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Author: Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe

Eskom Loadshedding Update 4 February 2024 @10:30

ESKOM LOADSHEDDING UPDATE 4 FEBRUARY 2024 @10:30
Issued by George Municipality on behalf of Eskom

<<<Sunday, 04 February 2024: Due to the need to further replenish emergency reserves in preparation for the week ahead, Stage 3 loadshedding will be implemented from 02:00 on Sunday until further notice. Eskom will closely monitor the power system and communicate should it be required. (Eskom)>>>>

George will be affected as follows:
Sunday 04/02/2024
06:00 – 08:30
14:00 – 16:30

Monday 05/02/2024
04:00 – 06:30
12:00 – 14:30
20:00 – 22:30

Tuesday 06/02/2024
12:00 – 14:30
20:00 – 22:30

Uniondale will be affected as follows:
Sunday 04/02/2024
09:00 – 11:30
17:00 – 19:30

Monday 05/02/2024
07:00 – 09:30
15:00 – 17:30
23:00 – 01:30

Tuesday 06/02/2024
15:00 – 17:30
23:00 – 01:30

Pipe Birst in Bergsig

A pipe burst occurred on 2nd Street in Bergsig. The maintenance team is on-site busy with repairs, which are expected to take approximately 3 hours.

Eskom Loadshedding Update 2 Feb 2024 @18:50

Friday, 02 February 2024: Due to the anticipated lower weekend electricity demand and the need to replenish emergency reserves in preparation for the week ahead, loadshedding will be reduced to Stage 2 from 05:00 on Saturday until further notice. Eskom will closely monitor the power system and communicate should it be required.

George will be affected as follows:
Friday 02/02/2024
22:00 – 00:30

Saturday 03/02/2024
06:00 – 08:30

Sunday 04/02/2024
06:00 – 08:30
14:00 – 16:30

Uniondale will be affected as follows:
Friday 02/02/2024
17:00 – 19:30

Saturday 03/02/2024
01:00 – 03:30
09:00 – 11:30

Sunday 04/02/2024
09:00 – 11:30
17:00 – 19:30

Update: Unplanned Pipe Repair Blanco

Issued by George Municipality, 01 Feb 2024 @17:15

George Municipality’s Water Department this afternoon attended to a pipe burst on a main supply pipeline in Robyn Crescent, Blanco.

On investigation, the Water Distribution Personnel found that the section where the repair work is required is underneath an informal structure that can be dismantled. The structure will be dismantled over the weekend to continue with work on Monday, 05 February 2024.

Meanwhile, the Municipality is supplying the reservoir with an alternative 450mm diameter feeder pipeline, so everyone will have a water supply.

***

Issued by George Municipality, 1 February 2024 @16:30

George Municipality’s Water Department is currently attending to a pipe burst on a main supply pipeline in Robyn Crescent, Blanco. The repair of the pipeline is expected to take a bit longer than normal, due to challenging site conditions.

Currently, all residents should have water, but if anyone experiences no water or low water pressure, they should contact the After Hours Call Centre at 044 801 6300.

Planned Interruption of the Electricity Supply: Courtenay Street

PLANNED INTERRUPTION OF THE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY: COURTENAY STREET

THE FOLLOWING AREAS WILL BE AFFECTED:
COURTENAY STREET
PRE-CAP CENTER

NOTICE is hereby given that the electricity supply will be interrupted on FRIDAY 02 FEBRUARY 2024 FROM 22H00 TO 04H00 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.

BEPLANDE ONDERBREKING VAN DIE ELEKTRIESE TOEVOER: COURTENAY STRAAT

DIE VOLGENDE AREAS SAL GERAAK WORD:
COURTENAY STRAAT
PRE-CAP CENTER

KENNISGEWING geskied hiermee dat die elektriese toevoer onderbreek sal word op VRYDAG 02 FEBRUARIE 2024 VANAF 22H00 TOT 04H00 met die doel om veranderings aan elektriese hoofleidings te maak. Klante word gewaarsku om die installasie as lewendig te beskou vir die volle periode aangesien die toevoer enige tyd gedurende die periode aangeskakel mag word.

Update: Low Water Pressure Alert in Wilderness Heights


Issued by George Municipality, 01 February 2024 @16:00

The Wilderness Heights Reservoir’s level is critically low, and some areas serviced by it might experience low water pressure and even no water.

A leak was found on one of the water distribution pipelines during the search operation and subsequently repaired.

We appeal to residents to use water sparingly and allow the reservoir to fill up in an attempt to stabilise the network after the loadshedding segment (14h00 – 16h00).

We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank the public for their patience over the past few days.

UPDATE Fire Alert 2 – Extreme Heat Warning


Issued by George Municipality, 1 February 2024

Due to the prevailing extreme heat conditions, the public is urged to exercise caution regarding activities that may pose a fire risk, such as discarding cigarette butts and making fires.

Yesterday, the George Fire Brigade was actively managing two veld fires. The good news is that the Pacaltsdorp veld fires have been completely extinguished while mop-up operations are underway for the fire behind Rademacher’s.

Residents are kindly requested to proceed with extreme caution and report any fire emergencies promptly.

General Fire Emergencies: 044 801 6311
After Hours and Emergencies: 044 801 6300

Your cooperation is crucial for public safety. Stay alert!

Update: Low Water Pressure Alert in Wilderness Heights


Issued by George Municipality, 01 February 2024

The Wilderness Heights Reservoir’s level is critically low, and some areas serviced by it might experience low water pressure and even no water.

The pumps and rising main feeding the Reservoir were checked and are fully operational.

The area that the reservoir is servicing is quite vast and some of the lines were walked by our operational staff to check for any leakages, currently, none has been identified, so the search continues.

We appeal to residents to use water sparingly and allow the reservoir to fill up in an attempt to stabilize the network before the next loadshedding segment.

We also request that where residents suspect a possible leak in the network, it be reported to the Fire Department at 044 801 6300 for inspection and attention.

PUBLIC NOTICE: Fire Alert – Extreme Heat Warning

Due to the prevailing extreme heat conditions, the public is urged to exercise caution regarding activities that may pose a fire risk, such as discarding cigarette butts and making fires. The George Fire Brigade is actively managing two veld fires. One in Pacaltsdorp and one behind Rademacher’s and residents are kindly requested to proceed with extreme caution and report any fire emergencies promptly.

General Fire Emergencies: 044 801 6311
After Hours and Emergencies: 044 801 6300

Your cooperation is crucial for public safety. Stay alert!

George Junior City Council Extends Best Wishes to Learners for the New Academic Year

George Junior City Council extends heartfelt best wishes to all learners in George

The George Junior City Council extends heartfelt best wishes to all learners in George as they embark on a new academic year. Reflecting on the challenges and triumphs of the past year, the Junior City Council acknowledges the resilience and determination of the learners in facing academic, sports, cultural, and spiritual endeavours.

Thomas Smook, Junior Mayor, expressed his congratulations to the learners for their accomplishments, learning curves, and even failures, emphasising that each experience contributes to their growth. “Take on this new year with courage and excitement, aiming to surpass the achievements of the previous year. Embrace the new opportunities that come your way, preparing yourselves for the future while cherishing the present moment,” said Smook.

Smook believes in the untapped potential of the youth, urging them to recognize the vast possibilities within themselves. His message concludes with a wish for all learners to have the very best in the coming year, accompanied by a reminder of the continuous renewal of hope, as “Jesus’s mercies are new every morning”.

As the George Junior City Council encourages learners to face the challenges of the academic year ahead, they emphasise the importance of perseverance, learning, and a positive outlook for a successful and fulfilling educational journey.

Water Outages Update: Parts of Wilderness Heights and Surrounds


Issued by George Municipality, 30 January 2024 @18:05

The Municipality acknowledges complaints of water outages in Wilderness Heights, impacting areas like Seven Passes Road, Ten Mile Lane, and Watsonia Street. Initial findings suggest pump tripping, leading to a drop in reservoir levels. The treatment works team is currently conducting a physical check to assess the situation accurately. Updates will be provided as the situation unfolds.

GARDEN ROUTE DAM LEVEL – Water Restrictions remain in place

Percentage storage at new raised dam wall height 95.07
Rainfall for the previous 7 days: 30 mm (Measured up to and including 30 January 2024)

The cooperation of all users of municipal water is essential and is greatly appreciated.

Follow this link for the detailed Stricter Water Restrictions in English/Afrikaans and IsiXhosa.
https://www.george.gov.za/george-doc-categories/public-notices/general/

Contraventions of the Water Restrictions can be reported on 0800 424477.
Report water leaks and burst pipes to 044 801 9262/66 or after hours at 044 801 6300, as soon as you notice them.

Update: Power Outage in Denneoord

Issued by George Municipality, 29 Jan 2024 @19:25

The estimated time of repair to supply power at a portion of Denneoord which has been experiencing a power outage since the early hours of today is 30 minutes. The affected streets are Outeniqua, Charlotte, St. Paul, and Leo Bekkie Streets. A Contractor was dispatched on-site for repairs at one of the mini substations.

***

Update: Power Outage Repairs are Underway in Denneoord                                                                                    Issued by George Municipality, 29 Jan 2024 @16:15

A portion of Denneoord is experiencing a power outage. The Contractor is on-site busy with repairs. The affected streets are Outeniqua, Charlotte, St. Paul, and Leo Bekkie Streets. The estimated time of repair is not yet available.

The cable fault occurred at approximately 23:30, and the electrician was only notified past 02:00. The Electrotechnical Services did respond and restored all power except for the one mini-substation, which has been attended to since 07:30 this morning.

Eskokm Loadshedding Update 29 Jan 2024

Stage 3 loadshedding will be implemented from 16:00 today until 05:00 on Tuesday. Thereafter, Stage 2 loadshedding will resume until 16:00 on Tuesday. This pattern will continue until further notice.

George will be affected as follows:
Monday 29/01/2024
None

Tuesday 30/01/2024
00:00 – 02:30
08:00 – 10:30
16:00 – 18:30

Wednesday 31/01/2024
16:00 – 18:30

Thursday 01/02/2024
14:00 – 16:30
22:00 – 00:30

Friday 02/02/2024
22:00 – 00:30

Uniondale will be affected as follows:
Monday 29/01/2024
None

Tuesday 30/01/2024
03:00 – 05:30
11:00 – 13:30
19:00 – 21:30

Wednesday 31/01/2024
19:00 – 21:30

Thursday 01/02/2024
17:00 – 19:30

Friday 02/02/2024
01:00 – 03:30

Update: Motor Vehicle Accident at the Outeniqua Pass Cleared and Road Reopened

A motor vehicle accident occurred at the Outeniqua Pass between George and Oudtshoorn. One lane in the direction of George was closed. The road has now been cleared and is open for traffic.

Motor Vehicle Accident at the Outeniqua Pass One Lane Closed

A motor vehicle accident occurred at the Outeniqua Pass between George and Oudtshoorn. One lane in the direction of George has been closed. A stop-and-go is in place to regulate traffic.

Mayor’s newsletter for the week ending 19 January 2024

Ald Leon van Wyk, Executive Mayor of George

It was pleasing to be able to attend the preliminaries to a planning meeting between the Municipality’s Planning department and a high-level team from the Development Bank of Southern Africa (“DBSA”) who have earmarked Thembalethu for a showcase pilot project to develop economic activity including business processing outsource (“BPO”) capability. The involvement of the DBSA is very welcome in support of the infrastructure upgrades being envisaged for Thembalethu. The focus on the BPO sector latches on to the promising activity in this sector where George has recently been visited by representatives of another international company exploring the outsourcing of services into the Western Cape.

We have also touched base with the team producing the Ouma Sarie TV series that is flighted on ETV. This is the #1 Afrikaans television show across all genres with more than 1,8m viewers per episode. It is produced and filmed in George by a home-grown team with no formal training in television production experience. We congratulate the team on this excellent achievement and look forward to the planned expansion into a fully-fledged film studio adding more employment in this creative sector.

We met with the Provincial Minister of Mobility, MEC Ricardo Mackenzie to discuss the progressive roll-out of the GO GEORGE bus service into Thembalethu and collaborative efforts on engagements to revive rail freight and growing the Air Access program into George. Readers will have noticed media reports about low productivity within the Cape Town port that are delaying both fruit exports and imported goods awaited by retail operations. Pressure is being placed on the National Government to remedy the ineffectiveness of Transnet’s rail service and ports and the resultant costs to the economy. There are benefits to be obtained from Wesgro’s Air Access program with respect to international tourism and air cargo. Air travel packages are already being offered to tourists visiting the Garden Route from Cape Town.

In their recent report on the South African economy, the Harvard Growth Lab referred to the collapse of the state’s capacity to implement and direct policies to drive progress within state departments and enterprises in the country. This critique extended to corruption and preferential procurement resulting in minimal economic growth for the country. These policies have led to the increase in national debt and the cut-back in expenditure that has already affected Provincial education and health budgets, for example.

Census 2022’s confirmation that George’s population was just below 295000 in February 2022 means that the provision of health and education services and infrastructure will require upgrades, placing further pressure on the already constrained Provincial budget. It is evident from recent interactions with the medical and educational fraternity expressing their concerns about being under-capacitated in serving patients and learners. Regarding education, the Province is exploring an innovative approach where the public and private sectors can partner in funding and delivery models that can conform with legal prescripts.

Even though the above services are not within the mandate of local government, we are actively engaging as we attempt to facilitate solutions to unlock opportunities that will benefit the economy and our communities.

Workers’ Collection Point Update

Workers’ Collection Point

The Workers Collection Point (WCP) which is situated on 12 Industrial Street, George Industrial was established for private individuals and businesses to utilise as a central point for those who wish to employ temporary workers and for job seekers to avail themselves of employment opportunities.

The George Municipality requests that employers in George and people looking for employment fully utilise this facility. The WCP is the only authorised place for job seekers and pick-up of job seekers. The WCP is staffed by officials from the George Municipality’s Economic Development Department. What makes the WCP reliable and safe for both job seekers and employers – is that it is run professionally – with the registration of job seekers, capturing their personal information including names, identification documents and addresses as well as details of the employers to ensure adequate management of the whole process.

The WCP building will undergo renovations until mid-March, therefore the registration and data capturing have been temporarily suspended. Job seekers and employers currently only sign in and out through security. The full operations will resume from 18 March 2024. However, employers and job seekers are still encouraged to utilise the centre as the operating times have not changed.

The WCP is situated at 12 Industrial Street, George Industrial and operates between 07:45 and 15:00, Monday to Friday. For enquiries, please phone the office on 044 801 9462.

IEC e-Recruitment for the National & Provincial Elections 2024

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is gearing up for the National and Provincial Elections in 2024. The IEC no longer accepts completed forms and walk-ins because it is an online process where the public needs to create online profiles and apply online on the IEC website: https://www.elections.org.za/pw/About-Us/BrowseJobs 

To assist the public with the completion of the applications, the George Municipality offers its public libraries assistance to the public to access computers to create their profiles and to complete their online applications.

George Municipality’s libraries that are participating are Blanco, Pacaltsdorp, Thembalethu and Conville. There will be an IEC official on Wednesday, 24 January & 29-31 January 2024 at all the libraries in George from 10:00 – 14:00 where possible.

The Electoral staff, job purpose is to contribute towards strengthening the electoral democracy process by assisting in coordinating and implementing the voting and results programmes of the Electoral Commission at the voting station level. The closing date is 29 February 2024.