Update: GRDM continues to support Knysna Municipality during water infrastructure repairs

15 May 2025

Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Disaster Management has had a busy week assisting Knysna Municipality (KM). This, after the GRDM received a formal request to assist KM with water tankering to communities in Rheenendal.

KM activated a Joint Operations Centre (JOC) yesterday after the main domestic water pump broke. The response to the service delivery challenges will be coordinated from their JOC. Role players in the JOC include the Western Cape Provincial Government, GRDM Disaster Management, Knysna SAPS, Knysna Infrastructure Group, The Greater Knysna Business Chamber, KM Law Enforcement, Traffic Services, and KM Fire & Rescue Services.

“Only one 6000-litre water tanker was dispatched initially to assist Knysna, but it soon became evident that additional tankers would be required. The tankering service was beefed-up to two units, which now includes an additional 10 000-litre unit. The GRDM has been assisting since last weekend and continues to provide its support the Knysna and its communities,” said Andrew Stroebel, GRDM Executive Mayor.

“We will continue to assist local municipalities within our resource capacity. Previously we assisted Kannaland and Oudtshoorn Municipalities when they also experienced challenges with their water infrastructure.”

According the GRDM Head of Disaster Management, Gerhard Otto, the “coordination of the water tankering is done by the Knysna Technical Services Section. Up to yesterday, 14 May, the focus was to provide water to the Rheenendal community but due to the water situation deteriorating, the tankering of water had to be extended to other areas in Knysna like Dam-se-Bos and Nekkies”.

ENDS