George is currently enjoying a vibrant and bustling summer season, with warm temperatures ranging from 26°C to 28°C attracting over 250,000 people to its beaches and public swimming pools from 1 December 2024 and up to 5 January 2025.
Highlights include a record-breaking 42,500 public pool and beachgoers on New Year’s Day, preceded by 26,500 on Christmas Day and 25,800 on Boxing Day. Popular destinations include the Blue Flag beaches at Wilderness Main, Herold’s Bay, and Victoria Bay. Additionally, Leentjiesklip—designated as a pilot Blue Flag beach for 2024—and Gwaing River Mouth, a recipient of the Green Coast Award for the second consecutive year, continue to see steady visitor numbers.
Comprehensive safety measures have been implemented to ensure a secure and enjoyable environment throughout the festive season. Municipal Law Enforcement officials, supported by SAPS and other partners, have maintained a strong presence in the CBD and other high-traffic public areas including the beaches. Fines totalling R72,000 have been issued for by-law infringements such as illegal trading, public nuisance, and disturbing the peace. Confiscated items include 355 litres of alcohol, sharp objects, knives, firearms, fireworks, and drugs.
To date, twelve arrests have been made for offenses including drunk and disorderly conduct, riotous behaviour, and assaulting a Law Enforcement officer. On New Year’s Day, four individuals were removed from beaches for unruly behaviour and public indecency. Confiscated alcohol is being stored and will be handed over to SAPS for destruction. Beach cleaning personnel have also played an essential role, working from 6 am on New Year’s Day to ensure beaches and public facilities were clean and welcoming for visitors.
George Fire and Rescue Services, along with NSRI, lifeguards, and other emergency teams, continue to ensure the safety of residents and visitors. Their efforts have resulted in zero fatal drownings so far this season, while four non-fatal drownings have been successfully managed. Preventive measures have been robust, with 2,791 actions taken, 223 rescues conducted, 751 first-aid incidents and Emergency Medical Assistance provided in nine cases.
The George Fire Brigade has responded to 128 incidents, including 17 formal structure fires, 13 informal structure fires, 66 veld fires, and one motor vehicle fire, with no lives lost. Assistance was also provided to the Hessequa Local Municipality and Garden Route District Municipality for a stubborn veldfire in Jongensfontein. The municipal Human Settlements division assisted 9 families with emergency accommodation and addressed 24 fire cases.
Municipal Traffic Services, in collaboration with Provincial Traffic, remain focused on road safety. They have attended to 28 vehicle accidents, including six with injuries and one fatality, issued 1,983 traffic notices, and conducted 31 impoundments. These efforts have ensured minimal disruptions during the busy holiday period.
The success of the festive season is the result of combined efforts from various George Municipality departments, as well as external support and partnerships with SANPARKS, SAPS, NSRI, and Provincial Traffic. The Civil Engineering Services division responded to 162 Indigent related civils faults, 662 water-related faults, 111 street and stormwater faults, and 879 incidents of sewer clearing and emptying of septic tanks.
The Cleansing division worked tirelessly over the holiday period, with refuse collection officials working on all the public holidays, including Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day. A significant amount of refuse, just under 8000 tonnes was disposed of at PetroSA. Additionally, the Illegal Dumping Campaign launched on 13 December to address waste management challenges across the city’s wards has been highly successful, with over 9079 brown bags of litter collected to date.
Acting Municipal Manager Godfrey Louw commended the efforts of all municipal teams: “The cleanliness and safety of our city have been a top priority this festive season. I am pleased with the exceptional service delivery provided by our departments, despite the challenges of a busy holiday period. The hard work and dedication of our teams, as well as the support of residents, have contributed to ensuring George remains a safe, clean, and enjoyable destination for all.”
Lifeguards remain on duty at beaches and public swimming pools, ensuring safety as the summer season continues through to 31 January. George Municipality extends its gratitude to its hardworking teams and the public for their cooperation and looks forward to concluding the summer on a positive note.
Daar is tans ‘n wateronderbreking in Uniondale weens ‘n pypbreuk in Victoria Straat.