Protect Yourself from Impersonators Claiming to Be Municipal Officials
The George Municipality has received reports of individuals impersonating municipal officials and service providers to gain unauthorised access to residents’ properties. These perpetrators often use convincing municipal branding, including logos, uniforms, and fake identification cards, to de-ceive residents.
Your safety is our top priority. Please be aware that only specific, authorised officials and service providers conduct services that require access to private properties. If someone approaches your home claiming to be a municipal worker or service provider, it’s crucial to verify their identity be-fore granting them access.
How to Verify a Municipal Worker’s Identity
We urge all residents to consult the information below and use the provided contact numbers to confirm the identity of anyone claiming to be a municipal official or service provider.
FINANCE DEPARTMENT
Debtpack Service Provider
Debtpack conducts Credit Control and Indigent Management services and may visit your property for:
• Delivery of notices
• Indigent Validations/Social Assessments
• Arrear Audits
• Water leakage repair/inspections
How to identify Debtpack field workers:
Debtpack currently has six field workers (five in George, one in Uniondale). They wear:
• Branded clothing (T-shirts, hats/caps, and rain jackets)
• A yellow-branded safety vest
• A unique identification card worn around the neck or in the breast pocket of the safety vest.
To verify a Debtpack field worker:
Call Kobus de Klerk (Site Manager) or Robin van Rooyen (Office Manager) at 044- 250 5011 or on their Cell/WhatsApp lines: 076 864 7131 or 061 011 7019. You can also email them at ko-busdk@debtpack.com or robinvr@debtpack.com.
ELECTROTECHNICAL SERVICES
Alegro Maintenance
George Municipality regularly inspects prepaid meters. A technician from Alegro Maintenance may be sent to your premises to conduct these inspections.
Our personnel will always be identifiable by the following:
1. Identification Cards
2. Alegro Jackets – Alegro logo embroidered on the jackets.
3. Orange reflector jackets – embroidered with Alegro and Ontec’s logos.
4. Caps – embroidered with Alegro and Ontec’s logos.
5. Dressed in the following colour codes: Orange, red, and Navy blue (may also include black and white t-shirts).
To verify an Alegro technician:
Call Alegro at 044 873 6215 during office hours or call DJ on 083 557 4045.
CIVIL ENGINEERING SERVICES (CES)
The Civil Engineering Services Directorate comprises two main sections: Operations (Water, Sanita-tion, Streets, and Stormwater) and the Project Management Unit (PMU) / Infrastructure Planning.
Operations Sections
Our operations teams wear branded PPE clothing and drive vehicles with municipal logos and GM numbers. Their protocol is to introduce themselves to the public before entering private property.
For projects like smart meter installations, the following protocols are in place:
• A Community Liaison Officer visits individual properties beforehand to explain the work, timeframe, and what it entails.
• Process Flow diagrams are used to explain timeframes and the installation process.
• Flyers are distributed to explain the installation/replacement process.
PMU, Infrastructure Planning Sections
The PMU engages directly with Councillors and/or Ward Committees in person or through a Public Liaison Officer. On larger construction projects, a Community Liaison Officer is appointed through an open process to act as the liaison between the contractor and the community. Contractors may also communicate directly with the community to inform them of service disruptions.
To contact Civil Engineering Services:
• Customer Services (7:45 AM – 4:30 PM): 044 801 9262/6 (Civils Depot, 1 Clay Road, George Industria)
• After-hours emergencies: 044 801 6300
• Director and Administration: 044 801 9354 (Old Town Hall building, Market and York Street)
• Uniondale: 044 752 1024 (during office hours) and 044 801 6300 (after hours)
GO GEORGE
GO GEORGE directly engages with the public through various teams for day-to-day operational matters, including municipal and provincial officials, communication teams (Rock Solid), operational teams (Zutari and Pegasys), survey teams (SMEC and Zutari/subcontractors), and Smart Card Kiosk staff (Afsol).
How to identify GO GEORGE personnel:
All GO GEORGE personnel carry identification cards with the following features:
• Access Categories: Indicated by a coloured circle (blue for Bus, green for Depot, grey for other facilities) in the top left.
• Unique Code: Located in the top right.
• Photo: A head-and-shoulders photo in a blue-backed circle.
• Name and Surname.
• Logos: GO GEORGE logo and logos of the George Municipality and Western Cape Govern-ment in the bottom left. GO GEORGE branding elements are on the bottom right.
• Wearing: Cards are worn around the neck with a lanyard in a see-through protective hold-er.
• Call Centre Number: 0800 044 044 is displayed on the card.
All GO GEORGE personnel also wear various uniform items that display the GO GEORGE logo.
To verify a GO GEORGE team member:
Call the GO GEORGE Call Centre at 0800 044 044. You can verify the person’s name and unique code with the call centre agent. SAPS and Neighbourhood Watches also use this verification method.
Stay vigilant! Thank you for helping us maintain a safe community. Your cooperation is vital in pre-venting fraud and ensuring your security.
