Author: Nadine Payle

This newsletter is being written on the eve of completing my third year in office as Executive Mayor. What an honour and privilege it has been to participate in taking George forward! On this occasion, I am reporting on some engagements that have recently taken place in relation to our economy and in shaping the strategy and approaches for increased economic activity.

Over the past two weeks, our management team have held their requisite engagements with both of Provincial and National Treasury (George is one of 17 cities in SA who report directly to National Treasury) for our draft budget to be assessed according to the criteria of being credible and fundable. George has been commended for the thorough preparation and presentation of the budget and its financial position and received approval for the presentation to Council for formal approval of the budget for 2023/24.

These engagements also enabled discussions about approaches to and complexity of incorporating renewable solutions, the maintaining and improving of infrastructure, and on economic activity.

We were invited to make a presentation to property development clients of a legal firm and a bank specialising in this sector. We covered progress over the past three years in improving management, the strategy of growing infrastructure and the work being done to update the spatial development framework and planning sphere.

A meeting with the country head of the multi-national business that has started its contact centre operations also proved to be fruitful. This enthusiastic company is already exploring how to grow their work force that will enable expansion into another workstream. This analytics, digital and AI business opens up opportunities for matriculants in the under 25 age bracket to receive training and work in the fast growing outsourcing sector where work is conducted internationally from South Africa.

I have also had the opportunity to meet Provincial Ministers for Education, Infrastructure and Economic Development to discuss the needs of a growing George. Many schools experience challenges in accommodating the growing pool of learners. The Minister is assessing the alternatives to either expand existing campuses and/or to build new facilities. As a result of financial limitations, it is likely that new financial models to fund schools will become necessary.

Detailed discussions will shortly take place regarding the build programme for roads infrastructure around George and how improvements to gravel roads can be done for key sectors such as agriculture. The need to provide additional housing at an affordable level continues to receive attention. We continue with engagements to determine the best approach and strategy to facilitate economic development across key sectors where George is a suitable location.

As always, the supportbusiness@george.gov.za email address can be used for smart ideas.

Mountain Ultra-Trail by UTMB® plays host to Africa’s first UTMB® World Series event this week in South Africa

– George Municipality and Mountain Ultra-Trail by UTMB® announce new partnership that sees the city and tourism board as Official Host Venue; a partnership that will showcase both the event and race venue globally.

– Mountain Ultra-Trail by UTMB® to welcome local and international runners to the Western Cape of South Africa on 26 – 28 May 2023; the event takes place in the city of George.

 – The event features a professional ultra trail line up with local stars Ryan Sandes and Rebecca Kohne who won her category last month at Istria 100 by UTMB® in Croatia.

 Images and race content can be found: HERE

(GEORGE, South Africa) 24 May 2023 – For the first time ever, the UTMB® World Series will head to Africa on 26 – 28 May with the inaugural Mountain Ultra-Trail (MUT) by UTMB® taking place in the Western Cape. George Municipality, the Official Host Venue will welcome over 1 400 registered trail runners that will descend on the heart of the Garden Route in the city of George. The event features six different distances of trail running including 9.5km, 24.5km, 41.8km, 59km, 100km and 100-mile (165km).

“It is truly a privilege to welcome the MUT by UTMB® competitors to George where our urban living borders on the foothills into our beautiful Outeniqua Mountains,” says George Executive Mayor, Alderman Leon van Wyk. “We look forward to your visit and participation in this inaugural World Series event on the African continent, and that your stay will be enjoyable and successful.”

Announced in November last year, the MUT by UTMB® was selected as the first ever UTMB World Series event on the African continent, meaning that South Africans now don’t need to travel abroad to get an opportunity to qualify for the pinnacle of all trail races, the UTMB® World Series Finals at Mont-Blanc (28 August – 03 September).

To qualify for a place at the Finals, runners must have at least one Running Stone (which can only be acquired by racing a UTMB World Series Event), and a valid UTMB Index in the necessary category. Find out more here.

MUT by UTMB® finishers will receive Running Stones depending on the distance they run (4 stones for 100-mile; 3 for 100K; 2 for 59K; 2 for 41.1K and 1 stone for the 24.5K distances).

The MUT by UTMB® is a festival of trail running in the garden city of George, on South Africa’s east coast. The Outeniqua Mountains rise from the urban edge and provide a spectacular adventure seeker’s playground, with hundreds of kilometers of hiking trails crisscrossing the peaks, which reach up to 1,578 meters above sea level, and verdant valleys.

Fynbos, one of the world’s most biodiverse floral kingdoms, and old growth indigenous forests line the trails, while the high points along the MUT by UTMB® route provide breath-taking views over the Indian Ocean to the south and across the arid Karoo to the north. Alongside the 9.5km, 24.5km, 41.8km, 59km, 100km and 100-mile race distances the event also boasts a Vertical Kilometer Challenge and a social run with the George Trail Running club, who are responsible for much of the trail building and maintenance on the MUT by UTMB® route.

MUT by UTMB® will feature some well-known runners amongst the trail community such as Red Bull’s ultra-trail runner, Ryan Sandes (RSA). Others to look out for are Egypt’s Omar El Sawy, Iain Peterkin (RSA) and George’s very own Rebecca Kohne (RSA) who won her category last month at Istria 100 by UTMB® in Croatia.

“Trail running is considered somewhat of a new sport, and it is certainly growing by the minute,” says Elite Trail Runner, Rebecca Kohne. “Having MUT by UTMB® opens up a lot of opportunity for us local trail runners. Qualifying for the UTMB® World Series Final in France at the end of the year is almost every keen trail runner’s dream. Having a local race makes it just that much easier to try and live up to our dreams.”

Kohne continues, “It is quite surreal to have the first UTMB® certified race here in our hometown, George. George is the most beautiful place, and we certainly have the most incredible mountain range. Some would say our trails are very similar to European trails in some sense. I am extremely excited for this event to take place, and for us South Africans to show off our spectacular mountains and trails. I hope every runner will get to enjoy them just as much as I do.”

For more information about MUT by UTMB®, please visit https://mut.utmb.world/. For more information on George, visit www.visitgeorge.co.za.

For any media related inquiries, please email siya.ndzimande@ironman.com and for race day media registration, fill in the media credentials form here.

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About George

George is situated in the Western Cape province of South Africa and set in the very centre of the Garden Route. ‘George’ spans all the way from Herolds Bay to Uniondale to Wilderness. It has exceptional natural surroundings – surrounded by oceans, mountains, forests, and farmlands – a temperate climate, outstanding tourism offerings, a low crime rate, good schools and a national airport. The city has seen significant growth over the past two decades and is a sought-after tourism, lifestyle, business, and investment destination.

Its diverse landscapes, spanning from the semi-desert open plains and aloes in Uniondale, which are only 1.5 hours away from George and Wilderness’s majestic mountains and cool blue oceans, make it a paradise suited for outdoor enthusiasts. There are over 2,000km of mapped trails and plenty of adrenalin-fuelled adventures.

The area also boasts premier golf courses, pristine beaches and art, cultural and history experiences. Great gastronomic experiences along with wining and dining top picks, make the destination an all-round experience. For more: visitgeorge.co.za

UTMB® World Series

UTMB® World Series is the world’s ultimate trail-running circuit that unites the sport’s biggest stars and passionate runners through the best, leading international events in the most stunning locations.  Built on a passion for the mountains with sustainability at its heart, UTMB® World Series gives all trail runners the chance to experience the UTMB® adventure across the world, with events taking place across Asia, Oceania, Europe, Africa and the Americas. It is the only place where runners can begin their quest to UTMB® Mont-Blanc, France, where the prestigious UTMB® World Series Finals will be held. For more information, visit www.utmb.world.

About UTMB Group

Over the last 18 years, and since the creation of UTMB® Mont-Blanc in 2003 by a group of passionate friends, UTMB Group has been the driving force behind the development of trail running. The UTMB® Mont-Blanc is the sports pinnacle event, and every year, 10,000 runners earn their place on the start line. UTMB Group also pioneered the LiveTrail® technology, an innovative digital service that supports the management of endurance races. Revered by hundreds of thousands of athletes, UTMB® has become a global, premium, and leading brand.

In May 2021, UTMB Group partnered with The IRONMAN Group to launch the UTMB® World Series, which brings together many of the best international events on the planet to provide exclusive access to the sport’s pinnacle event, UTMB® Mont-Blanc. The UTMB® World Series is built on the founding principles of UTMB® Mont-Blanc: surpassing oneself; fair-play; respect for people and the environment; and solidarity. Find out more at www.utmb.world.

About The IRONMAN Group

The IRONMAN Group operates a global portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN® 70.3® Triathlon Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, the Rock ‘n’ Roll® Running Series, IRONKIDS®, World Triathlon Championship Series, premier running events including the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon™ and City2Surf®, UTMB® World Series events including the Canyons Endurance Runs, Tarawera Ultra and Ultra-Trail Australia™, Epic Series™ mountain bike races including the Absa Cape Epic®, road cycling events including Haute Route®, and other multisport races.

The IRONMAN Group is the largest operator of mass participation sports in the world and provides more than a million participants annually the benefits of endurance sports through the company’s vast offerings. Catering to the full athlete experience, the company portfolio also includes FulGaz® virtual cycling, the most realistic indoor riding experience connected fitness application aimed at preparing athletes for real-world events. Since the inception of the iconic IRONMAN® brand and its first event in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE® by crossing finish lines around the world.

Beginning as a single race, The IRONMAN Group has grown to become a global sensation with hundreds of events across 55+ countries. The IRONMAN Group is owned by Advance, a private, family-owned business. For more information, visit www.ironman.com/about-ironman-group.

SHOWCASING OUR BEAUTIFUL TOWN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL THINGS

Tourism plays such an important role in the local economy, and for this reason, George Tourism would like to invite all residents of George to share some love and pride for the partnership with the team from All Things.

George Tourism is very excited to announce the partnership with the famous South African actor, Ivan Zimmerman on his YouTube show, All Things. The channel will be focusing on the picturesque sceneries in and around the Garden Route area.

About All Things Garden Route…

As per the All Things Team, “All Things is the very first digital magazine show in South Africa that offers the audience a glimpse of all things Tourism, Community, Events, Positive News, Inspirational Stories and Special Occasions, that exclusively covers a specific district and is driven by the people and beautiful happenings of that area only. This is ALL THINGS, GARDEN ROUTE.

 We are aiming to educate each other on each other, grow tourism and be the visual voice of the district and show the Garden Route off to the rest of South Africa, as well as the World.”

You can click here to watch the first episode that showcases our George Museum, Dotsure, George Art Theatre, Cornerstone Creek in Hoekwil and a cultural tour in our vibrant township Thembalethu, with Explore Our Hood or you can also check the Facebook link by clicking here.

The second episode is also available under the following link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnRYSd1UtKw.

For further enquiries, please contact the George Tourism Offices @ 044 801 9295 or email us @info@visitgeorge.co.za

 Ends.

Executive Mayor, Leon Van Wyk last week together with Portfolio Cllr Civil Engineering Services: Capital Projects and BFI, Jackie Von Brandis and Portfolio Cllr Civil Engineering Services: Operating Aspects, Browen Johnson visited the Outeniqua Wastewater Treatment Works site to view the status of the current upgrade and review the changes that have been implemented to reduce the unfortunate odours experienced recently.

Ald Van Wyk noted that it was a great pleasure and privilege to visit the old works now back in operation after its refurbishment, looking brand new. “We wish to thank the engineers and construction teams for the work on this entire project over the past few years along with the Municipal teams, senior management, the Municipal Manager and the members of the Mayoral Committee for their management, guidance and oversight. It is also heart-warming to experience the speed of the installation of the solar PV plant that will provide power to the Treatment Works,” he said.

The remedial works on the old carousel reactor has been completed and filling of the reactor started on 04 May 2023. This has reduced the load on the new 10Ml/d reactor since the current inflow to the Wastewater Treatment Plant is between 12 and 16 Ml/d (mega/million litres per day), with 60% to be treated in the old plant and 40% in the new reactor. The situation with unfortunate odours recently experienced in the Pacaltsdorp area will be largely addressed by the re-commissioning of the old carousel reactor. Odour from the inlet works has been mostly eliminated by the new covers over the inlet channels plus the installed odour control system. The odours from the wastewater treatment process will be addressed by the improved aeration treatment capacity.

The three screw pumps from the RAS (Return Activated Sludge) pump station between the settling tanks and the reactors are currently being refurbished and will only be re-installed later in May 2023 when the plant can be operated as per the design intent. In the meantime, some minor imbalance between the two process streams is expected and can prevent the reactors from performing optimally.

The upgrading and capacity extension of the Outeniqua Wastewater Treatment Works (OWWTW) will allow for an increased capacity from 15Ml/dl to 25Ml/d. The total additional number of households benefiting from the proposed wastewater treatment works upgrade is calculated at 19 049. The number of people per household was calculated at an average family size of 4.25 persons estimating the total then at 80 958 persons. The recent development and future growth requirements necessitate the need to increase the capacity of the Outeniqua WWTW. The area to be served by the proposed upgrades to the treatment plant include newly developed and proposed low-cost housing units for the Pacaltsdorp West zone.

The civil works for the 10Ml/day extension were completed in 2019, and the Mechanical-Electrical component of the work commenced in early 2021 after a contractual delay. The full commissioning of the new 10Ml/day extension concludes in June 2023.

Ald Van Wyk, Cllr Von Brandis and Cllr Johnson standing on the refurbished carousel reactor with the newly installed aerators in the background.

While on site Ald Van Wyk, Cllr Von Brandis and Cllr Johnson viewed the progress of the PV installation (400-kilowatt peak kWp) that will be able to power most of the Wastewater Treatment Works electrical loads during the daytime.  The system will consist of 736 panels and will occupy an area of approximately 4 800 square metres. 

The Community Services Directorate, division Community Safety has developed a new by-law relating to the use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft and Model Aircraft in Public Open Spaces and Streets.

DRAFT NEW BY-LAW Relating to the Use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft and Model Aircraft in Public Open Spaces and Streets

In terms of the by-law a “model aircraft” means a heavier-than-air aircraft of limited dimensions, with or without a propulsion device, unable to carry a human being and to be used for competition, sport or recreational purposes rather than unmanned aeronautical vehicles (UAV) developed for commercial or governmental, scientific, research or military purposes, and not exceeding the specifications as set by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale as more fully described in the Schedule hereto.

The municipality has a duty to promote a safe and healthy environment for all its residents and to protect municipal property. The municipality therefore adopts this by-law to regulate and manage the operation of remotely piloted aircraft which is operated from a remote pilot station (drone)  and model aircraft in all public places and streets in the municipal area and to regulate behaviour that endangers or is likely to endanger municipal property or members of the public.

The municipality is proposing an application process be followed for permission (issue of permit) and this process considers the potential impact on bird- or wildlife; safety of users of public places or streets; potential damage to municipal property; noise disturbance; weather conditions; compliance with the Regulations; or any other criteria the municipality may find necessary to consider.

https://www.george.gov.za/george-doc-categories/documents/bylaws-and-regulations/protection-services/

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION DETAILS for COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTORATE – COMMUNITY SAFETY SERVICES
Written comments to the intention of the Municipality as outlined above, if any, must be lodged at:  via mail to reach Ms Lee-Anne Meiring, Community Safety, P.O. Box 19, George, 6530 before 12 June 2023; or via e-mail with subject line “Comment to Community Safety By-laws” to lmeiring@george.gov.za and copied to post@george.gov.za

Any person who is unable to write, can submit their input, verbally to the Council’s offices where they will be assisted by a staff member to put their comments in writing. Enquiries can be directed to Ms Lee-Anne Meiring (044- 801 6350).