Media Release: Calitzdorp Hot Springs to host a Music, Arts, and Food Gathering with a purpose
6 July 2022 For Immediate Release
Echo Outdoor Gatherings is no stranger to the regional electronic music scene and for years they have hosted events of the highest quality.
After holding their flagship event – Elements of Life – successfully at De Hoek Mountain Resort near Cango Caves for the past five years, Daniel Mentz (event organizer), branched out to Calitzdorp Hot Springs in March with another exciting festival: Valley Of Dreams. The three-day event turned out to be a huge success, which was sold out completely, with people trekking from across the country to attend. According to David, the event attracted nearly 600 festival-goers, which was also a much-needed boost for business and tourism. Festival-goers venture out into the area during an event to explore and some opt to stay for longer as they usually travel from all over the country to attend such festivals.
“Our festival-goers want to make the best of their stay and frequently talk about what they were up to when venturing out to explore the area,” said Mentz.
This July, Echo Outdoor Gatherings will return to Calitzdorp Hot Springs with an even bigger event called ‘Elements of Fire’.
From Friday, 29 July to Sunday, 31 July festival-goers can look forward to a weekend that promises to be a visual and sonic experience like no other. Food stalls will sell falafels, breakfasts, steaks, and freshly pressed juice. Vegan and vegetarian options will also be made available.
Various craft stalls will sell items like dream catchers, leather works, jewellery, clothing brands, and macrame. There will also be two fire shows every night.
Winter Warmer Drive
Echo Outdoor Gatherings wanted to say thank you to the community of Calitzdorp for their warm welcome and decided to give back. This is why they are currently running a food and blanket drive for Friends Of Calitzdorp Animals (FOCA).
FOCA was launched six years ago when the founding member helped some friends to look after stray animals. Today they feed 250 dogs, 70 cats and facilitate up to 30 sterilisations a month. FOC are also constantly building kennels and continues to educate the local residents on animal welfare.
‘The amount of neglect FOCA witnesses every day is horrifying, to say the least,” said Mentz.
To supplement the Winter Warmer Drive, Echo Outdoor Gatherings and Feel Good Entertainment will donate 10% of the bar proceedings for the weekend to FOCA.
Garden Route District Municipality is proud to host the Echo Outdoor Gatherings events as Daniel takes pride in what he does. Every event is carefully planned and those attending must adhere to strict rules.
“Family is at the core of Echo Outdoor Gatherings and will always be,” said Mentz
Festival-goers loved the cold water swimming pools during the gathering that took place in March 2022.
Friends enjoy each other’s company whilst taking a break from the dance floor (March 2022).
Attendees ruffled some feathers with their amazing costumes (March 2022).
The dancefloor is always beautifully decorated (March 2022).
Media Release: Bojanala Platinum DM pays a visit to Garden Route DM to benchmark emergency-related services
For Immediate Release
30 June 2022
Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Fire and Rescue Services had a successful year of firefighting thanks to the public reporting incidents and for assistance provided by various role players. During the past financial year starting 1 July 2021 and ending 30 June 2022, no lives were lost in wildfires. A countless number of homes and shacks were protected while only ±40 structures, including shacks, were destroyed by wildfires. Shacks are included in the statistics of the GRDM because the municipality renders a local municipal firefighting function for Kannaland.
It is because of the world-class firefighting response by the GRDM and the state-of-the-art Disaster Management Centre of the District, that Bojanala Platinum District Municipality (BPDM) visited the region to learn from the best. The BPDM was here on a mission to benchmark its fire services and meet global standards while safeguarding its communities.
HIGHLIGHTS OF BPDM VISIT
During her opening remarks upon arrival at the GRDM Head Office, Cllr Matlakala Nondzaba, Executive Mayor of BPDM said: “We have chosen the GRDM because the district has one of the best firefighting units in the country”.
Executive Mayor of Bojanala Platinum DM, Cllr Matlakala Nondzaba (right) with Cllr Kutlwano Ramokgadi (MMC for Community Development Services).
Representatives from GRDM (right) with the BPDM representatives from the North-West Province (left). Ald Memory Booysen, Executive Mayor of GRDM, Monde Stratu, Municipal Manager of GRDM and Clive Africa, Executive Manager of Community Services, sat in front.
“It can never be too late to learn from your peers who are excelling. Our visit here also comes at the right time as we enter a new financial year. We might have to relook our priorities going forward,” said Mayor Nondzaba. Executive Mayor, Ald. Memory Booysen responded with how the region has been hit by several disasters over the past ten (10) years. “This has made us very resilient and experts in coordinating regional responses to emergencies, however, we can improve like any other municipality,” said Booysen.
Booysen also took a moment to thank BPDM and the province it represents for them and others for extending lending a helping hand during the Knysna fires.
A walk-through was provided of the disaster management centre of GRDM. Pictured is one of the emergency call centres at GRDM.
Garden Route and Klein Karoo Tourism suppled gifts to the delegates who promised to visit the region again in the near future.
BPDM visited the GRDM Disaster Management Centre and the main firebase of GRDM which is situated at 17 Pioneer Road in Pacaltsdorp Industria, George. During their visit to the firebase, they did a walk-through of the property, learnt more about all the firefighting vehicles of the district and were shown how the GRDM’s thermal drone operates. At the Disaster Management Centre, they also had the opportunity to better understand the GRDM’s response to emergencies.
Clive Africa, GRDM Executive Manager for Community Services provides insights into the District’s Fire Services operations while on site at the main base in George.
Tippie Bouwer (Supervisor: Call Centre) explains the ins and outs of the 24/7 emergency call centre of GRDM. To her right is Executive Mayor of GRDM, Ald. Memory Booysen.
The session was closed by both municipalities agreeing to formulate a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU). GRDM Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu, made it clear that the MOU should have clear deliverables to ensure a meaningful outcome for all future engagements between both institutions. Some of the issues touched on during MOU discussions included policy matters, budget planning for disaster management and fire services, specifications for equipment, and strategic approaches to improving workforce morale.
GRDM Acting Fire Chief, Johan Brand, shared some technical features of the GRDM fire trucks with three Chief Fire Officers, Fanie Mogale, Dan Khunou and Doctor Mosito.
OVERVIEW OF FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS OVER THE PAST YEAR
In assessing the 2021/2022 financial year, the GRDM fought over 90 wildfires, be it by foot or with the support of aerial firefighting. This means that on average, a wildfire occurs every 4th day of a 365-day period. With the Garden Route district area being 2 333 100 hectares in size, including residential areas, only 12 669 hectares were burned. This calculates to 0,54% of the region impacted by wildfires over the past 12 months.
Battling blazes always requires a joint response. It is therefore only prudent for the GRDM Fire and Rescue Services to once again officially thank all the role players who put their lives on the line to keep communities safe. Role players include Cape Nature, South African National Parks (SANParks), Mountain To Ocean (MTO), Local Municipalities (Hessequa, Mossel Bay, George, Knysna, Bitou, Greater Oudtshoorn and Kannaland), Working On Fire (WoF), PG Bison, South Cape Fire Protection Agency (SCFPA), Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), Albertinia and Still Bay Farm Watch, First Care Volunteer Wildfire Services, Knysna Fire Rangers and Bitou Farm Management Unit, local farmers (Mossel Bay, Riversdale, Gysmanshoek) and volunteers.
On top of the rapid response of firefighters, the GRDM held 36 information sessions with schools and communities, three (3) per month throughout the seven (7) municipal areas. These sessions were facilitated by 40 firefighters of the GRDM who report to firefighting bases in George, Riversdale and Ladismith.
The information sessions generally include topics such as:
What to do when discovering a wildfire;
Using evacuation routes and sheltered areas;
What not to do in a fire situation;
Fire behaviour;
How to put out a fire without water;
Preventing fires from spreading;
Assisting vulnerable citizens, such as the elderly and children and pregnant women;
Locating and using fire extinguishers;
How to safely evacuate;
Safe practices around and inside homes.
Another contributing factor to the success of firefighting efforts is resources. The GRDM Fire and Rescue Services Unit has the following transport assets: five (5) tankers, 6 firefighting bakkies, a command vehicle, hazardous material fire truck and a quadbike.
If the public comes across any wildfire, please make contact with the GRDM Emergency Call Centre on 044 805 5071. The call centre is operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and each day of the year.
Feature image: GRDM and BPDM representatives at the main firebase of the District.
Load shedding occurs often in South Africa. Other countries in the northern parts of Africa and the Middle East, also experience power outages on an average of 23.5 times a month which lasts on average 9.4 hours at a time. South-East Asia is hit with an average of 17 power outages a month, lasting over an hour each time.
These outages have a direct impact on food safety. Three (3) factors are at play here – the length of the outage, its frequency of it and where food is stored.
One key fact to remember is: As long as it is cold, food should be safe.
Food in a refrigerator may be safe as long as:
Power outages do not last longer than four hours
the fridge door is closed
the temperature of the refrigerator was at 4 °C when load shedding started.
Food safety issues including spoiling are especially likely to occur with perishable goods such as fresh meat, poultry, fish, soft cheeses, milk, and leftover food (depending on how long they were stored before load shedding started). The recommended temperature for the fridge to operate at, for food to remain safe to consume, is 4°C. It is therefore a better option to discard perishable food stored in a fridge that operates at a temperature higher than 4°C, especially when load shedding took place for two (2) or more hours.
Different bacteria grow at various temperatures. For every 1°C increase above that minimum growth temperature, the bacteria growth rate will double (depending on the type, living environment and access to nutrients). It is therefore essential to keep the door closed to ensure that the refrigerator stays as cold as possible during a power outage
If a freezer door is kept closed, frozen food will stay frozen for up to 48 hours. Perishable food must be cooked as soon as possible if they begin to defrost. Refreezing perishable food is dangerous.
Given the price of food, one is hesitant to discard it, but weighed against the risks of consuming unsafe food – it is best to discard it. Some perishables might not necessarily smell or taste much different but may be filled with bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses.
If one knows the load-shedding schedule, one can prepare for it as follows:
Ensure that the temperature in the refrigerator is 4 °C or as near to it as possible.
Frozen leftovers, milk, fresh meat and poultry, fish, and other goods should be moved from the fridge to the freezer that you might not need right away.
Buy fresh food in smaller quantities, prepare it fast, and enjoy it instead of buying it in bulk and storing it in the fridge.
Take special note of purchasing long-lasting items, such as unopened canned foods and sterile or ultra-heat heated temperature drinks. These have a lengthy shelf-life outside of the fridge, however, once they’re opened, they too need to be chilled.
Another method used to keep perishable goods as cold as possible for as long as possible is to place ice packs around the items in the fridge.
Media Release: Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and SASSETA visit GRDM
28 June 2022 For Immediate Release
An Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) delegation consisting of national and provincial officials visited the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) on 13 and 14 June 2022. The aim of the two-day visit was to learn more about the Garden Route Skills Mecca (GRSM) model and to investigate the possibility of replicating the Skills Mecca concept in other parts of the country.
On the first day, representatives from GRSM and the GRDM EPWP section accompanied the delegation on several site visits to training centres in the area that support the GRSM. Delegates visited Cheeba Africa, African Skills and François Ferreira Academy where they were given thorough insights of each facility and the type of training provided. Through several Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) grants and EPWP programmes, learners have successfully completed courses at the training centres visited by delegates and have been able to enter the job market.
The second day was reserved for engagement. Lusanda Menze (GRDM Executive Manager:: Planning and Economic Development) gave an overview of GRDM and its Growth and Development Strategy and Dr Florus Prinsloo (GRSM Coordinator) gave a comprehensive overview of the GRSM model.
Tsholofelo Pooe from National EPWP presented on the their EPWP Training Framework and possible linkages to the Garden Route Skills Mecca.
MOU between GRSM and SASSETA discussed.
Joining the delegation on the second day, were Chris Mudau and Thamsanqa Mdontswa from the Safety and Security SETA (SASSETA). After listening to the presentations given by GRDM and GRSM, they presented on the SETA’s mandate, Skills Development Levy (SDL) breakdown, and strategic scope amongst other topics.
SASSETA’s sub-sections and constituencies include:
Policing
Corrections
Justice
Defence
Intelligence Activities
Legal Services
Private Security and Investigation Activities
There are 17 SDL contributors in the Garden Route, which comprises law firms and security companies. It is for this reason that SASSETA and GRDM will enter into talks to establish an MOU that will see closer cooperation with GRSM.
The two-day delegation visit was concluded with a visit to Calitzdorp Hot Springs where a Security Training Centre has been established through formal partnership between BM Skills Development (who is a SASSETA Accredited Training Provider) and the GRDM.
ends
Executive Manager: Planning and Economic Development, Lusanda Menze and Ald Stephen e Vries with Thamsanqa Mdontswa – CEO of SASSETA and Chris Mudau -Chairperson of SASSETA .
Delegates are given a tour at François Ferreira Academy.
Delegates engage on the second day of the visit to GRDM.
Delegates gather for a group photo after their tour at François Ferreira Academy.
Media Statement: Auditor General clarifies ambiguous reporting
For Immediate Release 28 June 2022
The Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) recently directed a letter to Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu, to clarify the ambiguous reporting done on 15 June 2022 during a media briefing session. The AG, during the session, tabled a report outlining the 2020/21 Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) audit outcomes of local government.
The AGSA, in its letter to GRDM, stated:
“The GRDM has achieved a clean audit outcome due to the adequacy of the action plans that were instituted to address prior year findings and we commend the municipality on this achievement.”
“We would like to further clarify that:
the statement by the Auditor-General, during the tabling press conference, was in relation to municipalities residing within the boundaries of the district and not to the GRDM itself, hence the reference to auditees that had obtained a qualified and unqualified audit outcome, and
the paragraph included in the provincial overview of the general report was in reference to the fact that the GRDM had not obtained a clean audit outcome in the prior year (2019-20) and therefore did not sustain/extend their clean audit outcome from the prior year, unlike the other Western Cape district municipalities.”
GRDM remains committed to ensuring that it has all preventative and detective controls in place to ensure good governance continues to be embedded in our organisational culture for years to come. The audit outcome was, therefore, a result of a concerted effort by all officials to ensure that good governance and sound financial management remain at the heart of what we do at the Municipality,” said Monde Stratu.
Media Release: First phase of the Regional Waste Management Facility scheduled to conclude by 30 June 2023
For Immediate Release 22 June 2022
Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) appointed Zutari (Pty) Ltd to design and draft tender documentation and contract supervision for the Garden Route Regional Waste Management facility and associated infrastructure on Farm 419 in Mossel Bay. The design drawings and report have already been submitted on 6 May 2022 to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) for statutory approval.
COST OF THE NEW SITE
The final cost of the site can only be determined once the loan tender, construction tender and the operations & maintenance tender have been concluded. The loan tender will require funding institutions to provide 10-, 15- and 20-year loan funding options. The costs will include the construction of the landfill and associated infrastructure, the loan repayment and associated interest rates, operation costs including plant and equipment, rehabilitation costs etc.
WHAT WILL THE SITE INCLUDE?
The Regional Waste Management Facility will include a domestic waste cell (Class B) and a separate hazardous waste cell (Class A) to accommodate hazardous waste with low and medium hazard ratings. Other infrastructure includes roads, stormwater pipelines, a leachate storage dams, a stormwater dam for contaminated liquids, offices, a laboratory, weighbridges, a workshop, and security infrastructure. Provision has also been made to accommodate a waste tyre recycling facility by means of a 3-hectare portion of land for long-term lease to the Waste Bureau. The domestic waste Cell 1, as well as the hazardous waste cell, will both have a lifespan of approximately 20 – 25 years.
HOW FAR HAS THE PROJECT PROGRESSED?
An Environmental Impact Assessment was concluded in 2012 and GRDM received Environmental Authorisation. A Waste Management Licence was issued by DFFE in 2014. A section 78 investigation in terms of the Municipal Systems Act, concluded to provide the Regional Waste Management Services by means of a Public-Private Partnership. A Private Partner was appointed to construct the facility and operate it for a period of ten years, however, withdrew from the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) at the final stages of the process on 29 September 2020.
GRDM then concluded to no longer pursue the PPP process and opted to rather make use of loan funding to construct the facility and to outsource the operations and maintenance to a reputable service provider.
The Geotechnical and Geohydrological Investigations required to finalise the designs of the facility have been concluded and the design drawings and design report have been finalised & submitted to DFFE on 06 May 2022 for approval which is required prior to commencement of construction.
The loan tender was advertised on 15 May 2022 and closed on 21 June 2022. The construction tender specifications are being finalised & scheduled to be advertised in July 2022. The operations & maintenance tender will also run concurrently to the construction tender process.
Phase 1 of the construction of the facility is currently scheduled to be concluded by 30 June 2023, at which time waste disposal can commence.
