press-release

Media Release: George Municipality and other government stakeholders set the example by cleaning up the environment for World Cleanup Day
Issued by George Municipality 22 September 2022 for immediate release

George Mayor, Councillor and the Municipality’s Cleansing team together with other government stakeholders removed 250 bags of rubbish from four dumping sites and areas in the communities as part of a Cleanup Project from 20-21 September 2022 in celebration of World Cleanup Day.

The George Municipal EPWP workers, officials from the Environmental Department, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development EPWP workers, Garden Route District Municipality and former offenders from the Department of Correctional Services joined to clean up our communities in Thembalethu, Lawaaikamp, Zone 9, Rosedale and Parkdene along the N2 highway.

According to Janine Fernold from the Environmental department, five members of the public joined in on the project. She said although we would want to see more people get involved in ensuring we live in a clean environment; we are grateful for the few who assisted. An education/awareness campaign also formed part of the project. Officials distributed pamphlets from door to door to inform and educate the public on the ills of illegal dumping and involved schools as well.

World Cleanup Day unites millions of volunteers, governments and organisations in 191 countries to tackle the global waste problem and build up a new and sustainable world.

ILLEGAL DUMPING

The municipality needs your help to combat illegal dumping:

1. Please spread the news in your community that dumping of waste is dangerous and a health hazard. Waste should be collected in refuse bags and placed for collection on waste removal days. Builders rubble and waste not suitable for bags must be dropped at the municipal refuse site on the R102 (airport road).
2. If you can provide names, vehicle registration details or addresses of alleged perpetrators and are willing to make a statement in this regard, please report it to Law Enforcement at 044 801 6350 or sprins@george.gov.za. You don’t need a photograph of the perpetrator, but it will strengthen the case for a warning or fine to be issued.
3. If you notice dumped waste, please report for collection to 044 802 2900.

Caption:

Mayor Leon van Wyk, Councillors, George Municipality, Garden Route District Municipality officials and other stakeholders during a cleanup in Lawaaikamp.

The Municipal Manager of the George Municipality, Dr Michele Gratz commended the municipality’s Chief Audit, Jean-Pierre Rossouw for his re-election as the Chairperson of the Western Cape Local Government Chief Audit Executive (CAE) Forum recently.

 “We are proud to have an official of Mr Rossouw’s calibre and we wish him well with the task ahead of him for the new term,” said Dr Gratz.

Rossouw shared the news of his re-election on his LinkedIn account on Tuesday, 18 September 2022: “I’m truly honoured to have been re-elected as the Chairperson of the Western Cape Local Government Chief Audit Executive (CAE) Forum for a second term. I’m looking forward to continuing to add value to the municipal internal audit environment,” Rossouw said.

“Today we held yet another successful CAE Forum. Attendees included delegates from National Treasury, Western Cape Provincial Treasury, the IIASA, invited guests and presenters, as well the CAEs and CROs from municipalities throughout the Western Cape Province. Covering topics such as the NT FMCMM; AC induction and training; IIASA Feedback; Importance of MFMA Circular 65.”  

“We also had a very interesting knowledge-sharing session on the practical implementation of Agile auditing. I am thoroughly enjoying my role as Chairperson of such a vibrant forum,” he concluded.

Ends.

As South Africans, we have learnt to be resilient and shown the ability to adapt to circumstances. The recent experiences of enduring Stages 5 and 6 of load shedding require us all to make adaptations to how we manage our lives. I was recently privileged to attend an Energy Summit where the Eskom CEO, Andre de Ruyter spoke about the power station fleet that had been operated at maximum capacity for too long. This means that maintenance needs to be undertaken to avoid complete breakdowns. New generating capacity will have to be built over the next 15 years.

On an ongoing basis the municipality is examining a range of projects to mitigate the risks in supplying electricity to our customer base:

• We have installed 25 generators at our critical installations ranging from water and waste-water treatment works, and critical pump stations to buildings. These generators need to be constantly re-fuelled with diesel as we attempt to keep operations going under conditions where Eskom is unable to provide electricity for up to eight hours per day.
• We are concerned about key businesses and installations that are large employers, energy-intensive users or who need to operate 24/7. We are searching for solutions that can assist them.
• We are progressing with plans to implement renewable energy plants that will reduce bulk purchases from Eskom to avoid implementation of some load shedding stages.

Our customers can assist in this adaptation process by “shifting their loads” to reduce the maximum electricity capacity that they use through an awareness of not operating too many high-capacity appliances at the same time. The objective is to reduce peaks experienced in the early morning and evening. Success in this adaptation will strengthen our negotiations with Eskom to start avoiding painful load shedding Stages.

We have recently undertaken road-building activity on some of our Provincial roads and Go George routes. We receive grants equivalent to 80% of the project cost on provincial roads that requires spending within defined timelines. Fortunately, the Langenhoven Road and Market Street projects are approaching completion. Work will shortly also be undertaken on York Street. We appreciate how our citizens have adapted their travel routines to ensure the completion of these projects.

Communication is currently underway to appeal to our citizens living close to the forest and mountains to provide advice on co-existence with baboons who periodically enter living areas in search of food. The 2018 George Fire severely damaged their habitat and food sources. Scientific advice is that humans make small adaptations to their routines to improve co-existence.

We express our gratitude to our citizens for their patience in dealing with the adaptations they have been making as we work together building a well-run city.

Ald Leon van Wyk

Executive Mayor of George

Five officials from the George Municipality received training in creative filmmaking on the 13^th and 14^th of September 2022 at the George Tourism office to enhance local tourism marketing strategies. Local filmmaking experts conducted the training as part of a service level agreement with the Garden Route Film Commission.

According to the George Tourism manager, Joan Shaw, the objective of the training which is intended for Municipal staff is to have a better understanding of the film industry, and what is required, as film productions are a target market for Tourism and Economic Development. “As part of the tourism marketing strategy, we want to empower staff that work with social media and projects, and general photography, which requires filming skills to improve the quality of their shoots.  We also encourage creativity and keeping up with trends in this fast-paced industry to keep relevant and get noticed,” Shaw said.

Three of the five trainees were officials from the Tourism office and two from the office of the municipal manager and the communication department, and they all never had experience in filmmaking. One of the trainees, Aphiwe Jack from the office of the municipal manager, said: “The film training was highly informative and fun at the same time. I learnt about the different types of gadgets being used in the film industry, from cameras, lenses, and stabilizers to lights and video editing software. Our team was amazing, thanks to all of them for making it such a wonderful experience for me, and finally, a huge thanks to the facilitators for such a splendid job showing us all the hard work it takes to become professionals in the film industry,” Jack added.

The training was conducted by Letitia Cunningham (Director Garden Route Film Commission), Megan Cunningham a multi-creative and a youth developer and Calvin Claassen an independent content creator and designer in the film industry. To add lustre to the training which included the outdoor taking of video shots, Pamela Pelser, a line dance choreographer from Step Together Line Dance School introduced a few dance moves to the trainees who responded fluently, and smoothly to the movements.

Ends.

Caption:

From left: Megan Cunningham (Facilitator), Letitia Cunningham (Facilitator), Lindi Harley (Tourism Officer – Membership), Aphiwe Jack (receptionist – office of the Municipal Manager), Luthando Ndende (Tourism Intern), Heloine America (Tourism Officer), Joan Shaw (Tourism Manager), Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe (Senior Communication & Intergovernmental Relations Officer), and in front Calvin Claassen (Facilitator).

GO GEORGE PASSENGER SATISFACTION SURVEY TO START SOON

Issued 16 Sep 2022

A GO GEORGE passenger satisfaction survey will be conducted from 26 September until 21 October 2022 at GO GEORGE bus stops on the current network of routes.

The survey forms part of the 2022 George Integrated Public Transport Network (GIPTN) Macro-, Transport- and Socio-Economic Study (MTSES). The results will be compared with previous studies to determine the overall socio-economic impact of the GO GEORGE bus service in three main areas, namely macro-economic, transport economic, and socio-economic impact.

According to Morné Lakay, Acting Manager of GO GEORGE, feedback from passengers remains core to the planning and fine-tuning of the system. “With intricate data at our disposal, it is possible for us to plan and implement, but we need to know whether we are meeting our communities’ needs and whether the bus service is indeed improving quality of life and access to economic opportunities. That is what the George Integrated Public Transport Network (GIPTN) is all about and why we kindly request passengers to spare a few minutes when approached by a surveyor. Participating passengers will remain anonymous,” Lakay said.

The data acquired through the survey will form part of continuous reviewing and improvement of the bus service and inform amendments where needed and possible.

Independent, trained surveyors with appropriate identification cards will conduct the survey using an App on a cell phone. More information can be obtained from the GO GEORGE Call Centre at 0800 044 044.

CAPTION:
Brendon Barends spared a few minutes to answer GO GEORGE surveyor, Larouchelle Kleinbooi’s questions.

 GO GEORGE-PASSASIERSPEILING BEGIN BINNEKORT

Uitgereik 16 Sep 2022

‘n GO GEORGE-passasierspeiling sal van 26 September tot 21 Oktober 2022 by GO GEORGE-bushaltes op die huidige netwerk van roetes gedoen word.

Die peiling vorm deel van die 2022 George Geïntegreerde Openbarevervoernetwerk Makro-, Vervoer- en Sosio-ekonomiese Studie. Die resultate sal vergelyk word met vorige studies om die algehele sosio-ekonomiese impak van die GO GEORGE-busdiens in drie hoofareas te bepaal, naamlik makro-ekonomiese, vervoer-ekonomiese en sosio-ekonomiese impak.

Volgens Morné Lakay, waarnemende bestuurder van GO GEORGE, bly terugvoering van passasiers die kern van die beplanning en verfyning van die stelsel. “Met ingewikkelde data tot ons beskikking, is dit vir ons moontlik om te beplan en te implementeer, maar ons moet weet of ons aan ons gemeenskappe se behoeftes voldoen en of die busdiens inderdaad lewensgehalte en toegang tot ekonomiese geleenthede verbeter. Dit is waaroor GO GEORGE gaan en waarom ons passasiers vriendelik versoek om vir ons ‘n paar minute te gee wanneer hulle deur ‘n onderhoudvoerder genader word. Deelnemende passasiers sal anoniem bly,” het Lakay gesê.

Die data wat deur die opname verkry word, sal deel vorm van deurlopende hersiening en verbetering van die busdiens en wysigings rig waar nodig en moontlik.

Onafhanklike, opgeleide onderhoudvoerders met toepaslike identifikasiekaarte sal die opname met behulp van ‘n toepassing op ‘n selfoon uitvoer. Meer inligting kan verkry word by die GO GEORGE-inbelsentrum by 0800 044 044.

ONDERSKRIF:

Brendon Barends het ‘n paar minute afgestaan om GO GEORGE-onderhoudvoerder, Larouchelle Kleinbooi, se vrae te beantwoord.

George Municipality manages and maintains a water and sewer infrastructure consisting of 116 sewer pump stations and 28 water pumpstations. Ongoing loadshedding implemented by ESKOM over the past few years has raised concerns with regard to maintaining the supply of potable water and sewer services.

The public often forget that during loadshedding the municipal sewer pumpstations and water treatment works are put under immense pressure and traditional storage capacities are not adequate to compensate for extended loadshedding.  In a bid to ensure the provision of adequate potable (drinking) water and to reduce water pollution, 13 large-scale generators have been installed at our most critical installations including high risk identified sewer pumpstations as well as at the Old and New Water Treatment Works that treats raw water received from the Garden Route Dam into potable (drinking) water.

The tender process for the purchase and installation of two (2) 1100kVA generators to be installed at the Garden Route Dam raw water pumpstation have recently closed and are being evaluated. This installation will mean that during loadshedding or any other power outage, raw water can continue to be pumped to the Water Treatment Works for processing for drinking water supply.

Executive Mayor Ald Van Wyk noted that these generators need to be constantly re-fuelled with diesel as the municipality attempts to keep operations going under conditions where Eskom is unable to provide electricity for up to eight hours per day. A recent Energy Summit hosted provided insight into the state of Eskom. “I was recently privileged to attend an Energy Summit where the Eskom CEO, Andre de Ruyter spoke about the power station fleet that had been operated at maximum capacity for too long. This means that maintenance needs to be undertaken to avoid complete breakdowns. New generating capacity will have to be built over the next 15 years,” said Ald Van Wyk.

The purchase and installation costs of such large-scale generators is high, and these are not just ordered off the shelf. To date the municipality has installed generators at our sewer pump stations at a cost of approximately R13 million. The generators are diesel operated and have weather and vandal proof covers for protection. All of the backup generation is equipped with anti-vandalism and anti-theft devices and each is linked to the municipal telemetry and SCADA system for remote monitoring purposes.

Friday, 16 September 2022

12^TH FUNDA MZANTSI CHAMPIONSHIP

The National Library of South Africa (NLSA), in conjunction with the Department of Correctional Services and George Municipality is proud to host the 12^th Funda Mzantsi Championship (FMC).

FMC is a reading competition for book clubs with the objective of stimulating and encouraging a reading culture among South Africans. The Championship has been held on an annual basis from 2010 until 2019.  In 2020, the Competition was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and in 2021, FMC was hosted in a hybrid format.  This year, FMC will be held in George, in the Western Cape Province from 3 to 7 October 2022.

In preparation for the Competition, book clubs are required to read selected books from a specific list, including titles from the NLSA’s Reprint of South African Classics project.  Furthermore, participants are assessed in four categories – impromptu reading, debating, spelling bee and book reviewing in all official South African languages.  The much-acclaimed book “The Yearning” by Mohale Mashigo is expected to be reviewed by participants in this year’s competition.

The National Library of South Africa takes pride in contributing toward Outcome 14 of the National Development Plan which deals with Nation Building and Social Cohesion. Through the Funda Mzantsi Championship, the NLSA brings together minds – both young and old, breaking the racial, gender and social status boundaries, in pursuit of a common goal.

The NLSA’s Executive Director responsible for Core Programmes will officiate the opening ceremony on 3 October and the National Librarian and CEO, Mr Kepi Madumo will grace the closing ceremony on 5 October 2022.

Members of the media are invited to cover the Championship as follows:

ENDS

Issued by the National Library of South Africa

Notes to the Editor

The National Library of South Africa (NLSA) is the custodian and provider of the nation’s key knowledge resources. The NLSA is mandated by the National Library of South Africa Act to collect and preserve published documents and to make them accessible, thereby ensuring that knowledge is preserved for posterity and that information is available to all.

www.nlsa.ac.za

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN GEORGE, WILDERNESS AND UNIONDALE – TOURISM UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2022
#GeorgeTourism #GettoknowGeorge

Us ‘Georgiette’s’ are the envy of many South Africans, especially those far from the sea, sitting in long daily traffic commutes – we won’t say who! We get to live in one of the top destinations in South Africa, surrounded by abundant beauty yet with all our creature comforts within proximity, and plenty to do and see! Each month the tourism section of George Municipality, which represents the tourism offices for George, Wilderness and Uniondale, will be sharing snippets to help you get to know more about all that is available to you and your visiting friends and family.

EVENTS
What’s happening in George, Wilderness and Uniondale? Here are a selection of events taking place during the rest of September. View the full events calendar at visitgeorge.co.za.

16-17 September 2022: Thousand Sensations Craft Liquor Food & Music Festival at Woodfield’s Estate in George
This annual event takes place on the Map of Africa and calls to craft enthusiasts! Not the knitting type, mind you, but the liquor type. The festival village is set in a natural amphitheatre and there are a variety of craft beer and other types of craft liquor stalls, as well as food vendors, a tented area and a large live music stage with headline artist, Andra. Festival goers can taste and buy the crafts available which include beer, whiskey, gin, brandy, rum, and more. Set in an incredible natural setting, situated on grasslands between natural, pine and eucalyptus forest and with magnificent mountain and sea views, this festival promises too not only be fun but also beautiful. Make sure to organise responsible transport arrangements.  Get more information via Facebook.

23-25 September 2022: The Heritage Festival at the George Showgrounds
A new festival on George’s calendar, this is a music and dance festival celebrating South Africa’s diverse arts and heritage.  There are a multitude of South African performers in genres such as local Jazz, Boere Musiek, Mbaqanga, Khoi Music, reggae, Afrikaans pop, folk, blues, Xhosa/Tswana/Sotho traditional music and even more.  Delicious South African style food will be on sale, featuring bobotie, braai, mala-mogodu (aka tripe) and other interesting fare.  The event includes an art exhibition and children’s activities.  Attendees are encouraged to dress according to their cultural heritage.  heritagefestival.co.za

24-25 September: GTR Endurance Lap Race at the George Riding Club
The GTR Endurance Lap Race is a timed 3km cross country route that is repeated in laps at the George Riding Club.  The event village will keep the energy up with live local artists and DJ’s on stage while you run.  There are solo and team entries and runners can enter either the 1 hour, 6-hour, 12-hour or 24-hour categories.  The 12 and 24-hour team entries include camping at the George Riding Club.  Learn more via Facebook.

25 September:  Lions CCPP Group Karoo to Coast from Uniondale to Knysna
This beautiful yet challenging journey consists of a 100km solo mountain bike race, which starts in Uniondale and crosses the magnificent Prince Alfred’s Pass in to Knysna.  This year’s event is already sold out, but friends and family of riders can support them at the start or finish line. karootocoast.com

30 September-1 October: Uniondale Landbouskou at the Uniondale Showgrounds
The highlight of this event is the exciting South African Saddle Horse and Cape Boerperd show presented by the East Cape Agricultural Show Association. Visitors can look forward to competitions in various categories of horse gaits. In addition, there will be a merino show, boerbok show and a youth show where youngsters can showcase their self-bred livestock. Take part in wine-tastings, and enjoy the entertainment provided by the Bottomless Coffee band.   See more on Facebook.

Local Markets
Hinenni Community Market
Every Wednesday from 08:30-15:00 | 63 Bo-Langvlei Road, Rondevlei, Wilderness

Outeniqua Family Market
Every Saturday from 08:00-14:00 | N2, George

Sunday Funday Market
Every Sunday 10:00-15:00 | Milkwood Village, Beacon Street, Wilderness

MOUNTAIN BIKING TRAILS
Do you know that George has a website dedicated to our trails?  Go to georgetrails.org.za for detailed information about available routes, distances and difficulties in not only mountain biking but also trail running, hiking and paddling.

The following excerpts have been taken from our latest blog, ‘Popular mountain biking trails to try’.

The Montagu Pass provides a whole different challenge. Start at the Engen garage in Heather Park and ride on until you reach the turn off to the pass. As you climb the pass, you’ll get up close with spectacular mountain scenery and fynbos panoramas. The elevation gain is approximately 862 meters. Once you’ve crossed the pass, you’ll find yourself in Herold, a tiny hamlet dating from the 19th century. Rest for a while at the Over the Mountain Tea Garden before returning to George. The route covers approximately 33 kilometres.

A popular trail taking mountain bikers through the pastoral farmlands of George is the Dairyland Route. This one start and ends at the famous Redberry Farm, the perfect place to relax and recharge with great food and something to drink after two hours of cycling.  The route comprises of 27 kilometres of mostly gravel road through dairy farms. Beautiful Outeniqua Mountain views can be enjoyed as the trail is not too taxing with little climbing.

Read the full post at visitgeorge.co.za/blog

Want to know more about what you can see and do and where you can stay in George, Wilderness and Uniondale? Contact George Tourism:

044 801 9295
info@visitgeorge.co.za
visitgeorge.co.za

Extended power outages on Monday early evening, 12 September in George affected a wide area including the George CBD, George Industrial area, parts of Thembalethu, Pacaltsdorp, Groeneweide Park, Herold’s Bay, Bos en Dal, George South and Delville Park. The duration of the outage was between 19h00 – 21h00 with certain areas being restored quicker than others.

On being alerted to repeat tripping of one of our 66Kv lines,  a municipal electrician went out to do a thorough investigation of the situation and discovered that the 66KV line had been damaged with parts of the line missing or  lying on the ground. The cost of damage and theft  to electrical infrastructure is estimated at R1.1 million. A case of damage to, and theft of electrical infrastructure was opened on 13 September 2022 at the Conville Police Station.

As a temporary measure and in order to restore power to the affected areas, the line (located between the N2 and Tamsui Substation) was secured  and municipal Law Enforcement officials together with a private security service provider kept guard to ensure no further damage or theft could take place.  The 66Kv line is currently in the process of being repaired and it is expected to take up to 5 days before the line is fully functional.

Executive Mayor Ald Van Wyk condemned the theft and vandalism to essential municipal electrical infrastructure. “George Municipality cannot overemphasize the danger of stealing or tampering with energised cables. We strongly warn the public to refrain from stealing municipal property, as it is not only cause huge losses paid from taxpayer’s money,   but also poses severe danger to the lives of those tampering with energised cables,” he said.

The reward for information leading to successful prosecution
George Municipality will pay a reward of R2500 to any person who offers information on vandalism and theft incidents, and which information leads to the successful conviction of the perpetrator in a court of law.  The paying of a reward is legal in terms of the MFMA (Municipal Finance Management Act) and is seen as a necessary step to combat the expenditure on the repair of vandalized and stolen infrastructure. These assets are managed by the municipality on behalf of the public and it is George Municipality’s request to all our residents to assist us in looking after and protecting these assets.

The public can contact the Anti-fraud toll-free number 0860 044 044 or report vandalism and theft verbally, by email, or any municipal or SAPS telephone numbers. The member of public reporting will have to supply their name and contact details as their testimony may be required for the successful conviction of the perpetrators. The identity of those helping will be protected.

George Municipality calls on the community to please assist us in eradicating theft and vandalism, to allow the municipality to improve service delivery levels and continue to improve the quality of people’s lives.

Report Illegal connections to 044 801 9222 or after hours on 044 801 6300. Report to 0860 044 044 with details to be eligible for the reward.

George motorists will be thrilled to see that the resealing of CJ Langenhoven Road  between Davidson Road (Provincial Hospital) has been completed, a full month earlier than the predicted mid-October. This is a testament to our Civil Engineering Department who undertook the remedial project at short notice after receiving a significant portion of the Provincial budget in the form of Grant Funding
(80%)with the proviso that the spending is completed before the end of December 2022.

CJ Langenhoven Road and York Street are both Proclaimed Roads within the Municipal Road Network, and the budget and maintenance of these roads is provided for by the Western Cape Government: Transport and Public Works who is the Road Authority of both Roads. CJ Langenhoven Street opened to traffic today and will be followed shortly by the opening later this afternoon of the Market/York Street intersection allowing for bi-directional traffic flow, another roads upgrade project which is progressing well despite initial delays.

Alderman Leon Van Wyk paid a visit to view the completed CJ Langenhoven Street together with Acting Director for Civil Engineering Services, Lionel Daniels. CJ Langenhoven Street is not only part of the main arterial network giving visitors access to the CBD and many tourist attractions, but also part of the GO GEORGE route.

Investment in road infrastructure contributes to growth and productivity
Our roads make a critical contribution to economic development and growth and, in turn,  bring about all-important social development. “A well-planned and well-maintained road network is vitally important for development in that they provide access to employment, social, health and education services.  George Municipality’s investment in road infrastructure directly contributes to growth and productivity in that roads are a critical component of the production process of many goods and services, “ said Director for Human Settlements, Planning and Development, Ms Lauren Waring.

Access to main tourist attractions
Joan Shaw, Tourism Manager for George is thrilled that both roads CJ Langenhoven and York Street which are exceptionally important tourism routes are being updated. “The two roads form part of the main arterial network giving visitors access to not only many tourist attractions, but to the hub of the city of George  – that is the home of many regional facilities including  the George Airport, George Provincial Hospital and the Medi-Clinic, Home Affairs Offices, the Garden Route District Municipality, to name a few.  York street also houses many of the banks and foreign exchange facilities.

These roads also give access to many of the main tourist attractions such as the George Golf Course, Fancourt Hotel and Estate, Red Berry Farm, Herold’s Bay, Gwaing River mouth, the historical hub of the city centre, and many other first-class accommodation establishments, restaurants, and attractions, including unique shops. It is vital that such these and other routes, are in tip-top condition for the upcoming festive season, along with the rest of our facilities”, said Ms Shaw.

York Street closes this week for resealing
York Street will close later this week for the milling and removal of existing bituminous layers as well as milling and removal of existing gravel base layers that will be followed by the placing of new bituminous base layers and surface layers. The anticipated completion date is currently projected by end of mid-January 2023 for the entire project, but the entire inbound lane will be completed before December 2022. Site inspections in this regard have already been undertaken with Provincial Roads officials.

The works include the  rehabilitation of York Street Northbound lanes with the  approximately 1000m section in question,  located between Nelson Mandela Boulevard in the south and Courtenay Street in the north. The George Civil Engineering Department will simultaneously address any storm water and kerb repairs that are needed.

George Municipality apologises for the inconvenience and appeals to road users to be patient and exercise caution during the project. Please look out for and adhere to temporary road signage and roadworks personnel.   There will be height differences between the two lanes while milling and asphalt construction work is in progress. Drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians must exercise extreme caution, especially during wet conditions and when visibility is poor and at night. Vehicles with low profile tyres and motorcyclists must take extra care.

*George Municipality takes delivery of vehicles worth close to R8 million*

*Issued by George Municipality 13 September 2022 for immediate release*

George Municipality Electrotechnical Services, Community Services and Civil Engineering Services have taken delivery of new vehicles worth close to R8 million including two tractor load backhoe’s, a FTR 850 Compactor, fitted with auto lubrication system for the hydraulics and moving parts (Compactor Bin) , prevents excessive wear and reduces downtime by ensuring all moving parts are lubricated, as well as 4×4 blue coloured tractors.

Mayor Leon van Wyk and officials inspected the vehicles and were all very impressed with the new equipment that will make officials jobs a bit easier. The vehicles were all bought out of the 2022/23 budget.

The tractor load backhoe will be used for excavation and the cleaning of illegal dumping,  tractors will be used in grass cutting and gravel roads with a brand-new compactor for refuse removal. The bakkies will be used for lighter duties and are replacing older bakkies.

_*Fleets1: Mayor Leon van Wyk with the lighter duty bakkies bought for the Community Services Directorate. To his left is Cllr Jean Safers (Portfolio Councillor for Community Services: Environmental Services) and to the right is Allen Paulse, Director: Community Services.*_

_*Fleets2: Allen Paulse, Director: Community Services, Mayor Leon van Wyk and Cllr Jean Safers (Portfolio Councillor for Community Services: Environmental Services) having a jolly good time being lifted in one of the very sturdy tractor load backhoe’s.*_

_*Fleets3: Mayor Leon van Wyk, Bongani Mandla, Director: Electrotechnical Services and Busisiwe Salmani from Fleet Services at a tractor load backhoe.*_

_*Fleets4, 5,6:  Allen Paulse, Cllr Jean Safers, Mayor van Wyk with the out of the ordinary blue in colour tractors from Landini. Normally, most heavy duty vehicles are painted yellow, initially because of safety and visibility on the road but companies are bringing in more colours into play.*_

_*Fleets7: Mayor van Wyk sitting in one of the tractor load backhoe’s with

Jacques Lawrence from Electrotechnical Services, Allen Paulse, Director of Community Services and Cllr Jean Safers, Portfolio Councillor for Community Services: Environmental Services.*_

To celebrate Tourism month, George Tourism is putting every tourism business in George, Wilderness and Uniondale on the map  – the Google Map this is – literally!

In the first Tourism Month post-pandemic, George Tourism made a strategic decision to invest in upgrading access to our destination’s tourism service providers.   One means to this end is to ensure that every tourism business that is registered with the local Tourism Office, is successfully uploaded onto Google Maps.

Joan Shaw, Tourism Manager said, “Although we have long encouraged our products to do this, the area remained sorely under-represented on this platform, so we have tackled the issue head-on and tasked an intern in our office, Chulezwa Vena, to upload listed activities, restaurants, and accommodation onto Google Maps.”

The accommodation service provider then also links directly to Booking.com(if registered with the site)  and Google Maps displays the listed price of the accommodation establishment, making it quick and easy to book your accommodation online.  In the past month, more than 500 products have been uploaded to Google Maps, making a huge impact on the platform.

If your business is not registered with the local tourism office, please register this Tourism Month, and be a part of the action to improve visibility of tourism products in the destination.

To register, call Lindi Harley on 044 877 0045 or e-mail membership@visitgeorge.co.za.

Executive Mayor Leon Van Wyk and Ricus Fivaz, Municipal Project Manager show off the newly refurbished sidewalk along Market Street.

The upgrade of Market Street established in 1836, extends from York Street to Hope Street and includes a full rebuild and upgrade of the full road reserve and the asphalting of the pedestrian walkways that include the paving of the furniture zone. (The furniture zone is the area for all street furniture (benches), streetlights, waste bins etc. and acts as a buffer between the roadway and the pedestrian sidewalk.) Of the five (5) phases, three will be completed by end of September 2022 and the latter two phases,  are progressing well with completion set for February 2023.

Additional grant funding was gazetted in March 2022 and savings elsewhere on the GIPTN overall 2021/22 budget allowed for phases 4 and 5 of the Market Street upgrade to proceed to construction earlier than planned. An important requirement of the GIPTN funding agreement with the Municipality is that all road upgrades on GO GEORGE bus routes must be upgraded in terms of Universal Accessibility(UA) as well. What this means is that any individual (whose mobility, communicative ability, or understanding is reduced) should be able to access and use a pedestrian walkway, a bus stop and so on,  freely and independently.

George Municipality has made huge strides in drafting the necessary UA design criteria and is currently one of few that have produced a design criteria document. Retrofitting a street such as Market Street in terms of UA is not an easy task with provision having to be made for both property and street universal accessibility access, while maintaining the longitudinal slope along Market Street’s walkways.  The science of universal accessibility is not exact due to the variability of existing roads that must be adapted to, and a number of lessons learnt during the construction of Market Street will be carried forward to future road projects.

Executive Mayor Leon Van Wyk visited Market Street recently following an ad hoc inspection undertaken by UA specialists to assess the implementation of UA along Market Street. “These improvements for universal accessibility allow for wider pavements and will go a long way in ensuring mobility and access for all users; those making use of wheelchairs and people with other disabilities. Although this has been a challenging project that included the repositioning of streetlight poles to allow for universal access compliance, these challenges have been adequately managed by our highly skilled civil engineering services department.  This is a world class improvement along one of the most important and most used stretches/sections of road for our Go George bus services. These improvements are most welcome and will go a long way in servicing all residents,” said Ald Van Wyk.

The UA specialists noted that significant progress has been made by the Municipality and solutions were provided for any shortcomings which were identified during the inspection.  Further regular inspections are planned to ensure that the ongoing construction achieves the maximum level of UA compliance given the complex urban environment that is being upgraded.

In the past week, we had the privilege of hosting a visit by Premier Alan Winde and members of his Cabinet to George. During the engagement, there was recognition of the work that is ongoing to maintain and improve infrastructure while also visiting a few of the tourism-focused businesses ahead of this month being Tourism Month. During our discussions, attention was also given to the sharing and gathering of data that is so essential to interpreting trends that would influence growth and employment. We also raised matters that could be of mutual benefit to the Province and George.

Even though the visit had this focus, we remain ever mindful of the importance of ensuring that our citizens remain safe, that a caring environment is fostered and how citizens, civil society and businesses can assist in making the city a better place for all.

I have recently written about how the municipality is spending more of its budget to ensure that the safety of our citizens is improved. As mentioned, we will be increasing our complement of law enforcement officers and the size of our CCTV camera network beyond the current plus 600 cameras. There is no doubt that citizens should become more safety conscious and alert at home and in moving about.

Neighbourhood watches should be supported, and it would be a great benefit if additional cameras can be sourced by neighbourhoods and the business sector to complement those already in the municipal network. In this way, there will be greater surveillance over more parts of the city.

The tough economic and social conditions also contribute to many homeless and destitute persons on our streets. Even though this is not a municipal function, we are concerned about the wellbeing of these citizens. We are appreciative of the work that is being done within civil society to assist these persons and encourage further assistance.

The municipality has also been approached by citizens and businesses who are keen to play a role in improving the lives of George citizens. Some of their ideas range from education, the environment, sport to business.

We welcome discussion on these ideas and proposals as some could be turned into opportunities or possibly form part of the corporate social responsibility framework approved by council. The latter framework enables the corporate sector to benefit communities and society through projects that will simultaneously meet social responsibilities.

We would therefore like to encourage discussion of these ideas covering the above broad range of categories from safety, caring, social improvements to the facilitation of more opportunities that will be to the benefit of George. Suggestions can be sent to smartideas@george.gov.za and will be channeled to the appropriate Directorate for further interaction.

Ald. Leon van Wyk

Executive Mayor of George

On Friday, 2 September 2022, the Executive Mayor of George, Alderman Leon van Wyk accompanied by the Portfolio Councillor for Electrotechnical Services Cllr Nosicelo Mbete, the Director of Electrotechnical Services in the George Municipality Bongani Mandla, and the Electrotechnical Services team visited an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) installations on traffic intersections to mark the completion of the UPS installation programme.

As of 29 August 2022, 57 intersections with traffic lights have been installed with UPS units in George. The remaining intersections will be installed once the current road construction has been completed.

The first phase comprised installations of UPS units in the 40 major road intersections with traffic lights that were completed in the previous financial year (2021/2022), ending in June 2022. The second phase included 17 more intersections that were covered and were completed at the end of August 2022.

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 with an average duration of 4 hours, before the battery needs recharging. This means that traffic intersections in George are free from Eskom’s load shedding and unplanned power outages for the durability of the batteries, thereby allowing seamless traffic flow.

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The Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) Blue Drop programme which was established to encourage continued progress and to acknowledge excellence in drinking water services management in South Africa is in the loom, and the George Municipality is ready to partake in this year’s programme that is set to start in September 2022.

The Blue Drop and Green Drop Certification Programmes are forms of Incentive-based Regulation (IBR) pioneered by the South African Water Sector since 2008. legislation, Water Services Act; Act 108 of 1997, Section 82 d, e & f. The programme seeks to focus on Improvement in Performance, Compliance and Efficiency.

George Municipality’s state of readiness for the upcoming Blue Drop Certification Programme

According to the Deputy Director for Water and Sanitation in the Civil Engineering Services Department in the George Municipality, Deon de Jager, the Blue Drop Certification is intended to monitor the drinking water quality supplied to consumers countrywide. “Both water quality and administrative aspects are combined in this certification with the emphasis being on the administrative aspects instead of water quality and George has put all the ducks in the row to be evaluated.”

“The first-round assessments for the upcoming Blue Drop evaluations are scheduled for September 2022.  After the first-round evaluations, the DWS will, if necessary, allow the George Municipality to implement and report on corrective measures to be implemented, to enable the Municipality to correct and submit the required information,” de Jager added.

De Jager confirmed that the draft water safety plans have been completed. He also said that the water treatment process audits are underway, and the George Municipality is assisted by IX Engineers and Chris Swartz consultants.  “All relevant personnel reporting to DWS have been registered on the IRIS reporting system.  The George Municipal Water Treatment and Laboratory sections are working around the clock to ensure that we comply with all legislative requirements as set out by the DWS.  Furthermore, the George Municipality is in the process of performing process audits on all its raw and potable water pump stations, towers, and storage reservoirs.”

Green Drop Certification – Updating its wastewater risk abatement plans and wastewater treatment process audits underway for George

Green Drop Certification is awarded to wastewater systems that obtain scores of 90% when compared against the criteria set for wastewater management. This assisted Water Services Authorities to strive for improvement in their management of wastewater as part of the incentive-based regulation approach.  Green Drop Certification is awarded to wastewater systems that obtain scores of above 90% when compared against the criteria set for wastewater management, while a system that achieved less than 31% is regarded as a dysfunctional system which would require appropriate interventions.

The next Green Drop Evaluations is scheduled for 2023 (dates to be confirmed by the DWS). In the meantime, the George Municipality is in the process of updating its wastewater risk abatement plans and wastewater treatment process audits.  Furthermore, the George Municipality appointed an external professional services provider to evaluate all sewer pump stations within the George Municipal area.  All of this contributes to the evaluation criteria.

What is a No Drop Programme?

The Department of Water and Sanitation developed the No Drop Programme to draw attention to and encourage progress in water use efficiency and water loss / Non-revenue Water management in the South African municipal sector.  No Drop Certification means that a municipality is accomplished in its water conservation and water demand management practice and receives public accolade and acknowledgement of its excellence in water supply management against a set of strict criteria.  The No Drop has been developed in a similar framework to the Blue Drop (drinking water quality) and Green Drop (wastewater management) in 2013, followed by a partial rollout to all non-metro municipalities in 2014 and a full rollout to all 8 metropolitan municipalities in 2014/15.  The No Drop evaluations form part of the Blue Drop evaluations.

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Link to Ald Leon van Wyk, Executive Mayor of George on the PV Solar Plant and SCADA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwA1TMBSAb0

The Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Minister Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister for Mobility Daylin Mitchell, Executive Mayor Leon Van Wyk, Deputy Mayor Raybin Figland, and a delegation including members of the George Mayoral Committee, Municipal Manager Dr Michele Gratz, and senior officials s visited the 300 Kilo Watt peak Photovoltaic (PV) solar plant at the Civic Centre parking lot On Wednesday, 31 August 2022. This is the first solar project in a George Municipal property and was completed and commissioned last year September.

They also visited the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), a monitoring system which is basically an online web-based portal that allows remote monitoring of the performance of the PV plant in real-time. SCADA also allows viewing of historical production and other data such as the carbon dioxide emissions avoided.

This was part of the Western Cape Provincial Government’s oversight visit to several developments of infrastructural, civil engineering and electrotechnical services in the city of George. Minister Bredell applauded George Municipality for setting a leading example within the Western Cape by ensuring adequate long-term planning and investment in those resources – that is water, sewerage and electricity – which are required to keep our economy working.

“Today, we are visiting our solar PV Plant at the main building of the Municipality, and we are in the control room where we run the inverters as well as all the board which indicates how much solar we are generating in terms of Kilowatts,” said Mayor van Wyk. “This plant is typical with other plants we going to introduce in George in the next months and years.

The George Municipality is in a process of introducing seven envisaged solar projects that are to be rolled in three years to the following plants and buildings:

• 400 kilowatts (kW) PV at the Outeniqua wastewater treatment facility
• 500 kW at the PV Gwaing Wastewater treatment facility
• 400 kW PV plant at the Denneoord New Water Works facility
• 20 kW PV + 40-kilowatt hour (kWh) battery storage for the Electrotechnical Services building
• 4 kW PV + 10 kWh battery storage for the Tourism building
• 2 kW PV + 10 kWh battery storage for Schaapkop substation
• 9 MWp bigger solar farm (location still to be finalised)

The PV Plant coupled with the SCADA system is certainly starting to help the Municipality already and perform efficiently, Mayor van Wyk said. “The next step is to move towards battery storage, while we will also be rolling out these plants across various Municipal installations in due course.”

The installation of PV solar plants in municipal facilities and buildings is aimed at reducing Energy Consumption from Eskom and thereby cutting down on electricity costs while increasing sustainability.

Ends.

CAPTION

PHOTO 1: From left: Deputy Mayor Raybin Figland, Bongani Mandla (Director: Electrotechnical Services), Thabo Yiga (Candidate Engineer: Electrical), Western Cape Minister for Mobility Daylin Mitchell, Portfolio Councillor Jacqulique Von Brandis (Civil Engineering Services: Capital Projects & FBI), Portfolio Councillor Nosicelo Mbete (Electrotechnical & Fleet Management), Dr Michel Gratz (Municipal Manager),  Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Minister Anton Bredell, and Executive Mayor of George Ald Leon Van Wyk.

PHOTO 2: Frome left: Thabo Yiga (Candidate Engineer: Electrical), Dr Michel Gratz (Municipal Manager),  Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Minister Anton Bredell, and Executive Mayor of George Ald Leon Van Wyk.

Link to Video Clip MEC Anton Bredell Oversight Visit 31 August 2022 https://youtu.be/e6K5y64rE4c

Link to Video Clip EM Leon Van Wyk WC Oversight Visit 31 August 2022 https://youtu.be/-dknYuvudpg

Minister Anton Bredell Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, yesterday  applauded George Municipality for setting a leading example within the Western Cape by ensuring adequate long-term planning and investment in those resources  – that is water, sewerage and electricity  – which are required to keep our economy working.

MEC Bredell joined Daylin Mitchell, Western Cape Minister for Mobility, Executive Mayor Leon Van Wyk, Deputy Mayor Raybin Figland and a delegation including members of the George Mayoral Committee, Municipal Manager Dr Michele Gratz, senior officials and contractors on Wednesday, 31 August 2022 in an oversight visit to the 20 Ml/d extension to the New Water Treatment Works (New WTW).

Executive Mayor Leon Van Wyk viewed the foundation and steelworks construction taking place and was impressed by a three-dimensional presentation which gave insight into the finished product. “The presentation highlighted the complexity of this multi-year project which will see R263 million in civil engineering construction works  and approximately R220 million spent on the mechanical and electrical works,” he said.

George Municipality received a Budget Facility for Infrastructure Funding (BFI) grant to the value of R1.107 billion from National Treasury and the BFI projects and sub-projects have shown significant progress and expenditure in the 2021/22 financial year, with the remaining funding tranches to be provided over the next thirty-six (36) months.

George Municipality provides water services to over 212 120 people from 62 722 households (STATSSA 2017) across 28 wards including the coastal areas of Kleinkrantz, Wilderness, Victoria Bay, Herolds Bay and Gwaing in the city of George area. The objectives of the project are to ensure the ability to provide adequate potable water for the current population and for future developments, to provide security of water supply, to support social and economic development and to reduce water pollution.

Updates on the Potable Water Security and Remedial Works components funded by BFI
The project consists of 12 components, some of which will be executed in more than one construction phase.

Component 1 and 3
The refurbishment of the existing Sludge Discharge System Phase 1 and 2 will take place at the Eden, Meul and Schaapkop Sewage Pumpstations and will include a new treatment facility at the water treatment works.
Status:  The residual de-watering facility construction is progressing well and current focus is on the concrete works including the tank bases. Work was completed on the Schaapkop Donga Stabilisation Project. Construction took place to stabilise and rehabilitate the slope on the riverbank to protect the pump station from an encroaching donga and create a safe working space for the pump station construction to proceed.

Phase 1:The first phase of the upgrading and refurbishment of the Meul sewer pumpstation has commenced. This contract includes a new Motor Control Centre at the Eden Sewage pump station.  Civil construction on the Meul Sewage Pumpstation is progressing well, while the mechanical designs and manufacturing are also on track. Emergency works had to be carried out at the Eden Sewage Pumpstation to install new gate valves and non-return valves and which included the construction of a temporary emergency storage dam. The Schaapkop Sewage Pumpstation construction has been delayed due to a supply chain issue and will commence when the matter is resolved.

Phase 2:Consultants have been appointed for the design of the second phase of the pump station upgrades of the three sewage pump stations.

Component 2
The 20 Ml/d treatment plant extension to the New Water Treatment Works (New WTW) is component 2 of the 12.
Status: The first contract valued at R263 million has been awarded for the civil engineering construction and construction has commenced on site. The tender for the mechanical, electrical and instrumentation (MEI) works has closed and will be awarded shortly. This component  is the largest single component of the BFI project and is valued at approximately R500 million.

Earthworks are almost completed, with the major excavation for the WTW extension consisting of some 20 000 metric cubes of earth material to be stockpiled on site for re-use elsewhere on other components of the BFI project as well as other possible municipal projects. Placing of concrete commenced recently and for this purpose two tower cranes of 23m and 18m height respectively were installed on site.

The construction on the 600m long clear water HDPE pipeline of 900mm diameter will be able to start soon  as the updated environmental management plant has been approved. The forestry permit is still required to be issued before construction can start fully.

Component 4
The Upgrading of Garden Route Dam Outlet and Supply project  includes the replacement of the existing 600 mm diameter raw water pipeline from the intake tower at the Garden Route Dam to the raw water pumpstation, with a new 800 mm diameter stainless steel pipeline to accommodate a higher  flowrate in accordance with the future raw water flow requirements.
Status: The design is progressing well and tenders will be advertised in the latter of 2022/23 financial year.

Component 5
2 x 1100 kVA generators will be installed at the Garden Route Dam raw water pumpstation. This will mean that during loadshedding or any other power outage, raw water can continue to be pumped uninterrupted to the Water Treatment Works for processing for drinking water supply.
Status: The construction contract has been awarded and construction will commence soon.

Component 6
A new additional 30 mega litre raw water storage balancing dam will be constructed, together with a 3.4km long 600mm diameter raw water pipeline which will be installed to secure sufficient raw water storage for supply to the New Water treatment plant (11^th Avenue, Denneoord). The new raw water dam will supplement the existing storage dams for provision of raw water to the two treatment plants.
Status: The preliminary design process has been completed with consideration of two alternative positions in order to select the most cost-effective solution.  Final designs and procurement of a Contractor will commence soon.

Component 7
The rehabilitation of the Old Water Treatment Works, located at 9^th Avenue Denneoord will allow for the refurbishment of the 25 Ml/d treatment plant which is currently operating at only 20.5 Ml/ per day.
Status: This component consists of four separate contracts and the tenders were advertised towards the end of 2021. Construction is under way at the Old WTW and some condition assessments of the existing infrastructure have necessitated design changes at the start of the contract, causing unforeseen delays. The planning for the air extraction from the filter galleries is under way and equipment is being designed. Construction is due to commence in September 2022. The first shipment of filter media arrived in June 2022 and fence construction is under way.

Component 8
Refurbishment of the Kaaimans River Pumpstation equipment will include the replacement of 2 x 100l/s pump sets, 2 x 50 to 100 l/s VSD pump sets, and 2 x 0 to 25 l/s VSD pump sets, with appropriate new pump sets, and includes the replacement of electrical control equipment. The Kaaimans Pumpstation discharges into the Garden Route Dam and can supply approximately 25% of the raw water requirement during periods of good rainfall.
Status: Site inspections have taken place and alternative pumps are being investigated. Durable pumps that are resistant to the abrasion caused by suspended material in the raw river water are required.

Component 9 and 10
The new 14,5 Ml Pacaltsdorp West Reservoir; 3 Ml Pacaltsdorp East Reservoir, 300 kl Tower and pumpstation will address the inadequate emergency and balancing storage in this suburb.
Status: The design process is progressing well and tenders will be advertised during the latter part of 2022/23. The detailed design process will be addressed in parallel to ensure compliance with all environmental requirements and the land re-zoning processes.

Component 11 and 12
A new pumpstation and control valves will be provided at the existing Thembalethu West reservoir and tower; a new 8 Ml Thembalethu East Reservoir, 1000 kl tower and pumpstation will provide adequate potable water storage, and increase security of potable water supply to Thembalethu as well as provide capacity to meet future development water demands.
Status: The design process  is progressing well and tenders will be advertised during the latter part of 2022/23.

The saying that, “a healthy body breeds a healthy mind” is, according to the newly elected chairperson of the George Municipality’s Internal Municipal Sports Club, John Bruiners, what drives more than just over 80 employees of the George Municipality to look forward to the Better Together Games that will take place in Riversdale on 30 September 2022.

The Better Together Games (BTG) is an annual sports event that is hosted by Sport and Recreation Services of the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport involving government officials in the various districts of the province as well as in the metropole to try their hand at soccer, mini-cricket, volleyball, tug of war, chess, athletics and many other codes at the Better Together Games (BTG) for government officials.

“The two-year gap caused by the arrival Covid19 pandemic certainly did not deter sportsmen and women’s interest in participating in the Better Together Games hosted by the Western Cape Provincial Government but has, instead, stimulated more interest to look forward to participating in these games,” said Bruiners.

The George Municipality has always been part of the Better Together Games since its inception in 2007 and successfully brought back gold, silver and bronze medallions and gone through to the final games. The George Municipality has last attended the finals known as the Corporate Games in 2019 and won gold in both Rugby cricket and dominoes.

The George Municipality has put all their ducks in a row to be prepared for these games. On Thursday, 26 August Internal Municipal Sports Club held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and adopted its constitution. A new committee consisting of the following members was elected:

• John Bruiners (Chairperson)
• Herman Janse Van Rensburg (Deputy Chairperson)
• Josephine Mpembe (Secretary)
• Rene Hendricks Treasurer
• Desmond Jumat (Additional member)
• Cathrone Muller (Additional member)
• Marius Windvogel (Additional member)

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