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Author: Chantel Edwards

PUBLIC NOTICE: OFFICIAL FIRE SEASON: No more controlled burns or permits

Please be reminded the George Municipality will not allow controlled burns or issue permits for controlled burns in the municipal area as of 1 December 2024.

A controlled burn permit is valid for 12 months from the date of issue but may not be used during the official fire season, which in the Western Cape is usually from November/December to February/March each year.

As a general measure, the municipality prefers that controlled burns are done for agricultural purposes (clearing fields for regrowth) only and NOT for biomass reduction – please consider alternatives such as chipping.

The municipality appeals to the public to always be fire aware, no matter what time of the year it is – please always exercise extreme caution, make fires in protected and designated areas only, and dispose of cigarette butts safely. Burning of garden refuse in residential areas is illegal.

Control burns with a valid permit will resume 1 April 2025 subject to the prevailing weather conditions. An updated notice will be issued by the George Municipality.

TOLL-FREE DISASTER NUMBER: 087 152 9999
FIRE EMERGENCIES: 044 801 6311

UPDATE: WATER OUTAGE – CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT (CBD) – Meade Street / Nelson Mandela Boulevard

 

Our Water Maintenance Team is still attending to a water pipe burst at the intersection of Meade and Hibernia Street, George CBD.

The repair work is taking longer than expected due to the presence of major services (water, fiber, sewer, etc), making it difficult to excavate with a machine, thus all excavations was done by hand. The repairs will take approximately another 2 hours.

Some businesses/households in the affected area might experience low water pressure or no water.

A water truck currently roam the area to provide potable water.

The water pipe burst at the intersection of Meade and Nelson Mandela Boulevard was repaired and water flow was restored.

We apologize for any inconvenience as a result of this and thank the public for their patience.

WATER OUTAGE – CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT (CBD) – Meade Street and Nelson Mandela Boulevard

Our Water Maintenance Team is currently attending to a water pipe burst at the intersection of Meade and Hibernia Street, George CBD.

The repair work will take approximately 4 hours.

While attending to the above burst, another water pipe burst occured at the intersection of Meade and Nelson Mandela Boulevard. This section of damaged pipe was isolated, but due to the presence of major services (water, fiber, sewer, etc) it will be difficult to excavate with a machine, thus the expected time of repair is currently expected at 6-7 hours.

Some businesses/households in the affected area might experience low water pressure or no water.

A water truck will roam the area to provide potable water.

We apologize for any inconvenience as a result of this and thank the public for their patience.

URGENT PUBLIC NOTICE: HEROLD’S BAY BEACH TEMPORARILY CLOSED DUE TO SEWERAGE LEAK

George Municipality is aware of a failure on the pumpline between the Herold’s Bay Sewer Pump Station and the Waste Water Treatment plant. Suction services have been dispatched to contain the spill and a contractor is en route for repairs. The cleanup will be handled in terms of standard requirements.

The beach is however temporarily closed to swimming and surfing until further notice. We apologize for the inconvenience.

GO GEORGE SERVICE ALERT: SANCO MARCH ON THURSDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2024 – MAJOR DISRUPTIONS EXPECTED

Please take note of expected delays and possible service suspension on Thursday 28 November 2024 due to a SANCO march from Thembalethu to the CBD.
• Local taxi services will not be operational until after the march, which will increase demand for the bus service.
• GO GEORGE staff members will also be affected by the situation, possibly disrupting fully operational services.

Passengers and employers are encouraged to arrange alternative transport if possible, and to be patient while GO GEORGE endeavors to offer the best possible services under the circumstances.

Please phone the GO GEORGE CALL CENTRE on 0800 044 044 for support and information regarding the situation, follow the GO GEORGE Facebook page or join our WhatsApp Channel for up-to-date service alerts by clicking on this link: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VanooYO002T09OyaKM3x for the latest updates.

 

URGENT PUBLIC NOTICE: NEW WTW 20MLD EXTENSION : Tie -in: 27 November 2024

DESCRIPTION:
Tie-ins of the new raw water pipeline and commissioning of the new pipe and de-commissioning the old steel pipe, starting at 7h00 on 27 Nov 24. The 2 x Tie-ins will be done simultaneously within 12 hrs.

CONSTRUCTION PERIOD:
27 November 2024

SERVICE DISRUPTION:
The supply of potable water to the residents of George Municipality should not be disrupted while the construction work is carried out during the period above. Further communication will follow should circumstances change.

TRAFFIC IMPACT:
No impact on traffic.

ACCESS TO SITE:
Access to the construction site will be strictly controlled. In accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, no members of the public will be allowed in the construction area.

PROJECT ENQUIRIES: Mr Andre Scheepers – 044 801 9492 (Technical)

The George Municipality apologises for any inconvenience and appeals to the public to be patient and to use water sparingly, during this period. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

GO GEORGE ROLLS OUT SECOND ROUTE TO THEMBALETHU

According to a joint announcement by the Western Cape MEC of Mobility, Isaac Sileku, and George Executive Mayor, Alderman Jackie von Brandis, another bus route to Thembalethu will be activated by GO GEORGE on Monday 28 October 2024.

Route 10 Thembalethu – George Industria will be the second route servicing the residents of Thembalethu. R18A rolled out in November last year and connects Thembalethu with Blanco.

According to Minister Sileku, the GO GEORGE network is typical of what can be achieved in public transport development if all partners work together. “I am looking forward to experience the new line and to meet some of the commuters who will benefit from even better public transport opportunities,” he said.

Mayor Von Brandis expressed her delight at this next step in rolling out a comprehensive service to Thembalethu. “The full implementation of the GO GEORGE bus services to our residents of Thembalethu has always been a top priority. It is essential that our residents have access to dignified and reliable transportation in all areas. Although the implementation of the bus services was temporarily hindered by the congestion caused by the N2 bridge construction, residents can be assured that we are fully committed to ensuring that the bus service is operational and available to all who intend to use it,” she said.

Route 10 will start out with a temporary deviation from the planned routing to accommodate roadworks in PW Botha Boulevard. Maps and timetables have been adjusted accordingly and are available on the GO GEORGE website.

Community engagement
The GO GEORGE communications team members are engaging with Thembalethu residents working in the industrial area, explaining the new route to current and future bus users. Any businesses in this area, who would like the team to visit their staff to share route information are welcome to phone the Call Centre with such a request.

The GO GEORGE website, www.gogeorge.org.za, offers valuable information on how to use the system as well as user-friendly features to plan a trip. Contact GO GEORGE by phoning the Call Centre on 0800 044 044 or sending an email to info@gogeorge.org.za, or like the GO GEORGE Facebook page to stay up to date with developments.

 

GO GEORGE ROL TWEEDE ROETE NA THEMBALETHU UIT

Volgens ‘n gesamentlike aankondiging deur die Wes-Kaapse LUR vir mobiliteit, Isaac Sileku, en George se uitvoerende burgemeester, raadsheer Jackie von Brandis, sal nog ‘n busroete na Thembalethu op Maandag 28 Oktober 2024 deur GO GEORGE geaktiveer word.

Roete 10 Thembalethu – George Industria sal die tweede roete wees wat die inwoners van Thembalethu bedien. R18A is in November verlede jaar uitgerol en verbind Thembalethu met Blanco.

Volgens minister Sileku is die GO GEORGE-netwerk tipies van wat bereik kan word in die ontwikkeling van openbare vervoer as alle vennote saamwerk. “Ek sien uit daarna om die nuwe roete te ervaar en om van die pendelaars te ontmoet wat by nog beter openbarevervoergeleenthede sal baat,” het hy gesê.

Burgemeester Von Brandis het haar vreugde uitgespreek oor hierdie volgende stap in die bekendstelling van ‘n omvattende diens aan Thembalethu. “Die volle implementering van die GO GEORGE-busdienste aan ons inwoners van Thembalethu was nog altyd ‘n topprioriteit. Dit is noodsaaklik dat ons inwoners toegang het tot waardige en betroubare vervoer op alle gebiede. Hoewel die implementering van die busroetes tydelik belemmer is deur die opeenhoping wat deur die N2-brugkonstruksie veroorsaak is, kan inwoners verseker wees dat ons ten volle daartoe verbind is om te verseker dat die busdiens operasioneel en beskikbaar is vir almal wat van plan is om dit te gebruik,” het sy gesê.

Roete 10 sal begin met ‘n tydelike afwyking van die beplande roete om padwerke in PW Botha-boulevard te akkommodeer. Roetekaarte en skedules is dienooreenkomstig aangepas en is beskikbaar op die GO GEORGE-webwerf.

 Skakeling met gemeenskap
Die GO GEORGE-kommunikasiespanlede is in gesprek met Thembalethu-inwoners wat in die nywerheidsgebied werk en verduidelik die nuwe roete aan huidige en toekomstige busgebruikers. Enige besighede in hierdie area wat wil hê die span moet hul personeel besoek om roete-inligting te deel, is welkom om die inbelsentrum te skakel met so ‘n versoek.

Die GO GEORGE-webwerf, www.gogeorge.org.za, bied waardevolle inligting oor hoe om die stelsel te gebruik, sowel as gebruikersvriendelike funksies om ‘n reis te beplan. Kontak GO GEORGE deur die inbelsentrum by 0800 044 044 te skakel of ‘n e-pos aan info@gogeorge.org.za te stuur, of volg die GO GEORGE Facebook-blad om op hoogte te bly van verwikkelinge.

 

George firefighters ready for 9th “Toughest Firefighter Alive*

Seven of George Municipality’s toughest are participating in the 9th TFA competition being held in Mossel Bay at De Bakke beach. Junior Firefighter Duarte Carolus and Frazier Pedro are competing in the Individual Challenges and the full team will participate in the Team Relay Saturday 28 September.

Background:
The TFA-SA is based on the international Toughest Firefighter Alive’ Challenge, the blue riband event of the World Firefighter Games (WFG). The WFG started in Auckland, New Zealand 1990 and is held in a different country every two years with the winner of the TFA Competition at the WFG being crowned the World’s Toughest Firefighter Alive, a very prestigious award.

The Firefighters for Excellence Foundation – SA exists to promote and encourage elite fitness amongst firefighters, acknowledging the critical role fitness and wellness plays within the firefighting profession, in ensuring the safety and well-being of our communities.

Individuals, municipalities, volunteer organizations, private firefighting companies, military firefighters are encouraged to support and partake in TFA-SA. The event provides the opportunity to collaborate and benchmark the South Africa’s firefighters whilst enhancing service delivery through fitter, stronger fire fighters, build community relations, motivate fire fighters and restore local and national pride in the fire services.

Seen here in their Team gear are from left Firefighter and Team Leader Nico Rossouw, Junior Firefighters Duarte Carolus, Frasier Pedro, Shawn Platt, Regan Van Beulen and Firefighter Denzil Muller. Not in the photograph Junior Firefighter Thabiso Keketsi.

 

PUBLIC NOTICE – BURST PIPE BLANCO

Unexpected water outage in Blanco. A main water pipeline was damaged.

Affected streets are Vrugte, John Kretzinger and Die Rus.

Municipal teams are on site attending to the repair.

A water tanker had been dispatched and will roam the affected streets.

ETR 6 hours

PLANNED POWER OUTAGE – Portion of Heatherlands – 3 October 2024

PORTION OF HEATHERLANDS – MORNING GLORY, ERICA AND HAWTHORNDENE STREETS

NOTICE is hereby given that the electricity supply will be interrupted on  THURSDAY 3 OCTOBER 2024  FROM  09H00 TO 16H00 for the purpose of doing alterations to the electrical mains.  Consumers are warned to treat the installation as being live for the full duration as the supply may be resumed at any time within the notified period.

Should circumstances prevent the work being carried out during the abovementioned period; the work will be done on FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER 2024 FROM  09H00 TO16H00.

PUBLIC NOTICE – Low pressure water in Herolds Bay

Issued George Municipality, 23 September 2024

Following a pipe burst in Herold’s Bay, there is air in the water system. Municipal teams are on site to let air out of the system and prevent air locks from occurring. Residents and visitors are requested to move vehicles off fire hydrant lids so that municipal staff can access the hydrants to let air out of the pipes.

GM apologies for the inconvenience and thanks residents for their patience.

PUBLIC NOTICE: MDRG Project Update

Planned construction activities of the Municipal Disaster Recovery Grant projects will take place on Tuesday, 24 September 2024 between 07:00 and 17:00.

AREAS AND AFFECTED STREETS
Parkdene – Hercules Street
Borcherds – Figland Street
Thembalethu – Africa Street, Impepho Street & Pump Station No. 6 Access Road

SERVICE DISRUPTION:
Minor operational interruptions can be expected during the construction works. Advance notification of planned temporary disruptions and the effects thereof will be issued via social media.

TRAFFIC IMPACT:
Residents, road users and pedestrians need to exercise caution throughout the construction period. Please adhere to flag persons, temporary construction works and road signage.

ACCESS TO SITE:
Access to the site will be strictly controlled. No member of the public will be allowed access to the construction area in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

PROJECT ENQUIRIES:
General: Fabian Abrahams / Kamogelo Mogale – 044 801 1584 (Technical)
General activities relating to work taking place on 24/09/2024 can be made at the contracts site camp.

The George Municipality apologises for any inconvenience and appeals to the public to be patient and exercise caution throughout the construction period. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

PUBLIC NOTICE 1: MUNICIPAL COURT

What is the Municipal Court?
* Municipal Courts are a division of the judiciary dedicated to the adjudication of local matters.
* Municipal Courts have exclusive jurisdiction to hear by-law and traffic-related violations sanctioned by the National Road Traffic Act 93 of 1996 and National Land Transport Act 5 of 2009.
* Municipal Courts do not have jurisdiction over offences such as reckless-and-negligent driving, driving under the influence, or common law offences consequent to traffic violations such as culpable homicide.

Which fines may be adjudicated by the Municipal Court?
Traffic fines
* A Section 56 notice that is given to you by a traffic officer, usually for a moving violation. It has a court date on it.
* A Section 341 notice that is sent to a motorist by post for violations caught on traffic camera or for traffic tickets issued in the absence of the motorists (typically non-moving violations, including parking violations). It does not have a court date on it but is a first notice before summons. The Traffic Department will issue a second notice before issuing the summons.

By-law fines
* A Section 56 notice that is given to you by a law enforcement officer, usually for a community safety and/or community services violation. It has a court date on it.

Municipal Court: 044 801 9400

Court Hours: 7.45 to 9am
Court Administration: 9am to 4pm Court Sittings
Closed: 1pm – 1.45pm

Public Prosecutor Traffic Matters: mhopewell@george.gov.za
Queries on fines and representations: clindt@george.gov.za – 044 878 2400

More information on https://www.george.gov.za/corporate-services/municipal-court/

 

 

 

George Disaster Services extends assistance to Swartland Following Dam Burst

George Municipality Disaster Services have stepped up to assist the Swartland Municipality after the sudden dam burst in the Dassenberg and Riverlands communities outside Malmesbury, caused a significant disruption in the water supply. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, George’s emergency services have mobilized to deliver drinking water to affected communities.

On Monday, August 12, 2024, a team from George Municipality, including Firefighters Jeandre Bernardo and Brad Bussack, led by Chief Neels Barnard, were deployed to assist for an indeterminate period.

“George fire is serving the community,” stated Barnard, emphasizing the municipality’s dedication to providing support beyond its borders. A relief crew was also sent this morning, Friday 16 August, and is expected to provide assistance for the next five days, with the possibility of extending support for another week or two if necessary.

The dam burst has left the two communities without a reliable source of drinking water until repairs can be affected and George Municipality’s prompt response and collaboration with local officials in Swartland highlight the importance of inter-municipal cooperation in times of crisis.

PUBLIC NOTICE: PLANNED WATER INTERRUPTION – THEMBALETHU, 12 AUGUST

THE FOLLOWING AREAS WILL BE AFFECTED:
Thembalethu: Impepho, Enkululekweni, Ivukuthu, Elitheni, Vukusebenze, Ndlulamthi Street

NOTICE is hereby given that the water supply will be interrupted on 12 AUGUST 2024 FROM 09H00 TO 16H30 for the purpose of doing alterations to the water mains.

Should circumstances prevent the work being carried out during the abovementioned period; the work will be done on
13 AUGUST 2024 FROM 09H00 TO 16H30

PUBLIC NOTICE: Installing solar panels – what are the municipal requirements and processes to be followed?

1. What must a homeowner do before and after installing solar panels?

  •  Find an accredited, professional service provider who is registered as an Electrical Contractor with the department of Employment and Labour. This will confirm that the company or individual is able to issue a valid Certificate of Compliance (COC) after installation. Also verify if the company has an ECSA registered Professional who will sign off the commissioning and ensure that the installation complies with National regulations.
  • Customers can use the online web-based platform to register via https://apply.sseg.org.za/ You first have to register as an applicant to create login credentials, select George Municipality and then begin registration. We recommend that the customer let their installer fill in the application form as it contains some technical questions.
  • Documents Required for the Online Application
    A customer’s ID copy, a preliminary schematic diagram and the inverter’s datasheet/model number.
  • The municipality will assess the impact on the electricity grid and inform the applicant and service provider if they can proceed with installation.
  • The applicant must inform the municipality once installation has been completed, after which a municipal technician will inspect the installation and request a copy of the Certificate of Compliance (COC) from the installer.
  •  Any additions or alterations to an existing SSEG system must follow the same procedure as above.
  • Parallel to this, the customer must apply for Building Plans to the Building Control department. For smaller solar installations, this is classified as minor building works. This is done on the municipal collaborator portal: https://westerncape.collaboratoronline.com/default.aspx. This is a new requirement, introduced by Building Control, effective from the 1st July 2024.
  • The Electrotechnical department can issue a Permission to Install letter once the grid requirements of the proposed solar installation are met, with a condition that the customer has to apply for building plans within 3 months.
  • After Installation, the Installer should go back to the online portal to upload a CoC, an as built diagram and get the ECSA registered Professional to fill in and sign the commissioning report.
  • The customer then has to sign the supplemental contract for embedded generation.
    Follow this link to download the GM Renewable Energy Contract that requires signature and which must be submitted to tyiga@george.gov.za
  • Once all of that is done, the Electrotechnical department will issue a Permission to Generate letter, which wraps up the process.
  •  It is the customers responsibility to ensure that they have the Municipal approved meter should they wish to feed power back to the Municipal grid and that they have changed to be on a Time of Use (TOU) tariff. This can be done at the Municipal Cashiers Hall or email accounts@george.gov.za to request an application form.

    2. What are your options in terms of choosing which Amperage you will need for your home?

  • Registered customers on solar panels will no longer be charged a mandatory minimum of 40 Amps Capacity fixed costs as per the 2023/24 Tariff Schedule.
  • As with every other electricity customer, registered solar panel customers can choose their preferred Amp capacity – BUT – they cannot be on a 20 Amp capacity with no fixed costs.
  • Should they select a 20 Amp capacity level, a minimum monthly fixed cost of R246.34 as per tariff 1.C (2024/25) will be charged. (R96.61 + 117.60 (20 x R5.88) + VAT = R246.34 per month fixed cost on 20 Amps if selected).
  • Consumption cost per unit remains the same.
  • Until a selection choice is exercised, a deemed capacity of 40 Amp will continue to be used for monthly billing purposes.
  • If the customer choses a higher than 20 Amp capacity, the relevant charges as per tariff 1.C will be applied, as demonstrated in this table:

TARIFF TABLE 2023/24 vs TARIFF TABLE 2024/25 



         3. What will the charges be in terms of 2024/25 tariff book and what has changed from 2023/24?

  • Please note that users who have installed solar panels will be liable for both the basic and the capacity charge for electricity, as per the Nersa approved municipal tariffs.
  • However, the mandatory minimum fixed charge of a 40 Amp capacity for homeowners with solar panels was removed from the 2024/25 tariffs to make it possible for solar panel pre-paid electricity customers to select a lower-level capacity, effective 1 July 2024.
  • This allows registered solar panel customers using pre-paid electricity to select a lower capacity option.
  • The tariff however still retains a basic level of fixed cost to contribute to the cost of the maintenance of the electricity infrastructure in George.
  • We apologize for any confusion this may have caused. For further information, please contact accounts@george.gov.za
    4. Why must you pay for access to electricity if you have solar panels?
  • The municipality buys electricity directly from Eskom for distribution within the George Municipal area. There are no alternative suppliers. Therefore, the cost increases granted by NERSA to Eskom directly impact the municipality.
  • Besides these direct costs to purchase electricity from Eskom, the municipality also incurs cost to maintain the electricity distribution network and other related overhead cost needed to supply the electricity service to consumer homes and businesses. These costs are known as fixed cost and variable costs.
  • Section 74 of the Municipal Systems Act requires that municipal tariffs must be cost reflective and sustainable. This means that the municipality must ensure that the tariff charges recover sufficient revenue to offset the cost of buying electricity from Eskom and then supplying that electricity within the municipal area. Thus, the cost to the customer must cover at least the municipalities’ cost to enable the service.
  • The basic or fixed cost component is meant to cover the cost associated with the maintenance of the infrastructure network. It is not an “availability charge” – this is an incorrect term. It is the tariff portion related to the electrical network infrastructure.
  • The variable cost or consumption charge is meant to cover the variable costs such as the bulk electricity purchases from Eskom, the network operating and related overhead costs.For SSEG queries contact tyiga@george.gov.za
    For SSEG TOU Tariff selection contact accounts@george.gov.za for an application form
    For queries on SSEG applicable tariffs and selection of Amperage, contact accounts@george.gov.za