Author: Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe

In the photo from Left to Right Front Row: Mr Christopher van Niekerk (Western Cape Aquatics Development Officer), Cllr Brendon Adams, Ms Fozia Philander (DCAS), Ms. Angeline Baardman (Treasurer, Conville Aquatics), Ms Lucinda Orie (Secretary, Conville Aquatics), Ms Deborah Bruce ( Chairperson, Conville Aquatics)

Back Row: Mr Keenan Rasmus (Department of Education, Eden District), Mr  Lluwellyn Coetzee (President of Western Cape & Eden Aquatics), Ms. Taritha Pollicutte (Swimboard Convener, Eden Aquatics), Ms Janine Fernold (Treasurer Eden Aquatics & Learn to Swim Coach), Ms Leveinia Botha (George Municipality)

On Saturday, 12 April 2025, the community of Conville and surrounding areas celebrated a historic moment with the official launch of the Conville Aquatics Swim Club—the first of its kind in the area.

The idea of establishing a community-based swim club at the Conville Swimming Pool has been in development for some time. On 20 February 2025, the George Municipality convened a meeting with interested stakeholders to discuss the formation of the club. This meeting led to the election of the club’s inaugural leadership team:

• Deborah (Debbie) Bruce – Chairperson
• William Machou – Deputy Chairperson
• Lucinda Orie – Secretary

The vision of the Conville Aquatics Swim Club is to promote inclusive aquatic development across the greater George area, regardless of gender, creed, or race. The club aims to nurture and mentor individuals and aspiring athletes through coaching, life skills programmes, safety training, workshops, and awareness campaigns.

The successful launch was made possible through the collaborative support of multiple stakeholders, including:
• George Municipality
• Swimming South Africa
• Western Cape and Eden Aquatics
• Department of Arts, Sport and Culture
• Eden District Education Department
• National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI)
• George East Ministers Fraternal
• The local community

The Conville Aquatics Swim Club extends heartfelt gratitude to all partners and community members whose dedication and contributions made this milestone possible.

Mr Godfrey Louw, Municipal Manager

The George Municipality is proud to announce the appointment of Mr Godfrey Louw as the new Municipal Manager, effective 15 April 2025. His term will extend until a year after the next local government elections in 2026.

Mr Louw, a highly experienced and respected public administrator, brings nearly 35 years of local government experience, with over 15 years in senior management roles. His extensive background spans various leadership and administrative positions in municipalities across the country, most recently serving as Acting Municipal Manager of George since October 2024.

He holds an Honours Degree in Public Administration, a Postgraduate Diploma in Labour Law, and a Municipal Minimum Competency (MMC) qualification, a combination that provides both academic depth and practical expertise in governance and labour-related matters.

His previous appointments include:
• Acting Municipal Manager: George Municipality (2024–2025)
• Acting Deputy Director: Human Resources, George Municipality (2021)
• Municipal Manager: Eden District Municipality (2008–2017)
• Municipal Manager: Berg Rivier Municipality (2007–2008)

Earlier in his career, Mr Louw also held various roles in Saldanha Bay, Kouga, Uitenhage (Kariega), and within the former House of Representatives Administration.

Executive Mayor Ald Jackie von Brandis welcomed the appointment: “Mr Louw has already demonstrated outstanding leadership, steering the municipality with a steady hand since taking over in an acting capacity. His appointment brings continuity, stability, and an incredible wealth of institutional knowledge to the role. We have full confidence in his ability to take George forward with integrity, professionalism, and a firm commitment to responsive and people-centred governance.”

Mr Louw’s leadership is expected to further enhance service delivery, strengthen administrative systems, and support the municipality’s strategic development agenda.

In the photo: Various exhibitors on the GR&KK stand at WTMA 2025 along with the Garden Route District Mayor

Cape Town, South Africa – 16 April 2025 — George, Wilderness and Uniondale Tourism – the official tourism bureau of George Municipality, proudly participated in the World Travel Market (WTM) Africa 2025, held from 9 to 11 April at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Representing the region as part of the Garden Route and Klein Karoo stand, the team joined forces with surrounding Garden Route towns and tourism exhibitors to promote the destination to a global audience of travel professionals.

WTM Africa is a premier international travel trade event that connects tourism buyers and sellers from across the globe. This year, George, Wilderness and Uniondale Tourism engaged in over 30 high-level meetings with international buyers, including tour operators, travel agents, and wholesalers from the United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, United States, Nigeria, Sweden, Italy, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Brazil, and South Africa.

“Participating in WTM Africa offers us valuable insights into emerging travel trends and buyer expectations from across different markets,” said Sharon House, Senior Tourism Officer for George, Wilderness and Uniondale Tourism. “It’s an excellent opportunity to showcase the diverse experiences our region offers and to connect buyers with the right local businesses. We also support them with professional media content to help sell the destination more effectively.”

In celebration of the destination’s new brand, buyers received specially curated “George, naturally” gift bags filled with destination maps and brochures. The event also offered an invaluable opportunity to reconnect with buyers who had previously attended familiarisation (FAM) trips to the region, strengthening existing relationships and fostering future collaborations.

Local tourism enterprises added strength to the region’s presence at the show. The Wilderness Hotel and Redberry Farm exhibited on the shared stand, while Views Boutique Hotel and Spa and Oakhurst Farm Cottages participated independently, further showcasing the diversity of George’s tourism offerings. The stand also featured George’s immersive 360-degree VR experiences, allowing buyers to virtually explore the region’s highlights.

The Garden Route District Municipality played a pivotal role in the success of the stand, contributing significantly to the stand fees and enabling subsidised participation. The stand, coordinated by a regional committee made up of tourism office representatives, offered affordable participation packages starting from R26,000. With features such as individual exhibitor desks, a meeting diary, custom branding, lockable storage space and activation slots, the stand once again sold out well ahead of the event.

A highlight of this year’s event was the visit by the Garden Route District Executive Mayor Ald. Andrew Stroebel, who officially welcomed exhibitors and lent support to this longstanding marketing initiative.

George, Wilderness and Uniondale Tourism remains committed to positioning the region as a top-tier travel destination, and WTM Africa continues to serve as a vital travel trade platform for connecting with global partners and promoting tourism growth.

In the photo: Computerised Learner’s Licence Testing effective Thursday, 17 April 2025

In line with the adoption of modern technology, the George Municipality is pleased to announce the implementation of Computerised Learner’s Licence Testing (CLLT) at the George Driving Licence Testing Centre (DLTC), effective Thursday, 17 April 2025.

The new system replaces the traditional handwritten learner’s licence test with a fully computerised version, offering enhanced accuracy, efficiency, and security. Conducted in real time, the system eliminates several risks associated with the manual process, including potential corruption and long waiting times for results.

The Executive Mayor of George, Ald. Jackie von Brandis welcomed the advancement, saying: “We are proud to introduce computerised learner’s licence testing at our Driving Licence Testing Centre. This innovative step allows applicants to take the test in any of South Africa’s 11 official languages, creating a more inclusive, accurate, and user-friendly experience. By minimising administrative errors and promoting fairness, we are ensuring that only qualified and deserving individuals are issued learner’s licences.”

Key Features of the CLLT System:
• Randomised Questions: Questions are drawn randomly from a national database, making it impossible for applicants to predict the test content.
• Immediate Results: Learners receive their results instantly upon completing the test, significantly reducing waiting times.
• Multilingual Support: Tests can be taken in any of South Africa’s 11 official languages, making the process more inclusive.

Impact on Appointments:
Due to the installation of the new CLLT equipment, classroom capacity has been reduced from 20 to 15 applicants per session. As a result, some existing appointments will be rescheduled. The George DLTC will contact affected applicants directly to arrange alternative dates. If you are not contacted, your scheduled appointment remains unchanged.

Please note that:
• The criteria to apply for a learner’s licence remain unchanged and are available on the George Municipality’s website.
• Oral learners’ licence testing will not be affected by the transition to CLLT.
• Applicants who require reading and writing assistance must still meet the department’s approval criteria.

For study materials, including road signs, rules of the road, and vehicle controls, please visit: https://www.natis.gov.za

The George Municipality remains committed to delivering efficient, transparent, and citizen-friendly services through innovation.