Notices

NOTIFICATION OF THE INTERRUPTION OF THE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY.

THE FOLLOWING AREAS WILL BE AFFECTED:

PORTION OF THEMBALETHU
ZONE 8 & ZONE 7.

NOTICE is hereby given that the electricity supply will be interrupted on TUESDAY 13 AUGUST 2024 FROM 09H00 TO 16H00 for the purpose of doing alterations to the electrical mains. Consumers are warned to treat the installation as being live for the full duration as the supply may be resumed at any time within the notified period.

Should circumstances prevent the work being carried out during the abovementioned period; the work will be done on WEDNESDAY 14 AUGUST 2024 FROM 09H00 TO 16H00.

UKUPHAZAMISEKA OLUCWANGCISIWEYO LOBONELELO LOMBANE:KWI-NXALENYE YE-THEMBALETHU.

KUYAKUCHAPHAZELEKA EZINGINGQI ZILANDELAYO:

INXALENYE YE- THEMBALETHU:
ZONE 8 & ZONE 7.

ISAZISO siyanikezelwa ukuba ubonelelo lombane luya kuphazamiseka ngoLWESIBINI umhla we-13 AUGUST 2024 UKUSUKA NGO-09H00 UKUYA KU-16H00 ukuze kwenziwe utshintsho kubuxhaka-xhaka bombane. Abathengi bayalunyukiswa ukuba baluphathe olufakelo njengoluhlala lukho lonke ixesha njengoko unikezelo lunokuqaliswa kwakhona nangaliphi na ixesha phakathi kwexesha elaziswa ngalo.

Ukuba iimeko zithintele ukwenziwa komsebenzi ngeli xesha likhankanywe ngasentla; umsebenzi uya kwenziwa ngoLWESITHATHU umhla WE-14 AUGUST 2024 ukusuka NGE-09H00 ukuya KU-16H00.

Please note that Motor Vehicle Registration (MVR) which is situated at Hibernia Street, MVR in Blanco, Driving Licence Testing Centre (DLTC) in Pacaltsdorp and Vehicle Testing Station (VTS) will be closing at 14:00 on Wednesday, 14 August 2024 for compulsory monthly meetings.

Services at all the above traffic service centres will resume on Thursday, 15 August 2024.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding.

THE FOLLOWING AREAS WILL BE AFFECTED:
Thembalethu: Impepho, Enkululekweni, Ivukuthu, Elitheni, Vukusebenze, Ndlulamthi Street

NOTICE is hereby given that the water supply will be interrupted on 12 AUGUST 2024 FROM 09H00 TO 16H30 for the purpose of doing alterations to the water mains.

Should circumstances prevent the work being carried out during the abovementioned period; the work will be done on
13 AUGUST 2024 FROM 09H00 TO 16H30

Urgent Public Notice: A planned construction of the New Pacaltsdorp (West) 14.5 ML Reservoir and Pump Station, initially scheduled to take place on weekdays, will also include tomorrow (Public Holiday) and Saturday, 9 and 10 August 2024, between 07:00 and 14:00.

SERVICE DISRUPTION: Minor operational interruptions can be expected during the construction work. Advance notification of planned temporary disruptions and their effects will be issued via social media.

TRAFFIC IMPACT: Residents, road users, and pedestrians need to exercise caution throughout the construction period. Please adhere to flag persons, temporary construction works, and road signage.

ACCESS TO SITE: Access to the site will be strictly controlled. No member of the public will be allowed access to the construction area in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

PROJECT ENQUIRIES: Mr. Andre Scheepers – 044 801 9492 (Technical)
Mr. Alewijn Dippenaar – 082 457 5675 (Public Liaison Officer)

The George Municipality apologises for any inconvenience and appeals to the public to be patient and exercise caution throughout the construction period. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

1. What must a homeowner do before and after installing solar panels?

•  Find an accredited, professional service provider who is registered as an Electrical Contractor with the department of Employment and Labour. This will confirm that the company or individual is able to issue a valid Certificate of Compliance (COC) after installation. Also verify if the company has an ECSA registered Professional who will sign off the commissioning and ensure that the installation complies with National regulations.
• Customers can use the online web-based platform to register via https://apply.sseg.org.za/ You first have to register as an applicant to create login credentials, select George Municipality and then begin registration. We recommend that the customer let their installer fill in the application form as it contains some technical questions.
• Documents Required for the Online Application
  A customer’s ID copy, a preliminary schematic diagram and the inverter’s datasheet/model number.
• The municipality will assess the impact on the electricity grid and inform the applicant and service provider if they can proceed with installation.
• The applicant must inform the municipality once installation has been completed, after which a municipal technician will inspect the installation and request a copy of the Certificate of Compliance (COC) from the installer.
•  Any additions or alterations to an existing SSEG system must follow the same procedure as above.
• Parallel to this, the customer must apply for Building Plans to the Building Control department. For smaller solar installations, this is classified as minor building works. This is done on the municipal collaborator portal: https://westerncape.collaboratoronline.com/default.aspx. This is a new requirement, introduced by Building Control, effective from the 1st July 2024.
• The Electrotechnical department can issue a Permission to Install letter once the grid requirements of the proposed solar installation are met, with a condition that the customer has to apply for building plans within 3 months.
• After Installation, the Installer should go back to the online portal to upload a CoC, an as built diagram and get the ECSA registered Professional to fill in and sign the commissioning report.
• The customer then has to sign the supplemental contract for embedded generation.
  Follow this link to download the GM Renewable Energy Contract that requires signature and which must be submitted to tyiga@george.gov.za
• Once all of that is done, the Electrotechnical department will issue a Permission to Generate letter, which wraps up the process.
•  It is the customers responsibility to ensure that they have the Municipal approved meter should they wish to feed power back to the Municipal grid and that they have changed to be on a Time of Use (TOU) tariff. This can be done at the Municipal Cashiers Hall or email accounts@george.gov.za to request an application form.

  2. What are your options in terms of choosing which Amperage you will need for your home?

• Registered customers on solar panels will no longer be charged a mandatory minimum of 40 Amps Capacity fixed costs as per the 2023/24 Tariff Schedule.
• As with every other electricity customer, registered solar panel customers can choose their preferred Amp capacity – BUT – they cannot be on a 20 Amp capacity with no fixed costs.
• Should they select a 20 Amp capacity level, a minimum monthly fixed cost of R246.34 as per tariff 1.C (2024/25) will be charged. (R96.61 + 117.60 (20 x R5.88) + VAT = R246.34 per month fixed cost on 20 Amps if selected).
• Consumption cost per unit remains the same.
• Until a selection choice is exercised, a deemed capacity of 40 Amp will continue to be used for monthly billing purposes.
• If the customer choses a higher than 20 Amp capacity, the relevant charges as per tariff 1.C will be applied, as demonstrated in this table:

TARIFF TABLE 2023/24 vs TARIFF TABLE 2024/25 

         3. What will the charges be in terms of 2024/25 tariff book and what has changed from 2023/24?

• Please note that users who have installed solar panels will be liable for both the basic and the capacity charge for electricity, as per the Nersa approved municipal tariffs.
• However, the mandatory minimum fixed charge of a 40 Amp capacity for homeowners with solar panels was removed from the 2024/25 tariffs to make it possible for solar panel pre-paid electricity customers to select a lower-level capacity, effective 1 July 2024.
• This allows registered solar panel customers using pre-paid electricity to select a lower capacity option.
• The tariff however still retains a basic level of fixed cost to contribute to the cost of the maintenance of the electricity infrastructure in George.
• We apologize for any confusion this may have caused. For further information, please contact accounts@george.gov.za
  4. Why must you pay for access to electricity if you have solar panels?
• The municipality buys electricity directly from Eskom for distribution within the George Municipal area. There are no alternative suppliers. Therefore, the cost increases granted by NERSA to Eskom directly impact the municipality.
• Besides these direct costs to purchase electricity from Eskom, the municipality also incurs cost to maintain the electricity distribution network and other related overhead cost needed to supply the electricity service to consumer homes and businesses. These costs are known as fixed cost and variable costs.
• Section 74 of the Municipal Systems Act requires that municipal tariffs must be cost reflective and sustainable. This means that the municipality must ensure that the tariff charges recover sufficient revenue to offset the cost of buying electricity from Eskom and then supplying that electricity within the municipal area. Thus, the cost to the customer must cover at least the municipalities’ cost to enable the service.
• The basic or fixed cost component is meant to cover the cost associated with the maintenance of the infrastructure network. It is not an “availability charge” – this is an incorrect term. It is the tariff portion related to the electrical network infrastructure.
• The variable cost or consumption charge is meant to cover the variable costs such as the bulk electricity purchases from Eskom, the network operating and related overhead costs.For SSEG queries contact tyiga@george.gov.za
  For SSEG TOU Tariff selection contact accounts@george.gov.za for an application form
  For queries on SSEG applicable tariffs and selection of Amperage, contact accounts@george.gov.za

Residents must please take note that ALL George Municipal offices will close earlier at 13h00 on Thursday, August 8th for the upcoming long weekend.
The George Municipality will be closed for the full day on the Public Holiday, August 9th, 2024 which is Women’s Day.

All Emergency personnel and other essential services will be on standby during the Half Day and Public Holiday and the Municipality will be fully operational again from Monday, August 12th.

FINANCIAL SERVICES ASSISTANCE
The Cashier Hall at the George Municipal Main Building, York Street will remain open until 15:00 on Thursday, August 8th.
Assistance with credit control, indigent or general enquiries will be available.

AFTER HOURS
All after-hours George Municipality (including Uniondale and Haarlem) are as follows:
All municipal-related emergencies: 044 801 6300
Toll-Free George Disaster Centre Number: 087 152 9999
Fire Emergencies: 044 801 6311
General public email for all matters: gmun@george.gov.za
Garden Route District Municipality Disaster Management emergencies: 044 805 5071 (all hours).

Small Business Survey

NOTICE TO WARD COUNCILLORS, COMMITTEES AND FORUMS TO NOTE THE INFORMAL BUSINESS SURVEYS FOR THE NELSON MANDELA BOULEVARD ENCROACHMENTS

The George Municipality (Economic Development) Section will be conducting Informal Business
Surveys with the Businesses that occupy spaces in the Municipal Road reserve also
known as encroachments.

The surveys are planned to take place as follows:
Dates: 12 – 23 August 2024

Location: Thembalethu Nelson Mandela Boulevard (NMB)

FOR ENQUIRIES AND FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT
Luvo Bomvana – Economic Development Manager at Lbomvana@george.gov.za or

Lindokuhle Bukani – Coordinator of LED Projects
| 044 801 9148 | Lbukani@george.gov.za

Percentage storage at new raised dam wall height                                    90,32%

Rainfall for the previous days:                                                                      4 mm (Measured rainfall figures from 31 July – 5 August 2024)

For water-saving tips please visit: http://tinyurl.com/3439h4n7

The cooperation of all users of municipal water is essential and is greatly appreciated.

Issued on behalf of Go George, 06 August 2024

George residents will soon note an increase in road works all over town, heralding wide-spread upgrading of roads used by the GO GEORGE bus service.

A list of George Integrated Public Transport Network infrastructure requirements was assessed by the National Department of Transport which subsequently allocated additional Public Transport National Grant funding for some of the projects needed to improve and expand GO GEORGE infrastructure. The upgrade projects will address several infrastructure categories approved by the George Municipal Council, starting with road rehabilitation in August.

First projects
Work on the following streets will start in August: Beer and O’Connell Streets in Rosemoor, Airway Road in Heather Park, and Protea Street in Pacaltsdorp. Work on the Wellington/Stockenström Street intersection started in July already.
Streets earmarked for rehabilitation were selected based on physical inspections to identify areas showing critical signs of deterioration.

Rehabilitation will entail reparation of severe crocodile cracking, structural failures and low points on roads where stormwater concentrates without catch pits, rightsizing of intersections, road re-alignments and kerbside improvements to conform with universal accessibility requirements.

Communication with passengers
According to Morné Lakay, GO GEORGE Manager, the communication team will constantly alert and update the public regarding planned roadworks that will impact the bus services. “From our side, we’ll do our best to keep passengers informed and to help them plan their trips according to the temporary deviations,” he said. “Whether rerouting or one-direction routing, the adjustments will be designed for the minimum inconvenience to passengers while allowing the construction teams to complete their work safely and on schedule. We call on our passengers to be patient and to focus on the outcome of safe and reliable roads for all road users in George.”

For enquiries or help with trip planning, the GO GEORGE Call Centre agents are available on 0800 044 044 seven days a week, from 05:00 until 20:00.

Other sources of support and information include the GO GEORGE communication champions, the info kiosk at the Transport Hub, the GO GEORGE Facebook page and the website at www.gogeorge.org.za where route maps and timetables can be accessed.

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PERSVERKLARING: GO GEORGE -INFRASTRUKTUUR EN-PAAIE OPGEGRADEER
Uitgereik 06 Augustus 2024

George-inwoners sal binnekort ‘n toename opmerk in padwerke regoor die dorp, wat wydverspreide opgradering van paaie wat deur die GO GEORGE-busdiens gebruik word, inlui.
Die Nasionale Departement van Vervoer het ‘n lys van die George Geïntegreerde Openbare Vervoernetwerk se infrastruktuurbehoeftes geassesseer en bykomende befondsing uit die nasionale openbarevervoerfonds bewillig vir sommige van die projekte wat nodig is om GO GEORGE-infrastruktuur te verbeter en uit te brei. Die opgraderingsprojekte wat deur die George Munisipale Raad goedgekeur is, sal verskeie infrastruktuurkategorieë insluit en in Augustus afskop met padrehabilitasie.

Eerste Projekte
Werk aan die volgende strate sal in Augustus begin: Beerstraat en O’Connellstraat in Rosemoor, Airwayweg in Heatherpark en Proteastraat in Pacaltsdorp. Werk aan die Wellington/Stockenströmstraat-kruising het reeds in Julie begin.
Strate wat vir rehabilitasie geoormerk is, is gekies op grond van fisiese inspeksies om gebiede te identifiseer wat kritieke tekens van agteruitgang toon.

Rehabilitasie behels die herstel van ernstige krokodilkrake, strukturele versaking en laagtepunte op paaie waar stormwater konsentreer sonder vangputte, regstelling van kruisings, padherbelynings en verbeterings aan randstene om aan universele toeganklikheidsvereistes te voldoen.

Kommunikasie met passasiers
Volgens Morné Lakay, GO GEORGE-bestuurder, sal die kommunikasiespan die publiek voortdurend waarsku en op hoogte hou van beplande padwerke wat ‘n impak op die busdiens sal hê. “Van ons kant af sal ons ons bes doen om passasiers ingelig te hou en hulle te help om hul ritte volgens die tydelike afwykings te beplan,” het hy gesê. “Of dit nou herleiding van roetes of eenrigtingroetes is, die aanpassings sal ontwerp word vir die minimum ongerief vir passasiers, terwyl die konstruksiespanne hul werk veilig en volgens skedule kan voltooi.

Ons doen ‘n beroep op ons passasiers om geduldig te wees en te fokus op die uitkoms van veilige en betroubare paaie vir alle padgebruikers in George.”

Vir navrae of hulp met ritbeplanning is die GO GEORGE-inbelsentrumagente sewe dae per week van 05:00 tot 20:00 by 0800 044 044 044 beskikbaar.

Ander bronne van ondersteuning en inligting sluit in die GO GEORGE-passasiersdiensbeamptes, die inligtingskiosk by die vervoerkern (Transport Hub), die GO GEORGE Facebook-blad en die webwerf www.gogeorge.org.za waar roetekaarte en roosters verkry kan word.