Notices

Mayoral Newsletter for 15 July 2020

While the core function of municipalities is to provide essential services such as water, treatment of wastewater, refuse removal, electricity, streets and stormwater, efforts are also undertaken within communities to assist on many other fronts.

Within many of our communities there is a need to encourage and foster the development of small businesses, ranging from house and neighbourhood grocery shops to hairdressers, cellphone shops and internet cafes, repair shops and other business facilities. I have been discussing this need with individuals who aspire to setting up small businesses.

Recently the Municipality has commenced with the placing of vendor stalls in certain areas to assist informal traders with the marketing of their wares. The development of small business hubs is also being investigated in terms of available sites and after assessing the needs in communities. Initial pilot sites are likely to be erected possibly using containers to test the market. Ultimately the development of small business centres housing a number of shops and services is to encouraged.

It will also be important to assist emerging entrepreneurs to acquire the training and skills to run these businesses successfully. Training, understanding and support will need to be facilitated to ensure their success. Work on this project take some time and be rolled out progressively.

While mentioning communities, we have commenced a discussion with neighbourhood watches to understand their roles and needs within communities. We have engaged with the Dept of Community Safety at the Western Cape Government who have provided guidance on the accreditation and training process that is being offered to these pro-active citizens who care for their communities. Quite a few of our neighbourhood watch organisations still need to become accredited. These discussions will continue in a spirit of collaboration to ensure facilitation and effective functioning.
Another project being launched in the near future will be a process of reaching out to the corporate sector to harness and facilitate the efforts that many corporates are making to improve the lives of citizens and the environment. We recently met with representatives of SA Breweries who expanded on the role they have played in the Waboomskraal area to eradicate alien vegetation to improve water security for the hops farms. The project we are undertaking will assist in the further facilitation of these efforts.

In closing, I would like to appeal to all citizens to take all the necessary health precautions to counter the third wave of Covid-19 in George and the Garden Route. It is crucially important to wear masks, wash hands, apply social distancing, not meet in crowds, etc. There are many cases where families who have been affected following family gatherings. Please seek medical attention when you feel sick.

Mayoral Newsletter for 1 July 2021

This past week we have experienced two contrasting perspectives in the ongoing struggle to restore our local economy from the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last week-end saw the holding of the George MUT (Mountain Ultra Trail) where tough trail-runners participated in a 60km event in the Outeniqua Mountains. This event epitomises what we are trying to achieve through sustainable events in George – encouraging and welcoming Tourism.

On the other hand, the country has returned to lockdown 4 regulations of the Covid-19 pandemic as the third wave affects Gauteng that could spread in the Garden Route and elsewhere. Once again, apart from the need for all of us to observe safe health protocols, our economy is facing another setback through the negative impact on events, accommodation establishments, restaurants, etc.

While we deal with the pandemic, it will be useful to plan for the restoration and reinvigoration of Tourism in George and the Garden Route through the systematic re-building of our events calendar so that everyone in our tourism economy can benefit: from our airport, car hire businesses, accommodation establishments, restaurants through to all the retail operations and employees who would all share in the money being spent by tourists visiting the area.

George is the ideal location for a whole range of sporting, adventure and activity pursuits from mountain biking, to running, golf, paragliding, surfing, hiking and much more. Just as the MUT has taken place, other sporting codes are encouraged to actively explore how events can be organised that can attract participants to George.

By way of illustration, the golf and bowls clubs could organise annual events where clubs from around the country are invited to send teams to compete in events in designated weeks of the year. We need to roll-out our hospitality talents where everything that our visitors experience will result in good messages being conveyed across the country. Their visit to George should not only be about a fantastic event and accommodation or the great climate, but also special food and activity experiences. The message that each of our visitors should remember is that they enjoyed their time so much that they wish to return for the same event in the next year and bring their friends along as well. This is how we will grow tourism.

There are many and varied activities that take place around George that can be turned into events that will attract tourists to George. Increased levels of tourism should also spur growth in the various arts and crafts being practised in George.

We need to develop all tourism activities, arts and crafts. Interested parties are welcome to forward their suggestions to supporttourism@george.gov.za so that collaboration opportunities can be explored.

The importance of well-functioning municipalities has once again been placed in the spotlight over recent weeks as the practical difficulties resulting from Eskom’s loadshedding become evident.

Eskom continues to grapple with generation capacity due to the poor maintenance at many of their power stations even in circumstances where the economy is functioning at a low level. While any form of loadshedding impacts on the municipality’s own use of electricity in buildings, facilities and pump stations, it is the inability to operate sewer and water pump stations that is of most concern. Pump stations are required to regularly fill water reservoirs or to pump sewage along the network to the waste water treatment works. When two loadshedding periods regularly arise within a few hours of each other this places additional pressure to achieve these operations. While our municipality has the use of generators, we are not able to cover all of our 150 pump stations across the water and waste water networks.

The announcement last week by the President that independent power producers will be able to erect 100 MW of generating capacity without the need to obtain generating licences has opened up the market for private sector investors to invest in solar, wind or other forms of renewable energy. This additional generating capacity that can be created is to be welcomed and we look forward to any opportunities that become available for George once the precise details of the recent announcement become clear. If these investments can be fast-tracked, it is possible that there could already be relief after 2 to 3 years.

In addition to the electricity challenges, some municipalities continue to experience difficulties in the supply of water and treatment of sewage. By way of example, the City of Johannesburg is reported to face challenges within its electricity distribution network as well as with water. We have recently also noted that milk producer Clover has decided to relocate its factory operations from Lichtenburg in the North-West to Ethekwini as a result of poor service delivery. Recently the chicken producer, Astral has obtained a High Court order for the National Government to intervene in the affairs of Lekwa Municipality (Standerton) as the result of similar poor service delivery.
The above examples are illustrations of why we are placing so much focus on our infrastructure and service delivery.

We recognise the importance of maintaining and refurbishing infrastructure and increasing our water and sewer capacity. This will require substantial capital investment and astute funding of this expenditure to balance the budget with appropriate proportions of grants, debt and internally generated funding. Constant efforts are also being made to improve service standards.

Mayor’s newsletter for 3 June 2021

Flowing from the approval of the Budget and Integrated Development Plan by Council last week, it is worth noting that various initiatives are underway to promote economic opportunities within the informal and SMME sectors of the local economy.

To assist informal traders in Pacaltsdorp and Touwsranten, trade stands will be erected in the next few months along with new informal trader containers in the George CBD. In Thembalethu a strategy is being formulated for the development and release of vacant business and industrial property. This will include the exploration of various funding solutions to support the installation of the infrastructure required to make these properties ready for occupation.

With regard to street traders who have stalls in the respective allocated areas of George, unused trade shelters are being relocated to other localities where footfall is more conducive to viable trade. Potential sites in Pacaltsdorp that align with the Go George bus routes and transfer sites have already been investigated. Through collaboration, re-location will commence shortly and continue depending on prospects of expanding the identified site and funding availability.

The existing database is being updated and under-utilised stands in the CBD will be re-allocated to open up opportunities for new traders to enter the marketplace.
We should emphasise that development and growth of our local economy is of critical importance not only for the jobs that they create but also ultimately to grow the revenue of the municipality.
Through our engagements with National Treasury we are preparing proposals to secure funding under the Neighbourhood Development Partnership Grant programme that can be utilised towards the upgrade, regeneration and restoration of inequalities within disadvantaged areas. This includes opportunities for trade and employment within the immediate neighbourhoods. The programme will render funding solutions to equip existing business and industrial sites in Thembalethu and Pacaltsdorp with facilities for traders and small industries and improve access to opportunities.
If we are successful with this application, it will certainly assist in supplementing the existing limited allocation of funds available on the Capital and Operational budgets for the 2021/2022 financial year. Plans will also be reviewed to see what improvements can be made and how training and skills development can be facilitated.
Residents are reminded that more vaccines are being made available for the over 60s as from 31 May. Residents can visit the municipal libraries for assistance in registering. If you do have access to the internet, please register your over 60 family members and friends as soon as possible at: https://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za/#/. This portal can also be found via www.westerncape.gov.za
You can also dial *134*832# and follow the prompts (FREE on all South African Networks), or WhatsApp the word REGISTER to 0600 123456.

Mayoral newsletter for 6 May 2021

With the decline in the number of Covid-19 cases in recent months, it is becoming evident that citizens appear to be more willing to move around again, to travel and participate in social activities again.

ACSA recently commented on the welcome increase in passenger movements through the George Airport. Traffic on the N2 has also increased especially over long weekends as Capetonians head east along the Garden Route. It is also noticeable around George as people gather at popular venues to engage socially or “kuier”.

Along with these activities, my colleagues have also experienced increased interest from entrepreneurs in staging events. These are important “green shoots” that are starting to emerge as we embark on the “new normal”. It is vitally important that there is re-activation of tourism activities around George because of this sector’s importance for employment. Our participation in the Bloomberg Global Mayoral Challenge (“BGMC”) centred on reinvigorating tourism with a focus on the promoting of events. The organising and staging of events will remain risky until lockdown rules are fully relaxed. It is interesting however that entrepreneurs are becoming more innovative in their organisation to minimise costs.

As part of the research for the BGMC project, we identified that the Arts and Crafts sector should play an important role as Tourism gets back on its feet. We are seeing enquiries from Arts and Crafts role-players as they search for additional avenues to market their products. This sector provides livelihoods for many people who have developed creative skills to produce anything from works of art, items of clothing and handiwork through to jewellery, woodwork and leatherwork. There are “cottage industry” opportunities for many participants. Those with the skills could teach, mentor and transfer skills to emerging learners. Ultimately the objective should be to produce quality items that could even attract the interest of the retail or collector market.

At this stage the enquiries relate to how the municipality can facilitate the development of marketing channels for this sector. We are aware of numerous events in the planning stage that could be of benefit to the broader tourism sector. We are planning to engage interested parties shortly to establish how collaboration can best succeed. We would therefore welcome thoughts in this regard that can be sent to: supportbusiness@george.gov.za

As we think of tourism and the arts and crafts sectors we naturally need to connect the dots between the need for people to socially engage and travel and the activities and attractions that we can and do offer in the George area. For George to be successful, we need our citizens to be employed and participants in the economy. This is after all our ultimate objective.

KENNISGEWING: FIN015/2021
2020/21 FINANSIëLE JAAR: AANSUIWERINGSBEGROTING 22 APRIL 2021
Kennis geskied hiermee ingevolge Artikel 28 (2) van die Wet op Plaaslike Regering: Munisipale Finansiële Bestuur, 2003 (Wet no.56 van 2003) en Artikel 23 van die Munisipale Begrotings en Verslagdoening Regulasies 2008 onderskeidelik, dat die Aansuiweringsbegroting goedgekeur is tydens die Raadsvergadering van 22 April 2021.
Ingevolge Artikel 21A van die Munisipale Stelsels Wet, 2000 (Wet no. 32 van 2000), gee George Munisipaliteit hiermee kennis aan die plaaslike gemeenskap dat die raadsbeluit, en alle ander tersaaklike dokumentasie, beskikbaar is op die webwerf van die Munisipaliteit: www.george.gov.za
Navrae in hierdie verband kan gerig word aan die Direkteur: Finansiele Dienste by tel 044 801 9035
DR M GRATZ
WAARNEMENDE MUNISIPALE BESTUURDER
_________________________________________________________________________
NOTICE: FIN015/2021
2020/21 FINANCIAL YEAR: ADJUSTMENT BUDGET 22 APRIL 2021
Notice is hereby given in terms of Section 28 (2) of the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003 (Act no.56 of 2003) and Section 23 of the Municipal Budgets and Reporting Regulations 2008 respectively, that the Adjustment Budget was approved during the Council meeting held on 22 April 2021.
In terms of Section 21A of the Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Act No. 32 of 2000), George Municipality hereby notifies the local community that the Council Resolution, and all other relevant documentation will be available on the website of the Municipality: www.george.gov.za
Enquiries may be directed to the Director: Financial Services at 044 801 9035
DR M GRATZ
ACTINGMUNICIPAL MANAGER