Media Release: Fire and Drought inflict trauma on the Garden Route

16 January 2026

The Garden Route environment has once again been placed under immense strain as widespread wildfires, fuelled by prolonged drought and relentless winds raged across large parts of the region in recent weeks. Multiple fires between Mossel Bay and Gqeberha pushed communities to the brink, with only the dedication and expertise of highly trained firefighting teams preventing catastrophic loss of life and property.

“Only committed and well-equipped firefighting expertise saved the day,” says Cobus Meiring of the Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF). “The scale and intensity of these fires underline just how vulnerable the region has become under current climatic conditions.”

Beyond the physical damage, the psychological toll on communities living under constant threat of fire is profound. This stress is compounded by the ongoing drought, with water restrictions firmly in place across the Garden Route and Knysna reportedly on the verge of running out of water. Fire and drought are intrinsically linked in this region, as painfully demonstrated during the 2017 Knysna disaster, when the town faced near-total water depletion while simultaneously dealing with the aftermath of South Africa’s most devastating fire event.

Although the recent fires were predicted months in advance due to extremely dry conditions and persistent winds, the ferocity and reach of the blazes left many residents shocked. With several dry months still ahead, the likelihood of further fire incidents remains high.

The financial cost of fighting multiple large-scale fires is staggering, while the physical and emotional strain placed on firefighters and disaster management personnel working around the clock cannot be quantified. The Garden Route’s firefighting and disaster management capacity is widely regarded as world-class, built on years of planning, training, and constant preparedness. These efforts deserve recognition and sincere appreciation.

Despite early warnings and repeated calls for landowners to implement fire breaks and clear Invasive Alien Plants to reduce fuel loads, many properties, particularly along the urban edge were ill-prepared for the fires that followed.

Climate change is no longer a distant threat but a present reality. Authorities are doing what they can with limited resources, but adaptation to this new normal requires a collective effort.

Residents are urged to heed early warnings, reduce risk proactively, and take responsibility for safeguarding their properties and communities.

The Garden Route Environmental Forum serves as a public platform for environmental managers and a climate change think tank.

Picture Caption: Aftermath of the wildfire that occurred early January 2026 in Mossel Bay: Source: Mossel Bay Municipality

ENDS

Media Release: Garden Route District Municipality mourns the sudden passing of Diazine Pretorius

15 January 2025

It is with deep sadness that the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) announces the passing of Diazine Pretorius, who passed away on 8 January 2026 due to natural causes.

Diazine (38), had been in the employment of the GRDM’s Roads Services since 16 January 2012, serving as a General Attendant in Van Wyksdorp. Her sudden passing has left colleagues and the community shocked and deeply saddened.

She was known among her colleagues as a hardworking person who genuinely cared for her fellow human beings. Diazine had a vibrant personality and rendered many years of dedicated service to the GRDM and the community she served. She is fondly remembered for her positive outlook on life and was dearly loved by both her colleagues and the broader community.

Diazine was married to Desmond Pretorius and is survived by three children (one son and two daughters).

The GRDM extends its heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, colleagues, and loved ones during this difficult time.

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Expression of Interest for the Database Registration of Subcontractors & Suppliers – Regional Waste Management Facility

The Construction of a New Regional Waste Management Facility and Associated Infrastructure

CONTRACT: GRDM/27/24-25

Civils 2000 (Pty) Ltd hereby invites prospective and experienced Contractors and Suppliers from the Garden Route District Municipality to apply to be registered on the Subcontractor and Supplier Databases.

The database is intended to ensure that prospective companies are registered and promote local participation in the contract.

Considering this invitation to submit an Expression of Interest, Civils 2000 (Pty) Ltd also clarifies that the intent of this Expression of Interest is to add candidates to the existing databases, market analysis and indication of available expertise in the area.