Notices

Executive Mayor Leon Van Wyk, Part One of a regular letter to the citizens of George – the Mayoral Perspective

The George Municipality Council has experienced complex challenges during 2020 ranging from allegations of maladministration, to the sluggish economic conditions made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic, the resultant decline in service delivery standards and the turnaround underway to once again place George on a trajectory of clean government and governance.

In September 2019, three forensic investigations were launched into the allegations of maladministration at George by the Western Cape Government (“WCG”). They related to the “War on Waste” (“WoW”), the “construction of Nelson Mandela Boulevard” (“NMB”) and the appointments made in relation to the “Expanded Public Works Programme” (“EPWP”). A fourth investigation into certain Appointments is currently underway.

Shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown period commenced, the WoW report was tabled in Council with a recommendation that an independent disciplinary investigation into the actions of the implicated managers be undertaken. This report will be tabled before Council shortly. A separate investigation by the Priority Crimes Investigation Unit has resulted in the implicated officials appearing in Court to face criminal charges.  At the end of October 2020, Council referred the NMB and EPWP investigation reports for disciplinary investigations by external professional firms as required by the Municipal Systems Act.

These investigations have no doubt been unsettling for the Administration and had an impact on the normal high standards of service delivery expected by George citizens. There are many dedicated, honest and loyal officials who have assisted in the efforts to restore clean administration. They have been granted the space to implement the necessary changes within the Community Services Directorate to effect a gradual improvement in the refuse collection service and the clearing of illegally dumped refuse.

During the past seven months, the Municipality has also had to manage the fall-out caused by the Covid-19 pandemic that resulted in the periodic closure of offices, staff being infected and sadly some staff members losing their lives. Over 137 soup kitchens were operated daily at the peak of the pandemic to provide thousands of servings per day to vulnerable members of our communities.

The negative financial effects of Covid-19 have resulted in a reduction in the payment of service accounts, sundry revenue, lower sales of bus tickets, and additional expenditure incurred to combat Covid-19.  The debtors collection rate has reduced from a consistent 96% to an average of 91% per month since March 2020.

The impact on our economy and customer base and how the municipality will be dealing with these complex issues during the economic recovery phase will be dealt with in series of letters to the public of George from

Please note the Conville Library phone is currently out of order.
Enquiries can be made to James de Waal on 079 582 5504.
George Municipality apologises for the inconvenience.
Issued 03/03 at 12.30pm.

Regretably the public is herewith notified of the early closure (13h00) of the MVR offices for today, 3 March. The facility remains short staffed and this matter is receiving urgent attention.

Members of the public who have been queuing will be given a card that will give them priority status tomorrow.

George Municipality apologizes for the inconvenience and reminds the public of the online renewal process _ please follow the link https://www.george.gov.za/vehicle-lisensing/

The Town Planning department has updated its land use application submission guidelines, public participation process guidelines, pre-application forms and land use application forms which have been uploaded to the George Municipality website.

The department has also set up a new email address town.planning.application@george.gov.za where applicants can submit their completed land use applications. (Please DO NOT send to lxmalangeni@george.gov.za anymore). All other procedures remain the same as per the previous guidelines.

Town Planning information is available at https://www.george.gov.za/town-planning/

Link to video on illegal dumping  GRDM https://youtu.be/NWlkRB9cGJw

What is illegal dumping?
Illegal dumping is anything you throw away in a place where it does not belong.
· If you know who is dumping illegally, report them to 044 801 6350 or sprins@george.gov.za or 044 801 6300 (a/h).
· Information that will help the case for a warning or fine: car description and/or registration number, address of alleged perpetrator, type of waste and address of where it was dumped. A cellphone photo of dumping in action will help, but is not essential.
· Report dumped waste for collection to 044 802 2900 or 044 801 6300 (a/h).

ILLEGAL DUMPING IS EVERYBODY’S PROBLEM
If you throw your junk just anywhere, it will eventually become your problem some way or another. It can make you sick or kill you.

You can log complaints and get municipal news updates on the George Municipality Mobile Application.
Tap on this link, which will take you to the place where you can download the George Municipal Application (App) on your phone or computer (as long as it can connect to the internet):
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=za.co.comunity.george&hl=en_ZA

When the link has opened, tap/click on the ‘Install’ button.
When the app has installed, tap/click on the ‘Open’ button.
When the app has opened, tap/click on the ‘Accept Terms’ button.
A screen will open on which you have to register.

Type in the cellphone number of the phone you are busy working on in the ‘cell number’ space.
When you have entered the cellphone number, tap/click on the space below for ‘password’.
Put in your cellphone number again in the password section.
When you have entered the cellphone number and the password, tap/click on ‘login’ at the bottom.
The App’s homepage will open.

REPORT A FAULT
If you want to report a fault on the App, tap/click on the little flag at the bottom of the App Screen. It will open onto a page with pictures of the different services you can report.
Tap/click on the picture of the type of problem you want to report. It will open onto a page on which you must explain what the problem is. Please try to fill in as many of the spaces as you can so that the place where the fault is can be found easily.

In ‘Description’, type a short description of the problem (for example: broken streetlight). When you have filled this in, click/tap on the next line.
In ‘Name’ type in your first name which people use to call you.
In ‘Surname’ type in your surname like appears in your ID document.
In ‘Street number’ type in the number of the house or place closest to the problem you are reporting.
In ‘Street name’ type in the name of the street in which the problem is.
In ‘Suburb’, tap/click on the word ‘select’, a block with the suburb names will open up. Tap/click on the name of the suburb in which the problem is.

If you can or want to, you can add a photograph of the problem by tapping/clicking on the picture of the camera. Choose a photo from your phone gallery or take a picture and tap the tick symbol on the top of the photo after you have taken the photo. (You don’t have to add a photograph, but you can if will better show what or where the problem is).

If your phone has GPS and is activated, you can also tap on the map under ‘GPS Position’ and it will mark your position. (You don’t have to add the coordinates, but this is very helpful if it is difficult to find a street address, like when you are on a farm or in a place with no formal street names or where the street names are difficult to see or are misleading).

If everything you want to fill in is done, scroll to the bottom of the page and tap/click on ‘Submit’. A reference number will be issued and your listing will be under ‘My Faults’ in the section that is marked with the flag.

NEWS
If you want to see the latest news, tap/click on the picture of the envelope.
ACCOUNT DETAILS
If you want to see what you owe the municipality on your account, tap/click on the bottom far right picture of a block with lines in it.
Click/tap ‘Add Account’ and enter your George Municipality (GM) account number. The new account totals are loaded usually around the 25th of each month.

Once you have added your account number, you can tap on your name in the list and a new page will open in which the total will be at the top and the blocks below with the pictures are a breakdown of the different items that make up the total that is listed at the top.

SHARE
You can share the App with someone else. On your computer it is listed on the left ‘Share’. On your phone it is at the very top left in the red section (the three white lines) and then tap ‘Share’.
You can click ‘SMS App link’ and then put in the cellphone number of the person to which you want to share the link OR you can click the red ‘Share the App’ block and it will give you other message and social media options.

Please note the email addresses for proof of payment of online payments have been changed. (If you used the old addresses before this notification, it will still reach the correct place, but please use the below from now onwards)
Hibernia Street (next to train station) 044 801 9310
Open to the public weekdays 8am-3pm, except Wednesdays when closed at 2pm due to compulsory training, or if otherwise indicated as per Covid-19 measures.
Access control is from the gate at the street, when necessary.

Please consider ONLINE RENEWAL of vehicle licenses as per details below instead of in-person renewals at the vehicle licencing centre as Covid-19 regulations significantly impacts on the amount of people that can be served in a day.

Bulk transactions are being handled separately or after hours when required.

Pregnant women, the elderly and disabled can pre-arrange preferential treatment by calling 044 801 9310.

While vehicle licence RENEWALS CAN be done online, the REGISTRATION of vehicles CANNOT be done online as RICA requirements stipulate that the owner of the vehicle must physically appear in front of the official and the documentation must be original – this is, among other things, a measure against fraudulent registration of vehicles.

ONLINE ELECTRONIC PAYMENT OF VEHICLE LICENCE RENEWALS
The customer starts by registering a profile online at https://online.natis.gov.za/#/ or download the RTMC mobile application for Android from Google PlayStore.
Choose between registering as an individual or business.
The following information will be required:
1. Individual: initial, name, surname, ID number, driving license number, contact details via mobile phone or email.
2. Organisation: name of business, ID number of proxy, driving license number of proxy, contact details via mobile phone or email.
3. A one-time pin will be sent to your email or mobile phone number, which you must enter online.
4. Go to the ‘View motor vehicle renewals’ section and verify the information of the vehicle for which you are renewing the licence.
5. Access and/or download your electronic motor vehicle license RENEWAL NOTICE (also known as a MVL2 notice).
6. If your licence disk is valid but near expiry or if it has expired but is still in the 21-day grace period after expiry, the amount for the renewal of your vehicle will be on the notice.
7. If your license has already expired beyond the grace period, it will not indicate an amount on the system and clients must please phone the George Motor Vehicle Licensing office at 044 801 9310 to confirm the amount due.
8. Pay the amount due into the George Municipality, FNB Public Sector Cheque Account, Number 62869623150 (Branch Code 210554). Use the relevant vehicle license number as a reference such as CAW ###### / Private number ##### WP.
9. Email the proof of payment to payments@george.gov.za and mvr@george.gov.za. Please note the forementioned email addresses are no-reply addresses and are set up for proof of payments only and cannot be used for enquiries. Please phone 044 801 9310 for enquiries.
10. Keep a copy of your proof of payment in the relevant car until you receive your license disk but keep your expired disk on your window in the meantime. Traffic law requires officials to still issue you with a ticket for displaying an invalid disk, but you can appeal the fine and submit the proof of payment as part of your request to have the fine cancelled (details for the appeal process is on the back of the fine).
10. Once payment reflects on the municipality’s bank statement, the vehicle license will be processed, and you will be contacted to arrange collection. Please do not collect unless pre-arranged and notified via telephone – you won’t have to queue in the transaction lines when you collect.
If you want the licence posted to you, please give the person who phones you the address to which you require it posted.
Licences that have not been collected within two weeks from the notification phone call, will be posted to the address listed on the NaTIS system – onus is on the vehicle owner to ensure the correct address is logged on the national system.
The turnaround time for online license renewals is about two weeks.

4 February 2021 Media Release: Our roles and responsibilities at a residence where someone died of COVID-19

https://documentportal.george.gov.za/storage/mayor-speeches/January2021/gbXZQ9Z6W9fBSwrfdw0h.pdf