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Fleet

27 March 2024 Media Release: Garden Route District Municipality adds two new bakkies to its fleet

Media Release: Garden Route District Municipality adds two new bakkies to its fleet

For immediate release
27 March 2024

In a significant move to enhance operational efficiency and service delivery, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) officially started using two of its long-awaited brand-new vehicles. This purchase was made available through the capital budget allocated in this 2023/2024 financial year. The bakkies cost R632 000 collectively. These resources will improve the working conditions and service delivery capabilities of the maintenance team and the Calitzdorp Hot Springs.

In the past, the maintenance team had to make use of their personal vehicles for municipal tasks and thereafter claim for the kilometres travelled. This was not only inconvenient but also unsustainable for the municipality. Calitzdorp Hot Springs, managed by the municipality, had a bakkie that was old to repair.

Addressing the attendees during the handover ceremony, Alderman Memory Booysen expressed his optimism for the positive changes the new vehicles will bring. Portfolio Chairperson for Planning and Economic Development, Cllr Jobieth Hoogbaard, highlighted the importance of safety and responsibility. He encouraged the officials to travel safely and maintain the new assets with care, ensuring that they serve their purpose for as long as possible.

The manager of Victoria Bay and Swartvlei Caravan Park, Medron Bussack, Acting Manager of Calitzdorp Hot Springs, Elmo Labuschagne, and other officials of the resorts, Maintenance personnel Unathi Fana and Irvin Siljeur, expressed their gratitude, noting that the vehicles would significantly ease the challenges they face in maintaining the resorts, such as removing waste and other materials.

Feature Image: GRDM Executive Mayor, Ald. Memory Booysen (3rd from left) officially taking into acceptance the two new vehicles, together with (fltr) Manager of Victoria Bay and Swartvlei Caravan Parks, Medron Bussack, Acting Manager of Calitzdorp Hot Springs, Elmo Labuschagne, Acting Municipal Manager, Lusanda Menze, Portfolio Chairperson for Planning and Economic Development, Cllr Jobieth Hoogbaard, and the Maintenance personnel, Irvin Siljeur and Unathi Fana. 

Article by: Vuyolwethu Notyeke

ENDS

21 May 2021 Media Release: Rural Roads Asset Management Systems Grant Annual Meeting

Media Release: Rural Roads Asset Management Systems Grant Annual Meeting

For Immediate Release
21 May 2021

On Wednesday, 5 May 2021, Roads Services Representatives from National Government, the five (5) District Municipalities in the Western Cape and local municipalities within the Garden Route District gathered for the quarterly Rural Roads Asset Management System (RRAMS) meeting at Oubaai in George.

 

Western Cape Road Service representatives who attended the quarterly Provincial RAMS Meeting in George.

Over the past ten years, the RAMS (Roads Asset Management System) Conditional Grant has been used in South Africa to transfer funding to provinces and district municipalities (with preference to those in the rural areas), to achieve national government policy objectives. Furthermore, to ensure efficient and effective investment in municipal roads by developing road asset management systems (RAMS) through the collection and analysis of data.  

 

With the above in mind, the primary purpose of the RRAMS Grant as stipulated in the Division of Revenue Bill is to assist district municipalities in setting up rural RAMS and collecting road, bridges, and traffic data on municipal road networks in line with the Road Infrastructure Strategic Framework for South Africa.

 

As part of the National Government’s strategy to capacitate GRDM to fulfil the RAMS function in-house, four (4) contract positions were created and filled by two Civil Engineering graduates, a GIS operator and an Administration Assistant. GRDM also purchased two (2) Toyota LDV bakkies valued at R433 163.00 each, which will be utilised by the newly appointed RRAMS personnel.

On Wednesday, 18 May 2021, the Garden Route District Municipality Executive Mayor Alderman Memory Booysen, and the Municipal Manager, Mr Monde Stratu, received the two (2) bakkies during a small handover ceremony.  The Portfolio Chairperson of Roads and Transport Planning Services, Cllr Rowan Spies, and the Executive Manager:  Roads and Transport Planning Services, Mr John Daniels, also attended the ceremony. The Roads department will manage these assets.

 

25 November 2020 Media Release: Ailing 17-year old fleet vehicle replaced

Media Release: Ailing 17-year old fleet vehicle replaced

For Immediate Release
25 November 2020

Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) recently replaced its 2003 Mazda Etude, which has over 200 000 km on its clock, with a brand new Toyota Corolla Quest. This comes at a time when the upkeep and safety of the 17-year old Mazda posed a number of risks and unintended maintenance costs for the GRDM.

According to Trix Holtzhausen, Executive Manager for Corporate Services, the vehicle served the municipality well for 17 years. “We used the Mazda to its limits and had to replace it because of  safety reasons and ongoing expenses to repair it,” said Holtzhausen. “We also uphold our fleet standards when we replace redundant assets,” she said.

An official handover ceremony took place at the Head Office of GRDM on 25 November in George in the presence of Mr Monde Stratu (Municipal Manager), Ms Trix Holtzhausen (Executive Manager: Corporate Services), Alderlady Iona Kritzinger (Portfolio Chairperson: Corporate Services), Ms Spasiena Brinkhuys (Manager: Records, Archives, Fleet & Auxiliary Services) and her support team.

The 2020 Toyota Corolla Quest wrapped in a giant red bow for the occasion.

Feature image caption: GRDM representatives, Mr Monde Stratu (Municipal Manager) hands over the Corolla’s key to Ms Trix Holtzhausen (GRDM Executive Manager: Corporate Services). Portfolio Chairperson for Corporate Services, Alderlady Iona Kritzinger is in the background (blue jacket) with employees from the Records, Archives, Fleet and Auxiliary Services Unit.

ENDS