last-news

Mayor’s Newsletter for George Herald of 26 October 2023

The past weekend has been most eventful as George citizens lived through heavy rainfall dealing with the effects of such a deluge along with the Proteas clinically disposing of England at cricket through to the nail-biting experience of willing our rugby Springboks over the English try-line.

Apart from the concerns that stormwater systems are unable to cope with flooding when heavy rain falls in short periods, there is the worry of how vulnerable persons cope with drainage and the consequences of having erected informal settlements on sloping ground. These events require municipal staff to be called in to assist in providing the necessary relief. Pro-active and preventative clearing of stormwater drains has really helped this year except where water volumes are just too high. The streets and stormwater teams resolved 52 of 59 drain blockages and repairs to gravel roads by Sunday night. Often drains get blocked when citizens dump litter in their own neighbourhood streets. Electricity teams have had to deal with numerous outages including electricity poles lost in ground subsidence.

In addition, the municipality immediately reacted to clear a mudslide in Kaaiman’s Pass that closed the N2 on Saturday as well as a fallen tree on Sunday, even though this highway falls under the jurisdiction of SANRAL. It was crucial to clear this highway to minimise disruption to traffic patterns. We are grateful to the district municipality which acts as the agent for the provincial government on the Seven Passes / Saasveld road for speedily clearing that road. However, remedial work will urgently be required to repair damage on the latter road.

We applaud the highly commendable and appreciated work undertaken by our municipal teams. This work links in with the outcomes of Census 2022 which reflects George’s population having grown at 4,1% per annum from 2011 to 294929. This is the fastest growth rate among intermediate cities with George showing an increment of 100000 over the period. Apart from the population growth in the City of Cape Town, well-run municipalities of Mossel Bay, Overstrand and Saldanha Bay have each seen population growth of approximately 50 000.

In recent articles, commentators have contrasted the decline of local and government services in many areas with those areas of the country where standards are maintained. They have noted that well-governed municipalities are proactive in ensuring high service standards. Elsewhere there are examples of support from the private sector and civil society who play active roles to seek and provide practical solutions where the government appears to be failing or unable to provide services. The data from Census 2022 therefore shows how citizens migrate to those municipalities that are high-performing and that ensure that infrastructure is maintained and upgraded, thus resulting in investment.

Alderman Leon van Wyk
Executive Mayor of George

Retaining Wall in process of being rebuilt at Herold’s Bay.

Following high spring tides that hit the coastal areas of George over weekend of 17 September, George Municipality immediately started with clean-up efforts on the Monday.  Municipal infrastructure damaged at the various beaches which included a sewerage pumpstation, water pipelines, stand-by generators, electrical substations and flooded ablution buildings were all either replaced, cleaned or restored and services returned within the week of the damage.

Victoria Bay, Herold’s Bay, Wilderness Leentjiesklip and Wilderness main beach were all closed for a few days while the restoration took place and reopened on Friday 22 September to the public.

Deep sand deposits were cleared off the coastal roads of Herold’s Bay, Victoria Bay, Leentjiesklip and the N2 Wilderness bridge as quickly as possible using graders. Damage to beach furniture, signage,  wooden walkways, lifeguard towers, bridges, roadways, sidewalks and retaining walls required detailed assessments for rebuilding or repair.

Our Civil Engineering Services and Community Services: Parks and Recreation directorates have done a sterling job in restoring all of the beaches as quickly as possible in readiness for the launch of the Blue Flag Season, which was held at Wilderness last week Friday, 20 October 2023. The intention is to have all of the damage repaired prior to the start of the festive season for 2023 with the Blue Flag season starting on 1 December 2023 – 31 January 2024.

Repair work to sidewalks at Herold’s Bay and Victoria Bay.

On the photo From left (Front Row): Mickayla Potts (Learner), Shakira Roberts (Learner), Kieron Meyer (Learner), Dantonio Olivier (Learner), Mr C Pots (Educator), Councillor Charlotte Clarke (Portfolio Councillor for Community Safety), Amy Lee Wanie (Learner), Lee-Wayne Spies (Learner), Burnutio Julius (Learner), and Abdul Malik (Learner).

Back Row: Dawie Adonis (Director of Community Services in the George Municipality), Mr M Tait (Educator), Franklin Windwaai (Traffic officer), Chief Superintendent Lafras Boesak, Mr Ruban Lekata and Senior Traffic officer Edwin Felix.

The George Traffic Department hosted a successful scholar patrol competition on Friday, 20 October 2023 at the George Junior Traffic Training and Road Safety Centre, promoting child pedestrian road safety.

The Portfolio Councillor for Community Safety Councillor Charlotte Clarke, and Director of Community Services in the George Municipality, Dawie Adonis attended the prize-giving along with the competition organisers, Chief Superintendent Lafras Boesak and Senior Traffic Officer Edwin Felix. Also in attendance were the educators and learners of the Five participating primary schools from the George Municipal area.

The competition started with a squad inspection by the judges which included a thorough inspection of uniforms as well as a whistle inspection, an inspection by the captain and then a practical test with the teams showing their paces. The five schools that competed are, Delville Park Primary
Pacaltsdorp Primary, Live Academy, Heidedal Primary and New Dawn Park Primary. Pacaltsdorp Primary School emerged as the winner, followed by Life Academy and New Dawn Park Primary School, in the second and third positions.

Congratulating the winners and participants, Cllr Clarke highlighted the significance of the School Patrol Programme, an essential component of road safety education. “Not only does it regulate traffic, improve speed calming and facilitate safe crossing of the road, but also instils in the minds of our young pedestrians an awareness of the importance of road safety,” she said.

Mr Adonis emphasized the importance of cooperation from other road users to ensure the safety of learners served by the scholar patrols. The responsibility of the scholar patrols is huge, and we are thrilled to see how committed these learners are to the safety of other learners.

Proudly holding the Green Coast Flag and Award for Gwaiing Beach and River Mouth are from left Kerry Maclean, WESSA Senior Project Manager; Ald Leon Van Wyk; Janssen Davies, WESSA Chairman; Helena Atkinson, WESSA CEO; Dawie Adonis, Director for Community Services; Ward 4 Councillor Marlene Viljoen and Municipal Manager for George, Dr Michele Gratz.

George Municipality was the proud recipient of three blue flags at the national launch hosted by George Municipality at Salina’s Wilderness today, 20 October 2023. Wilderness and Herold’s Bay beaches retained Blue flag status, Victoria Bay beach was awarded Blue Flag after being a pilot beach for two years and the new pilot blue flag was awarded to Leentjiesklip beach.  Gwaiing Beach and River Mouth has been awarded a Green Coast Award for the 2023/24 festive season. The Green Coast Award, officially launched in 2017, is an annual award programme that recognises inclusive and sustainable management at less developed coastal sites with high biodiversity value.

Executive Mayor Leon Van Wyk the keynote speaker for the event, accompanied by Ward 4 Cllr Marlene Viljoen, Municipal Manager Dr Michele Gratz and Director for Community Services, Dawie Adonis took receipt of the flags and certifications at the launch. Blue Flag is an international coastal management programme that accredits beaches that meet standards of excellence in water quality, environmental management, environmental education and information as well as safety and services. In South Africa the programme is implemented by the Wildlife Environmental Society of South Africa (WESSA).

Dr Gratz said Blue Flag status offered many benefits including improved tourism facilities, enhanced management of coastal ecosystems, increased awareness of the coast and capacity building of coastal municipalities. “Blue Flag status has significant international merit, and the achievement of such accolades is important to stimulate and confirm international and high-end interest in the city and district as a desirable, quality tourism and lifestyle destination. We thank SANParks Garden Route National Park who shares jurisdiction of Wilderness beach with the George Municipality.”

The Blue Flag season runs from 1 December 2023 to 31 January 2024. Compliance includes high standards of water quality monitoring, public safety and lifeguard services, and well-maintained coastal amenities. South Africa has participated in the Blue Flag programme since 2001.

Municipal Manager, Dr Michele Gratz in thanking everyone who attended the event noted that participation in the Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards is an honour. She also thanked attending George Municipal officials for the hard work and effort they have put in toward the hosting of the event as well as the preparation of the beaches so soon after the damage caused by the storm surges in early September this year.

ABOUT BLUE FLAG:

• The iconic Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognised voluntary eco-labels awarded to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators.
• In order to qualify for the Blue Flag, a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria must be met and maintained.
• With over 4500 sites in over 45 countries around the world, Blue Flag is actively contributing to the sustainable development goals. Blue Flag also campaigns against disparity, inequality, unemployment, health threats, depletion of natural resources, environmental threats, pollution and general environmental degradation.
• In South Africa, Blue Flag has been operational since 2001 and has proud municipal, marina and tourism boat partners in 18 coastal municipalities around the country.
• Blue Flag is voluntary, which shows a very strong commitment to environmental sustainability from those municipalities, marinas and tourism boat operators that are awarded annually. All properties and companies that apply for the Blue Flag award are assessed by a South African National Jury as well as by the Blue Flag International Jury in Europe.

ABOUT GREEN COAST:

• Based on the success of the Blue Flag eco-label and the recognition that Blue Flag is only applicable to a limited stretch of urban coastline, WESSA developed a second coastal award for implementation along South Africa’s coastline. The Green Coast Award, officially launched in 2017, is an annual award programme that recognises inclusive and sustainable management at less developed coastal sites with high biodiversity value.
• Green Coast is a platform for collaboration, innovation, and local public participation in coastal management. Successful coastal sites achieve Green Coast status by meeting a set of criteria that are designed to ensure environmental, developmental and participatory standards are continually maintained and improved. Where possible, Green Coast sites aim to include a resident’s association or public group who can mobilise active citizens to participate in the management of the site. The Green Coast criteria include aspects of basic ecological monitoring, encouraging citizen science initiatives that empower communities for civic action and influence localized decision making. Coastal areas with Green Coast status appeal to a specific sector of the tourism market who are looking for experiences in adventure, outdoor living, and nature tourism along our coastline. The Green Coast award assists these sites by putting them on the tourism map and promoting them all under one national eco-label.

Receiving the Blue Flags for Wilderness Beach, Victoria Bay Beach and Herold’s Bay Beach are from left Ald Leon Van Wyk;  Helena Atkinson, WESSA CEO; Dawie Adonis, Director for Community Services; Ward 4 Councillor Marlene Viljoen and Municipal Manager for George, Dr Michele Gratz.

In preparation for the roll-out of the GO GEORGE bus service to Thembalethu, bus drivers will do route training in the area on Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 October, and again from Monday to Wednesday next week (23 to 25 October).
Prospective passengers must note that these are only training trips on some routes in preparation for the big day and that buses will not be boarding passengers.

Roll-out in stages
It was announced earlier that the Thembalethu service will be rolled out in three stages. Considering the current traffic congestion on the N2 bridge and Nelson Mandela Boulevard due to roadworks, a more staggered approach will be followed, with a gradual phase-in of more routes as part of a controlled roll-out plan.

The latest plan is to start with one route between Thembalethu and Blanco (R18A) during stage one. The exact roll-out date will be announced soon.

Thembalethu routes
Once the full service to Thembalethu has been rolled out, 10 main routes will transport passengers from Thembalethu to other areas in town and five community routes will crisscross inside Thembalethu, making it easy to travel within the area or to join one of the main routes.

For any enquiries, please phone the GO GEORGE Call Centre on 0800 044 044, or follow the GO GEORGE Facebook page to stay updated with developments.

GO GEORGE bus drivers will start training on certain routes in Thembalethu this week, commencing with Route 18A (Thembalethu – Blanco).

From left: Jandré van Zyl (VE Reticulation – Electrical Contractors), Deon Esterhuysen (Electro-Technical Services: Manager Project Execution), Alderman Leon van Wyk (Executive Mayor of George) Councillor Nosicelo Mbete (Portfolio Councillor for Electrotechnical Services & Fleet Management), Danie Greeff (Electro-Technical Services: Deputy Director – Planning & Design) and Jacques van Zyl (Lyners Consulting Engineers)

The completion date for the commissioning of the 1 MWp solar farm located in the George Industrial area has been set at January 2024. The Executive Mayor of George, Alderman Leon van Wyk accompanied by the Portfolio Councillor for Electrotechnical Services and Fleet Management Nosicelo Mbete officially celebrated the start of construction at the 1ha open land in April this year.

The Municipality is investigating various options to get the city and its residents freed of at least one stage, that is two hours of loadshedding. The implementation of this three-pronged operational approach to significantly reduce our reliance on energy supply from Eskom has three focus areas: one being Energy Efficiency, another Own-Build Programme, and finally the procurement of energy from Independent Power Producers (IPPs). George uses at peak times up to 85MVA per day. This 1MWp PV Plant is the first phase of Solar PV plants for George that will feed directly into the Municipal grid.

The Solar plants being installed in George will provide own generation and reduce Eskom energy consumption. This will also serve as large-scale generation to keep future dispatchable Battery Energy Storage Systems charged. This will also assist us in achieving our goal of reducing internal electricity costs and increasing sustainability.

The renewable energy power that will be generated through this plant, will be connected to the grid to reduce the municipal bulk purchases and will only support the immediate George area. The 1MWp PV plant will consist of approximately 1728 PV Panels & 10 x 110kW inverters at a total cost of R 24 843 090.36. The plant is expected to generate in the order of 1780 MWh per year.

George Municipality has embarked on a process to redesign and upgrade the area known as St. Mark’s Square to facilitate the creation of a secure and accessible urban square and public parking area.

According to Delia Power, Deputy Director: Planning, the redesign is aimed at attracting active use, addressing safety and sustainability issues, enabling the transportation related function of the square and integrating the needs of the surrounding landowners and users of the area, where possible.

Power said a service provider has been appointed to manage the re-design and upgrading planning process that promise to reshape how residents interact and navigate this vibrant region. In addition to the transportation- and parking function of the project area, consideration will be given to possible commercial activities, such as food trucks/ deli’s/food kiosks and related seating for patrons, other initiatives such as night markets, infrastructure to support environmental management services, landscaping and greening. Also, enhancing security by implementing measures such as the installation of CCTV cameras, access control measures and improved lighting. Long-term parking solutions, possible charging stations for electric vehicles, inclusion of alternative energy solutions to aid safe and active use of the site will also be considered.

George Municipality values the unique character and heritage of the area and envisages that the site will form part of a future Heritage Precinct. The consultant’s team includes landscape- and heritage specialists to propose ways to adapt and enhance the character of the site in relation to the general area with the view of integrating and complementing the surrounding investments.

The relevant municipal departments will be consulted to establish their requirements. Adjacent property owners and identified users have been duly advised about the process being undertaken and inputs have been invited to ensure the future design of the site addresses the local needs.  The final design and cost estimates for implementation of the proposals are anticipated to be finalised by January 2024, whereupon funding will be sourced toward the implementation.

Power said, the planning, redesign and upgrade of infrastructure in George represents a forward-looking commitment to improving the lives of its residents and visitors. Through community engagement and a holistic approach to infrastructure development, George Municipality aims to create a more prosperous, accessible and environmentally conscious future for all. This initiative underscores the Municipality’s dedication to support regeneration of our investment and trade centres, to instill investor confidence and enhancing the overall quality of life in the George region.

For more information in this regard please email Lynette Groenewald at lgroenewald@george.gov.za or Michelle Lee at Mlee@george.gov.za from the Directorate: Human Settlements, Planning and Development.

Photo above: St Marks Square screenshot: An aerial view of St. Marks Square in the George CBD.

Locality map: A zoning view of the St. Marks Square area.

Alderman Leon Van Wyk, Executive Mayor of George Municipality

In recent weeks the Western Cape has experienced a period of unusual weather events with heavy rainfall causing substantial damage to infrastructure, agricultural crops and other assets particularly across the Overberg region.

In Overstrand, damage to their main water pipelines resulted in no piped water being available for almost a week.

We were requested to provide assistance by making available our large 35000 litre fire tanker and a second tanker to the Hermanus community to transport water to certain areas to fill water tanks that the municipality had to urgently acquire and to assist the local Medi-Clinic hospital. Our deployed teams proudly undertook these tasks working non-stop with very little sleep. We extend our thanks to them for their dedication to serve George and the communities in need.

In the meantime, in George, we have experienced a spate of water pipeline bursts in recent weeks after being fortunate to have a period with relatively few breaks.

It is useful to occasionally reflect on the extent of George. Our tarred road network is 450km with a further 100km of gravel roads and almost 1000km of pipelines for each of the water and sewer networks. To put this in perspective, the operational extent of George is equivalent to roughly the road distance between Plettenberg Bay and Cape Town with water and sewer pipelines on both sides of the road.

On a network of this size, there are pipe breakages and sewer blockages that occur in the respective networks on a daily basis. Over the past two years, increasing efforts have taken place to create zones across the municipality to manage the water network through the inclusion of meters and valves to improve the management of the water network. This process has already yielded positive results. The nature of such a network is that there are different sizes of pipelines, connections and fittings that have been constructed over decades as George has grown.

During a recent pipe burst it was discovered that the breakage occurred on a non-standard size pipe diameter that differed by a few millimeters from the available replacement and fittings. Modifications were needed which then delayed the repair.

The wet weather often delays the repairs that are being undertaken. Potholes on roads materialise during wet weather and can only be effectively repaired during dry and warm weather conditions.

Our electricity repair teams are being kept busy due to the damage to infrastructure that results from loadshedding and the overload of networks when power is being restored.

In closing, we thank all our repair, standby and other municipal teams for regularly being prepared to work long hours as they strive to maintain a high level of services across George.

George Municipality would like to thank resident of Wilderness, Susan Burger and Tree SA: Garden Route who kindly sponsored four Coastal Silver Oak trees for planting at Leentjiesklip Beach parking area. This follows after the original trees were destroyed two weeks ago during the strong storm surge.  The Coastal Oak or Brachylaena discolour is a species of flower plant in the aster family. It is native to Africa where it occurs in South Africa, Mozambique and Eswatini.

Municipal Manager, Dr Michele Gratz expressed her gratitude and thanks to the parties involved for the sponsorship. “ Our municipal teams are hard at work restoring the beaches and parking areas to be ready for Blue Flag season and with Leentjiesklip Beach having applied for Blue Flag Pilot Status, the replacement of the damaged trees is a fantastic gesture! We eagerly await the final announcement on 20 October as to which beaches have retained Blue Flag and which will be Pilot beaches,” said Dr Gratz.

Front: From Left to Right: JP Rossouw (Chief Audit Executive: George Municipality); Dr M Gratz (Municipal Manager: George Municipality); Pamela Lufele (Chief Audit Executive: Garden Route District Municipality); Zareena Gabier (Manager: Manager: Financial Governance: Assurance Services: Provincial Treasury). Back: From Left to Right: Faiz Hoosain (Chief Audit Executive: Stellenbosch Municipality); Lazola Matshanda; Cedric Herrendoerfer; Itumeleng Mofokeng; Lusanda Mbeleki (Provincial Treasury Officials).

The George Municipality was honoured to host the recent Western Cape Provincial Municipal Chief Audit Executive (CAE) and Chief Risk Officer (CRO) Forums. The forums took place on 19-20 September 2023 in George and were divided into two sessions: the Chief Audit Executive (CAE) Forum for all Heads of Internal Audit in the province and the Chief Risk Officer (CRO) Forum for Risk Management Officials.

The Forums aim to promote the implementation of Internal Audit and Risk Management within municipalities in the Western Cape, while also facilitating and sharing best practices and support. Established to provide centres for learning, the forums’ agenda is guided by the most prevalent issues burdening these disciplines.

From left: From Left to Right: Zimasa Bulo (Senior Internal Auditor); Heybré Ellis (Manager: Internal Audit); JP Rossouw (Chief Audit Executive); Jomeila Apollis (Internal Audit Intern); Kloper Mabunda (Internal Auditor). Absent from the Photo Natacha Martins and Xolisile Sotushe (Internal Audit Interns).

The forums have evolved considerably since inception and have become the voice of the local government CROs and CAEs at professional bodies such as the Institute of Internal Auditors South Africa, the Public Sector Audit Committee Forum, the Institute of Risk Management South Africa, National Forums, etc. The Forums were well attended by various Provincial Government officials and Internal Audit and Risk Management representatives of the various municipalities in the Western Cape.

The Forums were opened by the Chairperson of the CAE Forum, Mr JP Rossouw, who is also the CAE of the George Municipality; followed by a Keynote Address from the George Municipal Manager, Dr Michele Gratz. The Municipal Manager (MM) shared her insights and expertise on “What Executive Stakeholders expect from a future-fit Internal Audit Function”. This address set the tone for the Forums and contributed significantly to the discussions. The MM’s vision and experience aligned closely with the objectives for the events, and all agreed that the address left a lasting impact on the audience.

Some of the delegates that attended the CAE and CRO Forums

Dr Gratz’s words reminded the attendees that they must be curious, constantly learning, and embracing the exciting future ahead. Her speech covered a number of must-haves which are needed for Internal Audit to be Future-Fit – in summary: “Internal audit must ensure that it is aligned with the organisation, being a key strategic role-player and advisor. Internal Audit needs to add value, streamline operations and be versatile. For example, George is one of the first municipalities to introduce agile auditing. In other words, when an audit starts and an issue is identified, the audit can immediately change course and respond to that issue. Internal Audits must keep up with all the latest legislation and regulations and ensure that they are implemented.

The Forums aim to promote the implementation of Internal Audit and Risk Management within municipality’s

“Internal audit will in the future have to be much more proactive and in the rapidly changing environment within which all municipalities find themselves, the education of officials as to the purpose of Internal Audit is key. With the advent of artificial intelligence and smart city principles, internal audits will have to proactively identify risks and assist with controls finally Internal Audit must have a positive impact on the performance of the organisation and foster a good and trusted relationship with the various stakeholders involved.”

Various speakers presented noteworthy topics addressing burning issues in the audit and risk disciplines. The day was earmarked with interactive discussions and knowledge-sharing initiatives, including Agile Auditing, Combined Assurance, Cyber Security, and Energy Resilience.

Thanks to the George Municipal Internal Audit team for all the hard work and arrangements to have hosted such a successful event.

Alderman Leon Van Wyk, Executive Mayor of George Municipality

Over the past couple of weeks, we have experienced unusual weather conditions ranging from the storm surge to disruptive rain across parts of the Western Cape that have kept disaster management teams at full stretch.

We are thankful for the efforts of our teams dealing with service delivery who have worked like trojans to clear up and restore services. In anticipation of the rain expected over the long weekend, Sanparks and the municipal teams tackled the massive amount of sand that the storm surge deposited under the Touw River bridges and in the lagoon. This has been an attempt by mankind to prevent flooding while dealing with the forces of nature.

It is awesome to note how our proactive citizens have reacted by documenting the work being done for social media while also profiling George and the Garden Route. Their efforts have attracted widespread coverage on social media that will benefit the tourism sector as we start preparations for our summer season.

From a municipal perspective, we also held our scheduled inaugural planning and preparedness meeting for the season where the task lists to deal with the tourism influx are compiled. Now is therefore the time for the broader tourism stakeholders to finalise their proposed activities and to get them listed for inclusion on the George QR code system that will be easily accessible on social media. It is anticipated that many visitors will flock to George and the Garden Route in the coming months.

I believe that our eateries can contribute to a memorable experience if each of them offers their distinctive signature dish that will make the holiday extra special. It is also so important that the tourism sector assists in sharing the message of being safe on our beaches and elsewhere with their guests.

Over the past two weeks, I have had the privilege of meeting with entrepreneurs to talk about business opportunities that they are creating in George that will translate into employment and further economic activity. In local government, it is a key objective to create an enabling environment for businesses to feel comfortable to undertake ventures and to grow them. The ultimate goal is to provide employment.

We are starting to witness the positive effect of providing a high level of services, maintaining infrastructure, upgrading systems and policies, employing skilled staff, and managing our budgets. The range of projects being launched or being planned includes infrastructure and investments in businesses that will benefit sectors such as health, housing, agriculture, tourism, sport, business services and creative arts. It is encouraging to note the passion of entrepreneurs and investors who are eager to drive ventures that will open up prospects and opportunities for our citizens.

Lunch boxes, sunglasses, ID documents, groceries, backpacks, clothing, and shoes are just some of the items typically left on the bus. Ryan Manuel shows some of the bags full of unclaimed items in the GO GEORGE office.

Nobody leaves their cell phones, wallets, umbrellas, grocery shopping, identity documents or school books on the bus on purpose. However, passengers get caught up in conversations or are in such a rush to get off the bus at the correct stop, that they forget what they have been carrying when they boarded the bus.

Although passengers are responsible for their own property and the bus company cannot take responsibility for items left on the bus, there is a system in place for managing goods found on the bus and handed in by other passengers, or found by staff at the end of their shift.

All lost and found items are handed in at the bus depot and taken to the GO GEORGE office. Here it is entered into an inventory and kept for different periods of time, depending on the nature of the item – all according to an official Lost and Found Policy.

Phone immediately
The best route to retrieve lost items is to phone the GO GEORGE Call Centre as soon as you realise that you have left something on the bus. The Call Centre agents will do everything in their power to trace the lost goods and give feedback to the passenger. If not found immediately, they will keep tabs on items brought to the office and inform the passenger of any finds.

Unclaimed goods donated
For all found items with identification, attempts will be made by GO GEORGE to contact the owner, but unclaimed goods cannot be kept indefinitely.

• Refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers must be discarded after four hours, according to government health rules. If a person phones within that timeframe and their goods are found, arrangements for collection can still be made.
• Covered and sealed food will be kept from one to seven days (depending on the expiry date) whereafter it will be donated to the George Municipality for distribution while it is still good for use.
• Miscellaneous items such as clothing, cleaning materials, toys, umbrellas, sports equipment, and books will be kept for at least 30 days before being donated for use in the Municipality’s Social Relief programme.
• Valuable items such as electronic equipment, jewellery, cell phones and handbags will be kept for at least 30 days whereafter it will be taken to the Municipality to be sold at a municipal public auction to be held periodically, at least once a year. This will be duly advertised in advance.
• Unclaimed cards, such as bank cards, ID cards, and loyalty cards will be returned to the issuing authority after 30 days.
• Strict requirements are in place for the management of any flammable or hazardous materials left behind on the bus.

It should be noted that GO GEORGE and George Link staff cannot be held liable if lost items cannot be traced or found. It could have been lost elsewhere than on a GO GEORGE bus.

To prevent dishonesty or misuse of the system, people who make enquiries will have to describe their lost items clearly before they are handed over. They will also need to present proof of identification and sign for the item upon collection.

The GO GEORGE Call Centre can be reached on 0800 044 044 between 05:00 and 20:00, seven days a week.

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PERSVERKLARING: Doen Onmiddellik Navraag oor Goedere Wat op die Bus Gelaat Is

Niemand los hul selfone, beursies, sambrele, kruideniersware, identiteitsdokumente of skoolboeke doelbewus op die bus nie. Passasiers raak egter vasgevang in gesprekke of is so haastig om by die regte halte uit die bus te klim, dat hulle vergeet wat hulle gedra het toe hulle op die bus geklim het.

Hoewel passasiers verantwoordelik is vir hul eie eiendom en die busmaatskappy nie verantwoordelikheid kan neem vir items wat op die bus gelaat word nie, is daar ‘n stelsel in plek vir die bestuur van goedere wat op die bus gevind word en deur ander passasiers ingehandig word, of deur personeel aan die einde van hul skof gevind word.

Alle opgetelde items word by die busdepot ingehandig en na die GO GEORGE-kantoor geneem. Hier word dit op ‘n voorraadlys ingevoer en vir verskillende tydperke gehou, afhangende van die aard van die item – alles volgens ‘n amptelike “verlore-en-gevind” beleid.

Bel onmiddellik
Die beste roete om verlore items terug te kry, is om die GO GEORGE-inbelsentrum te skakel sodra jy besef dat jy iets op die bus gelos het. Die inbelsentrum-agente sal alles in hul vermoë doen om die verlore goedere op te spoor en terugvoering aan die passasier te gee. As dit nie onmiddellik gevind word nie, sal hulle die items wat na die kantoor gebring word, dophou en die passasier van enige opsporings in kennis stel.

Onopgeëiste goedere word geskenk
Vir alle items met identifikasie wat gevind word, sal pogings deur GO GEORGE aangewend word om die eienaar te kontak, maar onopgeëiste goedere kan nie onbepaald gehou word nie.

• Verkoelde, bederfbare kos soos vleis, pluimvee, vis, eiers en oorskiet moet na vier uur weggegooi word, volgens die regering se gesondheidsreëls. As ‘n persoon binne daardie tydraamwerk bel en hul goedere gevind word, kan reëlings vir afhaal daarvan steeds getref word.
• Bedekte en verseëlde kos sal van een tot sewe dae (afhangende van die vervaldatum) gehou word, waarna dit aan die George-munisipaliteit geskenk sal word vir verspreiding terwyl dit nog goed is vir gebruik.
• Diverse items soos klere, skoonmaakmateriaal, speelgoed, sambrele, sporttoerusting en boeke sal vir minstens 30 dae gehou word voordat dit geskenk word vir gebruik in die munisipaliteit se maatskaplike verligting-program.
• Waardevolle items soos elektroniese toerusting, juweliersware, selfone en handsakke sal vir minstens 30 dae gehou word waarna dit na die munisipaliteit geneem sal word om op ‘n munisipale openbare veiling verkoop te word wat van tyd tot tyd gehou sal word – minstens een keer per jaar (dit sal betyds geadverteer word).
• Onopgeëiste kaarte, soos bankkaarte, ID-kaarte, lojaliteitskaarte, ensovoorts, sal ná 30 dae aan die uitreikingsowerheid terugbesorg word.

Let daarop dat GO GEORGE- en George Link-personeel nie aanspreeklik of verantwoordelik gehou kan word as verlore items nie opgespoor of gevind kan word nie. Dit kon elders as op ‘n GO GEORGE-bus verlore geraak het.

Om oneerlikheid of misbruik van die stelsel te voorkom, sal mense wat navrae doen, hul verlore items duidelik moet beskryf voordat dit oorhandig sal word. Hulle sal ook bewys van identifikasie moet toon en teken vir die item.

Die GO GEORGE–inbelsentrum is tussen 05:00 en 20:00 bereikbaar by 0800 044 044, sewe dae per week.

In the photo is the visit to the East distribution zone site visit, from left: Councillor Jacqulique von Brandis (Portfolio Councillor for Civil Engineering: Capital Projects and BFI), Alderman Leon van Wyk (Executive Mayor of George), and Janie Koegelenberg (Director of Civil Engineering Services)

The George Municipality is pleased to announce that a multi-million-rand water storage expansion project aimed at ending sporadic water supply interruptions in Pacaltsdorp is taking off as the process of inviting potential contractors has commenced. Divided into two, the project will have a 14,5 megalitre (ML) reservoir and pump station in the West distribution one, and a 3 ML reservoir, elevated tower, and pump station in the East distribution zone.

This is great news for the community as it will ensure a more consistent water supply. On Tuesday, 19 September 2023, the Executive Mayor of George, Alderman Leon van Wyk accompanied by the Portfolio Councillor for Civil Engineering: Capital Projects and BFI Jacqulique von Brandis, and the Director of Civil Engineering Services Janie Koegelenberg visited the sites for the East and West water supply distribution zones for Pacaltsdorp.

According to Mayor van Wyk, this development will come as a relief to the residents and businesses in Pacaltsdorp who have been struggling with water supply shortages for some time. “The project will ensure that the water supply is stable and reliable, which will have a positive impact on the local economy. We are looking forward to seeing the positive impact this development will have on the community of Pacaltsdorp and its surrounds.”

Pacaltsdorp is located south of the main centre of George and south of the N2. The current population is approximately 20,000 people using an average of 3,5 million litres of purified water per day. Andre Scheepers, the project manager for Budget Facility for Infrastructure in the Civil Engineering Services Department of the George Municipality says Pacaltsdorp is estimated to grow to approximately 150,000 over the next 45 years, which will then use 21,5 million litres of purified water per day.

Giving background information on the existing water supply system and infrastructure for Pacaltsdorp Scheepers said the Pacaltsdorp water supply zones receive bulk purified water through two existing bulk pipelines of approximately 12 km in length each, originating from the George Main reservoirs situated close to the water treatment plants. The bulk pipelines provide water to various parts of George before it reaches Pacaltsdorp. “The Pacaltsdorp residents are vulnerable to water supply shortages due to the current limited dedicated reservoir storage (3 ML) located at the Pacaltsdorp Sports field and being reliant on the two very long bulk supply pipelines, which frequently experience supply interruptions,” Scheepers added.

The George Municipality has found a long-lasting solution to the Pacaltsdorp water supply and storage challenges. According to Jannie Koegelenberg, Director of the Civil Engineering Services Department, the Pacaltsdorp water supply area will soon have two distribution zones, West and East, each with its own dedicated reservoirs for adequate storage, elevated towers for pressure assurance, and pump stations to provide assurance of purified water supply for the next 50 years. By June 2025, both zones will be equipped with these essential facilities to ensure a reliable water supply.

“The Pacaltsdorp West supply zone will be receiving a first phase 14,5 ML reservoir and first phase pump station by June 2025, when this infrastructure will be put into operation and be connected to the existing reservoir and existing tower. The project will be constructed adjacent to and immediately south of the sports grounds,” Koegelenberg added.

Koegelenberg says the Pacaltsdorp East supply zone will be receiving a 3 ML reservoir, an elevated tower and a pump station before June 2025, when this infrastructure will be put into operation and be connected to the existing east zone water reticulation.

Future phases will consist of the construction of another 14,5Ml reservoir, a second phase pump station upgrade and elevated towers. The project for the 14,5 ML reservoir and pump station is currently out on tender for contractors to bid for the construction thereof. The project value cannot be divulged at the moment as such information might potentially interfere with the tender process. Thanks to the new development, residents in the area can look forward to significant investment into Pacaltsdorp and create job opportunities for Small Emerging Construction firms and for unskilled labour and in the long term bring a stable water supply for years to come.

West distribution zone site visit, from left: Janie Koegelenberg (Director of Civil Engineering Services), Councillor Jacqulique von Brandis (Portfolio Councillor for Civil Engineering: Capital Projects and BFI), and Alderman Leon van Wyk (Executive Mayor of George).

In the photograph from left are: Councillor Khayalethu Lose, Alderman Leon van Wyk (Executive Mayor of George), Zukile Motseki (Resident), Councillor Nosicelo Mbethe (Portfolio Councillor for Electrotechnical Services), Councillor Thembinkosi Lento (Ward 9 Councillor) and Daniel Greeff (Deputy Director Electro for Planning & Design in the Electrotechnical Services Directorate).

A ray of light shone brightly on the Thembalethu Informal settlements known as ‘Telkom’, on Wednesday, 13 September 2023. It was a day of celebration as the first 100 informal settlement dwellers finally had access to electricity. To mark this momentous occasion, the Executive Mayor of George, Alderman Leon van Wyk, officially switched on the electricity, in an event that also signifies the end of illegal connections.

“We are happy to be switching on electricity to informal settlements in this area today,” said Mayor van Wyk. “It’s a whole programme that we are running with this switch-on being the first 100 informal settlements units, and probably another 400 be switched in in the next few weeks. The initiative aims to improve safety by reducing the risk of electrocution from loose wires hanging around. At the same time, it brings electricity to the informal shack dwellers who can now buy it through a prepaid meter system.”

Mayor van Wyk says this switch-on is a significant step towards making life a little easier for our community members living in informal settlements. “We look forward to the positive impact it will have on their daily lives,” he added.

Mayor van Wyk’s entourage consisted of the Portfolio Councillor for Electrotechnical Services Nosicelo Mbethe, Ward 9 Councillor Thembinkosi Lento, Councillor Khayalethu Lose who is a resident in the area, officials from the Electrotechnical Services and the contractors. One of the residents, Zukile Motseki who opened his shack for the switch on expressed his joy for finally getting electricity from the Municipality. “This is a special day for us, I’m happy that we are able to have access to electricity and also stop Illegal connections, I’m very much grateful,” he said.

The immense growth in informal settlements has caused damage to the overall electrical infrastructure due to ongoing illegal connections, which in some instances resulted in the loss of lives. The Electrotechnical Department has drafted minimum criteria that will be adhered to for the electrification of informal areas in the future to formalize the provision of electrical services to informal settlements.

Since May 2014, up to April 2023, approximately 1600 informal structures have been added to the network at a cost of around R17 million. The cost per structure for electrification is between R10 000 – R13 000, which includes a prepaid meter. Following Council approval, the Electrotechnical Directorate embarked on the electrification construction work. The construction started at the Telkom informal area and is spreading through the Sityebi-Sityebi Informal area and thereafter Edameni.

Please watch the official switch-on of informal settlements: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWJ98Ey_dYo

The George Municipality environmental and cleansing teams in conjunction with various other stakeholders held a clean-up operation at Schaap River, Thembalethu last week Friday as part of the International Coastal Clean Up Day.

According to Tanja Botha, Acting Manager – Cleansing and Environmental Health at George Municipality, the International Coastal Clean up Day is officially celebrated annually on 16 September 2023. She said 85 people made a massive difference in the environment by doing their part and collected an amount of 311 black bags full of refuse were collected as well as 41 blue bags with recycling items by the teams.

With George Municipality, officials from the National Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, the Garden Route District Municipality and Cape Nature all helped to make this day a success.

Botha gave a shoutout to stakeholders from the private sector included John Dory’s and Spur who also donated refreshments to the teams.

Dawie Adonis, Director: Community Services said he is very proud of the officials and the extra mile they go to keep our environment clean and always as part of the outreaches educate our communities about the harmful effects of littering and illegal dumping.

Photograph above:

Various stakeholders taking part in the cleanup operation on the day. In front are officials from George Municipality, Grace Notshokovu (Project Coordinator at George Municipality, second from left), Dawie Adonis (Director: Community Services), Tanja Botha (Acting Manager: Cleansing and Environmental Health at George Municipality, and Cllr Siphelo Manxele, Ward Councillor of Ward 21 (on far right).

 A clean riverbank right after the operation.

Refuse at Schaap River before the cleanup operation.

On the photo from the Left: Robin-lee Hector, Zanele Norawana, Ilané Huyser, Robert Janse van Rensburg and Fakazile Vava (all from the Town Planning Department).

George Municipality launched a Health and Safety Treasure Hunt Competition on 06 June 2023, which aimed to identify hazards in the workplace and come up with suggestions on how to address them. We are happy to announce that the competition was a success, with two teams from Human Settlements, Planning and Development and Properties and Civil Engineering Services participating.

The hard work and dedication of all participants in ensuring the safety of our employees and visitors to George Municipality are appreciated. In the Central Health and Safety meeting held on 29 August 2023, the committee members voted for the winning entry and unanimously voted for the Planning team as the winners of this competition.

The Winners are:
– Fakazile Vava
– Ilané Huyser
– Robert Janse van Rensburg
– Robin-lee Hector
– Zanele Norawana

Their winning suggestion, amongst others, addressed the access road along Victoria Street onto the main building’s parking area, which is also used by the public. They proposed the installation of speed reduction signs and speed humps to reduce speed. We’re grateful for their contribution to ensuring the safety of all who visit and work at George Municipality.

Alderman Leon Van Wyk, Executive Mayor of George Municipality

I recently was privileged to visit Denmark as a member of a Danish-funded renewable energy, local government and coalition government study tour.

This tour provided insights into the Danish planning, determination and ability to execute projects that will be to the benefit of citizens. In one city they are undertaking groundbreaking work by incorporating renewable energy to heat water pipes that circulate through buildings to provide internal heating. The port of Esbjerg is being re-purposed from an oil and gas industry harbour into the staging post for wind-turbine and solar PV energy equipment including the off-shore energy production fields in the North Sea. Energy lessons from the Danes are efficiency and flexibility and the management of energy demand as they transform to renewable energy.
I returned to George where we continue to face debilitating loadshedding thanks to the bad choices that our national government made. In addition, they have now run out of money.

This is the stark difference between the careful planning by the Danes and policy indecision in our country. As a result, our citizens endure rising prices with low prospects of employment. In the Western Cape there is active pursuit of driving service delivery and improvements to infrastructure to ensure sustainable economic activity. George has followed this policy approach and we are beginning to reap the benefits through investment into residential and industrial property development.

The electricity price increase that has been passed on to municipalities and consumers has no doubt affected the cash flows of all our customers making circumstances more difficult. Internally within the municipality, there is ongoing awareness around this burden and the increasingly difficult task of constant care and maintenance of electrical infrastructure that was built to operate 24/7. The management of diesel supplies for the various generators operating our water and waste-water treatment plants have become a logistical nightmare. With the constant uncertainty of which stages of loadshedding will be applicable in the days ahead, this impacts on planning diesel deliveries. At times, rationing of diesel for the vehicle fleet takes place to ensure that critical plant can operate.

At one of our plants where a generator had been installed, I was informed of the practical difficulty of manoeuvring a diesel tanker to fill the tank.
A further challenge is restoring electricity after particularly the 16h00-18h00 or 4h loadsheds when users wish to turn on all their appliances at once. Even though we have already installed advanced telemetry at certain key sub-stations, the senior official who restores the power has to ensure that George remains within its maximum capacity. The Danes advise that as part of introducing renewables, consumers will need to shift their loads, thereby reducing the demand on the system.

On the photo from left: Magmooda Sylvester (Sommer-Net-Ons-ATKV representative), Desmonique Hector (Current Youth Peer Educator), Mrs Loraine Carolus (Pacaltsdorp Primary School -PPS), Jonel Kerspuy (George Municipality)

International Literacy Day (ILD) was celebrated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on 08 September 2023, with the reminder that literacy is a basic human right and a necessary foundation for learning. To commemorate the ILD, the George Municipality’s Youth Development Division Section, in association with the Sommer-Net-Ons- ATKV branch, provides support at the Pacaltsdorp Primary School (PPS) to learners to help them read better to have a greater understanding of what they are learning.

This takes place through the supportive role provided by one of the Youth Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) Peer Educators to the ATKV at the school. The aim of the programme is to create a love for reading amongst the learners. The Sommer-Net-Ons-ATKV branch trains these young people, for them to provide effective support at the school. Two of the previous Youth EPWP Peer Educators, have been absorbed by PPS, after their contracts as Municipal Youth Peer Educators expired.

International Literacy Day (ILD) celebrations have taken place annually around the world Since 1967, to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights, and to advance the literacy agenda towards a more literate and sustainable society. UNESCO is a specialized agency of the United Nations aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture.

CAPTION: The Western Cape Minister of Mobility, MEC Ricardo Mackenzie, visited the George Transport Hub last week where the feedback report of the 2022 passenger satisfaction survey was handed over to him by James Robb, Acting Public Transport Oversight Official of the George Municipality. On the photo are, from left, Morné Lakay, Acting Manager of GO GEORGE, James Robb, MEC Ricardo Mackenzie, and adv. Recardo Collins, Director, Land Transport Contracts of the Western Cape Department of Mobility.

A passenger satisfaction survey under the joint auspices of the Western Cape Government Department of Mobility and the Municipality of George will be launched shortly, aiming to determine and measure the overall socio-economic impact of the implementation of the GO GEORGE bus service in George.

Macro-, transport- and socio-economic impact measured

The overall impact will be measured in three main areas, namely macro-economic, transport-economic and socio-economic impact. Several surveys will be carried out over a six-week period, starting during the week of 18 September and ending towards the end of October 2023.

George residents will be approached for feedback by means of the following three surveys:

Passenger travel surveys, which will be carried out at GO GEORGE bus stops across the route network;
Business surveys,g., general businesses, as well as businesses and informal traders at transfer locations around the greater CBD which will be carried out primarily through telephonic and personal interviews;
Special Interest Group surveys (e.g., users with special needs and specific-interest groups), to be carried out primarily through telephonic and personal interviews as well as distribution of electronic questionnaires.

During a recent visit to George, the feedback report of the 2022 survey was handed over to the Western Cape Minister of Mobility, MEC Ricardo Mackenzie.

“I am very proud of GO GEORGE, which is a collaboration between Provincial, National and Local Governments that provides commuters with the world-class mobility service they deserve, right here in the Western Cape,” Mackenzie said. “The results of the 2022 passenger satisfaction survey demonstrate that delivering safe, reliable, and affordable public transport is possible. I thank all the passengers who contributed valuable feedback on how they experience GO GEORGE services and I encourage even greater participation in the 2023 survey. These surveys are a key tool for improving operations with an evidence-based approach so that people can get to work and school safely.”

Surveyors easily identifiable

Surveyors will be wearing GO GEORGE-branded identification cards showing the person’s photo and ID number. An appeal is made to the George community to take 10 minutes out when they are approached and to assist with the valuable feedback only obtainable from those who use the bus service or are in some way impacted by its operations.

For more information or enquiries, the GO GEORGE Call Centre can be phoned on 0800 044 044.

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GO GEORGE-opname om sosio-ekonomiese impak van busdiens te meet

‘n Passasierstevredenheidsopname onder die gesamentlike vaandel van die Wes-Kaapse departement van mobiliteit en die munisipaliteit van George sal binnekort van stapel gestuur word met die doel om die algehele sosio-ekonomiese impak van die implementering van die GO GEORGE-busdiens in George te bepaal en te meet.

Mikro-, vervoer- en sosio-ekonomiese impak gemeet

Die algehele impak sal op drie hoofgebiede gemeet word, naamlik makro-ekonomiese, vervoer-ekonomiese en sosio-ekonomiese impak. Verskeie opnames sal oor ‘n tydperk van ses weke gedoen word, met wegspring gedurende die week van 18 September en afhandeling teen die einde van Oktober 2023.

Inwoners van George sal deur middel van die volgende drie opnames vir terugvoer genader word:

Passasiersopnames, wat by GO GEORGE-bushaltes oor die roetenetwerk heen gedoen sal word;

Besigheidsopnames, byvoorbeeld algemene besighede, sowel as besighede en informele handelaars by oorklimpunte rondom die groter sakekern wat hoofsaaklik deur telefoniese en persoonlike onderhoude uitgevoer sal word;

Spesiale belangegroep-opnames (byvoorbeeld gebruikers met spesiale behoeftes en spesifieke belangegroepe), wat hoofsaaklik deur telefoniese en persoonlike onderhoude sowel as verspreiding van elektroniese vraelyste uitgevoer sal word.

Tydens ‘n onlangse besoek aan George is die terugvoerverslag van die 2022-opname aan die Wes-Kaapse minister van mobiliteit, LUR Ricardo Mackenzie, oorhandig.

“Ek is baie trots op GO GEORGE wat ‘n samewerking tussen provinsiale-, nasionale- en plaaslike regerings is wat pendelaars die wêreldklas vervoerdiens bied wat hulle verdien, hier in die Wes-Kaap,” het Mackenzie gesê. “Die resultate van die 2022-passasierstevredenheidsopname toon dat die lewering van veilige, betroubare en bekostigbare openbare vervoer moontlik is. Ek bedank al die passasiers wat waardevolle terugvoer gegee het oor hoe hulle GO GEORGE-dienste ervaar en ek moedig selfs groter deelname in die 2023-opname aan. Hierdie opnames is ‘n belangrike hulpmiddel om bedrywighede met ‘n bewysgebaseerde benadering te verbeter sodat mense veilig by die werk en skool kan uitkom.”

Navorsingsbeamptes maklik identifiseerbaar

Navorsingsbeamptes sal GO GEORGE-gemerkte identifikasiekaarte dra wat die persoon se foto en ID-nommer toon. ‘n Beroep word op die George-gemeenskap gedoen om 10 minute af te staan wanneer hulle genader word en om te help met die waardevolle terugvoer wat slegs verkry kan word van diegene wat die busdiens gebruik, of op een of ander manier deur sy bedrywighede geraak word.

Vir meer inligting of navrae kan die GO GEORGE-inbelsentrum by 0800 044 044 geskakel word.