Notice is hereby given that a SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING of the Garden Route District Municipality will be held at the CA Robertson Council Chambers, and via Zoom, 54 York Street, George,
on 05 July 2024 at 11:00.
MG Stratu
Municipal Manager
54 York Street
P O Box 12
GEORGE
6530
Tel: 044 803 1300
Notice Number 74/2024
3 July 2024
“The Annual Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF) Climate Change and Environmental Management Indaba concluded on Thursday, 27 June, at the Nelson Mandela University George Campus. Presentations by provincial and local government representatives, climate change predictive modeling specialists, regional biosphere reserves, Cape Nature, and other significant contributors under the theme ‘Resilience in Action: Building Sustainable Communities Amid a Changing Climate’ reflected on what the future may hold for the Southern Cape with an unpredictable climate,” says GREF Convener Cobus Meiring.
The Garden Route is a disaster-prone area and increasingly falls victim to severe flooding, wildfire catastrophes, drought, and storm surges. As a direct result, damage to hard infrastructure, such as roads, is extremely costly to repair and has significant downstream implications when logistics are disrupted and communities are forced to use detours.
Disaster management practitioners Colin Deiner (Chief Director: Western Cape Disaster Management) and Gerhard Otto (Head: Garden Route District Municipality Disaster Management Centre) made comprehensive presentations showing the extent of the damage incurred by natural disasters in the Western Cape in the past decade. Repair costs run into millions of Rand and are set to increase as climate change impacts the environment and the populations dependent on its well-being.
Proactive planning and forward-thinking in dealing with climate-related natural disasters are crucial. Disaster management entities are constantly investing in better equipment, capacity, and resources to lend assistance when disaster strikes. Early warning systems play a vital role in ensuring the safety of communities, who are encouraged to pay attention when advisories are sent out, especially given that the severity of approaching storms cannot always be accurately determined in advance.
The GREF is a climate change think-tank and public platform for environmental managers to share knowledge and experience.
Feature image: Presenters on the day of the GREF event.
ENDS
The Western Cape Government (WCG) Department of Infrastructure is inviting suitably qualified applicants residing in the Garden Route District to apply for Training opportunities in the Construction Sector.
Closing date: 5 July 2024 at 15:00
The Training programme entails:
– Undergoing theoretical and practical training at a public or private TVET college;
– working on a building site; applying health and safety regulations;
– maintaining work areas;
– and undertaking administrative tasks.
PAINTING L3 (Ref. PGR)
CARPENTRY L3 (Ref. CGR)
Minimum requirements:
• Between 18 and 30 years old
• Resident of the Garden Route District
• Painting: Grade 10 or TVET equivalent with a pass in Mathematical Literacy
• Carpentry: Grade 10 or TVET equivalent with a pass in Mathematical Literacy
Register online: https://sayouth.mobi/Home/Index/EN
• Successful candidates will be informed by 13 September 2024.
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996) states that everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being. Recognizing this, the Garden Route District Municipality is taking proactive steps to fulfil its environmental responsibility by developing a 4th generation Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP).
The AQMP serves as a strategic blueprint for tackling air pollution within a specific area. It begins with a thorough assessment of current air quality conditions, identifying sources of pollution, and analysing trends over time. From there, the plan outlines targeted interventions aimed at minimizing health risks and environmental impacts associated with poor air quality. Public participation and collaboration from interested and affected parties is key in this endeavour.
We invite any person wishing to make comments with regards to the Air Quality Management Plan, to submit their comments in writing within 3 months of publication of this notice, either via email or SMS, or verbally via telephone or by attending stakeholder engagement meetings.
Dr Johann Schoeman – Email: jschoeman@gardenroute.gov.za | Tel: 044 693 0006 Jodi Howard – Email: jodi.howard@rayten.co.za or info@rayten.co.za | Tel: 011 792 0880
Click and dowload the official Public Notice.
MG Stratu
Municipal Manager
54 York Street
PO Box 12
GEORGE
6530
Tel: 044 803 1300
Fax: 086 555 6303
Notice number: 73/2024
Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) from Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), together with Western Cape Veterinary Services, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE), City of Cape Town Coastal Management, and other partners are working closely to establish the extent and timeline of the outbreak through further sampling and testing.
Circular H80/2024, which is aligned to Circular H19/2022: Rabies: Updated Draft National Human Rabies Prophylaxis Guideline and the Prevention of Human Rabies Cases:
This serves as an alert to inform healthcare providers and workers of the necessary public health response following a confirmed rabies case in a wild Cape Fur Seal from Big Bay, Blouberg, Cape Town.
The sample was taken from the seal in question on 22 May 2024 and was confirmed to be infected with rabies by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture on 7 June 2024.
Rabies has never been detected in seals in Southern Africa before, and this is one of the very few detections in seals worldwide.
Information on various seal bite incidents has been received by the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness from the City of Cape Town Coastal Management, Oudekraal, Kommetjie, Muizenberg, Blouberg in Cape Town, and Plettenberg Bay.
Rabies in unvaccinated animals can lead to the spread of the disease and can be fatal to humans. Therefore, with the confirmed rabies case in Cape Town, the public needs to be advised of the following:
All human and animal contact should be avoided as far as possible.
Public Health Response and Measures Following the Confirmed Rabies Case in Cape Fur Seals:
BACKGROUND ON RABIES
Rabies is a zoonotic, fatal, vaccine-preventable viral disease which is spread through the bite of an infected animal. It is endemic in South Africa with an average of 10 laboratory confirmed cases of human rabies confirmed annually.
Signs of Rabies in animals
Signs and symptoms of Rabies in humans
Transmission from animals to humans
Human to human transmission
Preventative measures
For any additional information regarding this article please or to report any incidents please contact:
Mr Johan Compion
Manager: Municipal Health & Environmental Services
E-mail: info@gardenroute.gov.za
Tel: 044 803 1300 / Cell: 082 803 5161
For immediate release
26 June 2024
The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) based at the Knysna office has prepared for the 41st annual Knysna Oyster Festival well in advance.
They have been planning and are implementing a mitigation and monitoring work schedule before, during and for after the festival. According to James McCarthy, Chief EHP for the Knysna region: “The purpose of the schedule is to minimise and address any public health issue that might arise at the festival”.
During the first weekend (21- 23 June 2024), thousands of marathon runners were welcomed to Knysna, participating in the annual Knysna Forest Marathon. The second weekend (28 – 30 June 2024) hosts the Knysna Cycling event which is expected to attract numerous enthusiastic cyclists from across the country.
Pre-festival inspections, as well as inspections during the event are undertaken of all formal and informal food premises, including:
Regular inspections and health surveillance of premises of all related public amenities are undertaken during the festival, including:
COMMUNICABLE DISEASE OUTBREAK
A strict communication protocol regarding the reporting of any potential communicable disease outbreak between the GRDM and the relevant medical health care providers in the area. This includes both the private and provincial hospitals, general practitioners and pharmacies.
For any additional information regarding the festival, please contact:
Knysna Region
James McCarthy
26A Queen Street, Knysna
E-mail: james@gardenroute.gov.za. Tel: 044 382 7214 / Cell: 082 805 9417 /or
Johan Compion
Manager: Municipal Health & Environmental Services
E-mail: info@gardenroute.gov.za / Tel: 044 803 1300 / Cell: 082 803 5161
Feature Image: Supplied
ENDS
25 June 2024
In response to the severe flooding experienced between 8 April and 11 April 2024, and from 2 June to 6 June 2024, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) requested the Western Cape Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) to support a declaration of the Garden Route with specific reference to the Oudtshoorn Local Municipal area as a Local Disaster area. The PDMC pledged their support for the nearly R500 million submission. This was was subsequently submitted to the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) to agree with the classification or to re-classify it.
The Garden Route district experienced prolonged and heavy rainfall and a downflow of water from adjacent districts, leading to the spilling of dams and significant downstream flooding. Several major and minor roads had to be closed, and in the Oudtshoorn area, the Koos Raubenheimer-, Kammanassie-, and Stompdrift Dams overflowed, contributing to the flooding of the Olifants River. The Stompdrift Dam overflowed for the first time in the last nine years and peaked at more than 136% in capacity. The Gamkapoort Dam also overflowed, intensifying the already critical situation. This resulted in extensive damage to both urban and rural infrastructure.
Damages reported for the Oudtshoorn Municipality are more than R100 million, agriculture-related damages are estimated at R182 million and damages to district roads and infrastructure are projected to surpass R200 million.
Under Schedule D2 of the powers delegated to the current Executive Mayor of GRDM, Ald. Gert van Niekerk by the Council, he has the authority to support or declare a local state of disaster if warranted by the Disaster Management Act, Act 57 of 2002, as amended.
Ald. Gert van Niekerk supported the declaration and said: “This type of declaration enables access to additional resources and funds to assist in restoring, rebuilding, and improving infrastructure damaged after a disastrous event.”
Gerhard Otto, heading Disaster Management at GRDM indicated that: “The declaration of a local disaster will allow the municipality to access disaster recovery and rehabilitation grant funding and permit the necessary provincial and municipal budgets to be supplemented to address the damages caused by the flooding. It will also allow for emergency procurement procedures to be followed to not only fast track rehabilitation and recovery work but also to allow for building back better to ensure a more resilient Garden Route”.
The process for declaring a local disaster involves:
“Prior to the floods, the GRDM received multiple impact-based weather warnings from the South African Weather Services (SAWS), including warnings for damaging winds, waves, and disruptive rain. These warnings were disseminated to all relevant stakeholders, enabling proactive measures and contingency plans to be put in place,” said Otto.
Despite these measures, the floodwaters caused significant disruptions, including the closure of Meiringspoort, low-water bridges in Oudtshoorn, and various other roads due to flooding and rock falls. The flood also necessitated the evacuation of the Calitzdorp Hot Springs Resort and the rescue of dozens of people cut off by floodwaters in Oudtshoorn.
The GRDM in the past has successfully coordinated the declaration of local disasters for the 2010 Drought, 2006 as well as the 2022 Floods and the storm surges of 2023. Following the latter two declared disasters more than R280 million disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction grant funding were provided to the George-, Oudtshoorn-, Hessequa- and Knysna Local Municipalities to execute rehabilitation and reconstruction projects with the emphasis on building back better.
Feature image: N12 between Oudtshoorn and De Rust was damaged during the floods.
ENDS
25 June 2024
Yesterday, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) held an educational workshop for its firefighters on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The workshop was presented by Lize Esterhuysen, a registered Dietitian and International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). Recognizing the critical role that firefighters play, GRDM organized this session to emphasize the importance of health and wellness for these vital members of the organization and the community.
The session was both interactive and informative, featuring practical examples to enhance understanding. Esterhuysen covered a range of essential topics, including:
During the workshop, firefighters received valuable advice on reading nutrition labels, planning weekly menus, and the benefits of using fresh or frozen produce. Emphasis was placed on ensuring each food group is included in every meal.
The goal-setting process was a major highlight, comprising five critical steps:
Define Your Goals: Discussing what firefighters aim to achieve and why focusing on a healthy lifestyle is crucial.
Start Small: Participants wrote down three small dietary goals they could implement immediately.
Plan Ahead: Encouragement to plan meals and snacks for the week and prepare in bulk to save time.
Add, don’t Subtract: Exploring ways to enhance usual meals with healthier additions. For example, adding nutritious ingredients to a mince pasta dish.
Eat real food: To focus on whole foods, encouraging the consumption of fresh, unprocessed foods with a short shelf life.
Lize Esterhuysen provided a thorough explanation on the importance of gut health for firefighters, emphasizing its critical role in overall well-being and physical performance. She highlighted that a healthy gut supports better nutrient absorption, stronger immunity, and improved mental health—all crucial for the demanding nature of firefighting. To actively support and improve gut health, Ms. Esterhuysen advised incorporating a diet rich in fiber, probiotics, and prebiotics, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fermented foods. She also stressed the importance of staying hydrated, managing stress, and avoiding processed foods to maintain a healthy and balanced gut microbiome.
Through these examples, firefighters were able to apply the workshop’s principles to their daily lives.
Feature Image Caption: Dietitian Lize Esterhuysen with some of the GRDM Firefighters who attended the information session.
Activities during the healthy lifestyle workshop
-END-
For immediate release
24 June 2024
“The Garden Route is blessed with a wealth of biodiversity and some of South Africa’s most scenic natural treasures in beaches, forests, mountains, rivers and lakes,” says Cobus Meiring of the Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF).
The Western Cape natural environment is generally speaking, well protected by Provincial Government from an environmental management perspective. Thus, with capable mandated conservation bodies such as CapeNature and SANParks, as well as several privately owned entities acting as custodians for many nature reserves and conservation areas scattered all over the Province, all bodes well for the future.
A fast-changing climate resulting in natural disasters including storm surges, drought, fire and floods continue to expose the fragility of the region, and even more pressure is being exerted by a steady increase in population and growing demands on natural resources such as water and land for development and agriculture.
GREF is acting as a public platform for conservation and environmental management entities for both mandated and private environmental management entities and is delighted to be able to report that civil society increasingly plays a vital role in protecting natural assets and biodiversity in the Garden Route.
There is a deepening of public understanding that conservation and the protection of biodiversity can happen in small scale e.g. the protection of a wetland or by not clearing all land of fynbos, but that the collective of all the small efforts by landowners and privately led conservancies including the establishment of conservation corridors are making a big difference.
The theme for the GREF 2024 Climate Change and Environmental Management Indaba on 27 June at the Nelson Mandel University: George Campus is “Resilience in action: Building Sustainable Communities amid a Changing Climate”, and civil society will be presenting on a range of issues aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change going forward.
Issued by: The GREF
GREF is a climate change think tank and public platform for conservation and environmental management entities in the Garden Route.
For further enquiries, contact:
Louise Mare
E-mail: louisamare@gmail.com
Feature Image: Picture captured in Kannaland during the recent floods. – Supplied
ENDS
Members of the public,
Please be informed that the Final Top Layer Service Delivery Budget Implementation Plan (SDBIP) for the 2024/2025 financial year was approved on 20 June 2024.
For more information, contact the Manager: Performance Management, Ms Ilse Saaiman, at:
Tel: 044-803 1300 / E-mail: pms@gardenroute.gov.za.