Issued George Municipality, 9 March 2022

George Municipality is aware of concerns raised on social media and in petitions pertaining to the proposed development at the GRD, namely the DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED TERTIARY AND MIXED-USE PRECINCT DEVELOPMENT AT THE GARDEN ROUTE DAM AND ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE ON A PORTION OF THE REMAINDER OF ERF 464, GEORGE (reference DEA&DP Ref: 16/3/3/2/D2/19/0000/22). These concerns have also been recorded as part of the extensive public participation process.

The Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report (DEIAR) has been made available by the relevant Environmental Assessment Practitioners (Sharples Environmental Services), for comment, following the consent of the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning:  Environmental Impact Management Services (DEADP) to proceed with the second round of public participation. The Draft EIA for the proposed development has been sent to all registered Interested and Affected parties for comment, but anyone is welcome to submit comments before 11 March 2022.

INITIAL APPLICATIONS FOR AUTHORISATIONS COMMENCED IN 2006

The current EIA is the second round of processes to attain land rights for Erf 464, situated at the Garden Route Dam. In the mid-2000s the Council sought to attain zoning rights for residential and business. After several years, in 2014, DEADP granted partial environmental authorization in support of a hotel business, tourism elements allowing for the appropriate management of the conservation areas; and open space and access from Stander Str. Conditions were imposed regarding environmental management; the use of specialists needed during construction; and the use of gravity sewer systems were proposed to reduce risk of contamination of the water course.

However, the residential components were not authorised and DEADP indicated that they would not support an extensive residential development. The reasons for not supporting the full proposal included uncertainty about the imposition of long-term management provisions; the integration of social, economic, and environmental factors was not adequately demonstrated in the application; there was concern over visual impacts; the demand for residential erven was questioned; and the proposal did not redress segregated communities.

Based on the EIA outcome, Council elected not to take the matter any further, except for requesting (and receiving) approval for the extension of the approvals granted in 2014. In 2019 the rights were extended to 2024 by DEADP.

COUNCIL RESOLUTION

In and around 2018 Council received several queries from the private sector requesting access to land to establish a tertiary education or research institution. After careful consideration Council took a decision instructing the administration to investigate the use of Erf 464, adjacent to the Garden Route Dam as a site for such a development. Council also resolved that there be a process to attain the environmental approvals and the town planning or land rights. Finally, Council resolved that once the latter processes were completed, the matter must revert to Council for further consideration.

At no time did Council indicate any intent to undertake such a development itself. The unfortunate and misinformed contentions that Council is acting in the interests of any business or individual is rejected with the contempt it deserves. Council land is a valuable asset and, as any landowner will know, ensuring that property is correctly and appropriately zoned maximises the value of the property.

The Municipality went ahead and appointed consultants to undertake these two processes.  This process has taken the better part of three years and the two applications will soon have to be adjudicated by the relevant authorities, namely the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (to assess the EIA) and the Eden Municipal Planning Tribunal (to assess the town planning application).

CURRENT STATUS: THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT APPLICATION

The Environmental Impact Assessment application has now been completed and is accompanied by specialist reports including case studies, an urban design report, heritage impact and recommendations, a visual impact assessment, engineering report, stormwater management plan and traffic impact assessment. There were also extensive discussions with Cape Nature and SANParks whose input was that a butterfly study was required.

The document is available for download from the Sharples Environmental  Services (SES)website (www.sescc.net) under the “Public Documents” section. The other process- and technical documentation relating to this project is available on www.sescc.net, Public Documents.

Besides making the document available to all who have registered as Interested and Affected Parties, notices inviting comment were placed by Sharples Environmental Services (SES) as required by DEADP. Anyone may comment on the report. Any additional comment on the DEIAR document and proposed activity must be submitted in writing to SES: Betsy Ditcham on or before 11 March 2022 by means of the following: Fax: 086-575 2869, email: betsy@sescc.net or postal address: PO Box 443, Milnerton, 7435.

FINAL OUTCOME

There are two interrelated, legislated processes relating to the proposed development, both inviting public participation/input and support. These are the current Environmental Impact Assessment (SES EIA process), to be assessed by DEADP and the town-planning application, which will be independently evaluated by the Eden Municipal Planning Tribunal.

DEADP has about 5-months for comment and to make a final decision. Thereafter the town-planning application will be considered by the Tribunal. Neither the George Council nor any official will undertake any authorisation at all.

It must be noted that BOTH authorisations have to be in place for any development to go ahead. If either one of the applications are refused, then the other cannot succeed. The town planning application will only be submitted to the Tribunal for consideration once DEADP has issued their decision.

Once the decisions have been made, both processes allow for a 21-day appeals period.

Irrespective of the ultimate outcomes of both processes, the matter must revert to Council. This is in terms of the 2018 Council decision. If the outcomes are in favour of any form of development Council will have to decide if it wishes to further proceed to act upon the rights – whether in full or only elements of the approved development. For example, Council may decide to only proceed with the residential development, and Council may impose certain restrictions on any development opportunity. Council will also need to resolve as to whether the matter must go to tender or call for proposals. The latter will depend on what Council ultimately elects to do with the land in question.

PUBLIC COMMENT AND MISINFORMATION

Unfortunately, the public comments and petitions made on social media and other platforms about this application are not necessarily accurate nor representative of the type of development envisioned. Please guard against misinformation.

Aspects of the projects which may impact on the environment have been studied by qualified professionals and the required adjustments were made to the initial project proposal (footprint). Points raised in the Public Participation process thus far and responses thereto are noted in the Appendix E of the Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report.  All concerned residents are invited to read the relevant studies, view the adjusted development proposal, and review the responses compiled in project documentation. A hard copy of the report DEIAR has been made available in the George Public Library.

Should this project come to fruition, specifications include more than 75ha of the 118ha (64%) to be open space conservation area. Of the remaining 36%, only 5ha (4%) will be commercial, and the rest (32%) will be educational and residential. The intention is that all future users become custodians of the space and the site be managed by firm rules in terms of an Environmental Management Plan.

It is important to note that although the land is owned by Council and the Municipality contracted the required applications, Council will not have any role in the authorisations or approvals at all. Furthermore, as stated previously, Council has no intention to develop the property itself. It is noted that assumptions have been placed in the public domain which contend that the development has been earmarked for a potential developer (s). This is refuted in its entirety.

LAYOUT OF THE SITE

Aurecon (now Zutari) was appointed by George Municipality to design the precinct for the proposed university and to prepare a rezoning and subdivision application. The Zutari team included professional town planners, urban designers, and civil engineers and the team worked closely with the Municipal officials in the planning department as well as the civil and technical departments.  The Zutari team also collaborated closely with the environmental consultants appointed by the municipality to apply for the environmental authorisation (Sharples Environmental Services), as well as other professional service providers such as traffic engineers, electrical engineers, geotechnical engineers, socio economic specialists etc. when the layout plan was designed.

The planning of the layout plan went through an iterative process before it was finalised and submitted as part of the rezoning and subdivision application. After a visioning workshop and a study to indicate sensitivity areas, concept development workshops were held where several stakeholders took part in developing three development concepts.

The three development concepts were then workshopped to work through the pros and cons of each concept and to select a preferred concept.

A draft site plan with the buildings displayed below is the campus proposal that was prepared by the urban designer and is the preferred concept that was developed through inputs from the various specialists and the outcomes of the concept development workshops. 

This urban design concept is a way to illustrate to IAPs what the final product could potentially look like (illustrative purposes) and provides an indication of the scale and height of the proposed buildings in the development. The preferred development concept as above (Urban Design Site Plan – Campus Proposal) was used as the basis for the preparation of the subdivision layout drawing that is required as part of the town planning application and was submitted with the rezoning and subdivision application. 

Through the process, the layout was amended and refined as more information became available (civil engineering, traffic impact study, visual impact study, environmental studies, etc.). All areas that were deemed not to be suitable for development (steep slopes, flood lines, environmental sensitive areas, etc.) were excluded from the areas planned for development and extensive buffers were added to further protect environmental sensitive areas before a final layout plan was developed that was submitted with the rezoning and subdivision application.

The final layout drawing that was submitted with the rezoning and subdivision application is below.  This drawing for the town planning application shows the erven that are planned with the respective zonings that will create erven with the appropriate zonings that will enable a campus to be developed as per the development concept prepared by the urban designer.  A subdivision layout such as this is a requirement for the town planning process, as it needs to show the technical details of the proposed erven and applicable zonings etc.

Once the layout plan is approved, Architects will design buildings according to the development restrictions imposed by the town planning process such as height, coverage, FAR, density, building lines etc.  Building plans will need to be submitted for approval for each building that is planned in the development before construction can start. The final placement of buildings on the individual erven or the final design of buildings are not yet available as this is something that comes only much later in the process.

With regards to roads and access: there are new roads that are proposed in the layout plan of the proposed development (see layout plan above).  Those are all public roads that will be accessible by the public. There are also plenty of open spaces incorporated in the layout where hiking and mountain biking routes will continue to exist.  Access to the dam wall and all the other trails on the other side of the dam wall will continue to be open to the public and will be made easier and safer by the proposed development.

Large picnic areas are planned next to the water’s edge in the northern part of the layout, so the current fishing and recreational activities that take place next to the dam will continue once the proposed development is constructed.

The idea of the proposed waterfront business site (which was first proposed in 2006) is to provide some small convenient shopping, some restaurants / coffee shops and parking facilities where sports enthusiast can gather before and after their sporting excursions in the nature areas.

CLOSING

 In closing, George Municipality agrees that the dam must remain accessible to all citizens and believes that responsible, sustainable, mixed land use development will not only celebrate the qualities of this extraordinary site but also address some of the negative issues which residents are experiencing associated with large tracts of densely vegetated land – such as illegal occupation of land, sheltering of vagrants and criminals, cost of vegetation management and fire risk. Council has to seek ways in which to protect its assets and sweat its assets in order to provide for the development and the protection of the city and its environment.

The GO GEORGE Smart Card kiosk next to the Civic Centre in York Street was closed at the end of February due to the building having changed owners and the rental agreement for the premises not being renewed.

The top-up and enquiry services previously provided at this kiosk have temporarily moved to the ground floor of the main George municipal building while more permanent facilities are being prepared. Passengers will have easy access to the dedicated GO GEORGE counter (counter 5) in the finance hall during business hours, 08:00 – 15:30 on weekdays.

Outside of business hours and on Saturday mornings, kiosk services will be provided at a mobile Smart Card kiosk parked in front of the old kiosk premises in York Street. This will be from 06:00 – 08:00 and from 16:00 – 19:00 on weekdays, and Saturdays from 06:00 – 12:00. Since the demand for service in this area has proved to be very low on Saturday afternoons and on Sundays, the mobile kiosk will not be deployed to this venue at these times.

GO GEORGE is working very hard towards establishing convenient kiosk facilities close to the old venue in order to minimise disruption and inconvenience to passengers.Wayfinding signage is in place on the pedestrian route from the old kiosk to the municipal building, but anyone feeling uncertain about how to get to the temporary facility can phone the GO GEORGE Call Centre on 0800 044 044.

CAPTIONS: The dedicated GO GEORGE counter in the municipality’s finance hall is manned by GO GEORGE cashiers who know the process and protocol.
A Smart Card mobile kiosk parked in front of the old kiosk premises in York Street outside of municipal office hours serve passengers from 06:00 until 08:00, and from 16:00 until 19:00 on weekdays and on Saturday mornings.

GO GEORGE Slimkaartdienste tydelik beskikbaar by munisipale kassieretoonbanke

7 Maart 2022

Die GO GEORGE Slimkaartkiosk langs die Burgersentrum in Yorkstraat is einde Februarie gesluit omdat die gebou van eienaar verwissel het en die huurooreenkoms vir die perseel nie hernu is nie. Die herlaai van ritte en navraagdienste wat voorheen by hierdie kiosk verskaf is, het tydelik na die grondvloer van die hoofgebou van die George-munisipaliteit verskuif terwyl meer permanente fasiliteite voorberei word.

Passasiers sal gedurende werksure, 08:00 – 15:30 op weeksdae maklike toegang tot die toegewese GO GEORGE-toonbank (toonbank 5) in die finansiële saal hê. Buite besigheidsure en op Saterdagoggende sal kioskdienste verskaf word by ‘n mobiele Slimkaartkiosk wat voor die ou kioskperseel in Yorkstraat parkeer.

Dit sal van 06:00 – 08:00 en van 16:00 tot 19:00 op weeksdae en Saterdae van 06:00 tot 12:00 wees. Aangesien die vraag na diens in hierdie gebied Saterdagmiddae en op Sondae baie laag was, sal die mobiele kiosk nie op hierdie tye na die perseel ontplooi word nie. GO GEORGE werk baie hard daaraan om gerieflike kioskfasiliteite naby die ou lokaal te vestig om ontwrigting en ongerief vir passasiers te verminder.Padaanwysings is in plek op die voetgangerroete van die ou kiosk na die munisipale gebou, maar enigiemand wat onseker voel oor hoe om by die tydelike fasiliteit uit te kom, kan die GO GEORGE-inbelsentrum by 0800 044 044 skakel.

BYSKRIFTE: Die toegewese GO GEORGE-toonbank in die munisipaliteit se finansiële saal word beman deur GO GEORGE-kassiere wat die proses en protokol ken.
‘n Mobiele Slimkaartkiosk wat buite munisipale kantoorure voor die ou kioskperseel in Yorkstraat parkeer, bedien passasiers van 06:00 tot 08:00, en van 16:00 tot 19:00 op weeksdae en op Saterdagoggende.

George (Garden Route) – February 2022 Being on the road in and around the Southern Cape centre of George in the days leading up to its favourite gathering of special cars and their proud proprietors, can only be described as petrolhead heaven.

The influx of beautifully preserved old cars, motorbikes, bakkies, tractors and military vehicles was evident as these machines converged upon the Garden Route from near and far. Vintage cars were joined on the N2’s George approaches by hot-rods, street-rods, modified cars and other lightning-fast representatives of modern fleets, either making their way on own steam or the back of humongous car carriers, all roads leading to the meticulously laid out showgrounds at Eden Technical High School.

The Southern Cape Old Car Club’s flagship annual event, George Old Car Show (GOCS) celebrated its 25th anniversary with great fanfare in perfect weather for an outdoors affair of such magnitude. The Silver Jubilee milestone featured 2,000 engines of an incredible variety, also including stationary engines and model cars. During the two show days on February 12 and 13, around 8,000 visitors entered through the gates for their tasty, racy slice of the action.

Entry tickets were sold for different time slots of the day, which meant that the organising committee and their army of helpers were always on top of crowd control and that everyone inside the school’s vast grounds could enjoy the displays, stalls, demonstrations and drive-bys while keeping a safe distance from fellow motor fans.

And for latecomers who missed the boat once tickets were sold out, a great consolation was that the event was streamed live, from the official opening on Saturday morning through to general pans of displays and a multitude of interviews with special car owners being broadcast to an appreciative online audience.

Among those who welcomed the Saturday’s first set of show-goers were Waldo and René Scribante of George Old Car Show premier partners, SCRIBS BENZeum, that served as venue for social events leading up to and during the weekend. Among the gatherings hosted at this unique venue was a spit braai to conclude the Zesto’s Café Vet Tour, participants of which had joined their Kalk Bay colleagues for a memorable road trip in the week preceding the show.

Along with SCRIBS BENZeum as premier partner, the success of GOCS 2022 is also due to the contribution of supporting partners Protea Hotel by Marriott King George, SAB, ClickOnIt, George Municipality, en George Herald.

In his opening address, GOCS chairman Alewijn Dippenaar thanked not only his 35-strong committee of Southern Cape Old Car Club members, but also the gents and ladies who had fulfilled that role during the past quarter century of shows presented with aplomb.

From the first gathering in the late 90s on Paul and Leonora Fick’s farm overlooking Victoria Bay, the show had grown exponentially each year. And this year’s fully subscribed event would not have been as successful without the groundwork done by previous generations of old car lovers.

Kudos are due to Dippenaar and his crew and all of those who preceded them, so contributing to the roaring success of this weekend’s George Old Car Show. Visit www.scocc.co.za for details of the Southern Cape Old Car Club, click on https://bit.ly/3sGV6LN for coverage of the weekend’s GOCS, and follow them on Facebook for more photos and feedback.

GEORGE MUNICIPALITY
FROM INAUGURAL COUNCIL MEETING ON 22 NOVEMBER 2021

Background
While a “First 100 Days” programme is a reflection of intentions and achievements in the period of coming into office after elections, the success of the Action Plan is determined by the synchronisation of the leadership, management and teamwork of the Administration with the political manifesto for the future vision of the municipality.

The George achievements to date represent the continuous improvements flowing from the Turnaround that commenced on 22 May 2020 with the election of a new Mayor. The initial impetus to effect changes gained impetus with the introduction of Dr Michele Gratz as acting municipal manager on 1 January 2021 (month 1 of phase 2) and new directors who have significantly contributed to the mindset shift and the resultant strategic and systemic changes within the organisation that requires the ongoing development of cultural and work ethic changes over a longer period of time.

The ”First 100 Days” broadly represent the snapshots over months 12 to 14 since the Turnaround commenced under new management.

Much emphasis was placed in the first 11 months in undertaking capital expenditure on time; improving service delivery through continuous improvements; removing incompetent officials and employing skilled officials in key positions; applying for and accessing grants including the ground-breaking BFI (Budget Facility for Infrastructure) facility.

The highlighted milestones are grouped in Categories to differentiate from ongoing daily service delivery functions. The credit and gratitude for these achievements are attributed to the Acting Municipal Manager, Directors and staff in the various Directorates who have worked tirelessly to ensure completion of the projects aided by the diligence, enthusiasm and inputs of the Mayco team and councillors.

Operations (inclusive of Strategic, Financial Sustainability and Internal):

1. Council constituted on 22/11 and Mayco appointed on 26/11;
2. Dealt with (22 Nov 2021) flood damage and major repairs to infrastructure;
3. Application of R270m has been submitted for Disaster Funding after flood of 22/11 was declared a disaster;
4. BFI (Budget Facility for Infrastructure) projects of almost R1,2bn were approved and 1st tranche was gazetted in November;
5. Obtained clean audit for year ended 30 June 2021;
6. In process of reviewing Municipal Spatial Development Forum;
7. Adjustment budget approved to cater inter alia for changes flowing from the BFI project and flood damage;
8. Held a strategic session with Mayco and Administration where focus was placed on discussing critical changes and how they would benefit the municipality, communities and future prospects for George; followed by a strategic foresight session with Prof Morne Mostert;
9. Vandalism remains a huge problem and we are looking at technology (with suppliers providing presentations) to address this;
10. Discussing plans to extend CCTV camera system and to appoint additional Law Enforcement officers;
11. Reviewing need to improve Revenue generation, enhancement, collection, use of technology and data analytics to better fund expenditure needs;
12. In process of reviewing macrostructure to ensure a more efficient and “leaner” structure;
13. Approved Disaster Management Plan;
14. Post of Municipal Manager has been advertised;
15. Immovable Property Policy has been reviewed;
16. Adopt a Spot Policy has been submitted to Council and been workshopped;
17. Informal Traders policy is being reviewed;
18. Working on a new economic growth and development strategy;
19. In negotiation with Western Cape Government  to take over “York Hostel” building to create more office space in CBD with Council scheduled to approve by March and property transfer earmarked for end June;
20. Service charter booklets are being printed to inform each resident about what services they can expect from municipality and timelines for attending to complaints  (Western Cape Government have printed 30 000 now followed by further 30 000 after April);
21. Delegations are in the process of being reviewed;
22. George is booming and we are experiencing an influx of semi-gration residents from elsewhere in search of a better quality of life;
23. Ongoing communication with stakeholders including fortnightly Mayor’s newsletter in George Herald;
24. By-laws and applicable fines are being reviewed;
25. Street naming policy being reviewed;
26. For the first time in years all the Directors and MM were assessed mid-year;
27. Neighbourhood Development Programme Grant application for Thembalethu has been approved and planning is underway.

Infrastructure focus:

1. 20Ml WTW tender awarded. Civil works alone valued at R 263m. Also awarded tenders for upgrading of sewerage pump stations. In the process of upgrading the Old WTW;
2. 4 stormwater projects completed: Conville, Parkdene, Thembalethu, Borcherds/Lawaaikamp with the next 4 due to commence on 01/03 as part of significant expenditure in under-developed areas;
3. Construction of Outeniqua 10Ml WWTW is proceeding well that will significant upgrade waste-water treatment capacity for both public and private sector housing;
4. Street upgrade of Market St to the value of R 30m which is major route for many Go George buses continues to proceed well;
5. Request for Proposals was advertised for renewable energy from independent private producers which closed on 24 Jan 2022;
6. 300kW solar panel PV plant already operational at the main municipal building and have now appointed consultants to commence with further project which will be a large solar panel plant which can produce 10MW. We are also looking at hydroelectric power. Have received a grant from Municipal Energy Resilience Fund and study is underway to plot a “roadmap” for renewable energy projects;
7. Retrofitting of traffic lights and streetlights has commenced to convert to more efficient LED;
8. Delivery of 10MV Protea Transformer has taken place with commissioning soon;
9. Intensive maintenance programme for electrical infrastructure has commenced to improve reliability of the electricity network;
10. High mast lighting in Thembalethu which has not been operational for many years has been fixed;
11. Preparations done to enable Request for Proposals for electrification of informal settlements to be advertised in early March;
12. Tender for 400kW PV plant for Outeniqua WWTW will be advertised in early March;
13. Provision for generators at major sewerage pump stations to deal with load shedding included in Adjustment Budget;
14. Approved provisions for formal electrification of Thembalethu Area 8C as part of UISP.

Impact on Economy and Jobs:

1. Conscious season preparedness programme resulted in a very successful holiday season with businesses reporting excellent turnover and vast improvement on previous year. 1 Blue Flag beach and 2 pilot Blue Flags. Strict control at beaches with confiscating of alcohol. Tried to assist businesses with permitting applications for pavement trading, free vehicle 10-point safety checks and pointsmen to regulate traffic;
2. Hosting of successful social sporting and lifestyle-oriented George Tens festival over 3-5 December;
3. Approval of Film Policy to introduce framework for filming at locations across George;
4. Approval of land sale for construction of World Class Tennis Facility;
5. Held 1st competition standard swimming gala in 10 years at Conville swimming pool; have secured further gala events including a 5-day provincial event in March which will attract many visitors to the town;
6. Old Car Show was once again a huge success and attracted over 11000 visitors and exhibitors, broadcast internationally on YouTube;
7. Planning underway for hosting major school sports events for 6000 participants including Barefoot Champs, over end-March, early-April;
8. An Events Policy has been drafted;
9. Economic Recovery Plan strategy has been completed;
10. Memorandum of Uunderstandings or Service Level Agreements: Garden Route Film Commission, George Business Chamber (focus on communication, mentorship and skills development, red tape reduction, unlocking opportunities for collaborative growth) and ongoing relationship engagements with Wesgro and WC Economic Development Partnership;
11. Grant funding received for development of an enterprise development node in Pacaltsdorp;
12. Grant funding received for automation of various processes to ensure ease of business. Once these are fully implemented, they will be replicated to other municipalities;
13. Sweating Council assets/ properties for development and economic growth: Council approved Safari Braai land alienation to allow them to double their footprint, establishment of the only clay court tennis courts in SA;
14. Increased capacity in Land Use Planning three-fold to accommodate developments and growth of city;
15. Building Control outputs within legislated times frames 97%.

Improving life for citizens:

1. Have installed 1st Uninterrupted Power Supply for traffic light at Mall and in next few months, 40 traffic lights will have uninterrupted power supply to alleviate traffic congestion during load-shedding;
2. Construction for additional facility for motor vehicle registrations in Blanco has commenced and should be finished by end of June 2022, in addition to earlier establishment of bulk, motor dealer registration facility;
3. Ward committees for the 2021-26 term have been established;
4. George continues to run 123 soup kitchens and has just increased the allocation by R1m at the Adjustment Budget to improve the service to those in need; also facilitated collaboration of food/relief donors to make supplies available to regional food pantry based in George;
5. Tender for the construction of the Compost facility has been awarded and construction will commence within the next month which will deal with all green waste;
6. Electrification of some informal structures within limited budget availability;
7. 124 houses handed over to beneficiaries in Thembalethu, Blanco and Pacaltsdorp during this period;
8. Drafting the Human Settlements Sector Plan;
9. Received funding to do a feasibility study for the development of Social Housing;
10. Continued electrification of housing projects in Erf 325 (Eden Park) and Golden Valley;
11. Installation of solar lights at Wilderness beach to improve public safety; and
12. Festive lights upgraded by internal staff.

Inauguration date: 22 November 2021 to 1 March 2022 (= 100 Days)
Leon van Wyk, Executive Mayor, 1 March 2022

Issued George Municipality, 3 March 2022

George Municipality is aware of concerns raised on social media and in petitions pertaining to the proposed development at the GRD, namely the DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED TERTIARY AND MIXED-USE PRECINCT DEVELOPMENT AT THE GARDEN ROUTE DAM AND ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE ON A PORTION OF THE REMAINDER OF ERF 464, GEORGE (reference DEA&DP Ref: 16/3/3/2/D2/19/0000/22). These concerns have also been recorded as part of the extensive public participation process.

The Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report (DEIAR) has been made available by the relevant Environmental Assessment Practitioners, for comment, following the consent of the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning:  Environmental Impact Management Services ( DEADP) to proceed with the second round of public participation. The Draft EIA for the proposed development has been sent to all registered Interested and Affected parties for comment, but anyone is welcome to submit comments before 11 March 2022.

COUNCIL RESOLUTION
In and around 2018, Council received several queries from the private sector requesting access to land to establish a tertiary education or research institution. After careful consideration Council took a decision instructing the administration to investigate the use of Erf 464, adjacent to the Garden Route Dam as a site for such a development. Council also resolved that there be a process to attain the environmental approvals and the town planning or land rights. Finally, Council resolved that once the latter processes were completed, the matter must revert to Council for further consideration. At no time did Council indicate any intent to undertake such a development itself.

The Municipality went ahead and appointed consultants to undertake these two processes.  This has taken the better part of three years and the two applications will soon have to be adjudicated by the relevant authorities, namely the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (to assess the EIA) and the Eden Municipal Planning Tribunal- (to assess the town planning application).

CURRENT STATUS: THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT APPLICATION
The Environmental Impact Assessment application has now been completed and is accompanied by a 75-page motivating memorandum that includes five specialist reports including case studies, an urban design report, heritage impact and recommendations, a visual impact assessment, engineering report, stormwater management plan and traffic impact assessment. The document is available for download from the Sharples Environmental  Services (SES)website (www.sescc.net) under the “Public Documents” section.  The other process- and technical documentation relating to this project is available on www.sescc.net, Public Documents.

Besides making the document available to all who have registered as Interested and Affected Parties, notices inviting comment were placed by Sharples Environmental Services(SES) as required by DEADP. Anyone may comment on the report. Any additional comment on the DEIAR document and proposed activity must be submitted in writing to SES: Betsy Ditcham on or before 11 March 2022 by means of the following: Fax: 086-575 2869, email: betsy@sescc.net or postal address: PO Box 443, Milnerton, 7435.

FINAL OUTCOME
There are two interrelated, legislated processes relating to the proposed development, both inviting public participation/input and support, being the current Environmental Impact Assessment (SES EIA process), to be assessed by DEADP and the town-planning application, which will be independently evaluated by the Eden Municipal Tribunal.

DEADP has 108 days for comment and to make a final decision, hence there is a 5-month period until there is an environmental outcome and thereafter the town-planning application can be considered by the Tribunal. Neither the George Council nor any official will undertake any authorisation at all.

It must be noted that BOTH authorisations must be in place for any development to go ahead. If either one of the applications are refused, then the other cannot succeed. The town planning application will only be submitted to the Tribunal for consideration once DEADP has issued their decision.

Once the decisions have been made, both processes allow for a 21-day appeals period.

PUBLIC COMMENT AND MISINFORMATION
Unfortunately, the public comments and petitions made on social media and other platforms about this application are not necessarily accurate nor representative of the type of development envisioned. Please guard against misinformation.

Aspects of the projects which may impact on the environment have been studied by qualified professionals and the required adjustments were made to the initial project proposal (footprint). Points raised in the Public Participation process thus far and responses thereto are noted in the Appendix E of the Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report.  All concerned residents are invited to read the relevant studies, view the adjusted development proposal, and review the responses compiled in project documentation. A hard copy of the report DEIAR has been made available in the George Public Library.

Should this project come to fruition, specifications include more than 75ha of the 118ha (64%) to be open space conservation area. Of the remaining 36%, only 5ha (4%) will be commercial, and the rest (32%) will be educational and residential. The intention is that all future users become custodians of the space and the site be managed by firm rules in terms of an Environmental Management Plan.

It is important to note that although the land is owned by Council and the Municipality contracted the required applications, Council will not have any role in the authorisations or approvals at all. Furthermore, as stated previously, Council has no intention to develop the property itself.

CLOSING
In closing, George Municipality agrees that the dam should remain accessible to all citizens and believes that responsible, sustainable, mixed land use development will not only celebrate the qualities of this extraordinary site but also address some of the negative issues which residents are experiencing associated with large tracts of densely vegetated land – such as illegal occupation of land, sheltering of vagrants and criminals, cost of vegetation management and fire risk.

Issued George Municipality, 1 March 2022 – for immediate release

George Municipality today acknowledged the findings of the Public Protector Report as issued on Monday 28 February 2022 on an investigation into allegations of improper conduct and maladministration by George Municipality related to the alleged irregular investment of public funds with Old Mutual Limited.

Dr Michele Gratz, current Acting Municipal Manager, confirmed that as per the Public Protector report municipal funds were irregularly invested by a senior municipal official during 2017/2018 in terms of the processes followed,  which did not follow legislative requirements as set out by the Municipal Finance Management Act of 2000 and the Municipal Investment Regulations regarding the investment of funds.  

“The Council and administration of George Municipality has done everything in its power to prevent a recurrence of this very unfortunate incident which took place four years ago under the previous Municipal Manager and previous Mayor. Remedial steps commenced in 2019 and were completed in 2021 which were most in line with those indicated by the Public Protector.”

Executive Mayor, Ald Leon van Wyk has confirmed that the Audit Committee has been reconstituted and is operating efficiently. None of the current members of the Audit Committee served during 2017/2018 when the incident took place. The chairperson of Council also investigated the matter, and the Council sanctioned the Councillor concerned.

Dr Gratz emphasised that all officials involved in this irregular investment process in 2017 were disciplined and the then Chief Financial Officer was dismissed. A second official is no longer working at the George Municipality. The Municipal Manager at the time is also no longer in service. The full sum of R350 million invested, was retrieved with no loss of interest income to the George Municipality. A report on any additional remedial matters will be included in a report to the Council in May 2022.

About two weeks ago, four parks and recreation workers from the George Municipality went beyond the call of duty and assisted in saving a stray dog that ran into Courtney Street.

A George resident, Desire Minaar tried to catch the little dog, which was running down Courtney Road near the Garden Route Mall but could not catch it. Thanks to Valdon Muller, Marshall Pedro, Awie Michaels and Renaldo Melville from the parks and recreation team little Paige was successfully rescued.

In a letter of appreciation to the Municipality, Minaar expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the “four heroes who made a massive effort to help catch this dog, which was very scared”. In a team effort to try and rescue the dog, it was eventually caught and taken to a place of safety. The dog had not just been taken to good care but also got a new name, Paige.

“It may not seem like a big thing to many, but to me, it was more special than I can possibly explain,” said Minaar. “Just when I have lost all faith in human beings, God shows me that there are good people out there and they live here in our midst.”

“Paige has had a terrible life but because of these men’s heroic efforts, she is now in a safe place, has been sterilised and is on the mend to a better life. We hope to have her adopted by people who recognise the value of her life. Whoever had owned her before, clearly abused her.”

As a token of appreciation, Minaar presented the four heroes with a small gift.

Dr Michel Gratz, the acting municipal manager also commended four workers for their assistance. “I am so proud of these colleagues, going the extra mile and helping a member of the public to save a stray animal. Exactly the commitment and culture we want to foster at our municipality. Well done to Valdon, Awie, Marshall and Renaldo! We are proud of you.”

Caption: FLTR: Valdon Muller, Marshall Pedro and Awie Michaels (Renaldo Melville could not be present for the photo session. Please note that Masks were removed for the purposes of the photograph.

Ends.

Issued by George Municipality

1 March 2022

Issued George Municipality, 22 February 2022

The George Municipality continues to address the Kariba Weed found at the at the Katriver inflow of the Garden Route Dam. During the first week of February 2022, Petrus Crous, an Outeniqua Canoe Club member (OCC) and Tyrone April (Superintendent Parks: George Municipality) released a thousand Salvinia weevils (Cyrtobagous salviniae).

This is a follow up on the December 2021 release of approximately 1200 weevils at the Katriver inflow. The Salvinia weevils target the Kariba weed (Salvinia molesta), a free-floating invasive fern. The Salvinia weevils are a highly effective biological control mechanism of Kariba Weed. The adult weevils are 2mm long and black. Young larvae feed on the buds and roots while older larvae tunnel into the plant causing leaves to die back and drop off. Since the weevils eat the plant, a significant reduction in the amount of dead plant material is expected once the weevils have established.

Matthew Paper (Junior researcher, Centre for Biological Control (CBC) Department of Zoology & Entomology at Rhodes University) and Petrus Crous (OCC) surveyed the dam to assess the most recent distribution of the Kariba Weed. Prior releases have shown positive signs of Salvinia weevils causing Kariba weed dying back. To that end, the municipality continues to strengthen cooperation between all parties involved in the localised rearing facility that will ensure a stable supply of Salvinia weevils in future.

The management of the Kariba weed at the Garden Route Dam is an ongoing process and the municipality is continuously assessing the options available to control the spread and density.

Issued George Municipality, 21 February 2022

Background information:
There are two raw water supply pipelines that provide the raw water supply from the Garden Route Dam to the balancing dams. One is a Glass Reinforced Polymer (GRP), and the other is Asbestos Cement (AC). The raw water balancing dams in turn supply raw water to the Water Treatment Works for purification.

The existing 600mm diameter asbestos supply pipeline was damaged during the flash floods in November 2021 and was scheduled for remedial work after the peak season. On Friday 4 February a gasket on the GRP line failed on one of the isolating valves inside a raw water supply chamber located just below the Garden Route Dam wall. The chamber had moved or shifted, and this caused the gasket failure.

Temporary Fix
A temporary repair was undertaken to the failed gasket and a replacement valve was ordered. The lead time on the valve supply is between four to six weeks. This failure of the GRP pipeline necessitated the remedial works to be done on the AC pipeline located in the Kat River so that we can switch over to the AC line in order to complete the one-day repair required for replacing the gasket – and to allow for continuous raw water supply to the balancing dams.

The Kat River site was difficult to access and very wet. In order to successfully complete the work on the AC line and dewater the site, a scour line had to be opened just above the Garden Route Dam spillway as there are no isolating valves on the raw water supply lines. This is not a leak or burst pipe, or waterfall as referred to by several members of the public on social media. The Asbestos Cement pipeline repair work requires special materials and there is a lead time on the manufacturing of the material required to address the problem.

Current Repair Status
Kat River Asbestos Pipe:  The repair work is currently underway and the Civil Engineering Services Directorate are aiming to have the works concluded by Friday 25 February 2022.
Garden Route Dam Gasket:  The materials for the repair work have been ordered.  The remedial works will be concluded at the end of March 2022.

Water Restrictions
Water Restrictions were implemented on 25 January this year to restrict the excessive use of drinking water which currently exists in George as the water treatment works cannot meet the current potable water demand and cannot ensure adequate reservoir storage volumes to meet the emergency storage volumes required. As reported the average daily demand had from January 2021 increased incrementally to an average of 38-39 Megalitres (Ml) per day , with peak days reaching even 40Ml/day. The production capacity of the Old and New Water Treatment Works is a combined volume of 38Ml per day. 

The immediate measures to be adhered to are as follows:

• The mechanical or automatic irrigation/watering devices or sprinkler systems for gardens is prohibited.

Gardens may be watered with a handheld hose from 01 September to 30 May ( we are currently within this period), i.e.  between 19:00 to 21:00
Gardens may be watered with a handheld hose from 01 June to 31 August during the following period only, i.e.  between 17:00 to 19:00:

Mondays and Thursdays for even-numbered households ONLY
Tuesdays and Fridays for uneven numbered households ONLY.

• The irrigation or watering of all sports fields is prohibited.  Exemption from restrictions in the following instances only: golf course greens, bowling greens, and cricket pitches which may only be watered between 19:00 and 21:00.
• The washing of vehicles with a garden hose is prohibited, except by a commercial enterprise whose business it is to wash cars.
• The cleaning of ANY area by mechanical means or hosepipe using water is prohibited; The use of a bucket is however permitted.
• The filling of swimming pools is prohibited.
• Where own water from a borehole or reservoir is used, the appropriate notice shall be displayed on the premises, e.g. “OWN WATER”.

Contraventions of the Water Restrictions can be reported on 0800 424477 and will be followed up by George Municipal Law Enforcement.
Any person who contravenes these restrictions is guilty of an offence and is, upon conviction, liable to a fine as published in the annual tariffs list, or six months imprisonment.

In terms of Section 5 of the By-law, any person may apply in writing for the exemption from the provision of any notice published in terms of the By-law, and the Council may grant an exemption and impose conditions in respect of such an application.  The Policy grants permission to the Directorate Civil Engineering Services to approve applications for exemptions.

Application forms for an exemption can be obtained from the office of the Directorate: Civil Engineering Services, Old Town Hall, on the corner of Market and York Streets. Alternatively, applicants can contact Ms G van Niekerk on 044 – 801 9354 / gvanniekerk@george.gov.za to request that a copy of the application form be emailed to them. The Directorate Civil Engineering Services will consider all applications. A written exemption shall be provided where approved.

Report all water leaks to our Civil Engineering Department on 044 801 9262/66 or after hours 044 801 6300. 

George Library joined the world this past week in World Read-aloud day and reached out to schools throughout George, to develop and foster a love for reading and books, especially with children.

World Read-aloud day is a worldwide event. Ms Rachel Williams, Manager: George Libraries said the Library Service was inundated with requests by schools and crèches who were desperate to participate in the programme on this day. The result was that the programme was rolled out for the rest of the week and will be continued next week at schools. The library service will cover areas and schools that were not covered this week.

Reading and especially the importance of Reading Aloud for entertainment and recreational purposes, is being emphasized during this week. “When you read aloud, especially to children, you are opening doors and windows whereby their horizons are broadened, they hear new words, gain a better understanding of the world that they find themselves in, and it allows people to embrace and stand up for literacy as a foundational Human Right,” Williams said.

The George libraries tried to read as far and wide as possible. Williams said she had feedback from colleagues that libraries across the Western Cape were very busy with read-aloud events.

Williams said she and her library team have been promoting reading that made people relax since the start of Covid-19. People that struggle with any mental related issues, insomnia and more will benefit from reading that relaxes them. “Covid-19 has a negative emotional effect on most people and this is how the libraries can assist our communities. The long isolation periods during Covid had terrible negative consequences on our communities. Many people have mental illness (severe depression) and the need for togetherness, interaction and communication. These events and reading work comfortingly on the human mind,” Williams said.

George Libraries joined in with Nali’bali – a national reading-for-enjoyment campaign to spark children’s potential through storytelling and reading. Nali’Bali is an isiXhosa word that means here is the story. Nali’bali is built on the simple logic that a well-established culture of reading can be a real game-changer for education in South Africa. Literacy skills are a strong predictor of future academic success in all subjects – and children who regularly read and hear engaging stories, in languages they understand, are well equipped and motivated to learn to read and write.

The theme of the story this year was, A party at the park, written by Mabel Mnensa and illustrations by Rico. By means of this story children become aware of music and musical instruments, chanting, singing and dancing and simply to have a great time with friends and family. The emphasis is on joy and happiness, the importance of spending time with loved ones and to join in on fun filled activities and events.

Librarians Shonise Jansen of Haarlem Library, Elmine Vorster from George Library, Rachel Williams, Garelene Muller, Cynthia Nongogo, Anet Kortman, Sylvia Kibido and Sandie Lingani and Malibongwe Luyenge all visited schools this week to roll out the World Read-Aloud programme.

The value of Reading Aloud is that it is a fun activity that allows children to escape into another world, it stimulates and enhance good listening and communication skills and it exposes children to new words and thoughts, which develop cognitive and language skills.

New Machinery…The George Municipality received a brand-new grader machine on Friday, 11 February 2022. The new grader truck will be used as the front-end loader at the landfill site, and at the waste transfer station for the maintenance of the facilities. The benefit of procuring this machinery will cut down on hiring costs and improve proper management and maintenance of the facility.

FLTR: (Standing): Mr. Allen Paulse (Director: Community Services) and Dr. Michele Gratz (Acting Municipal Manager)

Sitting below: Cllr Jean Safers (Chairperson: Community Services Portfolio which includes Cleansing and Environment) and Ward 1 councillor.

Sitting on top: Ald. Leon van Wyk ( Executive Mayor of George)

Issued by the George Municipality on 14 February 2022

Over recent weeks there have been photos of the recent floods in Tshwane and elsewhere where rivers have flooded their banks, into towns and settlements seriously damaging infrastructure and property. This summer season has seen a deluge of rain that has unfortunately wreaked much damage to infrastructure across our country.

These floods come as a reminder of the rain and floods witnessed in George over November and December. The Council will shortly be considering how to undertake the rebuilding, repairs and maintenance of damaged infrastructure, the timing, and the funding thereof.

The damage in George and surrounding areas runs into hundreds of millions of rand with claims being made for disaster relief funding. Until such funding is made available, it is essential that repairs are undertaken. There is much damage to roads, sidewalks, river courses, water, sanitation, and associated infrastructure. Ideally, repairs should be undertaken as soon as possible to prevent further damage from taking place, for example, potholes that remain unrepaired cause further damage to the road surface.

Municipalities prepare their annual budgets by March for the year ahead of July based on projects and spending categories already identified the year ahead of that budget. The damage from the recent storms will therefore place strain on municipal budgets in the last few months of the current financial year as efforts are made to prioritise this spending within the current financial year. These repairs will also impact planned projects in the new financial year. Even though George’s finances are sound, careful consideration will be required on the timing of incurring this expenditure.

The refurbishment of ageing infrastructure is one of the major challenges facing local government. Over the past few decades, too little has been spent on maintaining water, sanitation, electricity, and roads infrastructure. The expectations of core and unfunded services to be delivered by municipalities has strangled their budgets leaving insufficient funding for repairs and maintenance.

The recommendation of the National Treasury is that municipalities should annually budget and spend 8% of their recorded value of property, plant and equipment on repairs and maintenance. In practical terms, this level of spending has proved to be unaffordable for municipalities as it would have resulted in considerable increases in service charges and tariffs for consumers.

The local government has argued for many years that this sector should be receiving considerably more by way of grants which could inter alia have contributed to infrastructure maintenance.

In George, we recognise that infrastructure is ageing, and the emphasis is now on ensuring that annual expenditure is increased to maintain and refurbish infrastructure. We are aware that investment will be undertaken where the infrastructure is maintained to a high standard.

Cllr. L van Wyk

Executive Mayor

George

Issued by George Municipality, 9 February 2022

To help alleviate the demand for potable water, the George Municipality is putting the words, “charity begins at home” into action when it started with two water demand reduction campaigns: the installation of 2litre plastic “coke” bottles in its toilets flushing systems in its facilities and replacement the traditional taps in beaches with push-down taps.

The crisis on water supply became serious to an extent that the City of George had to urgently implement water restrictions and water throttling in George. The reservoirs are drying up, due to high water demand versus water supply.  The water treatment works cannot meet the current potable water demand and cannot ensure adequate reservoir storage volumes to meet the emergency storage volumes required.

These two campaigns are taking the efforts of reducing the water demand further and putting the George Municipality in a position of leading by example. The Municipality has so far collected more than 1000 2litre plastic bottles to install in its 54 facilities ranging from municipal buildings, offices, recreational facilities, community halls and libraries. Thanks to a recycling company, based in the George Industrial area, Henque Waste, for sponsoring the Municipality with more than 800 bottles. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Henque Waste for its contribution to this campaign.

The installation of these bottles started at the beginning of February this year with two teams of workers from the Municipal auxiliary services accompanied by plumbers.  These teams are going all over George installing these bottles in Municipal facilities. Some of the toilet flush systems are built small and do not accommodate the size of the 2litre bottle; in such cases, we adjust the flush system itself to flush less water.

Some spin-offs that this campaign yielded is that it turned out that some of these ablution facilities had leaks that otherwise could have not been immediately detected; and as the installations of the plastic bottles happen, problems in the ablution facilities are being detected and repaired. 

Push taps replace conventional in Municipal facilities to save water

Another initiative that is aimed at reducing water demand from George’s reservoir is the replacement of traditional taps with push down taps in George facilities, including beaches. Push taps switch off automatically, this takes away the possibility that someone may leave the tap running.  Push taps offer more control over the flow of water as users wash their hands for less time, impacting less water consumption in a long run. 

The taps replacement campaign started on the ablution facilities of beaches in the George municipal precinct. Areas covered so far are Leentjiesklip, Gwaiing, Herolds Bay and Victoria Bay beaches.

The Municipality challenges the community of George to explore more creative ways to save water to ensure that all of us get a fair share of this very scarce commodity. We also continue to encourage the consumers to follow the water restrictions.

Any person who contravenes these restrictions is guilty of an offence and is, upon conviction, liable to a fine as published in the annual tariffs list, or six months imprisonment. Contraventions of the Water Restrictions can be reported on 0800 424477 and will be followed up by George Municipal Law Enforcement. Report all water leaks to our Civil Engineering Department on 044 801 9262/66 or after hours 044 801 6300.

Ends.

The countdown to the Southern Cape Old Car Club’s flagship annual event is now down to mere days, and cars from all corners of the country have started their respective journeys to reach George in time for this weekend’s display of classic, vintage and even ultra-modern engines.

National media has been abuzz over the past weeks, not only reporting updates on the remarkable variety of cars, tractors, and bikes to be displayed at Eden Technical High School (formerly PW Botha College) this weekend, but also lauding the fact that 2022 hails the 25th anniversary of George Old Car Show. SCRIB BENZeum is the event’s premier partner for the second time running.

The Silver Jubilee gathering is made all the more special since last year’s lockdown regulations prevented its staging. So GOCS chairman Alewijn Dippenaar and his 35-strong team have ensured an even bigger show terrain this year, with different time slots allowing as many visitors as possible to enjoy the spectacle with all Covid protocols in place.

“About two thousand engines will grace our 6,500 square metre showgrounds this year. The three most important components are old cars, of course; then secondly modes of transports such as tractors, bikes, and military vehicles; and finally, the hot rods, built up, and modern models displayed by 15 different traders,” says Dippenaar.

The old car (pre-1975) display is so well supported by clubs and private owners from all over South Africa that a big percentage of the 930 entries date back to before 1939, with the 1913 Benz of Waldo and René Scribante of SCRIBS BENZeum fame being one of the jewels in this display’s crown.

Fans of these beautifully restored machines can look forward to famous marques representing most every letter of the alphabet, from Anglias to a Ford Zodiac Sport built in England back in ’64. The Borgward Club turned 60 last year and with no fanfare allowed at the time, chose to grace GOCS 2022 with the presence of 40 Borgwards to fête the occasion.

“An old car is not just an old car,” explains Dippenaar. “The restoration to its former glory of any classic car is an art, and it takes lots of research to ensure that original parts are procured, and all specs are exactly the same as when the car was originally manufactured.

“Collectors across the globe cooperate to promote the preservation of these motors, and the chance to display the result of years of labour doesn’t come around every day. Come show day, each model – be it a vintage lady, quirky tractor or the latest Gelandewagen – will be oiled and polished and looking as impressive as the day it rolled out of the factory,” he says.

Dippenaar and his SCOCC clan invite you to be moved by everything that George Old Car Show will have to offer on February 12 & 13. Book tickets through Computicket beforehand to avoid disappointment if sold out at the gate. Timeslots for Saturday (8-11am, 11am-2pm, 2-5pm) cost only R50 per slot and Sunday’s show times are 8am to 1pm.

Bring the family to enjoy displays and drive-bys by classic and modern fleets, an auction and refreshment tent, plus food and bric-a-brac stalls. You can also visit bit.ly/gocs2022 to view the show online.

Over the past weekend, the Municipality commenced with stringent throttling of water usage to ensure that our main water reservoirs do not run dry. Over a number of weeks we communicated  that daily usage was equal and often exceeded the maximum capacity of our two water works that are collectively able to treat 40 MegaLitres (“ML”)(40 million litres). In the days leading up to the past weekend, daily water crisis meetings were being held with whatsapp communications continuing until 22h00 every night. In the days leading up to the weekend our reserves were only 2-3 hours.

The drastic action taken over the weekend should come as a sharp reminder that water is life and that we constantly need to ensure that there is water security, that we need to treat water as a scarce and valuable commodity.

The requirement to upgrade George’s water treatment capacity has been on the capital expenditure radar for at least six years. The magnitude of undertaking a project of over R400 million is daunting as it will have to funded from own cash resources, any grants available and long-term debt. Annual repayments on (for example) a R100m loan would amount to approximately R16m over 10 years. This would imply an increase in water tariffs of 10% in addition to any inflation related increase to fund the repayment.

Municipalities therefore face the difficulties of maintaining affordable tariffs while also embarking on expansions of capacity to allow for economic growth while also incurring capital expenditure on equipment that may only be utilised five years into the future. Our long-term financial model advisors regularly provide advice on maximum debt levels, requirements of future cash flows to redeem loans, timing of incurring loans, etc.

In March 2021, a decision was made that one of our solutions was to approach National Treasury with our predicament. Their advice, guidance and support led us to launching the application for a Budget Facility for Infrastructure which resulted in George being the only successful application in the entire South African public sector to receive a grant, amounting to almost R1,2bn to undertake specific water infrastructure upgrades that we had described in our application.

It is ironic that our water usage has increased dramatically by 25% over the November-December period. We are now analysing what has taken place to cause this surge in usage relative to treatment since November. Normal logic would have dictated that the gap that existed pre-November would be filled over the next four years. It has now become clear that investment in technology and data collection will be urgently required to provide greater accuracy of the volumes of water being processed, flowing into the network and used by consumers.

Issued George Municipality, 1 February 2022 for immediate release

Executive Mayor Leon Van Wyk announced in Ordinary Council yesterday, 31 January 2022 that George Municipality has received an unqualified audit opinion with no findings on the annual performance report for the year ended 30 June 2021. This is what is known as a “clean audit report”.

Ald Van Wyk offered his congratulations to the Acting Municipal Manager, Dr Michele Gratz, the Chief Financial Officer, Mr Riaan du Plessis, the Finance team, Internal Audit and all the Directorates who have put in a huge effort over the last few weeks, months and year to ensure that this milestone was achieved.

The Auditor-General commended the management for the audit outcome of the municipality which improved. “The outcome in the prior year was an unqualified audit opinion with findings on predetermined objectives which improved to unqualified opinion with no findings. This is mainly attributable to the efforts made by management to improve controls around indigent debtors and the overall improvement of the control environment at the municipality.”

Portfolio Councillor for Finance, Dirk Wessels congratulated the entire administration on the achievement. “This clean audit highlights to the public of George, that the Council and the municipality are working with care with taxpayer’s funds. George is one of the few financially stable municipalities in South Africa.”

Acting Municipal Manager, Dr Michele Gratz was thrilled with the outcome and lauded the immense team effort involved. “The improvement on the previous year’s audit outcome is a fitting reward for the Administration’s hard work and commitment to good governance, clean administration and ensuring that George Municipality is financially sustainable.”

This favourable audit result was a result of a huge team effort by the Municipality and was guided by the exceptional leadership of the acting Municipal Manager said CFO, Riaan Du Plessis. “The result confirms the efforts made by the municipality’s officials and management to address the findings raised by the Auditor-General in the prior year reports. The commitment and efforts of our staff are acknowledged and greatly appreciated.

Despite this excellent result, there remain further improvements that will be made to continue our drive to modernise the municipality’s administration and to ensure we optimise our ability to effectively deliver services. This result is encouraging and motivates the officials to continue in their efforts to establish George as the leading secondary city.”