Author: Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe

Several organisations provided food hampers and other items to families

Issued by the Garden Route District JOC/George Municipality, 15 May 2024 at 18:00

Rescue and recovery efforts have reached day nine (9) following the incident at 75 Victoria Street. Rescue workers and other role-players have been on site of the collapsed building for 220 hours.

The confirmed statistics for the incident are:
* Total estimated individuals on-site when the incident occurred: 81
* Rescued and recovered: 62
* Of which deceased: 33 (27 males, 6 females)
* Currently hospitalised: 12
* Unaccounted for: 19

FAMILIES LINKED TO SURVIVORS AND DECEASED

Up to now, 47 victims have been linked to their families.

STRICT VERIFICATION IN PLACE

The Garden Route District Joint Operations Centre’s adherence to a stringent double verification protocol is crucial for maintaining the integrity and accuracy of reported numbers of the deceased, which is essential in emergency and disaster response scenarios. This verification process involves cross-referencing information from multiple reliable sources, such as recovery teams, hospitals, and forensic services.

DONATIONS TO FAMILIES

Today, several organisations, such as the Gift of the Givers, Makro, Lions Club, and Food Socks (feature image) and the Ghanian Community Association in George, provided food hampers and other items to families who are related to the workers who were present at the Victoria Street building collapse in George. The Multi-Agency Command Centre expresses its heartfelt gratitude and thank you to all these organisations for their generous acts of kindness.

DONATIONS FOR EMERGENCY PERSONNEL AT THE GEORGE BUILDING COLLAPSE SITE

The George Municipality would like to provide details of how the public can support the multi-disciplinary emergency personnel with donations of drinking water, energy drinks, wine gums, or food for emergency services while they are on-site.

Donations may be delivered to AFM (AGS) Soteria Church at 27 Victoria Street in George or contact the Gift of the Givers: Mario Ferreira (082 490 2752) and Herman Pienaar (082 829 6428) in this regard.

MINISTERIAL AND OTHER VISITS

The President of the Republic of South Africa, Hon. Cyril Ramaphosa, will be visiting the disaster site in George, accompanied by a delegation of National Ministers, on Thursday, 16 May 2024 (tomorrow).

POST-INCIDENT SUPPORT

The Western Cape Department of Social Development has indicated that a comprehensive range of services will continue to be made available to the affected families for a minimum of 6 months.

The next update will be issued at 21:00 this evening, 15 May 2024.

Photograph: Garden Route District Municipality

#Georgebuildingcollapse

Issued by the Garden Route District JOC/George Municipality, 14 May 2024 at 21:00

Rescue and recovery efforts continue into day eight (8) following the incident at 75 Victoria Street. Rescue workers and other roleplayers have been on site of the collapsed building for 199 hours.

The confirmed statistics for the incident are:
* Total estimated individuals on-site when the incident occurred: 81
* Rescued and recovered: 62
* Of which deceased: 33 (27 males, 6 females)
* Currently hospitalised: 12
* Unaccounted for: 19

The formal identification process has been completed by the Victim Identification Centre and Forensic Pathology Service (FPS) as follows:

Identification: 18 (14 males, 4 females)
Nationality breakdown:
South Africa: 7
Zimbabwe: 3
Lesotho: 1
Malawi: 5
Mozambique: 2

IDENTIFICATION PROCESS

The identification of descendants is the responsibility of the South African Police Service (SAPS). The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness FPS manages the visual identification in support of SAPS. After an incident such as this, visual identification can understandably be difficult and traumatic for family members and requires SAPS to undertake identification through scientific means, of which DNA testing is one method. We urge the media and public to please respect the families of the deceased while we facilitate the identification process with SAPS.

STRICT VERIFICATION IN PLACE

The Garden Route District Joint Operations Centre’s adherence to a stringent double verification protocol is crucial for maintaining the integrity and accuracy of reported numbers of the deceased, which is essential in emergency and disaster response scenarios. This verification process involves cross-referencing information from multiple reliable sources, such as recovery teams, hospitals, and forensic services.

MINISTERIAL AND OTHER VISITS

The National Minister of Employment and Labour, Hon. Thulas Nxesi, will be visiting the area on Thursday, 16 May 2024.

NO MORE FOOD DONATIONS NEEDED FOR FAMILIES

The George Municipality expresses profound gratitude for the overwhelming support shown through food donations for the families impacted by the recent building collapse. Acknowledging the generosity of the community, the Municipality announces that the donations received exceed the immediate needs of the affected families. Consequently, no further food donations are necessary until further notice at the George Civic Centre. However, for those still willing to contribute, donations may be redirected to AFM (AGS) Soteria Church at 27 Victoria Street.

The Municipality extends its sincere appreciation to all individuals and organisations for their remarkable outpouring of goodwill during this difficult period.

SPECIAL REQUESTS FROM FAMILY

A request for a Cultural prayer by a family member of one of the deceased was made and permission has been granted for, tomorrow, 15 May 2024 at 07:15 am.

The next update will be issued tomorrow morning at 06:00 am, 15 May 2024.

Photograph: Garden Route District Munici

Issued by the Garden Route District JOC/George Municipality, 14 May 2024

Rescue and recovery efforts are on day eight (8) following the incident at 75 Victoria Street. Rescue workers and other roleplayers have been on site of the collapsed building for 196 hours.

The confirmed statistics for the incident are:
* Total estimated individuals on-site when the incident occurred: 81
* Rescued and recovered: 62
* Of which deceased: 33 (27 males, 6 females)
* Currently hospitalised: 12
* Unaccounted for: 19

IDENTIFICATION PROCESS

The identification of decedents is the responsibility of the South African Police Service (SAPS). The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness Forensic Pathology Service (FPS) manages the visual identification in support of SAPS. After an incident such as this, visual identification can understandably be difficult and traumatic for family members and requires SAPS to undertake identification through scientific means, of which DNA testing is one method. We ask the media and public to please respect the families of the deceased while we facilitate the identification process with SAPS.

STRICT VERIFICATION IN PLACE

The Joint District Operations Centre’s adherence to a stringent double verification protocol is crucial for maintaining the integrity and accuracy of reported numbers of the deceased, which is essential in emergency and disaster response scenarios. This verification process involves cross-referencing information from multiple reliable sources, such as recovery teams, hospitals, and forensic services.

MINISTERIAL AND OTHER VISITS

The National Minister of Employment and Labour, Hon. Thulas Nxesi, will be visiting the area on Thursday, 16 May 2024.

NO MORE FOOD DONATIONS NEEDED FOR FAMILIES

The George Municipality expresses profound gratitude for the overwhelming support shown through food donations for the families impacted by the recent building collapse. Acknowledging the generosity of the community, the Municipality announces that the donations received exceed the immediate needs of the affected families. Consequently, no further food donations are necessary until further notice at the George Civic Centre. However, for those still willing to contribute, donations may be redirected to AFM (AGS) Soteria Church at 27 Victoria Street. The Municipality extends its sincere appreciation to all individuals and organisations for their remarkable outpouring of goodwill during this difficult period.

SPECIAL REQUESTS FROM FAMILY

A request for a Cultural prayer by a family member of one of the deceased was made and permission has been granted for tomorrow, 15 May 2024 at 07:15.

The next update will be issued by 21:00, 14 May 2024.

Photograph: Garden Route District Municipality

Issued by George Municipality, 14 May 2024 @16:45

The George Municipality extends its heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming support received in the form of food donations for the families affected by the building collapse.

At this time, the Municipality wishes to inform the public that the amount of food received is more than sufficient to meet the needs of the affected families. Therefore, no further food donations are required at the George Civic Centre for the injured or deceased workers’ families.

However, for those still wishing to contribute food donations, we kindly request that they be delivered to RGS Soteria Church at 27 Victoria Street and not to the George Civic Centre.

The Municipality sincerely thanks all individuals and organisations for their outpouring of goodwill during this challenging time. The generosity shown by the community has been remarkable.

Rescue and recovery efforts continue a week after the incident took place at 75 Victoria Street where a partially-built building collapsed. Rescue workers and other role players have been on site for 175 hours.

The confirmed statistics for the incident are:

* Total estimated individuals on-site when the incident occurred: 81                                                                                      * Rescued and recovered: 61                                                                                                                                                          * Of which deceased: 32                                                                                                                                                                    * Currently hospitalised: 12                                                                                                                                                            * Unaccounted for: 20

𝗙𝗔𝗦𝗧-𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗙 𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗚𝗬 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗦

The primary focus continues to be on rescue efforts. With this in mind, we are also proactively setting up plans to expedite the identification of the deceased. This is done by Forensic Pathology Service (FPS) and South African Police Service (SAPS). We, therefore, endeavour to fast-track the process to help bring closure to families. Fingerprints, DNA testing and photographs of unique markings such as tattoos and clothing items are some of the methods used to identify the deceased. Forensic Pathology Services are not limited to the Victoria Street Disaster in George, but also include other cases that happen on a daily basis.

It is confirmed that six (6) of the deceased were positively identified – this information has been verified in terms of current protocols.

𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗢𝗙 𝗙𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗬 𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥𝗦

We are experiencing difficulties in obtaining accurate names of individuals missing or deceased due to the building collapse. We urgently request families who have lost contact with their loved ones to come to the George Civic Centre on York Street. This will enable the Department of Social Development to collect detailed and precise information, ensuring that all records are accurately documented.

𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗧 𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗜𝗡 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗖𝗘

The Joint District Operations Centre’s adherence to a stringent double verification protocol is crucial for maintaining the integrity and accuracy of reported numbers of the deceased, which is essential in emergency and disaster response scenarios. This verification process involves cross-referencing information from multiple reliable sources, such as recovery teams, hospitals, and forensic services.

𝗣𝗦𝗬𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗦𝗢𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧

There is still an urgent call for professional psychosocial support practitioners proficient in Chewa, Portuguese, and Shona languages to assist survivors and their families. Several practitioners have already offered their services and more are welcomed to contact Ms. Kholiswa Jobela at 078 210 5972 or Mr. Apolus Swart at 061 504 4205.

𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗩𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗦

Tomorrow, 14 May 2024, Salga Provincial and National Teams will be visiting the area at 10:00.The National Minister of Labour will be visiting the area on Thursday, 16 May 2024.

𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗙𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗬

A request for a Cultural prayer by a family member of one of the deceased was made and permission has been granted for Wednesday, 15 May 2024 at 07:15.

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞𝗦

Gerhard Otto, GRDM Head of Disaster Management extended a word of appreciation and gratitude to all stakeholders that continuously provide updated and accurate information to the Multi-Agency Command Centre to report about.

The next update will be issued by 06:00 tomorrow, 14 May 2024.

Rescue and recovery efforts continue into a week after the incident took place at 75 Victoria Street where a partially-built building collapsed. Rescue workers and other role players have been on site for 172 hours.

The confirmed statistics for the incident are:

* Total estimated individuals on-site when the incident occurred: 81

* Rescued and recovered: 59

* Of which deceased: 30

* Currently hospitalised: 13

* Unaccounted for: 22

𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞 𝗬𝗢𝗨

To all residents of George and South Africa who participated in the Moment of Silence in honour of the victims who passed away in the incident, we would like to extend our sincere appreciation for your continuous support.

𝗙𝗔𝗦𝗧-𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗙 𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗚𝗬 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗦

The primary focus continues to be on rescue efforts. With this in mind, we are also proactively setting up plans to expedite the identification of the deceased. This is done by Forensic Pathology Service (FPS) and South African Police Service (SAPS). We, therefore, endeavour to fast-track the process to help bring closure to families.

𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗢𝗙 𝗙𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗬 𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥𝗦

We are experiencing difficulties in obtaining accurate names of individuals missing or deceased due to the building collapse. We urgently request families who have lost contact with their loved ones to come to the George Civic Centre on York Street. This will enable the Department of Social Development to collect detailed and precise information, ensuring that all records are accurately documented.

𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗧 𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗜𝗡 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗖𝗘

The Joint District Operations Centre’s adherence to a stringent double verification protocol is crucial for maintaining the integrity and accuracy of reported numbers of the deceased, which is essential in emergency and disaster response scenarios. This verification process involves cross-referencing information from multiple reliable sources, such as recovery teams, hospitals, and forensic services.

𝗣𝗦𝗬𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗦𝗢𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧

There is still an urgent call for professional psychosocial support practitioners proficient in Chewa, Portuguese, and Shona languages to assist survivors and their families. Several practitioners have already offered their services and more are welcomed to contact Ms. Kholiswa Jobela at 078 210 5972 or Mr. Apolus Swart at 061 504 4205.

The next update will be issued by 21:00 today, 13 May 2024.

In the photo is Dmitry Reznichenko a Project Engineer at Specialized Solar Systems (front left) showing Alderman Leon van Wyk, the Executive Mayor of George (front right) how the remotely managed technology works. The onlookers are, from left, Cllr Nosicelo Mbethe (Portfolio Councillor for Electrotechnical Services & Fleet), Phumla Magwebu (Beneficiary) and Cllr Thandiswa Qatana of the George Municipal Council. Standing at the back is Zenande Gubeka from Specialized Solar Systems).

Amidst ongoing challenges with load shedding affecting millions across South Africa, thirteen families residing in informal settlements in Thembalethu, a township in George, now enjoy reliable off-grid solar-powered electricity supply, courtesy of the Specialized Solar Systems’ Solar Electrification Pilot project.

During an official visit to the informal settlements on Thursday, 26 April 2024, Alderman Leon van Wyk, the Executive Mayor of George, inaugurated the Thembalethu Alternating Current (AC) Solar Electrification Pilot Project. “What we’ve now seen is the inauguration of the first pilot project and it is pleasing to see that this has worked. We want to applaud the company for taking this initiative and developing some new novel technology to make this work, so we certainly hope we can take this forward and expand this project to other areas.”

Expressing his enthusiasm for the initiative, Mayor van Wyk emphasised the collaborative efforts between the government and the private sector in transforming lives and improving living conditions. “This project is a remarkable example of groundbreaking technology enhancing dignified living while ensuring safety and affordability,” Mayor van Wyk added.

Andrew Behrens, the projects manager from Specialized Solar Systems (SSS) explained the innovative off-grid system, which utilises remotely managed technology to convert solar energy into usable electricity. Through overhead reticulation and automated switching meters, households receive fair and reliable power, managed remotely. Additionally, residents have the option to choose bundled power packages with Pay-As-You-Go billing, ensuring affordability and accessibility.

The project, initiated following a proposal invitation by George Municipality in 2022, was undertaken by Specialized Solar Systems in 2023 at no cost to the Municipality. Pierre Conradie, a senior electrical engineer at SSS highlighted the project’s goal to provide electricity to residents in informal areas not covered by traditional electrification programs. The Thembalethu project introduces groundbreaking technology, setting a sustainable precedent for future energy solutions.

Phumla Magwebu, a Zone 3 Informal Settlements beneficiary in Thembalethu, expressed gratitude for the project, saying, “The project has brought light into our lives. I’m very grateful, I wish more people could benefit from it.”

The project aims to collect valuable data and feedback to ensure its success and sustainability for future initiatives. “After about 6 months of project pilot evaluation, we will discuss the future of the projects based on the results and data from the pilot, said Daniel Greeff, the acting Director of the George Municipality’s Electrotechnical Services Directorate. George Municipality appreciates all stakeholders, including municipal officials, councillors, and the community, for their contributions to this transformative project.

Luvo Bomvana, Local Economic Development Manager, George Municipality

George Municipality is proud to announce the launch of the Start-Up Tribe Academy, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and supporting small businesses in the local community. In collaboration with Start-Up Tribe, an esteemed online platform offering free online learning, this initiative seeks to empower aspiring and existing entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the business world.

Supported by the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism, the Start-Up Tribe initiative has gained international recognition for its efforts to address unemployment and promote economic growth. With a presence in 27 countries and over 400 cities and municipalities worldwide, Start-Up Tribe has been instrumental in providing valuable resources and educational opportunities to entrepreneurs.

The Start-Up Tribe Academy offers a wide range of free online courses designed to cater to entrepreneurs at various stages of their business journey. Whether you are a novice exploring business ideas or an experienced entrepreneur seeking to expand your skills, the Academy provides accessible and engaging learning materials tailored to your needs. From introductory courses in the 14-Day Start Course to advanced Growth Courses, participants can benefit from insights shared by successful entrepreneurs and industry experts.

According to Luvo Bomvana, the Economic Development Manager at George Municipality, entrepreneurship plays a vital role in addressing key socio-economic challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and inequality. “By participating in the Start-Up Tribe initiative, George Municipality aims to strengthen the local entrepreneurship ecosystem and provide entrepreneurs with the necessary tools and support to thrive,” Bomvana said.

Access the Start-Up Tribe Academy via a link on the George Municipality website, offering a user-friendly platform for easy access to educational resources. Through periodic data analysis and support from the Start-Up Tribe team, the Municipality will closely monitor progress and measure the impact of the initiative.

Importantly, the implementation of the Start-Up Tribe Academy incurs no financial costs to the Municipality, as it is fully funded by the Start-Up Tribe. With a customised syllabus and comprehensive back-end support, the Academy represents a valuable resource for local entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses.

For more information about the Start-Up Tribe and how to access the Academy, please visit https://www.thestartuptribe.org/pages/george

Additionally, frequently asked questions can be found at https://www.thestartuptribe.org/pages/faq.

#Startuptribeishere #Supportingsmallbusiness #Supportlocalentrepreneurs