last-news

Media Release: Community Development celebrates Transgender Awareness Week

Issued by George Municipality 23 November 2022 for immediate release

George Municipality Community Development Services in collaboration with the Social Health and Empowerment organisation, took the initiative of starting organic food gardens at two local Educare centres, Rosedale Educare centre and Golden Valley Creche in Blanco last week week to celebrate Transgender Awareness Week. Transgender Week runs from 13-19 November each year and is a one-week awareness and celebration event with the aim to advance advocacy around issues of prejudice, discrimination and violence that affect the transgender community.

Jonathan Fortuin (District Sector Leader LGBTQIA++ Garden Route District and municipal official) said, “We are not only starting the gardens but will look after them with the help of the community. We want to show the world that we take ownership and are active and responsible citizens. We will be starting food gardens for members of LGBTQIA++community at homes to give needy people and people who use chronic medication, access to healthy food.”

For any queries or information regarding LGBTQIA++ please contact George Community Development  at 044 802 2000.

Gardengroup: The group of the George Municipality the LGBTQIA++ helpdesk and the Social Health and Empowerment organisation with some of the toddlers from Rosedale creche with seeds for the garden.

 Gardengolden: The group of the George Municipality the LGBTQIA++ helpdesk and the Social Health and Empowerment organisation at Golden Valley creche.

 Garden 1,2,3: Some members of the group work the land at the creches to start the organic food gardens.

George Municipality Law Enforcement has visited more than 95 shops in George and surrounds in the past week to put up posters about the ban on fireworks in the George Municipal area and has already written out warnings and issues a number of fines to shop owners.

Law Enforcement officers, Roland Hardnick, Daniella Laws and Verona Botha have confiscated fireworks to the value of R1120 at different shops and have written out three fines in the amount of R4500 each.

We remind the public that due to the high fire risk, the setting off, and possession of fireworks, firecrackers, flares, paper lanterns and other such paraphernalia in the George municipal area is not allowed. The fireworks confiscated by our Law Enforcement officers will be handed over to the police for disposal. Confiscation notices are issued to the offending shops.

George has strict firework legislation and according to the Bylaw on Community Safety, Section 58 (13) No person may discharge fireworks outside of a designated Fire Works Area. No Fire Works area has been made available in George and should someone be caught discharging a firework, a flare, or lighting a Chinese lantern an immediate fine of R1000 is applicable as well as a potential charge of arson.

Setting off marine rocket flares for fun is hugely dangerous and irresponsible. NSRI is compelled to log and investigate every incident in case it is a real emergency which of course takes up their time and valuable resources and could detract from genuine flare sightings. It is also hugely dangerous for those setting off the flares, as they are quite costly, and sometimes also out of date.

Marine guidance notes explain that all old flares need to be disposed of correctly.
Rocket flares degrade with time and there have been cases where the rocket propellant separates from the parachute, and you are left with an uncontrolled flare which then comes back down and hits the person who has fired it off.

George Municipality will firmly enforce the applicable by-laws and additional Law Enforcement officers will be deployed at various areas and beaches over the festive season to attend to fireworks complaints. This will hopefully assist in reducing the noise levels and allow people (and their pets) to plan for “noisy” periods thus allowing for a quieter, safer environment for all concerned. For some pets, especially dogs and cats with particularly noise-sensitive ears, the sound of fireworks can cause intense fear responses. Some pets will go to extremes to hide, others get startled and run away, and general anxiety caused by unexpected loud sounds can have long-lasting effects on animals.

Please report the illegal setting off of fireworks to 044 801 6350 or after hours at 044 801 6300.
Please report the illegal trade in fireworks to 044 801 6350 or after hours at 044 801 6300.

FIRE EMERGENCIES: 044 801 6311

Caption: Roland Hardnick from Law Enforcement Services at George Municipality hands over a poster to Shakiel Mohammed from George Superette that warns about the ban on fireworks in the municipal area.

Pacaltsdorp residents are invited to submit their home residence to be considered as a temporary film set for a television production, faciliated through the Tourism section of George Municipality.

The Tourism section of George Municipality facilitates film support as an economic impact activity to boost the local industry.  The section has been assisting Meerfout Films with various aspects of their production for Juffrou X, a drama about a group of teachers and parents who work together to rid their school of bad influences, set to air on kykNET.  The producers are looking for residential homes in Pacaltsdorp which can be used as a film set for a specified duration. “We will need about 5 homes, preferably close together, where we can film for one day at each house”, says Producer and Director Berdene Burger.

Dates:              January and February 2023 (exact dates TBC)

Home Impact: Film crews understand that additional care must be taken when filming in a residential residence.  They bring their own porta loos, catering, chairs and gazebos. The family will need to vacate the home for approximately 12 hours on the day of filming.

Rate:               R3,500 per house

Interested Pacaltsdorp residents should make contact with shouse@george.gov.za by Friday, 25 November 2022.  Please submit your contact details, residential address and a photo of the outside of the house.

18 November 2022

They are the smallest patients, coming into this world too early. The road is not always easy and on 17 November 2022, we show compassion and support for families who are experiencing the anxiety of premature births by observing World Prematurity Day.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that every year, 15 million infants worldwide are born preterm. Sadly, the complications of preterm birth are among the leading causes of death in children under five. All infants born preterm require immediate and significant medical care that pose unexpected challenges –  emotional and financial – to their parents and family system.

A premature birth occurs when a baby is born before 37 weeks of gestation (pregnancy). In humans, a normal gestation period is from 38 to 42 weeks. Ideally, babies remain in the womb until they are full term, but for various reasons this does not always happen. The causes of preterm birth vary, but in most cases the exact cause is unknown.

Claudine Damons (36) gave birth to her beautiful baby girl, Aria-Lee Damons, on 7 September 2022 at George Hospital. At only 28 weeks, little Aria-Lee weighed 930 g and went to ICU for further care and treatment. Before the birth of her daughter, Claudine was a mom of two boys. ‘Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to give birth prematurely. This was my first experience and I had to adapt,’ she added.

Two months later, baby Aria-Lee is still in her premature stage and a healthy baby.

Another mother who has walked the road with her preemie is Thembisa Saptoe (29) from Thembalethu, George, who gave birth on 10 August 2022 at 28 weeks. She adds that caring for and nursing her preemie baby was one of the most challenging and toughest experience of her life. ‘I am really grateful for the fact that she is a survivor; she fought with everything that she had. At one point we thought we were going to lose her, but she really, really made it through,’ she said.

Western Cape Government Health and Wellness walks a journey with mothers in every stage of their pregnancy. It starts with the antenatal visits during which chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes can be picked up and managed accordingly. It is important for mothers to go to all their antenatal classes, to speak to a healthcare worker when they are unsure or worried about their health or the babies’. This also forms part of the first 1 000 days in a child’s development, starting from conception, moving through pregnancy, birth, and after the first 2 years of life, which are crucial for securing a child’s bright future. Your child’s health is most vulnerable during the first 1 000 days of their life. The right care and nutrition during this time helps to develop their brains, fuel their physical growth, build up a strong immune system, improve their school readiness and educational achievement, and reduce their risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease later in life.

https://www.westerncape.gov.za/first-1000-days/

Caption: Thembisa Saptoe and her baby daughter who was born premature.

Caption: Claudine Damons and daughter Aria-Lee

Caption: Miles Moos with his dad

Caption: Prem Day event at Knysna Hospital

ISSUED BY THE WESTERN CAPE GOVERNMENT HEALTH

GARDEN ROUTE AND CENTRAL KAROO DISTRICTS

In an effort to provide better health and wellness opportunities to people of all ages, abilities, and socio-economic statuses, the George Municipality has established three Outdoor Gym Trim, one on Knysna Road and another one at the Corner of Mission and Fern Streets in Pacaltsdorp, and ERF 80 Van Riebeeck Gardens.

The Executive Mayor of George Aderman Leon van Wyk this week visited the Outdoor Gym Trims to officially open this easy-to-use outdoor gym equipment which is accessible to the public for recreation purposes.

“This initiative is part of a pilot project that we launched to provide outdoor gym equipment for communal use. We look forward to seeing how the equipment is going to be utilized by community members so we can continue the rollout of such equipment in other wards. At this stage, this open-air gym is one of three pilot sites; one is in Van Riebeek Park (between Heatherlands and Camfersdrift), and Mission Street (Pacaltsdorp),” said Mayor van Wyk.

Councillor Monique Simmers who was also part of the mayor’s entourage during the official launch of the Outdoor Gym Trim also shared her thoughts about this gym facility, as the ward councillor for Ward 5 wherein Lavallia is located, “I am pleased that this amenity is now available for all the residents, young and old, in my ward.  These initiatives provide forms of recreational activities for our residents, and I would like to invite everyone to come and try them out. Thanks to our portfolio Cllr Jean Safers and our officials for making this possible.”

Ends

The George and Knysna Municipalities’ fire departments collaborated to present a Fire Instructor 1 course to the fire services staff in the Garden Route, Southern Cape. The training which was a hybrid course of face-to-face training and home-based training took place during September and October 2022 and the final assessment was concluded on the 10^th and 11^th of November 2022.

“Professional Fire Fighting training is a very specialised training and because of that, the places that can present accredited training are few and far between. Until now firefighter training required us to send staff to Cape Town or other provinces to obtain these IFSAC accredited training,” said Santa Sternsdorf, Station Commander Training, at the George Fire Station. “With the City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Training Academy, obtaining their IFSAC accreditation, they are now willing to assess and accredited the training that we can present ourselves. This allows us as “smaller” Municipalities to train our staff, and in doing so we can reduce the cost of training and ensure a high level of quality training for our staff,” Sternsdorf said.

Western Cape Province Disaster Management Fire and Rescue has been instrumental in this process, through their capacity building grants will assist the Training with resources and costs of assessments to support training in the Western Cape. The instructor training is part of a strategic process to increase the training capabilities of the “Smaller” fire services in the Southern Cape.

This training will, according to Sternsdorf, increase the training capacity of the Fire Services in the area. “Through collaboration with other Municipalities, we can present the training each Municipality Fire service requires locally.” The Fire Instructor 1 course was attended by George, Knysna, Bitou, Mossel Bay, and Hessequa Municipalities. The course was presented as a “hybrid” course where a combination of self-study and classroom training was done. The final assessments will be done the second week in November with a City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Training Academy assessor.

Ends.

MAYOR’S NEWSLETTER FOR GEORGE HERALD OF 17 NOVEMBER 2022

As we rapidly head towards our holiday season, preparations have begun to receive our visitors.

This year there is pent-up enthusiasm for the season ahead as we prepare to receive the influx of visitors over the next few weeks. We have already had several preparatory meetings with key municipal staff in anticipation of this season in readiness for the daily early morning meetings from 1 December to deal with service delivery issues.

We have noted that passenger traffic through the George Airport during each month of 2022 has returned to levels from a low of 86% of 2019 levels for January rising into the high 90% to over 100% monthly compared to 2019 levels, resulting in George reflecting among the best recovery rates for the country post the pandemic. It also appears that occupancy rates for the Garden Route National Park and accommodation establishments have been climbing during the months of 2022. Expectations accordingly are that we should experience a good season.

The recent airing of the My Kitchen Rules (MKR) television cooking show that was held at Victoria Bay should assist in boosting the tourist attractions offered by our locations. I recently visited the NSRI station in Wilderness where, as expected, the crew were meticulously checking their equipment and practising their training procedures for the summer. We spoke about the importance of avoiding those parts of the beach where rip currents are prevalent.

This year, George has been awarded Blue Flag status for the Wilderness and Herold’s Bay beaches and pilot site status for Victoria Bay beach. Blue Flag is recognised internationally for water quality along with a host of tests and requirements that need to be met throughout the season. There are a number of beaches, e.g., around Durban, that have failed to retain their status as a result of not meeting the water quality requirements.

In our preparations for this year, we will be making use of QR codes that will provide access to websites containing information on tourist activities and events, important municipal contact details as well as water and other safety tips for our visitors. We are preparing the checklists for season preparedness that will include the provision of refuse and cleansing services, parking, signage, ablutions, traffic control, communications, al fresco dining, etc.

The holiday season is a great boost to many sectors of the broader tourism economy and to employment. It is therefore important for all citizens to be friendly and welcoming to our visitors to make their stay spectacular. Every experience, including each meal, activity or swim, should be so memorable as to ensure they return next year. As always, if there are good ideas, please send us an email at supporttourism@george.gov.za

Ald. Leon van Wyk

Executive Mayor of George

The George Municipal Vehicle Testing Station (VTS) is again offering a FREE 10-Point Check for your vehicle on 12 to 15 December 2022 and 10 to 13 January 2023 (08h30 -15h30). Bring your vehicle to the VTS situated at Hibernia Street, George on the dates listed above and please note first come first served rule will apply.

The 10 Point inspection includes:

• Identification of vehicle
• Lights
• Equipment and Body structure
• Braking Systems
• Wheels and Tyres
• Suspension and undercarriage
• Steering
• Oil leaks
• Exhaust System
• Transmission

The full inspection will take approximately 10 minutes and you will be free to go with a clean bill of health – or know that something needs to be repaired before you leave for that long drive.

Safety is our priority – make use of the opportunity to ensure you and your family travel safely this festive season.

SAFETY TIPS
Check that vehicle is roadworthy before you start your journey
Carry the necessary equipment and tools to assist you on the road in case of a breakdown
Have enough rest before you start your journey and take a rest every 2 hours
Adhere to all road signs and rules of the road
Maintain a safe following distance
Adhere to and stay within the speed limits
Follow instructions that are given by Law enforcement or Traffic Officials
No overloading of passengers because it affects the braking system of the vehicle
Have the necessary contact numbers in case of emergency
Be patient towards other road users

ENDS.

NEW FIRE HYDRANTS FOR GLENWOOD AVENUE

Glenwood avenue extension got its first public hydrant. The existing fire hydrants in the Glenwood Ave extension area are all located within the private developments.  Access to these fire hydrants is challenging during times of high risk/emergency and the Civil Engineering Services Directorate decided to rather install two additional hydrants along Glenwood Ave Extension.  The area North of the Glenwood Ave extension is a high-risk fire area, and the hydrants will assist the George Municipal`s Fire Department during emergency situations.  The installation was completed successfully.

Ends.

THE GEORGE TENS SPORT & LIFESTYLE FESTIVAL IS ALMOST HERE! HERE’S YOUR LINE-UP!

Team registrations are heating up for the George Tens Sport & Lifestyle Festival. Will we see you there?

Returning to Outeniqua Park and surrounds, the 2022 George Tens takes place on 15 – 18 Dec 2022. The event will see a week of exciting Tens rugby coupled with additional events including Women’s Rugby, ladies & mixed teams Netball, Touchies, Volleyball, Golf, Trail running, Mountain biking …. and just for a bit of extra fun, ‘boeresport’!

“The response to the announcement of the festival has been incredible!” says Heyneke Meyer, co-founder of the festival and former Springbok Coach. “We are getting emails and calls from right across the country as sports lovers prepare to enter their teams for the range of events. Some of SA’s biggest rugby icons will also be joining us this year.

Join legends like Anton Leonard, Wynie Strydom, Victor Matfield, Johan Kapp & more on Oubaai Hotel, Golf & Spa or Pieter Hendriks, Vlok Cilliers, Meyer Bosman & Hein Truter on Pinnacle Point Golf Estate on 15 December ’22!

From there, we hit the beach at Wilderness Beach on 16 & 17 Dec ’22 for Touchies & Beach Volleyball! Oh, and for warm-up we thought a bit of old fashioned ‘Boeresport’ will be just the thing!

Rugby & Netball is starting at Outeniqua Park on 16 December and Trail Running & Mountain Biking will hit the ground from the park on 17 & 18 Dec respectively!

BUT THAT’S NOT ALL! ….. closing off the festivities daily, is the 1925 Band, opening for Heuwels Fantasties on 16 Dec, Spoegwolf on 17 Dec & Early B on the 18th!

“The George Municipality is delighted to support this important event and I encourage all role-players in the George economic community, but also the rest of the country, to once again join us for this epic event” says Portfolio Councillor for Finance and Strategic Services, Dirk Wessels.

“Working with Heyneke Meyer is a delight and this event has the promise of stimulating and developing the George economy in a tremendous way. An ethos that we as the George Municipality live by and aspires to uphold! “

Meyer reiterates, “I am grateful for the support from the George Municipality and that of the George community! We kicked off the festival in 2021 amidst a lot of Covid restrictions. This year, all are welcome, and we can’t wait to welcome YOU! It’s going to be SPECTACULAR!

Follow @George10s on Facebook and www.georgetens.co.za to stay up to date on all the latest details.

Here follows the registration information for the all the specific codes:

All prices, registration information and more on www.georgetens.co.za

Golf

15 December

Oubaai Golf Resort & Spa & Pinnacle Point Golf Estate

Women’s & Men’s Rugby

16, 17 & 18 December

Outeniqua Park

Schools: Bulletjies, Primary Schools, High Schools

Students:

Social: Amateurs: (U/35), Veterans (Above 35)

Premier Division: Professional, Semi-Professional

Ladies & Mixed teams Netball

16 – 17 December

Outeniqua Park

School: Primary Schools, High Schools

Students

Social: Social/Amateurs (U/35), Veterans (O/35)

Touchies

16 December

Wilderness

Volleyball

17 December

Wilderness

Professionals

Schools: Primary Schools, High Schools

Social: Amateurs (U/35) / Veterans (Above 35)

Mountain Biking,

17 December

20km

Trail Running

18 December

5 km

14km

20km

ENDS

Social Media Tags / Handles:

#GeorgeTENS

#Festival

#GeorgeTENSFestivalVillage

#Wilderness

#georgetourism

#georgemunicipality

#georgevents

#visitgeorge

#tourismgeorge

Website: www.GeorgeTENS.co.za

Facebook: George TENS

Invictus Sport and Entertainment

Instagram: @invictussportan

MEDIA 7 INTERVIEW QUERIES

juanita@invictusinternational.co.za

frieda@invictusinternational.co.za

admin@georgetens.co.za

The 1000mm diameter Glass Reinforced Polymer (GRP) potable water supply pipeline, one of the Western area’s main water supply pipelines suffered stormwater damage during the November 2021 flooding events has been repaired. The value of the repairs is just over R 500 000, inclusive of VAT.

According to Deon de Jager, the deputy director of the George Municipality’s Civil Engineering Services Directorate the November 2021 floods caused a leak to the pipeline, leading to the need for repair and replacement. We have replaced about 6 meters of GRP pipe.

“The work was executed successfully with minimal disturbance to the water distribution system.  The Directorates operational teams ensured that the areas affected by the pipe failure could still obtain water by feeding the affected areas through other parts of the network,” de Jager added.

The Municipality appointed one of the panel contractors ‘a specialist contractor’ to assist the Directorate with remedial measures to ensure that the supply is restored to its full potential.

Ends.

NSRI Station 23 in Wilderness received a pre-festive season visit from Ald Leon Van Wyk last week. The station manned entirely by volunteers has been a fixture in Wilderness since 1984. Ald Van Wyk (centre)is photographed with the team of Sea Rescue volunteers at Station 23, Wilderness.

“As we approach our traditional holiday season, we have begun with preparations to benefit and assist the tourism sector and our visitors. The George daily Festive Monitoring Committee meetings kick off on 1 December and NSRI forms a valuable part of the stakeholders who attend. The successful season hosted for 2021 in terms of beach safety and little to no serious incidents taking place can be attributed to the excellent working relationships between municipal departments and civil society organisations. I want to thank our citizens for all their efforts either through employment, as volunteers or as part of civil society who work so hard to make George a better place,” said Ald Van Wyk.

The NSRI need to be commended for constantly training and practicing their skills, conducting maintenance to their life-saving equipment and always being available 24/7. As a volunteer service they are a critical asset to George and we encourage all citizens and visitors to acquaint themselves with the publicity about safe swimming areas and practices when visiting our beaches.

Follow this link for information on visitor safety https://www.george.gov.za/planning-development/local-economic-development/tourism/safety-for-visitors/

Get to know George – 11 NOVEMBER 2022

#gettoknowgeorge

 HIDDEN GEMS AND TOURISM NEWS

Tourism news and lesser-known gems to inspire you:

 1. New! Blue Flag Full Status for Dreamy Herolds Bay

 It’s a yay for Herolds Bay!  Our family-friendly cove has officially joined the ranks of our other full status Blue Flag beach, Wilderness.  This warm, Indian Ocean beach is situated at the bottom of a long and winding hill and features a tidal pool, lawn area and promenade, beach showers and ablutions, as well as ice cream and food vendors for a truly enjoyable day soaking up the rays.

 2. Hidden Gem Bucketlist – Microlight flight at Louvain

Did you know that the captivating Louvain Guest Farm offers exhiliarating microlight flights? Flights are enjoyed over the mountain to the Garden Route coastline or to the north over the Kammanassie Mountains and the Langkloof Valley or in the Klein Karoo, departing at sunrise.  Costs range from R500 to R1500.  We recently sent Travel Bug Rose on this experience; see her first-person experience Facebook video here.

3. New Art Gallery in Wilderness – Ninette Steyl

Enjoy a visit to the new gallery at the Palms Square Centre in Wilderness. Steyl’s work is an emotive portrayal of feelings experienced at a specific setting.

4. When’s the last time you visited Timberlake Village?

 Did you know that Timberlake Village is home to several small local businesses which feature mohair, gemstones, wine, fine art, leather, resin art, pottery and driftwood sculptures?  There’s a trendy bakery, proper coffee roastery, oyster bar and a German deli. And Acrobranch tree top adventures recently-ish added a giant zipline over the village where you can zip down and enjoy a fun ride.  Timberlake has play areas for children and a Faerie Garden walk where kids can meet strange and wonderful creatures.  Fur babies of the canine variety are also welcome.  The village is a member of the Paradise Ridge conservancy, which means that they capture rain water, recycle grey water, compost wet waste, use no harmful chemicals, plant trees (400+ to date) and clear alien Wattle annually.  Isn’t that awesome!  A skillfully crafted driftwood sculpture exhibition of South African wildlife is also on display; these pieces are sold to collectors all over the world. Timberlake is open 7 days a week.

UPCOMING EVENTS

 There’s a full line up of local events you can participate in and enjoy from now until the end of the year.

 MARKETS

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN NOVEMBER

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN DECEMBER

Is your event not yet listed here?  Please let us know at info@visitgeorge.co.za

 JOIN THE CONVERSATION!

When exploring the destination, share your photos and experiences on social media with the hashtags:

#visitgeorge #exploregeorge

#visitwilderness #explorewilderness

#visituniondale #exploreuniondale

We’d love to see your adventures and experiences, and may even share them on our official social media pages (with your permission, of course!).

VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRES

Find information about things to do, places to stay, upcoming events, eateries and gastronomic experiences as well as tourism transport at visitgeorge.co.za or pop in at our Visitor Information Centres where our friendly staff are ready to assist you.

•  GEORGE TOURISM

124 York Street, George Central, George, 6529 | +27 44 801 9295 | info@visitgeorge.co.za

facebook.com/tourismgeorge | instagram.com/georgetourism_official

• WILDERNESS TOURISM

198 George Road, Wilderness, 6560 | +27 44 877 0045 | info@visitwilderness.co.za

facebook.com/wildernesstourism | instagram.com/ wildernesstourism

• UNIONDALE TOURISM

Virtual assistance | +27 44 518 0030 | info@visituniondale.co.za

facebook.com/uniondaleinfo | instagram.com/uniondaletourism

Link to Ald Van Wyk discussing progress of the upgrades at the OWWTW https://youtu.be/w6sM_vsY_vE

Portfolio Councillor for Civil Engineering Services: Capital Projects and BFI, Jackie Von Brandis and Ald Leon Van Wyk inspect the aeration basin at the works with Gerard De Swardt, George Civils Project Manager: BFI.

The upgrading and capacity extension of the Outeniqua Wastewater Treatment Works (OWWTW) will allow for an increased capacity from 15Ml/dl to 25Ml/dl. 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.

George Municipality is proud to be hoisting two Blue Flags and one Pilot Blue Flag Boards at our beaches for the 2022 festive season. Wilderness Beach has retained full Blue Flag status, Herold’s Bay has gained full blue Flag status and Victoria Bay has Pilot status following application by the George Municipality. Executive Mayor Leon Van Wyk and Municipal Manager Dr Michele Gratz took receipt of the flags and certifications at an event held in Plettenberg Bay together with George Municipal Superintendent Parks, Tyrone April and Wessa National Coastal Coordinator, Tevya Lotriet.

Blue Flag is an international coastal management programme that accredits beaches that meet standards of excellence in water quality, environmental management, environmental education and information as well as safety and services. In South Africa the programme is implemented by the Wildlife Environmental Society of South Africa (WESSA).

Dr Gratz said Blue Flag status offered many benefits including improved tourism facilities, enhanced management of coastal ecosystems, increased awareness of the coast and capacity building of coastal municipalities. “Blue Flag status has significant international merit and the achievement of such accolades is important to stimulate and confirm international and high-end interest in the city and district as a desirable, quality tourism and lifestyle destination. We thank SANParks Garden Route National Park who shares jurisdiction of Wilderness beach with the George Municipality.”

The Blue Flag season runs from 1 December 2022 to 31 January 2023. Compliance includes high standards of water quality monitoring, public safety and lifeguard services, and well-maintained coastal amenities. South Africa has participated in the Blue Flag programme since 2001.

Marlene Van Staden, Executive Mayor for Modimolle-Mookgophong Municipality was thrilled to return to George this week with a team of senior management for a thorough technical visit. They were welcomed on Monday morning by George Municipal Manager, Dr Gratz together with Ald Leon Van Wyk and his MAYCO members. Modimolle-Mookgophong Municipality visited the Southern Cape in July this year sponsored by Friedrich Naumann Foundation, a German foundation for liberal and libertarian politics. At the time Ald Van Staden expressed the wish to return with her senior management for in-depth technical site inspections.

The programme over the two days included in-depth presentations on a number of aspects where George Municipality has implemented technology to streamline process such as our online grave booking system, drive-through motor vehicle licencing office, fleet management, disaster management as well as extensive site visits to our Civil and Electrotechnical projects including the Wastewater Treatment Works, Water Purification Plant, Municipal Roads Workshop and Glenwood Substation.

Back Row: Portfolio Councillor Jacqulique Von Brandis (George Municipality’s Civil Engineering Services: Capital Projects & BFI), Portfolio Councillor Henry Hill (George Municipality’s Planning & Development), Ald Gert Niehaus (George Municipality’s GIPTN Chairperson), Councillor Sean Snyman (George Municipality’s Speaker), Councillor Marlene Barnardt (George Municipality’s Chief Whip) and Portfolio Councillor Nosicelo Mbethe (George Municipality’s Electrotechnical Services & Fleet Management)

Front Row: Councillor Johan Prinsloo (Executive Committee member – Modimolle-Mokgophong Municipal Council), Dr Michele Gratz (Municipal Manager – George Municipality), Councillor Marlene van Staden (Executive Mayor of Modimolle-Mookgophong Municipality), Ald Leon van Wyk (Executive Mayor of George) and Councillor Joel Mphedi (Chairperson: Planning and Economic Development – Modimolle-Mookgophong Municipality)

Newly appointed Director for  the Civil Engineering Services Department, Mr Jannie Koegelenberg seen here at the Waste Water Treatment Works in Pacaltsdorp with Ald Van Wyk, Dr Gratz, Portfolio Councillor Jackie Von Brandis (Civil Engineering Services: Capital Projects and BFI), Portfolio Councillor Browen Johnson (Civil Engineering Services: Operating Aspects) and the Modimolle-Mookgophong delegates.

Jacques Lawrence,Senior Manager: Substations Electrotechnical Services, George Municipality (right) and next to him, Bongani Mandla, Director of Electrotechnical Services as well as Portfolio Councillor for Electrotechnical Services and Fleet Management, Nosicelo Mbete (in the yellow dress) with representatives of the Modimolle-Mookgophong Municipality in Limpopo at the Glenwood substation that had a breather and transformer maintenance earlier this year. Extensive maintenance of Power Transformers at various substations were done to guarantee long-term life expectancy. The importance of these preventative measures and to keep key infrastructure well maintained, was explained to the visitors to ensure consumers don’t bear the brunt.

Representatives from the Modimolle-Mookgophong Municipality in Limpopo went walkabout with the Acting Director: Corporate Services, Edward Ganza visiting the George Civic Centre where the Main Hall and Banquet Hall is situated. In the photo taken in front of the George Civic Centre are from left, Cllr Joel Mpedi, Portfolio Chairman of Planning and Local Economic Development at Modimolle-Mookgophong Municipality (MMM), Patrick Shika, Director: Corporate Services, MMM, Marlene van Staden, Mayor of MMM, Ganza and Magda Berrange, Director: Social and Community Services.

Western Cape’s first drive-through service for motor vehicle license renewals was officially launched on Monday, 7 November 2022 in George by the Western Cape Minister of Mobility MEC Daylin Mitchell and the Executive Mayor of George, Alderman Leon van Wyk during a special ribbon-cutting event that marks the inception of this cutting-edge and innovative service.

George Municipality’s traffic services turned what was a dilapidated building into a brand-new Motor Vehicle and Registration (MVR) satellite office which includes a drive-through service for the renewal of motor vehicle licenses. This MVR centre, which is located at 9 George Street in Blanco, a suburb situated north-east of George is an extension of the existing MVR centre that will handle drive-through service for customers to renew up to a maximum of two Motor Vehicle Licence’s at a time and will also handle bulk MVR services at the inside counters.

MINSTER MITCHELL CONGRATULATES GEORGE FOR BEING INNOVATIVE TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO SERVICES

Minister Mitchell congratulated the George Municipality for pushing the boundaries to establish the first drive-through Motor vehicle registration centre in the Western Cape to make services easily and conveniently accessible to the citizens.

“What stood out for me in this facility is the conversion of what was an old and neglected infrastructure into an innovative service delivery point, I think that this model is a good example of what government should and can be if different spheres of government come together and provide on service delivery. I am very proud to be part of this first Western Cape drive-through centre for vehicle licence registration.”

Turning to Ald van Wyk, the Mayor of George, Minister Mitchell said: “Mayor, thank you for this initiative, this is a legacy you and the team can be proud of, I will introduce this model to the rest of the province, and let’s hope this initiative will land across the country for other municipalities to follow suit.”

Our aim is to ensure that services are accessible and affordable and that citizens get the services they deserve. The Department of Transport Provincially is working with the various Municipalities as the planning authority for all these services that are directly delivered to citizens to see how we can innovate that space.

COME TO THE DRIVE-THROUGH, HAND OVER YOUR REGISTRATION DOCUMENT, PAY AND THEN HAVE YOUR LICENCE PRINTED IMMEDIATELY, SAYS MAYOR VAN WYK

“George is growing at a rapid pace and what we found at our existing motor vehicle registration centre is that it was starting to get cramped, and people that came for services needed to stand in a queue. This situation forced us to think creatively and innovatively, and so we started improving the services by providing an undercover space for the customers, thereafter, introducing an online system so that a customer can pay online and come to collect the actual licence afterwards,” said Mayor van Wyk.

“Today, we are proud to launch the drive-through service that we’ve established as an extension of our existing MVR, which also serves, particularly, the bulk dealers, which are motor dealers who come with multiple motor registration items. People do not have to necessarily stand in long queues as we have widened the options to receive MVR services one could come to the drive-through, hand over your registration document, pay and then have your licence printed immediately, and be over and done with, within two to three minutes,” Ald van Wyk added.

SENIOR CITIZEN FEELS VERY SPECIAL TO BE THE FIRST IN THE DRIVE-THROUGH

“I feel very special!” said an ecstatic senior citizen, John Allenby Stoffels, the first resident to renew his motor vehicle licence in a brand new and the first drive-through service for licence disk renewals in George.

“I never thought that I’d renew my car disk in the comfort of my car, just like buying food from a drive-thru restaurant, it’s is always a challenge for us senior citizens to stand in long queues waiting for a service; the George Municipality has now made it easily accessible for us, this is great, and I’m happy to have been the first to experience this,” said an obviously delighted Stoffels who experienced this special moment in the presence of his wife and daughter who were in the car with him.

Also in attendance were the George Municipality’s members of the Executive Committee, the Municipal Manager, Dr Michele Gratz, acting director for Community Services, Mr Sivuyile Mtila, the acting manager for traffic services, Mr Vernon Petersen and officials from the Motor vehicle registration.

Ends.

George Municipality embraces World Food Day

George Municipality embraced the concept of World Food Day recently by providing 150 homeless persons with a meal.  Chronic hunger is a reality, especially among the homeless.

The Municipality that forms part of the People living on the Street (Plots)Forum wanted to do something special for the homeless because of hunger. World Food Day is celebrated across the world on 16 October.

According to Janine Edwards from Social Development at George Municipality, people living on the streets often go for days without food and when food is available, it is not always nutritious. To make the programme successful, the PLOTS Forum received donations of food items and wishes to thank all sponsors involved.

Programmes such as this one to reach out to the homeless, are  made possible by the public. George Municipality appeals to Georgians and visitors to become a part of the solution of People living on the Streets by rather giving donations to organisations such as the George Night Shelter or Kidstop, instead of giving money or handouts to adults or children begging at streets intersections, as this has increasingly become a concern.

According to Estelle Fredericks from the Municipality Social Development department, there has been an increase in new arrivals of People living on the streets following the Covid lockdown period and exacerbated by the current economic situation. She said that giving such persons money or handouts on the streets, will only encourage them to keep living on the streets and has negative long-term effects.

The PLOTS (People Living on The Streets) forum was established in 2018 by George Municipality to holistically address the many factors associated with homeless people. The forum includes representatives from George Municipal Social Development Services, the South African Police Service (SAPS), Kid Stop (focuses on children living on the Streets), People Against Substance Abuse (PASA), Smoking & Alcohol Harms Alleviation & Rehabilitation Association (SAHARA), Christian Rehabilitation Ministries to the Homeless of George (Cremhog)  and the National Departments of Social Development and Health.

The PLOTS Forum aims to eradicate the issue of homelessness. Night outreaches take place to quantify the number of persons currently living on the streets and these surveys also serve as a tool to identify the needs of the individuals, and to assess how they can be assisted going forward.

George Municipality continues to provide clothing and toiletries to persons living on the street. The toiletries include soap, facecloths, toothpaste, toothbrushes, roll-on and sanitary pads. The municipality maintains a clothing bank where residents of George donate clothing for this purpose. Many of the homeless ask for clothing or toiletries to be presentable and a register is kept for this purpose. It would really assist the Municipality if more residents could donate clothing and toiletries for this purpose as no funding is available for this purpose.

The Municipal Social Development division runs a job seekers programme where we motivate the homeless to seek jobs, even if it is in the informal market. The department assists with the drawing up of CV`s and registering of the homeless on the EPWP database for job opportunities. Through other stakeholders, reunification services are also planned for those individuals who indicate that they want to reunite with their families. The issue of homelessness is a vast challenge and assistance from all spheres is needed to address the issue properly.

Living on the streets is not a crime and therefore these people cannot be arrested or moved without their consent. Our Social Development and Law Enforcement department’s mandate is limited as the bulk of the functions to assist people living on the streets, falls under SAPS and the National Department of Social Development.

George Residents, Business Owners and organisations, who want to help the homeless and or submit innovative ideas on how to help the homeless are invited to join the PLOTS monthly meeting. You can contact Estelle Fredericks on 044 802 2000, ext 2015 during office hours for more information.

The public may also contact these organisations: Freddy Trout, PASA (People Against Substance Abuse) on 068 487 4848, Jonathan Gelderbloem, YFC Kidstop on 044 874 2624/044 875 1794, Department of Social Services on 044 814 1920 or Andre Olivier from Cremhog on andre.olivier1962@gmail.com