Author: Debra Sauer

Executive  Mayor of George,  Leon van Wyk and Portfolio Councillor for Human Settlements and George Municipal officials visited a home in Preekstoel Street, Blanco where the Directorate of Human Settlements has  improved access to the property. A retaining wall has been built and  the Directorate did earth moving, installed gutters and downpipes to channel and to re-route run-off during rainfall. Similar work to improve access and build retaining  walls has been completed at another 58 properties in Rosedale, Touwsranten and Blanco since the start of the current financial year. Each property was assessed and dealt with to ensure suitable solutions and to alleviate problem areas.

In the photograph from left at the access stairs to the home in Preekstoel Street, Blanco are Cllr Bazil Petrus, Portfolio Councillor of Human Settlements, Madoda Bokwe, Clerk of Works at Human Settlements, Planning and Development, Charne Flores, Project Administrator at Human Settlements, Planning and Development and Mayor Leon van Wyk.

Our citizens and businesses encounter daily challenges with loadshedding.

On social media it is noticeable how many queries are raised about the delays in switching
on power at the end of loadshedding. Previously, George was able to switch on promptly at
the end of a loadshedding stage. The increased installation of batteries and inverters in
combination with 4-hour stages and winter has resulted in greater peak pressures on the
grid. With these peaks, the municipality now needs to stagger the switching-on in sections
to prevent the electricity demand exceeding the normalised maximum demand that Eskom
is contracted to provide. Every sub-station has a maximum rating, which if exceeded will
result in a trip with potentially serious damage to transformers.

I would like to make an urgent and serious appeal to all households and businesses to only
switch on geysers during off-peak night hours, and to delay turning on inverters, battery
chargers and high consuming appliances (kettles, hairdryers, stoves, heaters, etc) until 5-20
minutes after power has been restored. This is a discipline and habit that we all need to
adopt to avoid that our municipal grid trips resulting in lengthy outages.

The Electro-tech Directorate is already under enormous pressure as they repair almost daily
faults and repairs triggered by loadshedding. Other municipalities are reporting extended
outages resulting from such damage.

It is therefore critical that this message is circulated to your friends and to social media
communication groups of which you are a member.

All businesses are being negatively affected by loadshedding as they lose productive hours
during their working days. It is probably important that they introduce shifts to coincide
with power availability in an attempt to maintain the necessary work output.

The municipality is working non-stop to implement alternative energy solutions to replace
electricity that Eskom is unable to provide. Various smaller projects are underway to supply
3MW of solar power (and battery storage) for own infrastructure (e.g. water treatment and
waste water plants) and to save 4MW through energy efficiencies. We have also
commenced with the construction of a 10MW solar PV plant. On completion of these
projects by the end of 2024, we want to be able to avoid Stage 2 of loadshedding. With the
necessary discipline and assistance of our electricity consumers in managing their own use
we can reduce the daily offtake from Eskom and reduce loadshedding.

Technical and financial feasibility studies are already far advanced as we finalise a project
application (to be lodged shortly) that will exceed R1,5 billion to install additional solar PV
and battery storage equipment to generate sufficient power to avoid Stage 4 of
loadshedding by the end of 2026. We need to focus on these goals.

As part of the ongoing tasks of our management team to consistently deliver services of a high standard, there are also the ongoing challenges of electricity and the creation of an enabling environment for the economy.

We continue to experience 4 hours of loadshedding at Stage 6. In the last week we experienced damage to electrical installations caused by loadshedding resulting in prolonged outages requiring repairs to electrical installations. At one stage, an Eskom sub-station tripped in the early evening creating additional difficulties for households. Of major concern is the spiking caused by excessive loads on the municipal grid and the risk of the entire network tripping. To protect the municipal grid and to avoid exceeding the maximum capacity of our main sub-stations, George’s Electro-tech team is forced to switch on zones one by one. The charging of batteries by consumers is no doubt adding to this pressure. We do require the assistance of citizens to exercise discipline in not turning on geysers and appliances in the first half-hour after a loadshedding period to avoid tripping the grid.

Over the past couple of years discussions have taken place with CapeBPO, a strategic partner of Wesgro to explore the prospects of Business Process Outsourcing businesses opening offices in George. CapeBPO has attracted overseas companies to the Western Cape to set up operations to offer contact centre services for companies and their customers located elsewhere in the world. The industry is particularly attractive to young persons, often in the 25 and younger age group, to receive training and employment in a sector that already employs 50000 persons in Cape Town.

One of these global analytics and digital solutions companies that services the insurance, healthcare, banking and financial services industries is about to open offices in George that will then service clients in the United States and elsewhere. This US based company is already a big employer in Cape Town and will therefore add to the diversity of employment opportunities in George.

We have received a high-level presentation on the Western Cape Growth for Jobs Strategy 2023-2035. The target is to achieve a R1 trillion inclusive economy growing at 4-6% per annum in partnership with the private sector.

To achieve this objective, we need to create opportunities through enabling the economic environment, stimulating market growth and supporting growth opportunities.

Over the first three year period this means driving economic opportunities through investment, stimulating market growth through exports and domestic markets, increasing energy resilience and water security, promoting technology and innovation, improving infrastructure and connectivity, as well as improving access to the economy and employability.

The strategy includes the tripling of revenue from the exports of goods, services and tourism by 2035.

Following a number of incidents of unauthorised cutting and pruning of trees by residents where the trees are located on municipal land, the George Municipality’s Parks and Recreation department and the George Tree Committee would like to communicate details of George Municipality Tree Management Policy for public awareness. According to Nosidima Vumindaba, Manager: Parks and Recreation, George Municipality has a Tree Management Policy that is a guide to a uniform approach for the management of trees. The municipality strives to manage trees in a professional manner under the guidance of skilled professionals.

Tree Management Policy

The Tree Management Policy regulates the protection, planting, and removal of trees by ensuring an integrated city-wide approach based on sound arboriculture practices. Integrated spatial development frameworks and service level agreements between Municipal Directorates to prevent unnecessary damage to trees during construction works or related activities. Vumindaba says the tree management policy seeks to develop partnerships with suppliers, property developers, ratepayers’ organizations, environmental groups (and others) to promote tree planting and the importance of trees within the urban context and promote the protection of arboreal landscapes, tree lanes and tree avenues of heritage significance.

She said the tree management strives to improve understanding and awareness of the importance of lifecycles of trees within the habitats and environments found in George, including their contribution to reducing the Municipality’s carbon footprint, together with oxygen production.

Tree Removal according to the Tree Management Policy:

• The premise that underpins the management of trees in George is that all trees are valuable and therefore any request or decisions for removal of trees need to be carefully considered on a case-by-case basis by the Parks and Recreation section.
• No person may prune or remove a tree planted on Municipal land without prior authority from the Parks and Recreation Department. In the event of a person or persons being guilty of such an act, the municipality may impose the necessary fines as a result of contravention.
• Trees declared as a protected species in terms of the Forest Act, 1998 (Act 84 of 1998) may not be pruned or removed without the permission from the Ministery of Forestry Fisheries and the Environment.
• In order to prevent unnecessary damage to trees during construction work, all developers and utility companies/contractors should obtain a wayleave from Parks and Recreation prior to commencing construction work.
• Pruning or removal of all trees on municipal property shall be done by Parks and Recreation or its appointed service providers. In the event of a person or persons being guilty of such an act, the municipality may impose the necessary fines as a result of contravention.

The municipality has also noted the ongoing destruction of Camphor trees through bark stripping especially in forested areas. Bark stripping damages the tree and might expose the trees to insect diseases. Harvesting of bark of the Camphor trees located on municipal land is illegal. The George Municipality urges the community to immediately report any suspicion of unauthorized cutting , pruning of trees and harvesting of barks of trees to the Parks Department.

For further information you can make contact with the Parks and Recreation department on 044 802 2900 or email nvumindaba@george.gov.za

GEORGE TOURISM AT AFRICA’s TRAVEL INDABA

Media Release:  5 May 2023 – For Immediate Release

Tourism Manager, Joan Shaw will be attending the South African Tourism Indaba from 8^th to 11^th of May in the City of EThekwini (Durban).

Africa’s Travel Indaba brings together tourism stakeholders from across the African continent to promote diverse tourism products and experiences. In doing so, all exhibitors contribute to showcasing that Africa is a vibrant region that is geared up to cater to various traveller needs, and the Garden Route is an ever-popular destination.

The George Tourism Office has been buzzing with preparations for the show where Joan will meet more than 30 hosted buyers and media in a packed calendar of meetings and events, armed with a new Trade presentation, information brochures, loaded USB’s, maps and other promotional goodies.

Although many of the traditional markets are being targeted (UK, Germany, Netherlands), Joan has many meetings with byers and media from the USA, which is proving to be a growing market for George and the Garden Route.  George has also targeted eastern European countries as well as the Middle East, for meetings to showcase what the region has to offer.

With a huge target to return to Pre COVID-19 attendance and participation numbers and to contribute to driving sustainable economic growth and development, this year’s Africa’s Travel Indaba, is really the platform for showcasing new ideas and innovations and for connecting businesses with potential partners and investors.

Ends