To vote in elections in South Africa you need to first register as a voter
Who can register as a voter?
You must be a South African citizen.
You must have a South African green barcoded identity document (ID), a smart ID card or a temporary ID certificate.
You must be 16 years or older (but you will only be able to vote when you are 18 years or older).
You have to register in person. Nobody can do it for you.
Once you have registered to vote, you do not need to re-register in future elections unless:
You have moved house and are living in a different voting district.
You have been affected by the re-drawing of the voting district and/or ward boundaries
REMEMBER: If you do not have your green barcoded ID book, a smart ID card or temporary ID, you need to apply for one at the Department of Home Affairs.
Why should you register?
You should register to be included on the national common voters’ roll.
If you don’t register, you cannot vote, and if you don’t vote, you are giving up a very important way of making your voice heard.
It is your right and responsibility to register.
Where can you register?
Register at your local Electoral Commission (IEC) office from Monday to Friday during office hours. Registration is ongoing, so you can register at any time, whether an election is taking place or not.
Register to vote in person at a registration station in the voting district in which you live. The IEC opens its registration stations during a registration weekend just before general elections.
How does registration work?
When registering at your registration station or local IEC office (using IEC Voter Management Device-VMD) the barcode of your ID book or smart ID card or temporary ID certificate will be scanned. This receipt will be SMSed or emailed to you and will show:
Proof of application
Your ID number
The voting district number of your voting station
Date and time of your application.
REMEMBER:
You must provide sufficient details of where you live (a full residential address or a description of where you live) for the IEC to confirm that you are registering in the correct voting district. Proof of address is not needed.
If you give false address information, it is a crime. You could go to jail for up to 10 years.
Your ID will be checked when you vote to make sure that it is YOU.
How to check if you are registered and that your voters’ roll address is up to date
Registration will take no more than 24 hours to process.
Check at your local IEC office from Monday to Friday during office hours. SMS your ID number to 32810 (R1 per SMS).
Go to the IEC website www.elections.org.za and follow the link “Am I registered to vote?”
Check the voters’ roll at your voting station where you are registered to vote during the voter registration weekends.
As a registered voter you can visit elections.org.za create a secure profile for yourself, check, and update or provide your voters’ roll address.
You can also help family and friends to check; remember you will need their ID number, full name, address and cell phone number or email address to check and update their voters’ roll address.
Even if you are registered, remember to check that your voters’ roll address is up to date.
Media Release: Reflecting on the 2021 GREF Climate Change Indaba and Fire Commemoration event
For Immediate Release 15 June 2021
Recalibrate resources to restore the balance in dealing with the environment
The Annual Garden Route Fire Commemoration event and Climate Change Indaba, including a field visit to severely affected areas by the 2018 wildfire disaster near Karatara, in the Garden Route district, came to a close on Wednesday, 9 June 2021. The event was hosted by the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) and the Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF).
Dr. Fanie Botha, a water resource specialist at Water Hunters, emphasises that South Africa must adopt a more proactive and even aggressive approach to water resource management. For example, innovative evaporation reduction methods should be considered. (Photo: Cobus Meiring)
As a result of Covid-19 restrictions, protocols and cautionary procedures, the event was a combination of face-to-face and virtual platforms. It was well attended with the Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), Ms Makhotso “Maggie” Sotyu, delivering the keynote address virtually from Pretoria.
In her address, Sotyu said climate change was a key concern within South Africa. The annual temperatures have increased by at least 1.5 times the observed global average of 0.65ºC over the past five decades, and extreme rainfall events have increased in frequency. She said her department is finalising the climate change bill to enable a coordinated and coherent approach to address climate change across the spheres of society. It is expected that the climate change bill will strengthen climate change governance in the country.
The department is currently revising the National Coastal Management Programmes (NCMP) as per the Integrated Coastal Management Act (ICM Act). The review of the NCMP will inform the review and development of the Provincial and Municipality Coastal Management Plans. The second NCMP will also focus on the ocean’s economy and the district-delivery model primarily aimed to address poverty and livelihoods support.
The newly appointed principal of the George Campus of the Nelson Mandela University (NMU), Dr. Kaluke Mawila, was one of the guest speakers at the Garden Route Climate Change Indaba held in George on 8 June 2021. (Photo: Cobus Meiring)
Reflecting on the event, the chairperson of the Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF), Mr Cobus Meiring, said the theme for the 2021 Garden Route Climate Change Indaba, “Adapt to a sustainable future“, was apt and relevant, and coinciding with World Oceans Day on 8 June, drew high-level attention and participation. He said the Indaba included several remarkable presentations that were of an international standard.
Ms Pamela Booth, Environmental Manager at Knysna Municipality and one of the facilitators at the Climate Change Indaba. (Photo: Cobus Meiring)
“The fact that the GRDM, GREF and partners can host an event like this, with direct input from top-tier national (DFFE) and the provincial (Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning – DEA&DP) echelons and academic institutions, speaks volumes and demonstrated that the GRDM has the entrenched capacity to act and collaborate as a leading municipality when it comes to all matters environmental, including disaster management, climate change, planning, and risk reduction,” Meiring said.
“Slowly but surely, the region is attracting more funding from various sources, and that is indicative of the trust foundation that has been consistent in the making over a sustained period.”
Meiring concluded: “An important message that came across from the Indaba was that countrywide, Covid-19 had drained away almost all resources formerly earmarked for vital interventions in the environmental sector, but, as the collective grow accustomed to dealing with the perpetual impact of Covid-19, we urgently need to recalibrate resources to restore the balance in dealing with the environment as well as Covid-19, because if we do not, we will create another and more significant climate-related crisis through important but one-dimensional funding allocation in dealing only with Covid-19 right now.”
People who are interested in viewing some of the high-profile presentations made at the event can view them on the video-sharing YouTube link: https://youtu.be/fbf_siHAyvk.
Media Release: Skills Mecca to become central to job and skills alignment in the Garden Route
For Immediate Release 15 June 2021
South Africans have almost become immune to bad news as day to day survival remains for many the single most important priority, especially with the arrival of COVID 19 and the world of Lockdown. Many of us would probably not even realised that on 1 June 2021, Statistics South Africa (STATS SA) released the first quarter of 2021 Labour Force survey that shows the official national unemployment stands at 32,6%. This is the highest unemployment rate since the start of the Labour Force survey in 2008. Although the Western Cape is somewhat better off at 23,7%, the smaller percentage makes no difference to those still unemployed and without a job.
Turning such a catastrophic scenario around in a long term sustainable manner is only possible through targeted economic growth and development. This is why the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) developed 20-year Growth and Development Strategy. A well-designed strategy requires a solid foundation with many cross-cutting enablers, one of which is skills development.
A critical question then arises: “What are the skills requirements and challenges that constrain this priority area?”
The GRDM and its relevant stakeholders have ramped up efforts to roll out the Garden Route Skills Mecca (GRSM). A dedicated GRSM Coordinator, Dr Florus Prinsloo, has subsequently been appointed by the GRDM. Dr Prinsloo has already established an internal task team, as well as an external stakeholder forum. An implementation plan for the Skills Mecca have been finalised and submitted to the Management of GRDM, the Municipal Managers Forum of the District (MMF) and a Council workshop today for further deliberations and input in the month of June. The next step is to develop a website where residents of the Garden Route can access up to date information on the GRSM.
Another essential part of the GRSM concept is establishing a clear link between skills development and jobs, which will only be possible by the GRSM team working closely with Local Economic Development (LED) Units at each municipality in the Garden Route. This approach will help to inform decisions by utilising demand-based methods toward skills development. This means that economic demand would need to be linked to skills development projects and programmes. This will result in people studying towards careers where there are jobs vacant.
A partnership-based approach is the only way that such an ambitious process will succeed. At the moment, a pressing and challenging risk faced is the lack of funding available for skills development. Creating partnerships between all the relevant public and private sector is vital to the success of this programme. However, the GRDM is engaging all economic levels to try and source funding for this innovative approach to skills development and job creation.
Media Release: Garden Route District Municipality establishes a dispersion modelling function
For Immediate Release 10 June 2021
The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) recently procured the Enviman AERMOD (Air Quality Dispersion Modelling) software programme that enables the GRDM Air Quality Unit to conduct dispersion modelling studies. This is a new initiative to expand the scope of work of the GRDM Air Quality Officers.
According to Dr Johann Schoeman, GRDM Manager: Air Quality: “Air dispersion modelling is defined as a series of mathematical simulations of how air pollutants disperse in the ambient atmosphere. It is performed with computer programs that solve the mathematical equations and algorithms which simulate the dispersion of pollutants.”
Dr Schoeman says AERMOD is also listed as an approved dispersion model in the Regulations that governs Dispersion Modelling, 2014, Government Notice R533. Thus, the program allows for creating air quality maps for comparison against national guidelines and limit values.
The application of this software will assist the Air Quality unit in dealing with air quality complaints. It predicts the emissions and effect of a specific source on a particular residency, depending on real-time weather data availability. For example, suppose a person phones the GRDM to complain about the smoke from a stack of Facility X. In that case, the GRDM can execute a theoretical predication of the dispersion by entering the real-time weather data and stack parameters, and the model will determine the concentrations at the complainant’s residency. GRDM can then determine if the complaint is indeed justified by comparing it with the National Ambient Air Quality standards.
The GRDM can also determine the air quality impact of area sources such as landfill sites on communities. The below dispersion model for Methane was done for the proposed GRDM Landfill site in Mossel Bay, based on the predicted landfill volumes during year one and the historical weather data for Mossel Bay over the last three years.
The programme can also determine various percentile equations to determine a specific source’s worst-case scenario on a community. The 99 percentile, for example, predicts the highest concentration of a pollutant for 1% of the year. This is demonstrated in the picture below.
Feature image: Average hourly period concentrations for Methane from the proposed Landfill site in Mossel Bay computed over a year. As can be seen in both examples, the methane concentrations are insignificant and will not cause any harm to the community.
FINAL REVIEW OF 2021/2022 INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT PLAN (IDP) AND 2021/2022 – 2023/2024 MULTI-YEAR BUDGET
Notice is hereby given that the Garden Route District Municipal Council’s Final Review of the 2021/2022 Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and Multi-Year Budget for the period 2021/2022 to 2023/2024 were compiled in accordance with the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 2000 (Act 32 of 2000) and Municipal Finance Management Act 2003 (Act 56 of 2003).
These documents were adopted by the Garden Route District Municipal Council at a District Council meeting on Wednesday, 25 May 2021.
These documents will be available for public viewing on the Garden Route District Municipality’s website www.gardenroute.gov.za.
Please contact the District IDP Manager (Ms Mercy James) or Budget Manager (Ms Louise Hoek) at 044 803 1300 with any enquiries
MG STRATU MUNICIPAL MANAGER GARDEN ROUTE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY
Executive Mayor’s Speech – GRDM Council Meeting on 25 May 2021
Thank you, Speaker
As always, I remain a very competitive person, so I do not like to be outdone by the opposition party. The opposition party has welcomed a new member of their team. Still, at the same time, I am taking this opportunity to introduce and welcome my newly appointed Mayoral Committee member, Cllr Bernardus Van Wyk. Please take note that he replaces one of my previous Mayco members, Cllr Joslyn Johnson. Cllr Van Wyk is a competent member of my party, and I know that we will hit the ground running.
In terms of those listening to us on Youtube and Facebook, I am also proudly announcing and challenging everybody who forms part of the Garden Route District Municipality to be reminded of a campaign we are running in collaboration with Eden FM Vodacom and George Museum. The drive we are collaboratively working on is coined as the “Walk a Child to School” campaign. Through this campaign, we’ve identified schools where the most vulnerable and most impoverished kids are schooled. We mainly focus on learners at farm schools and low fee schools, etc. Those participating in this campaign can donate shoes to these schools by dropping off shoes to these kids at all our Garden Route District Municipality offices in the region, Eden FM, Vodacom or George Museum offices. We need kid-sizes of 10 to 7 for this specific campaign. Please come on board because we would like to have this campaign finalised before the end of June 2021.
It also gives me pleasure to announce here that last Friday, I visited a small business with Councillors in Oudtshoorn, specifically De Hoek Mountain Resort, where the Western Cape Honeybush Co-operative is currently stationed. There is massive potential for the demand for Honeybush tea, especially on an international level. They plan to broaden their scope by expanding their business model to a tourism attraction near the Cango Caves. They have big plans, and this will have spin-offs for De Hoek Mountain Resort. People must watch this space.
In the same vein, we also visited the Calitzdorp Spa because we were in that area. I would like to extend a word of gratitude to the Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu and officials. They are involved in these type of projects. As it stands, we are currently upgrading Calitzdorp Spa with our funding, and the first phase is to replace the thatch roofs. The second phase would be to upgrade the interior of the resort. We need to explore more ways to up the standards of the resort.
I also want to take a moment to acknowledge what our officials are doing, particularly the Human Settlements Unit. We are aware that we signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Western Cape Department of Human Settlements in terms of us getting into the human settlements space. I know that there are still some unanswered questions or clarity about what role we will play in terms of that. I want to say thank you to Joel and Shehaam for going from municipality to municipality to outline this draft integrated human settlements plan. The Municipal Manager and I remain on standby if we are required to outline our role if we are required to do so. We do not want any miscommunications or misunderstandings in this regard. I want to emphasise again – we are not trying to take over the Breaking New Ground projects from local municipalities; we are here to fill the gap and enhance what they are doing.
Two weeks ago, I congratulated and encouraged participants who formed part of the peace officer and learner and drivers license programmes. During this event, which took place at the Rosemoor Stadium in George, I also recognised the achievements of the youth. We also committed that that would not be the end of those projects, especially not in the Garden Route. The skills funding we funded filled the gaps for many of the job requirements currently in the market. We are clear that we will continue with those kinds of projects.
Ald. Groenewald, because of the massive unemployment in South Africa and the Garden Route, we will continue to get the youth on board and skilled to become employable. I want to see more entrepreneurs, partners in terms of what our vision is for the region. Based on that Alderman Groenewald, we have approached the National Skills Fund. They paid us a due diligence visit to verify the training organisations and clarify contractual issues for when funding is approved. This will be a significant injection to youth development skills in our region. This will be of benefit to women and differently-abled Garden Routers too.
Mr Speaker, we will remember that we’ve had two skills summits, and we are also well on our way to becoming a skills mecca. There is also a new skills summit envisaged for the near future. At that skills summit, it will be a list of dreams that we want to achieve and an overview of what has been achieved from the other skills summits. We will be dealing with concrete numbers during the next meeting.
We are also due for a State of the District Address; what were the achievements since we took office in 2016 to date. The SODA is set for 17 June 2021. The identified hosting municipality is Bitou Local Municipality’s Piesang Valley Hall. Logistics will be communicated in due time – the whens and hows. I also want to call all councillors in terms of their attendance; please indicate as soon as possible who will be attending. We will also ensure that Councillors will be able to invite their partners to the SODA.
The approach following the SODA will offer opposition parties to pose questions, raise their concerns and provide inputs on 18 June 2021 during a Special Council meeting. Ald. Groenewald, I would still like your inputs about this before we set it in stone. The idea will then be at the next Ordinary Council meeting to respond to all the questions posed by Councillors. Ald. Booysen, we will take your guidance on how exactly to approach this going forward.
Lastly, Ald. Groenewald, we are concerned about the 3rd wave of Coronavirus. We know the Western Cape is still on high alert, and we are monitoring what is happening in terms of it in our area. We cannot take anything for granted and remain on high alert – in particular, because of the fact that we are planning a SODA. I would like to reiterate that we are monitoring what is happening in terms of COVID-19. We remain flexible on how we will deal with the SODA if positive cases increase.
Media Release: Participatory governance central to the success of Garden Route DM’s New Integrated Human Settlements Plan
For Immediate Release 20 May 2021
The President in the 2019 Presidency Budget Speech (2019) identified the “pattern of operating in silos” as a challenge which led to “to lack of coherence in planning and implementation and has made monitoring and oversight of government’s programme difficult”. The consequence has been non-optimal delivery of services and diminished impact on the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and employment. The President further called for the rolling out of “a new integrated district-based approach to addressing our service delivery challenges and localise procurement and job creation, that promotes and supports local businesses, and that involves communities….” The President is aware that such an approach will require for “National departments to have district-level delivery capacity together with the provinces … provide implementation plans in line with priorities identified in the State of the Nation address”.
Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) is one of the 48 District Municipalities identified for launching the One Plan strategic initiative. This is supported by the National Development Plan (NDP) and is based on intergovernmental cooperation between the different spheres of public authorities to bring services and developmental programmes closer to the people. This initiative will create an environment where long-term sustainable socio-economic integration in the Garden Route becomes a reality.
According to the GRDM Human Settlements division, “Socio-economic integration in the context of human settlements relates to the review and redress of old spatial planning distortions that ensured historical race-based settlements patterns, which made it difficult to attain long term socio-economic integration”.
“The intent is to pursue and implement, through a collaborative approach, spatial planning reprioritisation in the use of government assets and properties.”
For transformation to happen, a participatory governance and cooperative approach with all stakeholders is needed. In anticipation, the GRDM has met and consulted with national government departments as well as their agencies to prepare and align with this reality. To this end, it has initiated various workshops with all seven (7) local municipalities in the Garden Route to build a common understanding of how best to prepare for this. In addition, it will ensure collective ownership and structured coordination between the different government departments and municipalities in the Garden Route.
The GRDM Human Settlements team presenting to external stakeholders at Knysna Municipality.
Other than redressing the injustices of the past, the needs of low-income households need to be addressed, which is why it is important for long term socio-economic integration to happen. It is for that reason that the Western Cape Provincial Government and Local Government in the Garden Route remains committed to meet the Human Settlements mandate (see the previous article).
The consultative sessions by the GRDM are crucial in enhancing common coherent understanding and commitment to the new housing approach. One of the key discussion points at these sessions is introducing a new Draft GRDM Integrated Human Settlements Plan. This Plan relates primarily to how the housing model and realisation of it in well-located areas, deemed as Priority and Restructuring Zones, will become a reality.
It should be noted that the four targeted catalytic towns of Bitou, Knysna, George and Mossel Bay will be the focal points in the implementation of the new Priority Human Settlement and Housing Development Areas (PHSHDA) as gazetted by the national government. According to the GRDM’s Human Settlements Management team, Ms Shehaam Sims and Mr Joel Mkunqwana: “The Integrated Human Settlements Plan will include targeted development projects and related housing programmes in well-located areas now defined as Priority and Restructuring Zones within the jurisdiction of the Garden Route.”
According to Sims: “At a higher strategic level a myriad of plans need to be integrated, which include the Garden Route Growth and Development Plan, Integrated Development Plans, Spatial Development Frameworks, District Development Plan, South Cape Corridor Development Initiative, Priority Human Settlements and Housing Development Areas and the overall plan – now to be launched as the One Plan.”
“It is a complex process and requires strategic preparation and think-tanks from all corners of the human settlements arena to work together with one common goal in mind,” said Simms.
Mkunqwana says the “Integrated Human Settlements Plan must be guided and align to the goals and objectives of the ‘One Plan’ concept of National Government”. The National and Provincial Governments are both obliged to be other spheres of government partners committed to co-planning, co-budgeting, and co-implementation to make the One Plan a feasible proposition.
All the three spheres of government and their agencies will therefore be guided by the District Development Model (DDM) /Joint District Metro Approach (JDMA) {as defined by the WC Provincial Government}, Priority Human Settlements and Housing Development Areas (PHSHDAs) which will eventuate into the One Plan overall strategic intervention as aligned and guided by the National Development Plan (NDP).
From a human settlements perspective, all these three strategic interventions are geared towards complementing each other towards the eventuality defined as the One Plan strategic concept. The district spaces are seen as focal points of government and private sector investment, with the GRDM expected to play an enabling role towards such a conducive delivery environment.
The GRDM and its’ 7 B Municipalities and government partners and stakeholders have therefore geared themselves for an exciting period of new strategic interventions that will complement efforts to change the lives of targeted low-cost communities for the better.
Editor’s note
The legislative and policy guidelines for integrated human settlements include the following:
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 and Regulations
The Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act no. 1 of 1999);
The Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Act no. 32 of 2000);
The Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003 (Act no. 56 of 2003);
The Housing Development Agency Act, 2008 (Act no. 23 of 2008);
The Housing Act, 1997 (Act no. 107 of 1997) as amended;
The Rental Housing Act, 2021The National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act 103 of 1977;
The Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act, 2005 (Act no. 13 of 2005);
Municipal by-laws;
Social Housing Act, 2009;
The Supply Chain Management Policy of the Implementing Agent;
The Annual Division of Revenue Act; and
The National Human Settlements Policies and Programmes together with the Implementation Guidelines for the Comprehensive Plan for the Development of Sustainable Human Settlements.
Feature image credit: Ryan Kova, Bitou Communications
Media Release: GRDM Executive Mayor encourages participants of Mayoral Programmes during Certificate Ceremony
For Immediate Release
14 May 2021
On Wednesday, 12 May 2021, youth between the ages of 18 and 35 from various towns within the Garden Route, were acknowledged and handed over certificates by the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), after completing a Peace Officer (Law Enforcement) and/or Learners & Drivers Licence Programme. This was the last group of participants who underwent one or both programmes as part of the 2017-2021 Mayoral Programme.
The event took place at the Rosemoor Stadium with the councillors, management, training providers, service providers and the participants in attendance.
Executive Deputy Mayor at Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), Ald. Rosina Ruiters welcomed all officials and participants and training providers to the event. She specifically welcomed and commended the training providers for the excellent manner in which they presented the programmes to the participants.
The Mayoral Law Enforcement programme started in 2017 with the aim to capacitate local municipalities to enforce by-laws within their respective areas. The programme initially commenced in the Knysna and Bitou municipal areas due to the high crime rates in both areas at the time, but subsequently was extended to the other areas of the district.
After completion of the Law Enforcement Programme, the Learners and Drivers Licence Programme was rolled out to empower unemployed youth with essential skills to get easier access to the job market, according to Richard Dyantyi, Manager for Expanded Public Works (EPWP) at the GRDM. “Both these programme are initiatives of the GRDM Executive Mayor, Ald Memory Booysen,” he said.
Executive Mayor of GRDM, Alderman Memory Booysen, praised and encouraged the participants of both programme during his keynote address.
Cllr Rowan Spies, member of the Training and Skills Development Committee, as well as Chairperson of the Roads and Transport Planning Committee at GRDM, directed the programme.
GRDM Manager for EPWP, Richard Dyantyi highlighted that both these programme are initiatives of the GRDM Executive Mayor, Ald Memory Booysen,
GRDM Councillor Rowan Spies, programme director of the event, congratulated and encouraged all participants who completed the programme(s) with the following words: “Success is not a moment, but a challenge that you pick up every step of the way. It is getting up in the morning and showing up what you are supposed to do that day when you do not feel like doing it. It is working through relationships in spaces that you work in and learn in and try to move forward when you do not get along with people which you supposed to be working with. That is how success is built. Adding to this he highlighted: “Success comes after your darkest moment when you just want to give up – commend yourself for your hard work and success,” he concluded. Spies is also a member of the Skills Development Training Committee, as well as Portfolio Chairperson tasked with Road and Transport Planning at GRDM.
GRDM Executive Mayor, Ald. Memory Booysen, with some of the participants of the two programmes.
Participants namely Nolusindiso Thafeni, Nathan Buys and Jozé Olivier shared warm messages of appreciation with GRDM, Mayor Booysen, their respective local municipalities and training providers for their efforts to roll out these programmes. Thafeni (Law Enforcement) said: “There are people who weren’t as lucky as us to be selected to the programme, so we are very grateful to Mayor Booysen for making this possible. We are also grateful to everyone who was involved and took initiative by teaching us and getting us here today – we thank you. Buys from Riversdale said: “I am thankful towards both GRDM and Hessequa municipalities for the opportunity created for the youth, in order to build a future for themselves. He also thanked Mayor Booysen for the course that was created for the youth and for all future programmes that will continue to benefit youth. Oliver, a Learners and Drivers Licence participant, also thanked GRDM and stakeholders involved for the opportunity created to assist them in obtaining the necessary skills to be job-ready.
The moment all participants waited for was the appearance of Mayor Booysen when he shared his story of passion with them to help the Garden Route district become a better district for all. He applauded the group for their endurance throughout the programme and praised them for not giving up on themselves. When highlighting the group’s achievement, he said: “This is just the beginning, because if you are doing good in what you are doing today, you are not only paving the way for yourselves but for others too. Your performance during these programmes motivates us as Council to continue to invest in similar programmes,” Mayor Booysen said.
Alderman Memory Booysen (2nd from left), Cllr Khayalethu Lose (left), Cllr Erica Meyer (middle row), Ald. Pieter van der Hoven (left, back) and Ald. Virgil Gericke (back, right), attended the ceremony with others.
One of GRDM’s Environmental Health Practitioners, Jessica Erasmus (second from left), with other officials, ensuring that strict COVID-19 protocols were adhered to during the event.
Nolusindiso Thafeni shared a word of gratitude during the event, recognising the importance of the GRDM’s role in skills development.
When referring to the challenges faced by our country in terms of skills development and jobs, Mayor Booysen emphasised: “The GRDM Council made a unanimous conscious decision to invest in the skills of the Garden Route youth and will continue to do so. This idea fits into the broader Skills Mecca concept, which is also being driven by the GRDM at the moment”. He added that from the GRDM’s side, Council also wants to make sure that when opportunities arise, the youth are ready for those opportunities. In closing, he said: “To be ready for the future, you need to be able to help yourself, you need to be able to solve problems and if you are able to do so, you would then be able to fulfil your purpose in the future of the Republic of South Africa”.
The event was organised by the representatives in the Office of the Executive Mayor, led by Siphiwe Dadla (Chief of Staff in the Office of the Executive Mayor), in collaboration with the EPWP Unit and other internal departments of GRDM.
Media Release: Private healthcare workers to register for COVID-19 vaccine
For Immediate Release
5 May 2021
Phase 1 of the Sisonke Vaccination programme will conclude on 15 May 2021. All healthcare workers both private and the public have the opportunity to get their vaccination. Remember to register on the EVDS system. https://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za/#/
Not sure if you qualify?
Please see the following categories below.
Beneficiaries: Nurses (all categories), Medical doctors (all categories and specialisations), Dentists, dental therapists and oral hygienists, Clinical associates, Community health workers / liaison and development officers employed by provincial Departments of Health, Environmental Health practitioners (working for municipalities and provincial Departments of Health), Pharmacists and Pharmacist Assistants (fully registered/post-basic /basic), Radiographers, Emergency Medical Practitioners, Allied health staff (physiotherapists/occupational therapists /psychologists /optometrists /speech therapists /audiologists /biokinetics /nutritionists /dieticians), Registered occupational health staff, Clinical and medical technologists at clinical laboratory services, Clinical and medical technologists at forensic medical laboratory services, Blood Transfusion Services laboratory technicians, Staff working in forensic mortuaries, Orthotists /prosthetists/podiatrists, Alternative medicine practitioners (homeopaths/osteopaths/chiropractors), Medical/dental /nursing /pharmacy students that are on the clinical training platform, Staff working at national and provincial health departments and district health offices, Officials employed by National Port Health Authorities, Health staff at Department of Correctional Services, South African Military Health Services (SAMHS), Cleaners/housekeeping staff at health establishments and care facilities, Security services at health establishments and care facilities, Administrative staff at health establishments and care facilities, Staff working in student health services at TVETs and HEIs, Funeral workers (formal funeral homes and volunteers from registered burial societies), Registered traditional healers.
Please take note of the sites, dates and contact person for vaccinations.
The contacts below are available on weekdays between 08:00 and 16:00.
Vaccination site and dates: OUDTSHOORN HOSPITAL: 5 May
Vaccination site and dates: GEORGE HOSPITAL 10 May
Contact person: George
Bernicois Konig: (044) 803 2079
Private healthcare workers: If you have not yet, please request your appointment through your manager or one central person from a facility in order not to have multiple people engaging from the same facility. See above contact details for persons to contact.
On the day of vaccination, you need to bring along your ID, Proof that you are a healthcare worker and Sisonke Vaccination Voucher
END
Nadia Ferreira Principal Communications Officer Garden Route and Central Karoo Districts Western Cape Government Health
