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Author: Herman Pieters

17 Augustus Openbare Bewusmaking: Voedselveiligheid tydens kragonderbrekings in die Oudtshoorn munisipale gebied

Openbare Bewusmaking: Voedselveiligheid tydens kragonderbrekings in die Oudtshoorn munisipale gebied

17 Augustus 2026

Die Oudtshoorn munisipale area is tans sonder elektrisiteit. Voedsel kan gedurende hierdie tyd vinnig bederf indien dit nie behoorlik gestoor of hanteer word nie. Deur te weet wat om te doen, kan almal help om voedselgedraagde siektes te voorkom.

Hieronder volg ’n paar eenvoudige, maar belangrike voedselveiligheidswenke.

Hoe om jou kos langer koud te hou

Een van die belangrikste dinge om tydens ’n kragonderbreking te onthou, is om die yskas- en vrieskasdeure so veel as moontlik toe te hou. Hoewel geen elektrisiteit gebruik word terwyl die deure toe bly nie, behou die yskas die koue temperatuur vir ’n langer tydperk en vertraag dit dus die bederf van bederfbare voedsel.

Indien die kragonderbreking in ’n gebied voortduur, oorweeg dit om ’n koelhouer met yspakke te gebruik vir voedsel wat koud gehou moet word, soos melk, vleis, eiers en oorskietkos.

Watter voedselsoorte word as hoërisiko-voedsel beskou?

Rou vleis, hoender, seekos, suiwelprodukte en gaar oorskietkos is hoërisiko-voedselsoorte en moet ná ’n kragonderbreking noukeurig nagegaan word.

Rakstabiele voedselsoorte, soos blikkieskos, onoopgemaakte vrugtesappe, grondboontjiebotter en droë ontbytgraan, is oor die algemeen veiliger tydens lang kragonderbrekings.

Onthou hierdie belangrike reëls: Indien voedsel vreemd ruik, ongewoon lyk of warm voel wanneer dit koud behoort te wees, gooi dit weg. Ontdooide voedsel moet ook nie weer gevries word nie.

Wat is veilige temperature?

Voedselveiligheid is sterk afhanklik van temperatuur. Indien bederfbare voedsel vir langer as twee uur aan temperature bo die veilige temperatuur blootgestel was, is dit die veiligste om dit weg te gooi.

Hoe om higiëne tydens storms te handhaaf

Storms kan soms watervoorrade beïnvloed. Dit is die beste om veilige water te gebruik of water te kook voordat dit gebruik word.

Was jou hande met seep en skoon water voordat jy voedsel hanteer. Indien skoon en veilige water beperk is, gebruik handreiniger wat minstens 60% alkohol bevat.

Maak ook seker dat kombuisoppervlaktes, eetgerei en houers skoon gehou word om besoedeling of kruisbesmetting te voorkom.

Hoe kan jy vir noodgevalle voorberei?

Voorbereiding kan ’n groot verskil tydens noodgevalle maak. Hou ’n noodvoorraadstel met die volgende items gereed:

  • Yspakke
  • ’n Voedseltermometer
  • Gebottelde water
  • ’n Flits
  • ’n Handmatige blikoopmaker
  • Nie-bederfbare voedsel

Deur voorbereid te wees, kan jy stres verminder en jou huishouding veiliger hou tydens langdurige kragonderbrekings.

Vir meer inligting of om onhigiëniese praktyke deur voedselhanteerders aan te meld, kontak die volgende persone:

Johan Compion
Senior Bestuurder: Munisipale Gesondheid, Vaste Afvalbestuur en Luggehalte
E-pos: info@gardenroute.gov.za
044 803 1300 / 082 803 516

Klein Karoo & Kannaland
Desmond Paulse
Bestuurder: Munisipale Gesondheid (Klein Karoo)
94 St Johnstraat, Oudtshoorn
044 272 2241 / 083 678 6530

17 August 2026 Media Release: Garden Route’s Environmental Crisis: ‘Among the Worst’ in the Country

Media Release: Garden Route’s Environmental Crisis: ‘Among the Worst’ in the Country

For Immediate Release
17 August 2026

The Garden Route is facing an environmental crisis of alarming proportions, according to veteran environmental manager Dr Guy Preston who recently visited the region following the recent extreme weather events.

“After seeing conditions on the ground, Preston expressed deep concern at the extent of invasive alien plants (IAPs), describing their prevalence in the Garden Route as among the worst in the country,” says Cobus Meiring of the Garden Route Environmnetal Forum (GREF).

His warning carries particular weight. Dr Preston is renowned for spearheading South Africa’s ambitious invasive alien plant control programme. As former Director of Natural Resource Management Programmes in the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs, he was instrumental in establishing and driving the Working for Water, Working for Wetlands and Working on Fire Programmes.

These programmes became internationally recognised for combining environmental restoration with job creation and skills development. At its peak the combined budget for these initiatives ran into billions of rand and created thousands of jobs across South Africa.

During his Garden Route tour, Preston highlighted the enormous risks posed by the unchecked spread of invasive vegetation. The problem, he stressed, extends far beyond the loss of indigenous plants and biodiversity.

Dense stands of invasive alien vegetation create large quantities of combustible biomass, significantly increasing the risk of severe and destructive wildfires. At the same time, invasive plants threaten biodiversity by displacing indigenous species and disrupting natural ecosystems.

Water resources are also under pressure. Invasive alien plants can consume substantial amounts of water, particularly in catchments, while their spread can affect streamflow and reduce the availability of water for ecosystems and communities.

Preston also warned of damage to rivers and degradation of natural infrastructure. Healthy catchments, wetlands and river systems are essential to the functioning and resilience of the Garden Route, yet their condition is being compromised by widespread invasions.

For the region, Preston’s assessment is a stark wake-up call. The Garden Route’s forests, rivers, wetlands, mountains and coastal ecosystems represent an invaluable natural asset, but their resilience cannot be taken for granted.

His visit underlined the need for urgent, coordinated and sustained action involving government, municipalities, landowners, conservation organisations and communities.

The success of Working for Water demonstrated what can be achieved when invasive alien plants are treated as a major environmental and economic priority. GREF believes these lessons should inform a renewed effort to protect and restore the Garden Route before the costs of inaction become even greater.

The Garden Route Environmnetal Forum (GREF) is a public platform for environmental managers and serves as a climate change think- tank. (www.grefecsf.co.za)

Feature image: Cobus Mering, Chairperson of the Garden Route Environmental Forum with Dr Guy Preston.

Ends

Progress Update 4 on the GRDM Regional Waste Management Facility Construction

Progress Update 4 on the GRDM Regional Waste Management Facility Construction

3 August 2026

“The construction of the Garden Route District Municipality’s Regional Waste Management Facility, located 15km outside Mossel Bay next to PetroSA, remains on schedule,” said Johan Gie, Manager: District Waste Management.

This facility will provide a long-term waste disposal solution for participating municipalities across the Garden Route. With landfill airspace in the region becoming increasingly limited and waste volumes continuing to grow, the need for this project has never been greater.

The facility is being developed to reduce environmental risks, protect our groundwater and ensure waste is managed responsibly for the benefit of future generations.

Construction is progressing well across several key components of the project.

Behind me is Cell 1A, the first engineered landfill cell. It is being lined with specialised lining materials to prevent contamination of the surrounding environment, water courses, and groundwater. Once completed and approval for commencement of waste disposal is received, this will become the facility’s first operational disposal area.

Work is also progressing on the leachate and contaminated water dams, which will safely collect and store leachate and rainwater that has come into contact with waste, preventing any harmful impact on the environment.

The office block will serve as the administrative hub for the facility, while the weighbridge office will accurately record every vehicle entering and leaving the site to support efficient landfill management and waste disposal data management.

Construction of the workshop, perimeter fencing and concrete access roads is also underway, ensuring the facility is secure, well maintained and operates efficiently.

According to Johan Gie, “the project is being constructed by Civils 2000 at a contract value of R109 million, with completion expected towards the end of February 2027”.

While construction continues, every resident can also make a difference by reducing waste, recycling and participating in source separation programmes within their local municipality.

ENDS

28 July 2026: Media Statement: GRDM Council and Municipal Manager Part Ways by Mutual Agreement

Media Statement: GRDM Council and Municipal Manager Part Ways by Mutual Agreement

For Immediate Release
28 July 2026

During an In-Committee Council meeting held today, 28 July 2026, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Council and Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu, mutually agreed to terminate his employment contract. Mr Stratu served as the Municipal Manager since March 2017, leading the municipality for almost two full consecutive terms over a period of more than nine years.

A MESSAGE FROM EXECUTIVE MAYOR, ALD. MARAIS KRUGER

Executive Mayor, Ald. Marais Kruger said the following after the Council meeting took place: “I want to thank MM Stratu for approaching me and the way our conversations and consultations was handled. In my nearly 15 months of working with the MM, he has always treated me, council, and the officials with respect. I know his decision was not one he takes lightly, but I do want to wish him all the best. We are proud to have obtained 5 consecutive clean audits under his tenure and will continue to build on his work.

I want to thank him for his work, his knowledge, and his professionalism that he added to the Garden Route District Municipality. I wish him and his family all the best in health, love, and well-deserved rest. Thank you, MM, for the past 9 years at GRDM we appreciate it”.

STRATU’S TENURE

Highlights during Stratu’s tenure was ensuring the GRDM attained five (5) consecutive Clean Audits from the Auditor General of South Africa. The GRDM saw its first municipal-owned regional fire station.

The Garden Route Skills Mecca (GRSM) was also established during Mr Stratu’s tenure, creating a regional platform that brings together government, industry, academia and communities to address skills development, employment and economic growth across the district. The Garden Route Skills Mecca is the first-of-its-kind in Africa.

Under his leadership, the GRDM’s Municipal Health Services also received multiple provincial accolades, including Gold Certificates of Recognition from the Western Cape Government, while maintaining a Municipal Health Compliance Rate of 88% and achieving an exceptional 97.8% score for technological advancement in Environmental Health Norms and Standards during 2025/26. The municipality’s Communication, Marketing and Brand Management Unit  earned national recognition as South Africa’s most proactive and innovative district communications team, as well as a SALGA award for the country’s most updated social media platforms.

GRDM also pioneered South Africa’s first Municipal Health Dashboard, presented nationally on SALGA TV. The GRDM was also  recognised for developing one of the Western Cape’s most simplified Integrated Development Plans. Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), recognised the GRDM’s One Plan as one of the best countrywide.

The GRDM’s name was also changed from Eden to Garden Route in 2018. This was done to better align the district municipality’s brand name with one of South Africa’s best-known tourism identities, recognised worldwide, whereas “Eden” was far less familiar to visitors and investors.

Lastly, Stratu also oversaw the development to date of the Regional Waste Management Facility, a landmark infrastructure project that will provide a long-term, environmentally sustainable waste disposal solution for the Garden Route while strengthening regional cooperation in waste management.

STRATU’S FINAL ADDRESS TO COUNCIL

During his farewell address to Council, outgoing Municipal Manager Monde Stratu expressed gratitude for the opportunity to have served the people of the Garden Route, reflecting on both the rewards and challenges of his tenure. He described his time at the GRDM as a period of significant personal and professional growth, saying, “I leave this municipality a changed man. I have learned a lot in terms of the actual work, made wonderful friends, met good comrades, brothers and sisters.”

He acknowledged that while his first term had been fulfilling, his second term had been more challenging, noting that difficult experiences had given him a greater appreciation for “the small things in life”. Stratu thanked colleagues for their support throughout his tenure and said he was proud to leave behind an institution that remained one of the country’s top-performing districts.

Stratu also paid tribute to his family, thanking his wife and children for standing by him through what he described as “really painful periods” during his tenure. Quoting from Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s Ulysses, he concluded with the words, “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield,” before thanking the Executive Mayor, councillors, municipal leadership and staff for their support and expressing his hope that he would leave the Garden Route without any hard feelings.

Caption: The GRDM Executive Management seated in front during a Council meeting on 28 July 2026 from left to right: Lusanda Menze (Executive Manager: Integrated Planning and Economic Development), John Daniels (Executive Manager: Roads and Transport Planning Services), Rian Boshoff (Executive Manager: Corporate-/and Financial Services), Monde Stratu (Municipal Manager), Nthabeleng Raisa-Mlandu (Executive Manager: Community Services) next to the Speaker, Ald. Georlene Wolamarans (behind the screen). 
ENDS