Author: Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe

28 January 2022

The newly appointed district health council for the Garden Route District was introduced by the Western Cape Minister of Health, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo, on 24 January 2022.

‘Community involvement in health is a crucial part of a good health system functioning. It is also an integral part of Primary Health Care, that is why I am committed to meaningful engagement with communities and civil society. This is critical because it gives the district mayors and councillors representing local municipalities an opportunity to interrogate our Annual District Health Plan checking to see whether their local health priorities are considered,’ said Minister Mbombo.

Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Mayor, Ald. Memory Booysen, together with councillors reviewed the Annual District Health Plan to confirm whether their local priorities have been considered.

‘This collective approach to health in the Garden Route works because it raises the bar on health service standards,’ said Ald. Booysen. ‘Over the years, GRDM also extended its expert advice about municipal health services and will continue doing so in future.’

Councils represent their respective districts and ensure the coordination of health services with their respective municipalities. The appointment of the district health council is in accordance with the National Health Act, 2003 (Act 61 of 2003) which stipulates the establishment of district health councils.

A district health council consists of:

• a person appointed by the provincial minister to represent her
• a member of the relevant district council, who will also be the chair
• a member of the council of each local municipality nominated by the member of the relevant council
• not more than five other persons, appointed by the provincial minister, after consultation with the district council.

Members of the council are:

• Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Mayor, Ald. Memory Booysen
• Garden Route District Director: Mr Zee Brickles
• Cllr Melvin Roelfse (George)
• Cllr Betsi Van Noordwyk (Hessequa)
• Cllr Mavis Busakhwe (Bitou)
• Cllr Anna Janse van Rensburg (Mossel Bay)
• Cllr Joey R Canary (Oudtshoorn)
• Ms Rita Kayster (District Council on Aids and TB)
• Knysna (outstanding)
• Kannaland (outstanding)

Members of the public are requested to make use of the channels available to them, such as the district health council, to voice any matters that might need attention.

Caption:

From left: Ms Rita Kayster ( District Council on Aids and TB), Cllr Melvin Roelfse (George), Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Mayor, Ald. Memory Booysen, Cllr Betsi Van Noordwyk (Hessequa)

, Western Cape Provincial Health Minister Nomafrench Mbombo, Cllr Mavis Busakhwe (Bitou), Cllr Ruiters representing Mossel Bay in the absence of cllr Janse van Rensburg, Mr Zee Brickles(district director: Garden Route and Central Karoo) and Simo Sithandathu(Provincial Council on Aids and TB Civil Society representative).

END

Nadia Ferreira

Principal Communications Officer

Garden Route and Central Karoo Districts

Western Cape Government Health

Issued George Municipality, 26 JANUARY 2022

The Executive Mayor of George, Leon van Wyk wishes to extend his heartfelt condolences to the family of a 4-year-old toddler who was electrocuted by an energised fence in Thembalethu over the past weekend, in an incident that is attached to an ‘illegal connection’ at her home on Saturday afternoon. Simultaneously, Mayor van Wyk issued a stern warning to the citizens of George to refrain from the installation of illegal connections as it poses a fatal danger to society.

Ophayo Tukushe sadly lost his life on Saturday afternoon, 22 January 2022 after she got electrocuted while playing at her Thembalethu home. The information available at this stage indicates that Ophayo touched an energised fence that ran past her home to nearby informal settlements.

“I am deeply saddened by this tragedy; words cannot describe how sad I am for the loss of this toddler. Her future has been stolen from her, I cannot imagine the pain Ophayo’s parents and loved ones must be undergoing. May the family of Ophayo be comforted during this very difficult time,” said Mayor van Wyk.

The latest information relating to the incident indicates that on the next day, (Sunday, 23 January 2022), Nolundi Tukushe the grieving mother of late Ophayo was also electrocuted by the same energised fence that ran past her property while hanging washing. She, fortunately, survived the incident.

The Municipal Electro-Technical Services Department indicated that they were only informed about the two incidents in the aftermath on Sunday morning. The Municipal electro-technical department confirms that the energised fence from which the child got electrocuted was an illegal connection and which was safely removed.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has subsequently launched an inquiry investigation to ascertain circumstances surrounding the death of Ophayo and his mother’s incident. 

“We cannot overemphasize the dangers attached to illegal connections. Any kind of electricity ‘tapping’, no matter how small or innocent-looking, is illegal and dangerous and can cause much more trouble than you know,” Mayor van Wyk said.

“As it was with this incident, the sad part is that children are more likely to be in danger; they can easily be killed, due to their lower weight, because of illegal connections not having earth leakage protection. We ask that law-abiding citizens take it upon themselves to report illegal connection activities to SAPS as soon as they see them taking place,” van Wyk added.

To educate the communities and increase community safety, the Electro-Technical Department conducts regular safety operations targeted at removing illegal connections. The latest operation in this specific area was done on Thursday, 20 January 2022.

George Municipality will continue to act decisively in such matters, and it is well-known that the practice of illegal connection puts the perpetrator in danger of electrocution, risking injury and death to themselves as well as the rest of the community. These connections lie across pathways and walkways where anyone passing can easily be electrocuted.

An electricity connection is considered illegal when it is connected to the George Municipal network without the organisation’s permission. Wires are connected to a mini-substation or overhead pole.  The forms of electricity theft include illegal connections, illegal electrification schemes and meter tampering and bypassing. These illegal electrical thefts are mostly in areas where illegal informal structures are built.

Where people have connected themselves illegally, George Municipality will continue to actively find the perpetrators and lay criminal charges against them. In terms of the Criminal Procedures Act, interference with and the damage to Municipal property could be regarded as sabotage and should someone be found guilty of such an offence, a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years can follow.

Illegal connections should be reported to 044 803 9222 or 044 801 9222 or after hours on 044 801 6300.

The George Municipality offers a reward for information that leads to the successful conviction of electrical theft and /vandalism in a court of law. The witness will have to go on record to the authorities, giving his/her name and contact details to testify, but his/her identity will be protected. Report to 0860 044 044

Ends.

Issued George Municipality, 18 JANUARY 2022

 The George Municipality has recently bolstered its Fire Brigade with a few new appointments as of 1 January 2022. Leading the pack is, Santa Sternsdorf, who is not new to George, but has moved up the ranks from platoon commander to Station Commander Training, at the George Fire Station.

Affectionately known as the “lady driving the big trucks”, as she was seen by many driving the Fire and Rescue trucks, Sternsdorf will now be missed being seen on the trucks since her new role will focus on training within the George Fire and Rescue Department which resorts in the Protection Services Directorate.

Armed with 21 years of experience in the field of firefighting, Santa is ready to impart her wealth of knowledge and expertise to up and coming firefighters, in her new role of heading the training component of the Fire and Rescue Department. She is a Graduate Member of International Fire Engineers (IFE) and a qualified Instructor, Assessor, Moderator, and Intermediate Live Support Paramedic.

Santa started her career in the Helderberg Fire Department, which later became the City of Cape Town Fire Department.  She later left the City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Training Academy to move to Knysna, and thereafter joined the George Fire Department on 1 December 2017 as a platoon commander.

Apart from her being an ardent firefighter and a rescuer, Santa has a family to manage; she married and has a 10-year-old daughter.

George Municipality welcomes Seven junior firefighters

The George Municipality wishes to congratulate and welcome the seven newly appointed junior firefighters that will serve in the Fire and Rescue Service to the Wilderness Fire Station. The new recruits started their duties on 1 January 2022, and are now rotating between George, Thembalethu and Wilderness to get training and exposure with senior staff. They are:

• Richard Brentley Bruiners
• Edwin Thabiso Keketsi
• Heinrich Leonardo Pienaar
• Renaldo Frederick Le Grange
• Garth Jesmar Claassen
• Kenneth  Marquin  Johnson and
• Jeandre Bernardo

ENDS.

CAPTION:

PHOTO1:

Back row from left: Kenneth Johnson, Jeandre Bernardo, Richard Bruiders, Thabiso Keketsi  (all junior firefighters and Santa Sternsdorf (new Station Commander Training)

Front row form Left: Hein Pienaar, Garth Claassen and Frederick Le Grange.

PHOTO 2:

Back row from left: Santa Sternsdorf (Station Commander Training) and the following junior firefighters; Kenneth Johnson, Jeandre Bernardo, Richard Bruiders, Thabiso Keketsi.

Front row form Left: Hein Pienaar, Garth Claassen and Frederick Le Grange (all junior firefighters)

Daniel B Greeff Pr. Eng returns “home” and joined the George Municipality on 1 January 2022 as a Deputy Director for Planning & Design in the Electro-Technical Services Department. After obtaining his B.Eng. degree from the University of North-West in 2003, he started working as a consulting engineer for more than 13 years in the Garden Route area. During this time, he was registered as a professional engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa in 2013. In 2017, he was appointed as the Manager Electro-Technical Services for Witzenberg Municipality.

The George Municipality wishes to commend the law enforcement agencies and SAPS for the swift action that led to the arrest of five suspects in connection with theft and vandalising of a power supply cable connected to the 66kv that is situated at the back of the sewer pump station at Gwaing on Saturday, 1 January 2022.

The municipality suffered a huge financial blow with an estimated 1800 meters of cable stolen with an approximate value of R1 million. The retrieved cable is useless and cannot be reused.

The municipality cannot provide extensive detail with regards to the police investigation, but we are satisfied to report that the police have arrested two adults and three minors from Syferfontein in connection with this incident.  The arrested persons will appear in court soon.

George Municipality cannot overemphasize the danger of stealing or tampering with energised cables. “We would like to warn the public to refrain from stealing municipal property as it is not only causing huge losses from the public’s coffers but also poses danger to the lives of those tampering with energised cables,” said Dr Michele Gratz, acting municipal manager.

“Information available at this stage suggests that, although no spillages or damage to the pump station were caused, the electrical line was tripped by the thieves. The alleged thieves could have been seriously injured or killed if the line had fallen on them or they touched it while energized,” Dr Gratz added. If a sewerage spill did occur, the environmental and health implications would have been far-reaching for the community.

A reward for information leading to a successful prosecution

George Municipality will pay a reward of R2500 to any person who offers information on vandalism and theft incidents, and which information leads to the successful conviction of the perpetrator in a court of law.  The paying of a reward is seen as a necessary step to combat the expenditure on the repair of vandalized and stolen infrastructure. These assets are managed by the municipality on behalf of the public and it is George Municipality’s request to all our residents to assist us in looking after and protecting these assets.

The public can contact the Anti-fraud toll-free number 0860 044 044 or report vandalism and theft verbally, by email, or any municipal or SAPS telephone numbers. The member of public reporting will have to supply their name and contact details as their testimony may be required for the successful conviction of the perpetrators. The identity of those helping will be protected.

George Municipality calls on the community to please assist us in eradicating theft and vandalism, to allow the municipality to improve service delivery levels and continue to improve the quality of people’s lives.

Report Illegal connections to 044 801 9222 or after hours on 044 801 6300. Report to 0860 044 044 with details to be eligible for the reward.

Ends.