, NEW DAWN PARK, ROSEMOOR, PROTEA PARK, TOUWSRANTEN as well as the Thembalethu and Waboomskraal Thusong Centres on request.
• Ratepayers can VIEW and PAY their accounts by clicking on the Unipay link www.unipay.co.za or by scanning the QR code on their account.
• Phone in on 044 801 9009/4/17 or 044 801 9135 or 044 801 9518. Please provide your GRG account number and contact details (email address, telephone number) with all enquiries.
OVERDUE DEBT WILL BE RECOVERED THROUGH PREPAID METER SYSTEM
Residents are advised to take note that any overdue debts owing to the municipality, will be recovered through the prepaid electricity meter system, as per the Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy. This means that if you have not paid your account in fulL, when you purchase prepaid electrical units from a vendor, at least 50% of your overdue debt will be paid off by your purchase, and the remaining amount will reflect as pre-paid electricity units.
HOW TO CHECK WHAT YOUR OVERDUE DEBT IS?
If you are not sure what your overdue debt is, please phone in to 044 801 9009/4/17 or 044 801 9135 or 044 801 9518. Provide your GRG account number and contact details (email address, telephone number) with all enquiries. A duplicate statement can also be requested at accounts@george.gov.za. Payment is due by the 15th of the following month.
DUE DATE FOR PAYMENT
Payment is due by the 15th of the following month. If you haven’t received a statement by the 15th, it is suggested you pay an average amount, request an account via email or check your account totals on the George Municipality Mobile Application (App). A duplicate statement can also be requested at accounts@george.gov.za. Please provide your GRG account number on request.
Clients making use of George Municipality Sewerage Truck Services, please note:
• All operation and maintenance of on-site septic and conservancy tanks, and all costs related to it, are the responsibility of the property owner.
• The owner must check septic and conservancy tank levels regularly and book a service long enough in advance to avoid spillovers.
• Book your collection/cleaning of tanks at least five days in advance at the phone numbers below.
• Immediate response to emergency overflows cannot be guaranteed and is subject to availability and scheduling of trucks.
• Collection and cleaning of tanks after hours (16h30 until 22h00)
Times for Weekends and Public Holidays (08h00 until 19h00). Weekends and public holidays are more expensive than in working hours, as per municipal rates, and will only be done on confirmation by client that the after-hours fee is accepted.
Book your suction truck services on 044 801 9262/66.Uniondale: 044 752 1024 After hours: 044 801 6300
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RIOOLSUIGTROK-DIENSTE: WAT U MOET WEET
Kliënte wat van George Munisipaliteit se rioolsuigtrok-dienste gebruik maak, neem asseblief kennis:
• Die werking en instandhouding van septiese- en opgaartenke, en alle kostes wat daarmee verband hou, is die verantwoordelikheid van die grondeienaar.
• Die eienaar moet die vlakke van septiese en opgaartenke gereeld nagaan en ‘n diens lank vooruit bespreek om oorspoelings te vermy.
• Bepreek die uitsuig/skoonmaak van tenke ten minste vyf dae vooruit by die telefoonnommers hieronder.
• Onmiddellike reaksie in die geval van noodriooloorspoelings kan nie verseker word nie en hang van die beskikbaarheid en skedulering van suigtrokvoertuie af.
• Uitsuig of skoonmaak van tenke wat na-ure (16h30 until 22h00)
Tye vir naweke en Openbare Vakansiedae (08h00 tot 19h00).
Indien uitsuig en skoonmaak oor naweke en publieke vakansiedae plaasvind is dit duurder, soos per die munisipale tariewe, en sal slegs gedoen word indien die kliënt bevestig dat die na-ure fooi aanvaar word.
Bespreek u rioolsuigtrok-dienste by 044 801 9262/66.Uniondale: 044 752 1024 Na-ure: 044 801 6300
The George Municipality embarked on a pre-paid electricity metering software update for its approximately 50 000 prepaid consumers quite a while back. The current software on all pre-paid meters in South Africa will expire in November 2024. If your meter is not updated before the deadline, you will not be able to recharge your prepaid meter with the new tokens and therefore will not have power.
85% of George Software Updates Completed
George Municipality has already successfully implemented the software update on close to 85% of its prepaid meter base. This has been addressed through the work done by field staff and contractors on-site while doing a meter change, site inspection, and Amp limit roll-out. These teams will continue to go out weekly to do site inspections and Amp limit roll-out. George is considerably further along with this process than many other municipalities.
Key change tokens
To expedite the software update (TID roll-over) and in order to ensure no consumer is placed at risk of having a non-working meter, the municipality will continue to implement the key change process, with the issue of a separate, extra token when you make your next purchase.
Key Change Token Process
If your prepaid meter software has already been updated during Phase 1, you will NOT receive an extra token. If you do receive a KEY CHANGE Token with your next purchase the following is VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE BEFORE you insert the key change:
1. IMPORTANT – DON’T FORGET TO INSERT ALL old or unused tokens BEFORE you enter the KEY CHANGE token and ONLY then INSERT the newly bought token,
2. The meter will NOT accept your old or unused tokens, once you enter the key change token and no reimbursement can be made on these tokens.
3. The meter will not accept your newly bought token, until the key change token has been inserted.
Verification or Queries – If you receive an extra token and you are unsure what to do?
Customers may phone the George Municipality on 044 801 9222 or Ontec on 044 873 5474 for verification, for response to queries OR to request that their software is addressed. Please note that all municipal and/or Ontec officials carry identification cards with a photograph and their ID number as well as a copy of a verification letter explaining the purpose for their visit.
TOKEN IDENTIFIER (TID) ROLLOVER SOURCE : https://www.sts.org.za/tid-rollover
The Token Identifier is a 24-bit field, contained in STS compliant tokens, that identifies the date and time of the token generation. It is used to determine if a token has already been used in a payment meter. The TID represents the minutes elapsed since the 1st of January 1993. The incrementing of the 24-bit field means that at some point in time, the TID value will roll over to a zero value. All STS prepayment meters will be affected by TID roll over on the 24/11/2024. Any tokens generated after this date and utilizing the 24bit TID will be rejected by the meters as being old tokens as the TID value embedded in the token will have reset back to 0.
Due to the slight improvement in generation capacity and lower demand, Stage 5 loadshedding will be implemented from 06:00 today until further notice.
George will be affected as follows:
Friday 15/09/2023
08:00 – 10:30
16:00 – 18:30
Saturday 16/09/2023
00:00 – 02:30
08:00 – 12:30 **
16:00 – 18:30
Sunday 17/09/2023
06:00 – 08:30
14:00 – 18:30 **
22:00 – 00:30
Uniondale will be affected as follows:
Friday 15/09/2023
11:00 – 13:30
19:00 – 21:30
Saturday 16/09/2023
03:00 – 05:30
11:00 – 15:30 **
19:00 – 21:30
Sunday 17/09/2023
01:00 – 03:30
09:00 – 11:30
17:00 – 21:30 **
Consumers are reminded to PLEASE use electricity sparingly after power returns. Please do not switch high-usage equipment on immediately after Load shedding.
Consumers are urged to turn off high-usage equipment and where possible to not switch on appliances such as stoves and kettles for at least 30 minutes after load shedding is scheduled to return. This will reduce the risk of overload tripping on the network.
Reporting power outages
Please do not phone the after-hours number or the Electrotechnical Department to report that you have no power immediately after load shedding is scheduled to be lifted. Please be aware of the rotational switching on i.e. areas are switched on one by one and not all at the same time to avoid overloading the system. Please wait at least 30 minutes before reporting no power. The Electrotechnical Directorate will be aware of a possible substation trip that needs to be sorted out.
Receive Eskom loadshedding notifications by downloading the free EskomSePush app from Google Play Store at https://sepush.co.za/
Please note that the election of block representatives for the following wards will take place as follows:
[18 – 21 SEPTEMBER 2023]
See the full schedule of the Ward Meetings
Link for Full Schedule:
https://tinyurl.com/3fswdshw
Link for 18-21 September 2023:
https://tinyurl.com/mt7nfhdv
Members of the local community are requested to bring their identity document or valid driver’s license on the voting day.
Date: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Time: 06:00 to 18:00
AFFECTED AREAS:
• Whole Wilderness area including Kleinkrantz, Touwsranten and Hoekwill
Enquiries: 08600 37566
Water Supply Interruption
Please note, that due to the planned power outages and extended loadshedding period, the Boardwalk water pump station cannot transfer water, especially to high-lying areas such as Wilderness Heights and surrounding areas.
The Wilderness Heights Reservoir is empty, as a result of no electricity supply.
Trucks will be parked at Bundu Supersave, while another one will be roaming the outer-lying areas (Remskoen Rd, Erica Rd, etc.).
Once power is restored, we request that water be used sparingly during this period and allowance be made for the reservoir level to stabilize in between load-shedding.
Issued by George Municipality
14 September 2023 @09:50
Alderman Leon Van Wyk, Executive Mayor of George Municipality
I recently was privileged to visit Denmark as a member of a Danish-funded renewable energy, local government and coalition government study tour.
This tour provided insights into the Danish planning, determination and ability to execute projects that will be to the benefit of citizens. In one city they are undertaking groundbreaking work by incorporating renewable energy to heat water pipes that circulate through buildings to provide internal heating. The port of Esbjerg is being re-purposed from an oil and gas industry harbour into the staging post for wind-turbine and solar PV energy equipment including the off-shore energy production fields in the North Sea. Energy lessons from the Danes are efficiency and flexibility and the management of energy demand as they transform to renewable energy.
I returned to George where we continue to face debilitating loadshedding thanks to the bad choices that our national government made. In addition, they have now run out of money.
This is the stark difference between the careful planning by the Danes and policy indecision in our country. As a result, our citizens endure rising prices with low prospects of employment. In the Western Cape there is active pursuit of driving service delivery and improvements to infrastructure to ensure sustainable economic activity. George has followed this policy approach and we are beginning to reap the benefits through investment into residential and industrial property development.
The electricity price increase that has been passed on to municipalities and consumers has no doubt affected the cash flows of all our customers making circumstances more difficult. Internally within the municipality, there is ongoing awareness around this burden and the increasingly difficult task of constant care and maintenance of electrical infrastructure that was built to operate 24/7. The management of diesel supplies for the various generators operating our water and waste-water treatment plants have become a logistical nightmare. With the constant uncertainty of which stages of loadshedding will be applicable in the days ahead, this impacts on planning diesel deliveries. At times, rationing of diesel for the vehicle fleet takes place to ensure that critical plant can operate.
At one of our plants where a generator had been installed, I was informed of the practical difficulty of manoeuvring a diesel tanker to fill the tank.
A further challenge is restoring electricity after particularly the 16h00-18h00 or 4h loadsheds when users wish to turn on all their appliances at once. Even though we have already installed advanced telemetry at certain key sub-stations, the senior official who restores the power has to ensure that George remains within its maximum capacity. The Danes advise that as part of introducing renewables, consumers will need to shift their loads, thereby reducing the demand on the system.