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Press Release Archive

CALL FOR PERSONS AFFECTED BY BOMBING OF BUS TO COME FORWARD

CALL FOR PERSONS AFFECTED BY BOMBING OF BUS TO COME FORWARD
3 March 2023

GO GEORGE is calling upon persons affected in any way by the petrol bomb attack on a bus in Pacaltsdorp on the 1st of March, to phone the GO GEORGE Call Centre on 0800 044 044 and leave their names and contact details. We would like to contact you, whether you had been injured, suffered from shock or witnessed the incident, and arrange for counselling where needed.

BEROEP OP PERSONE WAT GERAAK IS DEUR DIE BOMAANVAL OP GO GEORGE-BUS OM NA VORE TE KOM
3 Maart 2023

GO GEORGE doen ‘n beroep op persone wat op enige manier geraak is deur die petrolbomaanval op ‘n bus in Pacaltsdorp op 1 Maart, om die GO GEORGE-inbelsentrum by 0800 044 044 te skakel en hul name en kontakbesonderhede te laat. Ons wil u kontak, of u beseer is, aan skok ly of die voorval gesien gebeur het, en reël vir berading waar nodig.

Mayor’s Newsletter for George Herald of 2 March 2023

Our current biggest challenge continues to be the supply of electricity. As I write this week’s newsletter we have stumbled back to Stage 4 after enduring the crippling effects of Stage 6’s four-hour stints of load-shedding that is crippling the economy.

At Stage 6, Municipality has a daily cost of R250 000 for diesel to operate generators for the water and waste-water treatment works, key pump stations and other critical infrastructure. This translates to R7,5m per month at that level of load-shedding. Industrialists have lamented about their diesel costs compared to that of electricity.

During the Council’s approval of our Adjustment Budget to see us through to June 2023, I mentioned that over the period from July 2022 to January 2023, we did not have power for 15% of the total daily hours. In December and January, it was 24%. We have budgeted that R101m of our budgeted Electricity revenue will not materialise. The costs do not stop there as we have the diesel costs and additional overtime that is needed to deal with the ongoing preventative maintenance of infrastructure that is being harmed by load-shedding. Under cover of darkness, cable theft and equipment vandalism also occur.

The effect is such a nature that it is simply impossible to reduce costs sufficiently to neutralise the loss of revenue. The effects of the Ukraine war have also led to substantial increases in the price of chemicals required for water purification. The expected shortfall totals R161m, which will undoubtedly impact cash reserves. This means that budget planning for 2023/24 will require a review of all expenditures and revenue. It is worth noting that in the financial year to June 2023, the Municipality’s total expenditure will be close to R3900m (with capital expenditure exceeding now R800m), the equivalent of R75m per week.

Residents will have noted changes to our normally efficient switch-ons following load-shedding. We have a notifiable demand agreement of 85MVA with Eskom, being the electricity that they must provide for George at any given moment in a year. On returning from load-shedding, usage spikes rise to 105-112MVA as geysers, freezers and other high-use equipment switch on. We have been informed that any spike above 85MVA will result in increased charges for electricity due to a higher notifiable demand being triggered. We now need to switch on sections of George in turn, over 30 minutes or longer to manage total usage within the limit. All our consumers should therefore assist by turning off equipment and waiting to switch it on again only after the power is restored.

Big electricity users wishing to discuss their electricity challenges with our team are welcome to email: supportbusiness@george.gov.za

Ald Leon van Wyk

Executive Mayor of George

GO GEORGE Incident Protea Road, Pacaltsdorp

GO GEORGE is confirming an incident of a petrol bomb thrown into a bus in Protea Road, Pacaltsdorp early this morning. According to early reports, 14 passengers have been taken to hospital by ambulance – five of them have been treated for burn wounds and nine for shock. The SA Police Service is investigating the incident.

GO GEORGE Manager Morné Lakay says the GIPTN regrets the incident and will assist the police with information and CCTV footage to bring the perpetrators to book.

The bus service in the area and all other routes remain fully operational.

George Municipality have started improving access to homes with steep slopes and soon retaining walls will be built as well

Issued by George Municipality  28 February 2023

 

George Municipality has since 23 November 2022 started improving access to homes with steep slopes in Rosedale, Thembalethu and Touwsranten. Further measures to bring relief to several homes which continuously flood in times of heavy downpour include building channels to re-route run off, as well as installing gutters and down pipes to minimise access rainwater into the yards. A total of 64 houses were identified with stormwater problems in the areas mentioned above and to date 23 houses have been completed. A tender for the installation of retaining walls is still in the procurement process.

 

Captions: Construction in progress improving access to homes with steep slopes in Rosedale, Thembalethu and Touwsranten. Workers are building channels to re-rout run off, installing gutters and down pipes and buffers to bring relief especially during heavy downpours.

GEORGE MUNICIPALITY HELD A SUCCESSFUL EVENTS COMPLIANCE AND SUPPORT WORKSHOP ON THE 24TH OF FEBRUARY 2023

A well-attended Events Compliance and Support Workshop was hosted by the George Municipality’s Tourism Department in collaboration with the various municipal departments responsible to assist all event organisers wanting to host events in George. The workshop took place on the 24th of February 2023 at the Conference Room of the George Civic Centre.

Event organisers representing sports clubs, schools, event companies, and NGO’s attended the workshop and were able to communicate relevant challenges and gave valuable contributions. Various municipal departments presented information on topics ranging from the critical aspects of population certificate applications, bookings regarding municipal sports facilities, use of open spaces, regulations regarding private land-use rights for event venues, outdoor advertising, and event marketing.

The guest speakers were from various municipal sections designated to assist with applications and event support such as Tourism (posters and banners, event funding assistance, event promotion), Emergency Services (population certificate application), Environmental (cleansing, noise control applications, open space permission applications), Sports and Corporate Sections (sports facilities and hall bookings), Building Control (outdoor advertising compliance and structural compliance), Legal Services (legal contracts), Traffic (road closures), Law Enforcement (public procession applications), Town Planning (land-use rights), and Electrotechnical Services (electrical connections and energy availability).

During the workshop, participants received information regarding the annual George Municipality Event Support Application Program which offers financial and non-financial backing to events taking place in the municipal area.

For more information on event compliance, as well as possible repeat workshops, you are welcome to contact Melanie Martins at the George Tourism Office or send an e-mail to events@visitgeorge.co.za

Ends

GEORGE MAYOR TO VISIT UNIONDALE AND HAARLEM AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

The Executive Mayor of George Municipality, Alderman Leon van Wyk will be visiting farmers in the Uniondale and Haarlem area on 9 March 2023. Agriculture is one of the key driving sectors and contributors to the local economy within George Municipality.

According to Dr Kosie Haarhoff, the Deputy Director: Strategic Growth and Development in the George Municipality, the purpose of the visit is to primarily engage with small commercial farmers within the Uniondale/Haarlem area and to discuss services offered by the Municipality, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDA), the National Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (NDARDLR) and other government departments. Most farmers in the Haarlem area are smallholder farmers who either farm individually or in a cooperative and they need support and resources to sustain their businesses.

“The Mayor will meet with the Uniondale Agricultural Union in the morning and visit farms in the Uniondale and Haarlem areas in the afternoon. Part of the visit is to evaluate progress made on projects supported by WCDA as per its strategic objectives and to interact with farmers on issues such as infrastructure, electricity, water, storage facilities and security,” Dr Haarhoff added.

“The Mayor would furthermore assess the impact of financial and non-financial support given to farmers by the Municipality, WCDA, and NDARDLR and how the support contributes towards job creation and the alleviation of poverty in the region. Finally, the visit will also seek to enhance cooperation and coordination between all spheres of government in developing and capacitating farmers in the district,” he said.

The delegation will consist of the Executive Mayor van Wyk, Cllr Dirk Wessels ( Portfolio Chair for Finance and Economic Development), Dr Kosie Haarhoff ( George Municipality), Mr Willem Burger ( WCDA) and Mr Phillip Hendricks ( NDARDLR).

Phased-in roll-out for Thembalethu

GO GEORGE has announced that the bus service to Thembalethu will be activated in three stages with the first wheels rolling down Nelson Mandela Boulevard soon. The other two stages will follow soon thereafter.
The George Council accepted that it had not been possible to make the initial November deadline, but resolved that service should roll out as soon as possible with a further announcement to be made at least one week before the activation of the routes. The current preparations are all seen as part of rolling out the service.

Three stages of roll-out
Stage 1:
Route 11 Thembalethu – GR Mall
Route 18A Thembalethu – Blanco
Route 18B Fourways – Blanco
Route 57A Jonga Community
Route 57B Ramaphosa Community
Route 57C Tabata Community

Stage 2:
Route 10 Thembalethu – George Industria
Route 57D Fourways Community

Stage 3:
Route 4A Thembalethu – CBD
Route 4A Express Thembalethu – CBD
Route 4B Fourways – CBD
Route 57E Ngcakani Community
Route 62A Jonga – Hospital
Route 62B Ramaphosa – Hospital
Route 62C Tabata – Hospital

Information about the Thembalethu service
The first phase of the Thembalethu roll-out information campaign focused on visits to businesses in town employing Thembalethu residents, followed by a three-week campaign at the Thembalethu clinic and library, and engagement with staff at schools and educational institutions. To date, these activities resulted in one-on-one engagement with 7 748 individuals.

On 7 February, the communication champions started with door-to-door engagement with residents at their homes, which to date, has covered 1 972 homes and approximately 7 888 household members. Information sheets containing route maps of the phased-in roll-out are being handed out and explained to prospective passengers. The unanimous response to the news that the buses are definitely still coming is that of excitement, relief, and gratitude.

All-over readiness
Infrastructure such as bus stops, temporary shelters and operational facilities are on schedule and mostly completed. Residents should soon see buses driving through the area testing schedules and routes.
Anyone who would like to request an informational visit to their staff or organisation can call the GO GEORGE Call Centre on 0800 044 044 from 05:00 until 20:00, seven days a week.

CAPTIONS:
Themba clinic:


These women visiting the Thembalethu Clinic were excited to learn more about the upcoming bus service to Thembalethu. From left, Phumzile Bonga, Siphokazi Goliath, communication champion Akhona Gxumisa, and Inna Adam. The name of the woman on the right is not known.

Tyron door to door:


Thembalethu residents are welcoming the GO GEORGE communication champions to their homes. Here Tyron Jeyi, GO GEORGE community liaison officer, explains to a lady what to expect from the bus service.

Door-to-door cleaning can wait:


Cleaning can wait! Vuyelwa Myali is listening attentively to communication champion Nomnikelo Bolitye explaining how she can use the bus service.

Engagement in Blanco:


From restaurants, gymnasiums and factories to nurseries and petrol stations – all over George, staff residing in Thembalethu are taking a moment to listen to what they can expect when the bus service rolls out to their area. Here, Tyron Jeyi, GO GEORGE community liaison officer, chats to workers at a garage in Blanco.

 

AFRIKAANS OP VOLGENDE BLADSY

PERSVERKLARING: Thembalethu-busdiens ingefaseer
Uitgereik: 24 Feb 2023

GO GEORGE het aangekondig dat die busdiens na Thembalethu in drie fases geaktiveer sal word met die eerste wiele wat binnekort in Nelson Mandela Boulevard af sal rol. Die ander twee fases sal kort daarna volg.
Die George-raad het aanvaar dat dit nie moontlik was om die aanvanklike sperdatum in November te haal nie, maar het besluit dat die diens so gou moontlik moet uitrol met ‘n verdere aankondiging wat minstens een week voor die aktivering van die roetes gemaak moet word. Die huidige voorbereidings word alles gesien as deel van die uitrol van die diens.

Drie fases van uitrol
Fase 1:
Roete 11 Thembalethu – GR Mall
Roete 18A Thembalethu – Blanco
Roete 18B Fourways – Blanco
Roete 57A Jonga Community
Roete 57B Ramaphosa Community
Roete 57C Tabata Community

Fase 2:
Roete 10 Thembalethu – George Industria
Roete 57D Fourways Community

Fase 3:
Roete 4A Thembalethu – CBD
Roete 4A Express Thembalethu – CBD
Roete 4B Fourways – CBD
Roete 57E Ngcakani Community
Roete 62A Jonga – Hospitaal
Roete 62B Ramaphosa – Hospitaal
Roete 62C Tabata – Hospitaal

Inligting oor die Thembalethu-diens
Die eerste fase van die Thembalethu-inligtingsveldtog het gefokus op besoeke aan besighede in die dorp wat inwoners van Thembalethu in diens het, gevolg deur ‘n drie-weke lange veldtog by die Thembalethu-kliniek en -biblioteek, en skakeling met personeel by skole en opvoedkundige instellings. Tot op hede het hierdie aktiwiteite gelei tot een-tot-een skakeling met 7 748 individue.

Op 7 Februarie het die passasiersdiensbeamptes (champions) begin met deur-tot-deur skakeling met inwoners by hul huise, wat tot op hede 1 972 huise en ongeveer 7 888 lede van huishoudings gedek het. Inligtingsblaaie wat roetekaarte van die ingefaseerde uitrol bevat, word uitgedeel en aan voornemende passasiers verduidelik. Die eenparige reaksie op die nuus dat die busse beslis nog kom, is dié van opgewondenheid, verligting en dankbaarheid.
Algehele gereedheid

Infrastruktuur soos bushaltes, tydelike skuilings en operasionele fasiliteite is op skedule en is meestal voltooi. Inwoners behoort binnekort busse deur die gebied te sien ry vir die toetsing van skedules en roetes.
Enigiemand wat ‘n inligtingsbesoek aan hul personeel of organisasie wil versoek, kan die GO GEORGE-inbelsentrum skakel by 0800 044 044 van 05:00 tot 20:00, sewe dae per week.

ONDERSKRIFTE:
Themba clinic:


Hierdie vroue wat die Thembalethu-kliniek besoek het, was opgewonde om meer te wete te kom oor die komende busdiens na Thembalethu. Van links, Phumzile Bonga, Siphokazi Goliath, passasiersdiensbeampte Akhona Gxumisa, en Inna Adam. Die naam van die vrou aan die regterkant is nie bekend nie.

Tyron door to door:


Thembalethu-inwoners verwelkom die GO GEORGE- passasiersdiensbeamptes in hul huise. Hier verduidelik Tyron Jeyi, GO GEORGE-gemeenskapskakelbeampte, aan ‘n dame wat om van die busdiens te verwag.

Door-to-door cleaning can wait:


Skoonmaak kan wag! Vuyelwa Myali luister aandagtig na die passasiersdiensbeampte, Nomnikelo Bolitye, wat verduidelik hoe sy die busdiens kan gebruik.

Engagement in Blanco:


Van restaurante, gimnasiums en fabrieke tot kwekerye en vulstasies – regoor George neem personeel wat in Thembalethu woon ‘n oomblik om te luister na wat hulle kan verwag wanneer die busdiens na hul area uitrol. Hier gesels Tyron Jeyi, GO GEORGE-gemeenskapskakelbeampte, met werkers by ‘n motorhawe in Blanco.

GEORGE MUNICIPALITY SUPPORTS THE GRDM ILLEGAL DUMPING CAMPAIGN

Last week, the George Municipality heeded the call of Garden Route District Municipality to support the district municipality’s Anti-Illegal dumping campaign that was initiated by its environmental health practitioners together with various stakeholders to educate communities on the health effects of illegal dumping. The five-day campaign spanned from 13 to 17 February 2023.

In addition to a string of communication events and activities to amplify the message of combating illegal dumping, the Executive Mayor of George, Alderman Leon van Wyk released a message through a video to persuade the citizens of George to rally behind the fight against illegal dumping.

“The George Municipality supports the Garden Route District Municipality’s campaign against illegal dumping for the week of 13 – 17 February 2023. Our Community Services Department runs an ongoing campaign against illegal dumping where different teams clean open spaces in parts of George,” said Mayor van Wyk.

“Illegal dumping is anything you throw away in a place where it does not belong. If you throw your junk just anywhere, it will eventually become your problem in some way or another. Throwing stuff into sewerage drains, or flushing the wrong stuff down the toilet, will clog pipes and the sewerage will overflow into your neighbourhood.”

Mayor van Wyk encouraged the citizen of George to act responsibly and make use of the available resources to avoid illegal dumping. “Refuse is picked up in your neighbourhood once a week. Please put your waste inside refuse bags and keep them at your house until collection day.”

Meanwhile, the George Municipality’s Communication and Intergovernmental Relations division ran an awareness campaign using the Municipality’s communication platforms which consist of thousands of subscribers and followers. Messaging about illegal dumping was circulated on the Municipal Facebook page, Twitter, WhatsApp, App and website, to the local media on a daily basis during the campaign.

A radio talk was also broadcast on local radio stations to sensitise the public about the dangers of illegal dumping as well as the environmental repercussions if people do not stop illegal dumping. A feature on illegal dumping was also published in the George Herald, a local newspaper.

Let us all work together and stop illegal dumping, report illegal dumping to 044 801 6350.

Videos of Mayor Leon van Wyk on illegal dumping: English: https://youtu.be/KsEkZnp2Cm4 Afrikaans: https://youtu.be/hdqUtE5xwBs

 

Ends.

 

GEORGE MUNICIPALITY SUPPORTS THIS WEEKEND’S KICK-OFF RUGBY TOURNAMENT

The Executive Mayor of George wishes the Eight (8) rugby teams from George and Uniondale that will, this coming weekend participate in the Kick-Off Rugby Tournament, a pre-season tournament hosted in conjunction with Maories Rugby Football Club. The tournament will take place at Outeniqua Park, George this coming Saturday, 25 February 2023.

The George Municipality, according to the Portfolio Councillor for Financial and Strategic Services, Dirk Wessels, the Municipality supports this tournament that consists of emerging rugby football clubs as part of sport development in the George Municipal precincts. “The Executive Mayor has financially steered funds to this tournament to help boost the smaller clubs. We also urge the public to come in numbers and support this tournament,” Cllr Wessels said.

“I wish all the teams participating in the Kick-off Tournament that consists of clubs from George and surrounds the best of luck for this weekend’s games,” said the Executive Mayor of George, Ald Leon van Wyk. “This is a very important pre-season opportunity to raise some funds for these clubs and a good start getting ready for the upcoming season,” Mayor van Wyk added.

Councillor Brendon Adams, portfolio Councillor for Community Services, Social Development, Libraries and Sport echoed the Mayor’s message of aiding the local clubs. “The Municipality is assisting these small teams as they do not have financial support; we are intending to give another round of support to these clubs towards the end of the rugby season in November this year,” Cllr. Adams said.

The following Eight rugby teams will participate in the tournament: Maories RFC, Uniondale, Superstars, Silverstars, Blanco, Pro Stars, Black Lions and United Stars. The prizes are as follows:

1st place: R 6000
2nd R 5000
3rd R 4500
4th R 4000
5th R 3500
6th R 3000
7th R 2500
8th R 2000

The first game starts at 08:00 and the last game of the day will start at 17:00. The entry fee is R 20 for adults and R 10 for children.

 

Good news for library users – A FINE FREE amnesty period for library users has started!

Good news for library users – A FINE FREE amnesty period for library users has started!

Issued by George Municipality 20 February 2023 for immediate release

 

George Municipality is happy to announce that all library patrons in our area can now return library books without paying fines during an amnesty period. According to Rachel Williams: Manager: George Libraries, a fine-free amnesty period for public library patrons will be applicable until the Sita Library and Information Management System (SLIMS) is up and running again. Patrons are strongly encouraged to take full advantage of this period to return all overdue books to our libraries.

The SLIMS system managed by SITA has been unavailable to all non-metro libraries across the Western Cape since 15 November 2022. Because of a storage failure, the whole Virtual Machine Operating System collapsed. This system failure had a huge and ongoing impact on the service delivery to all public library users in the Western Cape. Williams said, the recovery period is unknown yet and could take up to 6 months. Please be advised that library services are a function of the WC Provincial Government and therefore, the George Municipality is not able to resolve the current problem.

 

It should be noted that all public libraries in George and surrounding areas remain open and continue to serve the public. All public libraries make use of the standardised form created to capture issues and returns. The number of books issued per patron is limited until SLIMS is back online. The Impala system cannot be used for the purpose of Inter-Library Loans while SLIMS is unavailable.

 

New library memberships are accepted at all public libraries and are added to the OverDrive e-book system. All public libraries remain open to the public for in-house use and recreational activities, literacy, outreach, and other programmes as it is not dependent on SLIMS availability.  Williams thanked all patrons for their patience and support and would like to assure them of their willingness to be of service to them.

For more information, please phone the libraries at:
Blanco 044 870 7047, Conville 044 801 9320 / 3240 / 3241, George 044 801 9288 / 9289 / 9292 / 9393, Haarlem 044 763 1023 / 078 0863 667, Pacaltsdorp 044 803 9340, Thembalethu 044 803 2260, Touwsranten 044 803 9285 and Uniondale 044 7521 024.

George Municipality warns of ‘discounted’ electricity units being sold online

George Municipality warns of ‘discounted’ electricity units being sold online
Issued by George Municipality 17 February 2023 for immediate release
 
George Residents who choose to purchase prepaid electricity from a scammer cannot hold the Municipality responsible for that money that is wasted.
 
George Municipality cannot refund residents in these situations. The Municipality or Ontec, the municipality’s service provider, can verify vendors. If you as a resident are unsure of the validity of a vendor, please check with the Municipality or Ontec.
 
George Municipality’s Electrotechnical Directorate is aware of fraudulent prepaid electricity units being offered online by scammers and warned residents that only units purchased from approved vendors would be accepted by your prepaid meters. Those selling the units are reportedly offering them at a discounted price – this is a scam.
 
Ontec can assist in vending verification and confirmation. Usually, all Ontec needs is a token indicating the Service provider (that sells prepaid electricity) and the agent number linked to it. If however nothing is available Ontec urges the public to contact their office to verify and if necessary Ontec will inspect the specific point(s).
The telephone number for Ontec is 044 873 5474.
 
Debt collection and credit control, as well as sales and distribution of Free Basic Electricity (FBE) rely on the vending foundation, and it is essential that we make use of trustworthy partners in this regard.
 
Here are the approved directly managed vending outlets below:
Albert Motors, 42 Albert Street, George South,
Denneoord Multisave, corner of Wellington and 8th Avenue, Denneoord ,
Engen Eco Stop corner of Witfontein and CJ Langenhoven,Heather Park,
Total Courtenay, 57 Courtenay Street, George Central,
Total Sandkraal, 48A Sandkraal Road, Borcherds,
Caltex Fourway Motors, corner of York and Discovery Streets, Pacaltsdorp Industria,
Poor Man’s Friend, Fiscal Street, Conville,
Shell Kraaibosch, Knysna Road, Kraaibosch,
Caltex The Waves, 2242 South Street, Wilderness East,
Caltex Wilderness, George Road ,Wilderness,
Uniondale Motors, 62 Voortrekker Street, Uniondale
Royal Uniondale, Lang Straat, Lyonsville,Uniondale
Yorkers Superette, 16 York Street, George South
George Municipality, 69 York Street, George
Ontec George, Progress Street, George
Please be advised that Pick n Pay, Shoprite and the Spars are major retail outlets also included to sell prepaid electricity.
 
Transgressing vendors and even networks have been switched off before as no transgressions will be tolerated. Vendors are also not allowed to sell electrical units at inflated amounts. Small shops or spaza shops may also not sell electricity to residents on the premise that they should buy other goods first.
 
Residents who struggle with the cost of electricity are encouraged to reach out to the George Municipality to see if they qualify for assistance. You may also phone 044 801 9029 for assistance.
 
Call Centre for queries regarding prepaid meter issues – 044 801 9218/9229 or after hours to 063 699 5998 and have your Municipal Account Number and Prepaid Meter Number handy. You can also email your query to elec.applications@george.gov.za and or accounts@george.gov.za
 

GEORGE MUNICIPALITY PILOTS THE SMALL-SCALE EMBEDDED GENERATION ONLINE APPLICATION PLATFORM

An online Small Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG) Application Platform has been developed with support from Sustainable Energy Africa (SEA) to streamline the process of submitting and approving applications. The platform will be made available for all municipalities to use. George Municipality is once again a leader in the process as it is one of the pilot municipalities, in keeping with its proactive promotion of sustainable energy.

Small Scale embedded generator (SSEG) refers to the power generated in residential, commercial or industrial areas. These are mainly the photovoltaic (PV) systems that include other technologies such as inverters, Bi-directional meters and battery storage. An SSEG customer generates electricity on the side and synchronises with the municipal grid. Up to now, almost all municipalities have only allowed for a manual SSEG application submission. Due to the manual application process, a number of applications were delayed due to incorrect or incomplete information being submitted, causing significant delays in the approval process.

According to the Director for Electrotechnical Services in the George Municipality, Bongani Mandla, the Online Platform simplifies and speeds up the process considerably. “It immediately notifies the applicant if the information is incomplete or incorrect and will not submit the application until these and other parameters have been checked and verified,” he said.

“It also facilitates the process of checking by officials, as the platform automatically does the necessary checks and calculations, prompts for the information needed, and ensures that officials are guided through all the required assessment steps seamlessly. A GIS facility allows officials to see all registered installations to help keep an eye on network congestion in particular areas,” Mandla added.

Importantly, it alerts municipal officials of the arrival of new applications and keeps the applicant informed of stages in the process by automating email communications. A common complaint of applicants is that they have no idea if their application has been accepted, is being looked at, or needs correcting. This communication automation helps address the issue.

It further helps municipalities by keeping a record of data from all applications, making reporting to NERSA easy and enabling quick totalling of SSEG capacity registered on the platform.

Mphielo Ramotsamai, from the George Municipality’s Electrotechnical Services, has been driving this process with the help of Sustainable Energy. “Since George municipality accepts or allows the SSEG on the network, I coordinate the process from the municipality side, Ramotsamai said. “Last year we were invited by Sustainable Energy Africa to be part of the Online Platform Pilot for SSEG; this was followed by a series of meetings and training. We are happy to confirm that the system is available already to the public. http://apply.sseg.org.za.

By the end of February, the platform is expected to be ready for all municipalities to join. Municipal Distributors wanting to be included on the Platform should email support@sseg.org.za.

MAYOR’S NEWSLETTER FOR GEORGE HERALD OF 16 FEBRUARY 2023

There was much expectation that the State President would reveal a pathway to tackle the electricity crisis during his State of the Nation Address last Thursday. The purpose of declaring a disaster should be to provide the mechanisms to rapidly unblock the red-tape within the highly regulated electricity industry. Due to the unreliability of Eskom’s generating fleet, the electricity supply market needs to be urgently opened up to implement the introduction of electricity generated from private producers of wind, solar PV, battery energy storage, etc.

From a George perspective, we have engaged Premier Winde on questions that range from the technical issues of connecting battery energy storage systems into the grid at the appropriate sub-stations to the relaxation of the regulatory hurdles and rapid environmental approvals. Local government legislation also prescribes when and how budgets can be approved as well as the funding arrangements that are permitted. In partnership with the Western Cape Government, these issues are being escalated to champion the reduction of red-tape to fast-track the necessary approvals. It is hoped that the disaster declaration will fast-track such approvals to introduce renewable energy much faster. With draft budgets due to be tabled by the end of March there is additional urgency.

Loadshedding is placing huge pressures on industry and agriculture who need reliability of electricity supply to plan production runs and irrigation respectively. The regular changes to Stages of loadshedding and in daily schedules add to the uncertainties experienced by business. The costs of diesel to power generators also adds to the expense of doing business. Solutions will need to be found to overcome existing structural limitations within the distribution grid and the technicalities for the integration of renewable energy into the grid.

George’s Electro-tech Directorate has just hosted a Wheeling symposium to share the experience gained from pilot project that’s the wheels electricity privately produced to consumers acquiring that power through the municipal grid. This requires specialised metering of the flows. It is expected that additional private producers will over time enter this market to sell their excess electricity produced to users located elsewhere within the municipal network.

The municipality’s approach to the electricity supply crisis is firstly to secure renewable energy for its water, waste-water and pump infrastructure and own buildings. This will comprise solar PV and battery energy storage with the aim for George to avoid Stage 1 and 2 of loadshedding over the next 12 to 18 months. Additional projects being planned will extend own generation so that Stages 3 and 4 can be avoided within three years.

The urgent objective is therefore to advance the timeline for the introduction of renewable energy to alleviate the disruption to business and households caused by loadshedding.

GEORGE MUNICIPALITY INVITES EVENT ORGANISERS TO THE EVENTS COMPLIANCE AND SUPPORT WORKSHOP ON 24 FEBRUARY 2023

George Municipality invites all organisers who host events within the George municipal area to participate in an Events Compliance and Support Workshop that is scheduled to take place on Friday, 24 February 2023 at the George Municipality Conference Room, from 14: 00 -16:00.

George Municipality devotes resources to support small, medium and major events hosted in the greater George area to drive economic and tourism growth. Well-planned and marketed events have the potential to strengthen the local economy, provide destination media exposure and stimulate infrastructure upgrades in the city.

Required event application procedures, compliances and regulations will be presented to create awareness about what event organisers require to host an event legally. Topics will include the population certificate, land zoning and noise exemptions, permission to use public spaces and/or book municipal venues, collecting statistics about the economic impact and media awareness.

During the workshop, organisers will also receive information regarding the annual George Municipality Event Support Application Program which offers financial and non-financial backing to events taking place in the municipal area.

GEORGE EVENTS COMPLIANCE AND SUPPORT WORKSHOP

Date: Friday, 24 February 2023
Time: 14:00 – 16:00
Venue: George Municipality Conference Hall, 71 York Street, George
RSVP: Send your contact details and event name to events@visitgeorge.co.za by Wednesday the 23rd of February 2023

For any enquiries, contact Melanie Martins at the George Tourism Office on 044 801 9299.

 

 

 

 

George Municipality Thusong outreach in Blanco with other stakeholders

Taking services to the people

George Municipality’s Thusong outreach to the Blanco community with key sector departments was very well received and more outreaches will be rolled out once a month to other communities in the George jurisdiction.

Last week, the George Municipality together with key sector departments, as well as businesses kicked off their planned Thusong Service outreach to raise awareness of the integrated services available to communities at their doorstep. It took place in the Blanco Community Hall.

The George Municipality Community Development section, the George Municipality Youth Development subsection, the George Municipality Thusong Programme, the Department of Home Affairs, the Department Employment and Labour, IEC, SEDA, the Department of Social Development, SARS and Cell C attended the outreach.

The stakeholders supplied the community in Blanco with important government information and services. The Government Communication and Information System Department (GGCIS) provided the necessary communication support, through mobilisation, profiling the campaign and getting key sector departments to participate. The Thusong outreach assisted 136 community members from rural Blanco.

According to Adam Lewie from Waboomskraal Thusong Centre who was involved with the outreach, community members who attended the outreach were excited for the opportunities they were exposed to that can lead to jobs, an economic boost and further education and training opportunities. The Department of Employment and Labour officials registered unemployed people attending, for job opportunities when it becomes available.

Cell C presented self-employment opportunities to the community involving Rica and the selling of airtime and data.

SEDA presented their non-financial business skills training, while the IEC registered community members on the voters’ roll. Home Affairs assisted with identity and birth certificate applications, while GCIS distributed information on various important issues like anti-corruption campaigns, gender-based violence, vaccination boosters, cervical cancer and much more. They also spoke to the community members about the topics.

The Youth Development office spoke to the youth on how the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) can assist young people with non-financial and financial support to start their own small businesses, the SA Youth Mobi, where young people can register their CV’s without using data, for possible work opportunities. They were also informed of how to use the system to apply for bursaries and to further their education.

 

Dates for the next Thusong Outreach is 10 March at New Dawn Park Hall, 14 April at Thembalethu Hall, 12 May at Outeniqua Primary School, 9 June at Thembalethu Zone 9 Hall and 14 July at Rosemoor Community Hall. All of the outreaches will start at 10h00 but the time can change due to loadshedding.

 

Captions:

Jonel Kerspuy, Coordinator of the George Municipal Youth Office, assists a member of the public at the Thusong Outreach in Blanco.

Willbedine Jordaan, Coordinator of the George Municipal HIV/Aids Office assists members of the public at the outreach.

Cell C took part in the Thusong Outreach in Blanco.

The IEC registered members of the Blanco community on the voters’ roll.

What is George Municipality doing to alleviate ESKOM Loadshedding – and other renewable energy projects

Executive Mayor Leon Van Wyk acknowledges the challenges being faced by the Business and Agricultural Sectors currently with regard to the energy crisis. “We are fully aware that numerous business operations in and around George require consistency in the provision of electricity during certain hours of the day or on a 24-hour basis. These needs have shaped the municipal philosophy to alleviate Stage 1 (up to 2 hours per day) and Stage 2 (up to 4 hours per day) of loadshedding as soon as possible to provide greater security of supply for these sectors.

George Municipality agrees that the current loadshedding is nothing short of a crisis, but reminds residents that the municipality is not responsible for loadshedding and has no option but to implement as received. The municipality’s ability to generate power for use of our residents is limited but we are actively working on reducing our daily energy requirements from ESKOM.

George uses at peak times up to 85MVA per day. So, if the municipality can reduce our own consumption of energy by 10% (between 8MW and 10MW) continuously,  we should be able to apply to EKSOM to relieve us of Stage 1 and 2 Loadshedding.  This will also assist us in achieving our goal of reducing internal electricity costs and increasing sustainability. The priority goal will be that the city and its residents will then be freed of at least one stage , that is two hours, of loadshedding. This is however not a quick fix, and currently the plan is that for the calendar year 2023., the municipality will add 3MW of own energy and before December 2024 another 9MW should be commissioned into the system.

Director for Electro-technical Services, Bongani Mandla explains that George Municipality is implementing a three-pronged operational approach to significantly reduce our reliance on energy supply from Eskom.

“This approach has three focus areas; one being Energy Efficiency, another Own-Build Programme, and finally the procurement of energy from Independent Power Producers (IPPs). The highly unreliable supply of energy, coupled with the ever-increasing tariffs and the high cost of diesel has forced George Municipality to implement some of its plans earlier than initially intended. The expediting of the plans is driven by the city’s urgent need to relieve its residents from Stage 2 loadshedding in the next 18 to 24 months and subsequently off Stage 4 loadshedding within 36 months.

In order to achieve this much needed reduction of loadshedding,  the city has already started its Own-Build programme, which is intended to deliver around 30MW of energy into the grid over the next 36 months, subject to feasibility studies and environmental approval. The city is working hard to ensure that at least 10MW is delivered by this programme within the next 18 months, as most of the smaller projects have passed the basic environmental assessment, whilst the 9MW PV Solar Plant is nearing the final stage of the Environmental Impact Assessment approval process.

George issued a Request for Proposal from IPPs and received overwhelming support in terms of potential technologies available,  as well as options available to supply between 30 and 40MW. A phased approach of IPP procurement will be followed to ensure that the city is able to secure between 30 to 40 MW from this programme within the next 36 months. Once both IPP procurement and Own-Build delivers energy to the grid, the reliance of the city on the Eskom network would be significantly reduced. The implementation of our ongoing energy efficiency projects will further reduce this reliance.”

What has George implemented to assist residents during loadshedding
Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) units at a cost of approximately R3.6 million have been installed at 56 of the main traffic intersections. These units, which are eco-friendly and energy-saving, automatically kick in and operate the traffic lights should the electricity supply be interrupted for any reason for at least 2- 4 hours, before the battery needs recharging. This means that traffic intersections in George are free from Eskom’s loadshedding and unplanned power outages for the durability of the batteries, thereby allowing seamless traffic flow.

George Municipality has also out of necessity, installed large generators at a number of our pump stations, 30 at sewer pump stations and 5 at various Water Treatment Works, in order to keep water flowing and sewerage pumpstations operational during loadshedding. Our Civil Engineering Services department is in the process of a water and sewer pump station audit which will confirm any future requirements.

What has George already implemented already to reduce own energy consumption
The municipality commissioned a PV Plant as a pilot project for the main municipal building in September 2021. The 300kWp (kilowatt peak) solar plant at the Civic Centre parking lot helps keep systems going during loadshedding and produces on average 41 500 kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy a month which supplies the Civic Centre building. The excess flows into the grid and supplies the neighbouring houses, residents, and businesses.  The total production is an average of 500 000kWh of energy per year.

A battery energy storage system(BESS) will be installed by the end of July 2023 for the Civic Centre, which will allow for the plant to continue to generate energy even during loadshedding and for the storage system to support the supply to the building when the Eskom network is not available.  All of the George municipal buildings have had energy efficient lights installed, as well as over 111 energy efficient air conditioners. A number of buildings are scheduled for rooftop PV solar in the 2023/24 financial year, and the preparatory work and studies are underway to have all of our municipal buildings self-sufficient by December 2026.

Over the past few years, a total of 5583 streetlights (Compact Fluorescent Lamps, High Pressure Sodium and Mercury Vapour) have been replaced by light-emitting diodes (LED)at a cost of R14 501 513 (Municipal and EEDSM Funding). This phased-in approach will continue until we have replaced or retrofitted all streetlights to LED in the upcoming financial years. Not only do the LEDs reduce the amount of energy used, but they also have a longer lifespan and require less maintenance. The funding for this project is mostly sourced from the Energy Efficiency Demand Side Management programme (EEDSM) managed by the Department of Energy (DOE).

Battery Energy Storage to counter high cost of running generators
George Municipality has out of necessity installed large generators at 30 Sewer Pump Stations and 5 at Water Treatment Works  at a cost of approximately R52 million, in order to keep water flowing and sewerage pumpstations operational during loadshedding.  A further 8 are in process of being procured at a cost of approximately R27 million rand and which includes the two 1250kVa for the Garden Route Dam.  The costs of running these generators are exorbitant and currently totals approximately R148 000 per day in fuel alone at Stage 4, with the fuel costs even higher when Stage 5 and 6 are implemented.

Battery energy  storage is planned for all the Water and Waste-Water Treatment Plants as well as the Sewer Pump stations  in order to reduce the diesel costs. The Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) deployment is being fast-tracked to save costs over the long run. The intention is to deploy BESS of more than 100MWh for the city using a phased-in approach. The city is currently in the process of feasibility studies for the BESS deployment, to assess the technical, environmental, economic and practical feasibility for installation and integration into the distribution network. These studies will further inform the city on the deployment strategy to undertake as it strives to reduce reliance from Eskom.

What projects are underway or due to start this year and are funded by municipal own funds
Four PV Solar Projects are due to start this year and on completion will power loads with energy generated from a clean and renewable source. These projects will be funded from various streams, including municipal own funding, external loans as well as grant funding where applicable.

  1. The Outeniqua Wastewater Treatment facility will receive a 400 kWp PV plant. The tender has been awarded and the contractor will start this month. This plant will start physical construction mid-February and the date of commission is end June 2023.
  2. The Gwaing Wastewater Treatment facility will receive a 500 kWp PV plant. This tender will need to be re-advertised due to no suppliers meeting the technical requirements. The commission date will be delayed to December 2023.
  3. The Denneoord New Waterworks Facility will receive a 400 kWp PV plant. The outstanding approvals have been received, the preparatory work has been started with the plan to commission the site by March 2024.
  4. The municipality will build a 1000 kWp or 1 MWp solar farm on Erf 464. The tender for this project is currently at the award stage and it is expected that contractors will be appointed by February 2023. The plant will be commissioned by the end of September 2023 and the power will be connected to the grid to reduce the municipal bulk purchases.

When do you need an EIA to proceed with a renewable energy project?
In terms of the Department of Environmental Affairs, Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) guideline for Renewable Energy Projects, the development of facilities or infrastructure for the generation of electricity from a renewable resource which has an electricity output of more than 1 megawatts (>1MW); and/or if the output is less than 1 megawatts but the total extent of the facility covers an area in excess of 1 hectare, require an EIA to proceed. This excludes where the  development of the  facilities or infrastructure is for photovoltaic installations and occurs within an urban area. The triggers for the EIA include land degradation, habitat loss, water use, hazardous materials, noise, visual issues, electromagnetics and aircraft interference.

What is the status of those George projects that still require EIAs?
The 9 MW PV Solar Plant project requires additional Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) approval. The funding is part of the three-year Medium-Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework budget.  Specialist reports have been prepared and the final submission for the EIA will be submitted at the end of March 2023. A Public Participation process will be required and concurrently the tender process which means that construction should start in 2024 should all approvals be received.

Looking ahead and the funding required
Executive Mayor Leon Van Wyk noted that Eskom’s inability to ensure reliability in electricity supply has necessitated the development of a municipal strategy to secure alternative renewable energy for George as rapidly as possible. “Our approach has been to urgently address consistent electricity provision to our own infrastructure while at the same time providing relief for key stakeholders in the economy. Energy therefore receives constant attention as we continue in our quest to attract investment and employment into our economy. We also welcome engagements to discuss the challenges and potential solutions from IPPs and others.”

The city has embarked on various investigations which includes the building of a Solar PV Plant capable of generating 30 MW. The project is amongst those which are undergoing feasibility studies in order to identify and establish the practicality, as well as find innovative means of circumventing the space requirements. This utility scale project coupled with a Utility Scale BESS will cost in the region of R1,250 billion. The renewable projects Own-Build programme will cost the city around R2 billion, and George Municipality is continuously engaging various funding institutions both nationwide and internationally to source external funding to assist with covering  the bulk of these costs.

Where does George stand on paying cash for power fed back into local grid?
George Municipality has a Small Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG) Feed-in tariff in place which, where the network allows, the customer can be credited for the energy that is fed back to the grid, if they are a NET Consumer. In other words, if they do not feedback more than their total usage. In terms of the George Municipal policy the consumers bill will be credited with the amount of Feed-in energy as per the Tariff list. This will be done with the provision that the amount of credit may not exceed the total Rand value of energy purchased from the Council in the financial year.

There are a number of customers who are already on the correct tariff to feed-in to the Municipal grid, and they are getting 90% of the Eskom cost as a credit against their bill. This is one of the best feed-in tariffs nationally and is available for both Industrial, Commercial and Residential Consumers.  If a customer has installed a much larger system and wants to feed power back to the municipality beyond their total energy requirements, a Municipal procurement process is required and this is where the City of Cape Town (CoCT) has recently received approval for a deviation process which allows it to start paying cash back for power fed into the local electricity grid.

The CoCT was granted an exemption from National Treasury from having to undertake a competitive bidding process, as current legislation does not allow for a city to procure energy without following a competitive bidding process. George Municipality will need to have a similar approved deviation in place and the Electro-technical department is reviewing how this will be practically implemented in George if we were to follow the same approach as CoCT, given the diverse distribution network differences.

George Municipality also has a Wheeling Policy and Process in place, which allows for wheel of power using the municipal grid. Customers who wish to invest in alternative energy, should ensure that the system complies with the applicable regulations and is approved by the Municipality prior to commissioning.

 

#gettoknowgeorge – FEBRUARY 2023

#gettoknowgeorge

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN GEORGE THIS FEBRUARY
Find all the tourism information you need in the greater George area, spanning from hamlets like Herolds Bay to Haarlem to Hoekwil, at www.visitgeorge.co.za – the official tourism destination website.

UPCOMING EVENTS
Coming up over the next month you can look forward to exciting rugby matches, lekker live music and theatre shows, running and golfing for a cause. 

SPORTS EVENTS
Rugby at Outeniqua Park Stadium, George:
044 050 0660 | www.swdarende.co.za | veda@swdeagles.co.za
060 479 7095 | deslie@vwykinc.co.za | Tickets are R10 – R30

  • 17 February: SWD Eagles vs Boland
  • 24 February: SWD Eagles vs Leopards
  • 24 February: Touchies Tournament

060 479 7095 | deslie@vwykinc.co.za | Tickets are R10 – R30

Golf Days

17 February: Hope Church Night Run
Garden Route Botanical Garden, George | 062 214 2814 | www.hopechurch.org.za | hello@hopechurch.org.za

The Dotsure George Arts Theatre is housed in an elegant, heritage building dating back to 1905. The building once was home to a girl’s school, a bioscope and in 1969 the theatre opened its doors.  The old film reel projector still lives in the theatre foyer to this day.

MUSIC AND SHOWS
24 February: Bottomless Coffee Band
Down to Earth, Herolds Bay Resort, Herolds Bay | 044 851 0113 | www.heroldsbayresort.co.za | admin@heroldsbayresort.co.za

25 February: The Social Launch
Pollocks at Wilderness| 044 877 0481 | www.facebook.com/pollocksatwilderness

 Various: Dotsure Insurance George Arts Theatre, George
044 873 3938 | www.georgeartstheatre.co.za | enquiries@georgeartstheatre.co.za

  • 22-25 February – Seussical the Musical
  • 01-04 March – Seussical the Musical
  • 07 March – Andrew Young Sounds of the 70’s

The Outeniqua Family Market is a must-do for anyone living in or visiting George. Packed with delicious food stalls and a large children’s play area, a morning at the market will be a Saturday well spent.

REGULAR MARKETS
Outeniqua Family Market – Every Saturday 08:00-14:00
N2, George | 082 465 2952 | outeniquafamilymarket.co.za | info@outeniquafamilymarket.co.za

Sunday Funday Market – Every Sunday 10:00-15:00
Milkwood Village, Wilderness | 061 547 0625 | milkwoodvillage.co.za milkwoodmanagement@gmail.com

Hinenni Community Market – Every Wednesday 08:30-15:00
63Bo-Langvlei Road, Rondevlei, Wilderness | 082 788 8500 | facebook.com/ HinenniFS

HIDDEN GEMS ‘COFFEE WITH’
Have you visited these interesting hidden gems yet?  Enjoy your coffee with…

Over the Mountain Guest Farm in Herold on the Montagu Pass

  • Coffee with horses at Saddles and Steam Stable Café
    Beervlei Corner, Seven Passes, Diep-Rivier, Wilderness | +27824945642 | info@blackhorsetrails.co.za | www.blackhorsetrails.co.zaThis charming coffee shop is situated at Black Horse Trails stables.  Enjoy tasty breakfast, lunch or cake baked on-site while in the company of horses, Great Danes and friendly sheep with great mountain views.  There is also a shop open Wednesdays to Mondays.  Check out the tallow soap and cream!
  • Coffee with a view at Hallo Coffee
    Remskoen Street, Hoekwil, Wilderness | +27 71 322 7575 |  facebook.com/Hallocoffee.sunshineSituated en route to the Map of Africa in Wilderness, Hallo Coffee has soul soothing views that capture the beauty of the forest and sea, made even better by a hot cup of java.
  • Coffee with the pass at Over the Mountain Tea Garden
    Montagu Street, Herold, George | +27448881700 | www.overthemountain.co.zaSituated at the top of the Montagu Pass, not only can the majestic mountain be enjoyed, but also a sense of history which permeates the picturesque grounds.  The property includes the original late 19th century Post Office, Police Station and old farmhouse buildings.  Every item served on the menu at Over the Mountain Tea Garden is homemade.  Try the unique cinnamon cake or dig into the delicious roosterkoek, pancakes or other light meals.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Share your awesome experiences with us on your socials!

#visitgeorge #visitwilderness #visituniondale

VISIT YOUR LOCAL TOURISM OFFICE
Want to know more about what you can see, do, eat and where you can stay?

CABLE THEFT DERAILS SERVICE DELIVERY

In the past few months, cable theft has, according to the George Municipality’s Electrotechnical Services Directorate escalated to the extent where it seems like individuals are targeting or sabotaging the infrastructure of the Electrical department and this affects service delivery due to the incurred damages.

Vandalism of cable theft that has occurred in the past seven months cost the Municipality approximately R 1, 4 million for the work done, says Mr Bongani Mandla, the George Municipality Director for Electrotechnical Services.

“In this financial year starting from July 2023, we had 379 registered streetlights and cables that were vandalised and/or stolen up to the end of January 2023. These incidents leave areas in the dark and impact negatively on the security of the neighbourhoods and the provision of quality service delivery to the residents,” Mandla added.

Mandla says, the most affected area is the vicinity of the George central business district and a recent spike of incidents occurred at York, Palgrave, Skool, Cradock, and Meade Streets, basically the whole of George South and the town centre.

He says the vandalism is a deterrent to the ongoing maintenance of infrastructure, and it appears that the ongoing load shedding inadvertently aids the occurrence of vandalism. “Daily maintenance is being done on streetlights, but the vandalised areas must be visited repeatedly. The damages happen at night, and it is evident that load shedding has a contributing factor as some areas which were left on or repaired the previous day, were reported to be damaged soon thereafter.”

The funds that are currently used to repair or replace vandalised and stolen cable can be better utilised and be steered towards George residents who do not yet have adequate lighting. This, therefore, robs citizens of quality and adequate services.

“Even though there is an existing tender for replacement or maintenance of cabling, the procurement process of the stolen or vandalised items is also negatively affected as there is the lead time for some of the items, and with the increase in vandalism and theft, it does negatively impact our stock levels and we try to continuously keep spares. But if it is not halted, it could result in even longer delays for some critical materials.

To curb vandalism, there is a technology we are introducing soon for theft identification linked to response time, this will help to apprehend the thieves. We are also rolling out the pole replacement projects, which are targeted at the high-impact areas, where the drive is to replace the wooden poles with newly designed steel poles. These new poles are designed to deter vandals and thieves by raising the points of access used by them to vandalise or steal cables. It must be noted that given the thousands of poles, the prioritised high-risk areas are the focus while the roll-out to other areas will follow thereafter. Partaking in both the theft identification system and the newly designed streetlight poles rollout, the municipality is making it more difficult for vandals and thieves to continue their activities.

The Municipality continues to report vandalism incidents to the South African Police Service (SAPS), and dockets are opened for investigation.

We appeal to the citizens of George to assist in curbing these indents by reporting incidents to official communication channels of the George Municipality and the police. Vandalism is a crime and ultimately costs ratepayers, money. Vandalism also results in communities being deprived of services.

The public is requested to please report people tampering, painting, breaking, or stealing municipal property with the SAPS and George Municipality Law Enforcement (044 801 6350 or 044 801 6300 after hours) as soon as you see it happening. If you can take pictures of the culprits in the act without endangering yourself, it will help a lot. Thank you in advance for helping us protect our infrastructure.

George Municipality offers a reward of R2500 for information that leads to the successful conviction of vandalism in a court of law. The informant will provide their details to relevant authorities. The informant will not be required to testify as the municipality will protect the identity of the informant. Please report to 0860 044 044 to be eligible for the reward.

 

THE WORKERS’ COLLECTIONS POINT (WCP) RE-OPENED

The Municipality was unfortunately compelled to temporarily close the Workers Collection Point (WCP) in August 2022 due to ongoing safety challenges and concern for the well-being of the staff. Following a risk assessment that was conducted and addressed at the facility, the George Municipality is happy to announce that the workers’ collection point services have resumed, and the facility is operational again as of Monday this week.

“The WCP was established for private individuals and businesses to make use of it as a central point for those who wish to employ temporary workers,” said Dr Kosie Haarhof, Deputy Director of Strategic Growth and Development, in the George Municipality.

The WCP is situated at 12 Industrial Street, George Industrial and operates between 07:45 and 15:00, Monday to Friday. It is staffed by the following two officials from the Planning and Development Department

Kevin Abrahams, Email: kabrahams@george.gov.za;

Ongeziwe Mthongwana, Email: omthongwana@george.gov.za

For enquiries, please phone the office on 044 801 9173.

Ends.

LEIGH-MUIR BOOYSEN SINGS ABOUT ILLEGAL DUMPING

A local hip-hop artist (Leigh-Muir Booysen) has created a song as part of the Garden Route District Municipality Illegal Dumping Campaign.

Intro:

Just pause
Just pause

Verse

Stop, stop illegal dumping/
Don’t do it, bro, let me tell you one thing/

It’s sad to see how it affects our country/
Sadly, it all starts in our community/

Killing our land, I see people writing eulogies/
Dumping garbage in the sea,
Knowingly killing our fish/

We are the cause of environmental pain/
So if you are feeling guilty,
Just listen to what I’m saying/

I’m trying to explain,
What you gotta do/
Don’t litter, man,
I’m telling you now,
That ain’t cool/

It’s crucial to our faith
We gotta make a change,
Let’s keep our planet safe/
We can’t just sit and watch
as the planet goes to waste/
There are many ways to do it, let me show you the ways/
We gotta pave the way for our next generation/
Avoid using paper,
Make use of digital payslips/

It’s easy, just throw your waste in a bin/
Recycle, and get money,
It’s a win-win, ah/
One hand washes the other hand/
Let’s work together for a cleaner and a greener land/

Hook:

Just pause/
And throw it in a bin/
It’s easy, just throw it in the bin/