Notices

Residents are advised that the high-lift pump station supplying the Kraaibosch Water Tower has been affected by the current power outage.
As a result, water supply interruptions are being experienced in the following areas:Kraaibosch,Welgelegen,Victoria Bay
Victoria Heights, Wilderness Heights and Akela.
A water tanker has been stationed at the BP service station next to the N2 and will remain available until 20:00 this evening.
Water supply will be restored once power is reinstated and the pump station is fully operational.
George Municipality apologises for the inconvenience and thanks residents for their patience and understanding.

Uniondale – Rietvlei does not have water currently due to the main water supply line that washed away. A water truck will be made available.

DENVER Park – water supply in process of being restored. A large tree had to be cut up and removed to allow officials to access the damaged water pipe.

EMERGENCY WORK is required on two main water lines that were unsafe to be attended to yesterday due to downed power lines and unstable trees. They will be attended to today.

Residents are urged to use water sparingly until power is restored and normal pumping operations can resume as several reservoirs are under strain with low levels.

Stormwater and water related issues please contact Civils Related Customer Services 044 801 9262/6 (7.45am-4.30pm) or
044 801 9262/6 or 044 801 9354 (7.45am-4.30pm)
044 801 6300 (after hours)

Issued by George Municipality, 12 May 2026 @ 13:40

George Municipality acknowledges the frustration and inconvenience experienced by residents and businesses affected by the ongoing weather-related power outages across various parts of George.

The Municipality would like to assure the public that all available electrical teams are actively attending to faults and working continuously to restore the electricity supply as safely and as quickly as possible.

The Municipal Electrotechnical Services Department has identified all problematic high-voltage and medium-voltage circuits, and teams are currently attending to these faults. As the high- and medium-voltage faults are repaired, the associated low-voltage circuits are also being restored.

All available teams are deployed on-site and are actively reinstating affected circuits. The damage to the electricity network is widespread, and it is currently not possible to provide accurate estimated times of restoration (ETRs).

It is important to note that, unlike isolated or sporadic outages experienced under normal circumstances, the current outages have been caused by multiple faults occurring simultaneously across the network due to severe weather conditions.

The strong gusting winds have resulted in a range of infrastructure-related faults, including:

• Vegetation and trees falling onto power lines
• Broken poles and overhead lines
• Loose and damaged poles
• Lines lying on the ground
• Single-phase faults
• Faults linked to the damaged Glenwood substation

In several affected areas, damaged poles must be replaced before power can be restored. In many instances, dense vegetation must first be cleared to allow teams safe access to damaged infrastructure to carry out necessary repairs and replacements.

Unfortunately, criminal elements are also taking advantage of the situation to steal electricity infrastructure, which is further complicating restoration efforts.

To accelerate restoration efforts, the Electrotechnical Services Department has appointed two additional contractors to assist municipal teams with fault repairs and the reinstatement of electricity supply.

Residents are encouraged to report any additional electricity-related challenges or faults not already listed or reported to the Municipality.

The Municipality appeals to residents to remain patient and to continue reporting power outages and hazardous electrical infrastructure, such as live cables, via the following channels:
• WhatsApp: 067 553 1728
• Office Switchboard: 044 801 9222 / 044 803 9222 (07:45 – 16:30)
• Customer Care: 044 801 9202 / 9258

Motorists are advised of the following road closures resulting from fallen trees caused by adverse weather conditions:
Outeniqua Pass direction towards George – Traffic is being diverted following a fallen tree obstructing the roadway.
Step Aside Road – Closed to all traffic due to two fallen trees.
R404 / George Road, Blanco – Closed in the direction from Blanco towards the N9 due to a fallen tree.

Municipal teams and emergency services are attending to the affected areas. Road users are requested to avoid these routes where possible and make use of alternative roads.

ROAD SAFETY REMINDER

All motorists are urged to exercise extreme caution during wet and hazardous conditions:
Reduce speed.
Maintain a safe following distance.
Switch on headlights.
Be alert for fallen trees and debris
Do not attempt to drive through barricaded or closed roads.

George Municipality hereby notifies residents that data collection for the compilation and maintenance of the General Valuation Roll and supplementary valuation rolls, will be implemented across the greater George area from mid-April 2026. This process includes the collection of property data and street view imagery for approximately 50 000 properties and forms a critical part of determining property values for municipal rating purposes.

The appointed service provider, DDP Property Valuers Pty (Ltd) will be conducting:
• Site visits to properties,
• Driving through neighbourhoods,
• Capturing street-facing photographs only using mobile applications and related technology,
• Residents are advised that photographs will be limited to external, street-facing views only and that No access to private homes is required unless arranged by appointment,
• Inspections may take place between 07:30 and 19:00, excluding Sundays and Public Holidays,
• Data collection will take place across multiple areas.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING INDENTIFICATION AND VERIFICATION
• Fieldworkers will carry official identification cards at all times.
• They will not wear branded clothing, but will be able to identify themselves on request.
• An official municipal authorisation letter with relevant contact numbers will be available on request to support this process.
• Residents are encouraged to request identification if unsure and/or contact the numbers provided below.

ACCESS TO ESTATES AND COMPLEXES
Residents, body corporates, and management of security estates and gated complexes are kindly requested to cooperate and facilitate access to authorised data collection teams. This is a municipal process applicable to all properties, including those within estates. The Municipality will engage directly with estate management structures; however, cooperation at security access points is essential to ensure the successful completion of this process.

Areas to be visited include Herolds Bay, Le Grand, Residential Estates in George, Pacaltsdorp and Blanco, Langvlei Dunes, Wilderness, George, Thembalethu, Victoria Bay, Hoekwil, Uniondale and surrounding small farms.

CONTACT DETAILS FOR VERIFICATION AND/OR IDENTIFICATION PURPOSES
Municipal officials A Scheepers or J Smith on 044 801 9111 / 9109 for any queries or to verify fieldworkers 07:45 – 16:30, Monday to Friday.

George Municipality appreciates the community’s cooperation and assistance in facilitating this important process.

The South African Weather Service advised the Disaster Risk Management Centre of the following weather warning for the period Sunday, 10 May 2026 to Tuesday, 12 May 2026:

* Orange level six warning for disruptive rainfall leading to flooding of roads, low-lying bridges, and formal as well as informal settlements

* Orange level six warning for damaging winds and waves leading to danger to navigation at sea and damage to coastal infrastructure along the coast between Lambert’s Bay and Plettenberg Bay

* Yellow level two warning for damaging winds

The Disaster Coordinating Team (DCT) will be activated to coordinate the City’s response to weather-related impacts.

We urge the public to please follow official updates on social media and their preferred media channels closely, and to report any emergency incidents to the Public Emergency Communication Centre on 021 480 7700.

The public is hereby informed, due to persistent rainfall experienced during the past week, no rugby fixtures will be permitted at municipal sports facilities for the weekend of 08–10 May 2026.

This arrangement excludes matches scheduled at Outeniqua Park Rugby Stadium, where adequate measures are in place to manage excess water on the playing surfaces effectively.

This decision has been taken in the interest of player safety, as well as to protect the condition and integrity of municipal sports facilities.

The Municipality regrets any inconvenience caused and thanks all stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.

OPENBARE KENNISGEWING:OPSKORTING VAN RUGBYWEDSTRYDE OP MUNISIPALE SPORTFASILITEITE: 08 – 10 Mei 2026

Uitgereik deur George Munisipaliteit 8 Mei 2026

 Die publiek word hiermee in kennis gestel dat, weens die aanhoudende reënval wat gedurende die afgelope week ervaar is, geen rugbywedstryde op munisipale sportfasiliteite vir die naweek van 08–10 Mei 2026 toegelaat sal word nie.

Hierdie reëling sluit nie wedstryde by die Outeniqua Park Rugbystadion in nie, waar voldoende maatreëls in plek is om die oormatige water op die speeloppervlaktes effektief te bestuur.

Hierdie besluit is geneem in die belang van spelersveiligheid, sowel as om die toestand en integriteit van munisipale sportfasiliteite te beskerm.

Die Munisipaliteit vra om verskoning vir enige ongerief wat veroorsaak is en bedank alle belanghebbendes vir hul begrip en samewerking.

⚠️ Garden Route District road closure update as at 3pm
✅ TR31/5 is open.

⚠️ Central Karoo District road closure update as at 3pm
✅ TR34/2 is open.

⚠️ Overberg District road closure update as at 3pm.

Please take note of this fake message currently circulating.

Any official opportunities relating to this region will ONLY be published on this WhatsApp Channel ✅ or groups/channels of Local Municipalities in the Garden Route (Hessequa, Mossel Bay, George, Knysna, Bitou, Oudtshoorn and Kannaland).

Please verify information before sharing and help us stop the spread of false information.

Issued by Garden Route District Municipality

Residents are urged to remain cautious as flooding is still ongoing across several areas. Dams continue to spill, with the Stompdrift Dam currently at 139%, while the Meiringspoort River remains in flood as it passes through Oudtshoorn, passing Calitzdorp Hot Springs via the Olifant’s River and down to the Gourits. The route from Oudtshoorn via Calitzdorp Hot Springs to Gourits has been severely affected, with multiple farms cut off and many residents impacted.

Meiringspoort Pass is expected to remain closed for an extended period. The N9 also remains closed and is accessible only for emergency services. Road users can alternatively travel via the R341 through De Rust to Oudtshoorn. From Oudtshoorn, motorists can continue towards George via the N12, or travel along the R62 towards Calitzdorp, Ladismith and beyond.

AREAS INACCESSIBLE

The following areas remain inaccessible due to flooding and infrastructure damage:
Oudtshoorn Municipal area
– Middelplaas
– Volmoed
– Cango Bergoord
– De Oude Meul
– Moeras River
– Proefplaas
– Meiringspoort.

Kannaland Municipal area
– Paardebont (close to Van Wyksdorp)
– Middelpad at Calitzdorp Hot Springs
– Gamka-Oos

George Municipal area
– Mount Hope (past Zebra)
– De Vlugt
– Kammanassie

Bitou Municipal area
– SNK & Fisantehoek
– Wittedrift

Humanitarian assistance has been requested from Gift of the Givers, Al Imdaad and NGO’s with five-day food parcels being prepared for delivery. Air support may be utilised where possible. Authorities have attempted to reach a school group at Cango Bergoord, consisting of 64 people, but the area remains inaccessible.

CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES

– The Uplands Water Works on the R340 has been severely affected. The facility supplies approximately 80% of Bitou Municipality’s water and repairs are critical.
– The Bitou Municipality currently has sufficient water in reservoirs for at least today.
– The Bitou Municipality’s Roodefontein Pump Station has also been flooded.
– Access to the Nature’s Valley Pump Station has also been compromised.
– In Uniondale, a water pipeline was washed away and water tankers provided by GRDM are currently supplying affected communities.

Only follow municipal Facebook pages and WhatsApp Channels for updates in town areas:
Garden Route District Municipality
www.facebook.com/gardenroutedistrictmunicipality

STATUS OF ROADS

Oudtshoorn Area
DR1707 – Middelplaas (closed)
MR369 – Swartberg Pass (closed)
MR401 – Uniondale Poort (closed)
MR401 – Uniondale town approaches (closed)
MR399 – Avontuur (closed)

Kannaland Area

DR1706 – Groenfontein (closed)
MR309 – Seweweekspoort (closed)

George / Knysna / Bitou Area

DR1615 – Swart Rivier (closed)
MR346 – Buffelsbaai (closed)
DR1888 – Keurboomstrand (closed)
MR390 – Kruisvallei / Uplands intersection (closed)
DR1613 – Phantom Pass (closed)
DR1602 – Kleinplaas (closed)
DR1633 – Jonkersberg (closed)
DR1604 – Haelkraal (closed)

Trunk Roads

TR33/4 – Meiringspoort (closed)
TR44/1 – Avontuur to Eastern Cape boundary (closed)
TR1/2 – Noll to Harold (closed)
TR2/12 – Nature’s Valley to N2 (closed)
TR16/10 – Murraysburg to Graaff-Reinet (closed)
TR58/1 – Molteno Pass (Beaufort West to Loxton) (closed)
TR1/2 – N9 section near Uniondale (closed)
TR33/2 – Oudtshoorn flooded section (closed)

Roads Open / Partially Open

Oudtshoorn Area

DR1640 – Montagu Pass — one lane open
George / Knysna Area
MR390 – Kruisvallei (km 0–1.44) — open
MR355 – Seven Passes Road — open after tree removal
MR351 – Barrington — open
MR394 – Keurboomstrand — open

Trunk Roads

TR34/2 – Prince Albert to Klaarstroom — open
TR31/5 – Huisrivier Pass — stop-and-go system in place

Motorists are urged to avoid unnecessary travel as conditions may change rapidly due to ongoing rainfall, flooding rivers, falling trees, and damaged road infrastructure.

Hessequa Municpality
www.facebook.com/hessequamunicipality

Mossel Bay Municipality
www.facebook.com/mosselbaymun
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaObfDbBadmjaxmERb0d

George Municipality
www.facebook.com/george.municipality
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaRHVS9HAdNXTJPKis3k

Knysna Municipality
www.facebook.com/knysnamunicipality
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaddGzkKwqSX9z7fPm2V

Bitou Municipality
www.facebook.com/bitoulocalmunicipality
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb5xx5wGE56kaY90693M

Greater Oudtshoorn Municipality
www.facebook.com/oudtmun
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VagZwTjHgZWmFke9An2N

Kannaland Municipality
www.facebook.com/kannaland.munisipaliteit.5

Report Provincial Road Issues via Download the Roads4U app
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