Author: Nadine Payle
GO GEORGE SCHEDULE ON HERITAGE DAY
Buses departing from Thembalethu/ Busse maak gereed om uit Thembalethu te vertrek.
With a public holiday coming up, passengers need to note that the Saturday bus schedules will be followed on Heritage Day, Wednesday 24 September 2024.
In case of uncertainty about the Saturday schedules, passengers can visit www.gogeorge.org.za/timetables/ for user-friendly timetables.
Alternatively, they can phone the GO GEORGE Call Centre on 0800 044 044 where agents are on duty from 05:00 until 20:00, seven days a week.
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GO GEORGE-SKEDULE OP ERFENISDAG
Met ’n openbare vakansiedag wat voorlê, is dit belangrik vir passasiers om kennis te neem dat die Saterdagskedule gevolg sal word op Erfenisdag, Woensdag 24 September 2025.
In geval van onsekerheid oor die Saterdag-skedules kan passasiers die gebruikersvriendelike tydroosters by www.gogeorge.org.za /timetables/ gebruik of die GO GEORGE-inbelsentrum skakel by 0800 044 044.
Ingeligte agente is sewe dae per week van 05:00 tot 20:00 aan diens om passasiers te help om hul ritte te beplan.
Unplanned Water Outage – Hawthornden Street, Heatherlands
Please be informed that a valve failure in Hawthornden street, has resulted in a complete water supply outage for Hawthornden, Erica Street, and nearby areas.
Municipal teams are currently on site working to address the issue. The estimated time to restore water service is approximately 3 to 4 hours.
Residents are encouraged to conserve water until the supply is fully restored.
We apologise for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and patience during this time
SCAM ALERT
George Municipality warns residents, account holders, and job seekers to be vigilant of scammers impersonating municipal officials.
These fraudsters:
• Claim to be “Heads of Disconnections” or Finance officials.
• Threaten immediate electricity disconnections unless instant payments are made.
• Demand money for EPWP or other job opportunities, including job interviews.
• Contact residents via WhatsApp or phone, instructing payments into private accounts.
Important to note:
• The Municipality never demands instant payment via WhatsApp/phone.
• The Municipality does not charge money for job interviews or employment.
• Officials will not visit your property to block/unblock prepaid meters or collect payments.
Prepaid meters are only blocked in cases of:
✅No/Low consumption in the past 12 months
✅Legal issues or concerns on an account
✅No access provided to the premises
To unblock your prepaid meter legitimately, please contact the Credit Control division on the contact details supplied below:
For Assistance, please contact:
Credit Control: 044 801 9111 | creditcontrol@george.gov.za
Human Resources: 044 801 9367 | recruitment@george.gov.za
Stay alert. Verify before you pay. Report suspicious activity immediately!
George Municipality – Working together to protect our community.
Green Economy Help Desk for Businesses
GreenCape has partnered with the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning and George Municipality (Economic Development) to host a Green Economy help desk for businesses in and around George on 12 November 2025 at the George Municipality (Banquet Hall, Civic Centre, starting at 09:00. Businesses are invited to register to attend the help desk, where they will receive access to direct, one-on-one consultations with green economy sector experts as well as information (technical, financial, legal) on renewable energy, water, and sustainable agriculture.
The help desk is free and in-person, and is intended for all businesses across all value chains (agriculture, tourism, hospitality, manufacturing, retail, utilities, infrastructure, corporate, services, etc.) that wish to consult green economy experts or specialists on water, energy and agricultural-related issues or assess options available to implement renewable energy or water technologies to build resource resilience and efficiency.
TIME SLOTS:
1st Slot – morning session 09:00 – 12:00
2nd Slot – afternoon session 13:00 – 16:00
Businesses are urged to RSVP by scanning the attached QR code to register their interests or use this link: https://forms.gle/n765jc94BcnfRH9w6.
For more information, please contact Green Cape at (021) 811 0250 or email: events@green-cape.co.za / George Municipal Economic Development at (044) 801 9212 or email Led@george.gov.za.
George Strengthens Building Control Through Professional Collaboration
George Municipal Plans Examiner, Hannes Labuschagne engages with architectural and built environment professionals.
The George Municipality’s Directorate of Planning and Development, Division Building Control, hosted an engagement with architectural and built environment professionals, aimed at improving collaboration, ensuring compliance, and achieving uniformity in building control and construction processes.
The session took place at 46 Market Street, George Municipality, with the option of virtual attendance via MS Teams. Although attendance was lower than anticipated, the Municipality expressed that these engagements will be held at least twice a year, and it hopes for stronger participation in the future.
Opening the session, Mr. Fickerie Toyer, Manager: Building Control, welcomed attendees and emphasized the importance of maintaining regular dialogue between the Municipality and architectural professionals. He highlighted that streamlined processes and stronger compliance are essential to achieving sustainable development, efficient service delivery, and safer communities.
The engagement was structured around the official building control processes, which traced the journey of a building plan application from submission to occupation. The first part of the session focused on the submission of building plan applications and supporting documents.
Municipal officials stressed that plans must be complete and accurate, including details such as fire plans, land use approvals and heritage clearances where applicable. The correct naming of files, compliance with SACAP registration requirements, and clear identification of work, were identified as critical steps to avoid delays.
Drawings, specifications and all supporting forms and related documentation must align and correspond with each other to ensure that applications can be processed efficiently.
Attention then turned to the internal municipal workflow. Building plan applications are circulated across various departments for comments and review. The architectural professionals were reminded that bypassing circulation in an effort to speed up approvals often results in further complications and delays.
Resubmissions, once required, follow the same timeframes as new applications and must fully address any previous comments before being reconsidered.
A significant part of the engagement dealt with the use of SANS 10400 forms, which underpin professional accountability. The Municipality stressed that Forms 1 to 4 must be completed in full and correctly.
Form 1 serves as a declaration by the appointed architectural professional, while Form 2 appoints a competent person, such as an engineer, when rational designs are required. Form 3 covers sub-consultant design responsibilities, and Form 4 acts as the completion certificate at the close of a building project. Incomplete, misaligned or outdated forms remain one of the leading causes of delays. It was once again reiterated that the Municipality merely accepts an application of a competent person but does not confirm competency in terms the regulation.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of inspections during construction. Assistant Building Control Officers explained the procedures for foundation, drainage and final inspections, noting that owners and professionals carry the responsibility of ensuring that where applicable, the Municipality is notified of commencement and required inspections are requested on time.
These obligations of the owner and appointed professionals include that all work must comply with the approved plans before foundations and installations are covered or construction advances further, hence the importance of duly notifying the Municipality.
Common issues encountered include missed inspections, deviations from approved building plans and drainage layouts that fail to meet regulatory requirements.
The session also clarified requirements for certificates of occupancy. It was explained that these certificates can only be issued once all necessary documentation has been submitted, including certificates of compliance for plumbing, electrical, glazing, fire safety and gas installations. Form 4, signed by the relevant competent persons, is an essential requirement. Fraudulent, incomplete or inconsistent documents will not be accepted under any circumstances.
During the interactive question and answer sessions, architectural professionals were given the opportunity to raise challenges they encounter in their work. Concerns were voiced about turnaround times and communication delays, which professionals noted can extend building plan applications unnecessarily.
Questions were also raised about access to historic approved plans, with the Municipality clarifying that property owners remain responsible for retaining and transferring plans when properties are sold. Architectural professionals also discussed the difficulties of taking responsibility for undocumented or concealed work in existing buildings, pointing to the need for clearer guidance on differentiating between “as-built” plans and submissions made purely “for record purposes.” Issues of property boundary disputes were also raised, with the Municipality confirming that such disputes remain civil matters.
The meeting concluded at 12:30, following a morning of structured presentations and constructive dialogue between municipal officials and architectural professionals.
Closing the engagement, Mr. Toyer reiterated the Municipality’s commitment to working closely with the architectural and built environment.
“These engagements are vital in ensuring compliance, efficiency, and ultimately better service delivery to our community. We encourage all professionals to attend and be part of building a culture of collaboration and accountability,” he said.
The presentations used during the engagement are available on this link https://tinyurl.com/h3bp8u7j
COGTA Honours George Municipality for Outstanding Humanitarian and Rescue Efforts
George Municipality was honoured to receive a Certificate of Recognition from the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) for its outstanding hands-on commitment and service in humanitarian efforts, search, rescue, and recovery operations during the “Victoria Street Building Collapse” in George, May 2024.
Present at the handover were (from left):
Riaan du Plessis (Chief Financial Officer), Godfrey Louw (Municipal Manager),
Station Commander Santa Sternsdorff (George Fire and Rescue Services), Jannie Koegelenberg
(Director: Civil Engineering Services),
Executive Mayor Jackie von Brandis,
Fire Chief and Disaster Manager Neels Barnard (George Fire and Rescue Services), and Cllr Brendon Adams (MMC: Community Safety and Mobility).
LANDFILL SITE USERS
Please be informed that on Thursday, 11 September 2025, maintenance work will be taking place on the access road at the landfill site (main area where disposal takes place).
During this time, only one lane of the road will be open for vehicle access .
Our machinery will be working on one side of the road, while the other side will remain open for vehicles to drive in and out.
We kindly request all landfill site users to exercise patience and caution while using the access road during these works.
Your cooperation will ensure the safety of both the workers and all site users.
EARLY CLOSURE OF MVR, DLTC & VTS
Please note that the Motor Vehicle Registration (MVR), Driver’s Licence Testing Centre (DLTC), and Vehicle Testing Station (VTS) will close at 14:00 on Friday, 12 September 2025, due to compulsory monthly operational requirements.
Normal services will resume on Monday, 15 September 2025.
We apologise for any inconvenience and thank residents for their understanding.
George Fire Rescue Expertise Goes Global
George Fire and Rescue Services Senior Management are from left Johann Crause (Station Commander Fire Prevention), Santa Sternsdorff (Station Commander),
Neels Barnard (Chief Fire Officer and Disaster Manager)and Johan Brand (Divisional Commander).
George Municipality is proud to announce that Station Commander Santa Sternsdorff has been published in the Journal of the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE), International Edition. The IFE journal is recognised worldwide as a leading platform for advancing knowledge and professional practice in fire engineering and fire safety.
In the August 2025 issue, Station Commander Sternsdorff authored a detailed summary of the Victoria Street Building Collapse in South Africa, reflecting on the multi-agency rescue operation, the challenges faced, and the critical lessons learned.
Her publication captures both the technical complexities of the incident, and the human resilience demonstrated during one of the most significant emergencies in George’s recent history.
This achievement reflects the expertise and dedication of our firefighters, while showcasing the high standards of George Fire and Rescue Services.
By sharing these experiences internationally, George Fire Service contributes to improving fire safety and emergency response worldwide, while reinforcing George Municipality’s commitment to protecting its communities.
Read the published article here:
Waste Collection, Reminder to Residents
The Municipality has noticed an increasing trend of residents placing waste bags and containers on the kerb on days when no collection takes place.
We remind all residents that, in terms of the George Municipal Integrated Waste Management Bylaw (2024):
• Section 10(5): No person may place refuse receptacles or refuse bags on the kerb except on their scheduled waste collection day.
• Section 6(1): A person who generates waste remains the owner of that waste until it is removed by the Municipality or an authorised service provider.
The Municipality’s Waste Management Officer urges all residents to comply with these bylaws and place waste on the kerb only on the scheduled collection day.
Failure to do so may result in enforcement action in line with municipal bylaws.
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Vullisverwydering, herinnering aan inwoners
Die Munisipaliteit het opgemerk dat daar ’n toenemende tendens is waar inwoners vullissakke en -houers op die sypaadjie plaas op dae wanneer geen verwydering plaasvind nie.
Ons herinner alle inwoners daaraan dat, ingevolge die George Munisipale Geïntegreerde Afvalbestuursverordening (2024):
• Artikel 10(5): Geen persoon mag vullishouers of vullissakke op die sypaadjie plaas nie, behalwe op hul geskeduleerde vullisverwyderingsdag.
• Artikel 6(1): ’n Persoon wat afval lewer, bly die eienaar van daardie afval totdat dit deur die Munisipaliteit of ’n gemagtigde diensverskaffer verwyder is.
Die Munisipaliteit se Afvalbestuursbeampte doen ’n beroep op alle inwoners om die verordeninge na te kom en vullis slegs op die geskeduleerde verwyderingsdag uit te sit.
Versuim om dit te doen, kan lei tot wetstoepassing ingevolge die munisipale verordeninge.