Author: Herman Pieters
14 January 2022 Media Release: Garden Route Air Quality remains tops
Media Release: Garden Route Air Quality remains tops
For Immediate Release
14 January 2022
“Humankind faces its greatest existential threat in the form of climate change” – President Cyril Ramaphosa, 2020 State of the Nation Address
Climate change refers to long-term changes in weather patterns and temperatures. Such shifts may be natural, such as through variations in the solar cycle. Climate change has been primarily driven by human activities since the 1800s, particularly through the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. Fossil fuel combustion produces greenhouse gas emissions that act like a blanket around the Earth, trapping the sun’s heat and raising temperatures.
Climate change and air quality are closely related. Some of these emissions are not only of concern, but they often come from the same sources. Furthermore, air pollution and climate change interact in complex ways in the atmosphere. Increasing levels of greenhouse gases (GHGs) alter the energy balance between the atmosphere and the Earth’s surface, altering the chemical composition of the atmosphere.
Examples of developments that will result in the release of GHG`s include:
- Electricity generation facilities that utilize fossil fuels.
- Industrial developments that contribute to atmospheric emissions.
- The extraction and production of fossil fuels.
- The development and related operations of feedlots.
- Clearing of vegetation and where it is replaced by built infrastructure such as roads, airports, and urban development.
- Waste disposal facilities.
- Treatment of waste through burn technologies.
In October 2011, the Government of South Africa published the National Climate Change Response White Paper, which details the Government’s vision for an effective response to climate change and a just transition to a climate-resilient, lower-carbon economy and society. The Minister has promulgated the National GHG Reporting Regulations. The purpose of these Regulations is to introduce a single national reporting system for the transparent reporting of greenhouse gas emissions, which will primarily be used to: Inform policy formulation, implementation and legislation.
“The Garden Route District Municipality recognises climate change as a threat to the environment, its residents, and its future development,” says Dr Johann Schoeman, District Manager: Air Quality. Böckmann (2015) states that measures should be taken to reduce or eliminate carbon emissions or enhance greenhouse gas sinks (mitigation). However, due to lag times in the climate and biophysical systems, the positive impacts of past and current mitigation will only be noticeable in the next 25 years (Jiri, 2016). In the meantime, adaptation is seen as an inevitable and necessary response to the changes projected in the district. Garden Route District Municipality has therefore prioritised the development of a Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Climate Change Response Plan.
The Air Quality status of the Garden Route
Air Quality in the Garden route is managed through its 3rd generation Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP). Our Air Quality vision is: To have air quality worthy of the name “The Garden Route”
“The GRDM is one of the front-running municipalities with regards to Air Quality management in South Africa,” said Schoeman.
Air pollution is an increasing risk, and it is estimated that more than 7 million people die worldwide because of air pollution. it is due to this risk that the GRDM for the last 6 years intensified its air pollution awareness through its GRDM Clean Fires campaign, focussing on air pollution awareness at the primary school level.
The Garden Route is a fast-developing zone with people all over South Africa migrating to the district. This will ultimately also lead to increased industrial activity and more pressure on the environment. Within the Western Cape Provincial contexts, GRDM issued 21% of the total number of Atmospheric Emission Licences within the Western Cape, with only the City of Cape town issuing more licences than the GRDM.
Garden Routers is fortunate to have three Provincial Air Quality monitoring stations, which are located strategically within the district. Their placement is based on potential hazardous sources of pollution. These stations are complemented by monitoring stations operated by the industry as well as air quality monitoring activities done by the Garden route district municipality. The George station is also reporting live to the South-African Air Quality Information System (SAQIS).
In general, the pollution measured at these stations are in compliance with the Ambient Air Quality standards of South Africa and the Garden route can still be regarded as a district with very good air quality. The public can access the data on the SAQIS- system. There is excellent cooperation between GRDM and Industry and many emissions reduction programmes and improved technology projects have been implemented to mitigate the harmful effect of air pollution.
Goals 3 and 4 of the GRDM Air Quality Management Plan focus on Climate change response (CCR). The following tasks are envisaged under this objective relating to CCR:
- Determining the types and quantity of fuels used in households
- Continue the Clean Fires campaign at schools
- Refine the emissions inventory to include household emissions
- Identify the largest contributors of greenhouse gas emissions within the GRDM
- Engage with these contributors to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and acknowledge those who take effective steps
- Assist local municipalities to amend by-laws to affect emissions limits on unlicensed industries that emit greenhouse gasses.
The importance of air quality on the quality of life is often overlooked due to a lack of understanding of the impact that poor air quality has on the health and wellbeing of the community. The GRDM AQMP will continue to prioritise protecting vulnerable communities against exploitation.
Feature image: Air quality sensor
ENDS
13 January 2022 Weather Advisory for the Western Cape and Namaqualand Region
13 January 2022
Weather Advisory for the Western Cape and Namaqualand Region
Legal notice:
“This warning from SA Weather Service must be communicated as received and may not be altered under any circumstance.
It must be forwarded or communicated in its entirety and no portion hereof may be replicated or copied and distributed.”
| Alert level | Affected Municipalities | Valid from (SAST) | Valid to (SAST) |
| Advisory | Breede Valley, City of Cape Town, Drakenstein, Kannaland, Knysna, Laingsburg, Langeberg, Oudtshoorn, Prince Albert, Stellenbosch, Witzenberg | 13/01/22 01h00 | 17/01/22 00h00 |
Discussion: Very hot conditions will result from predominantly northerly wind flow over the interior parts of the Western Cape. Temperatures reaching 40 and above is likely to occur.
Impact: In an extremely hot environment, the most serious health and safety concern is heatstroke. Heatstroke can be fatal if medical attention is not available immediately.
Instruction: Avoid prolonged direct exposure to the sun as far as possible and drink plenty of water. Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated. Never leave kids in the car unattended. Make sure your animals have access to enough water.
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN WEATHER SERVICE
Cape Town Weather Office
2nd Floor: Oval Office Park
Cape Town Int airport
Freight Road
Matroosfontein
Cape Town
12 January 2022 Media Release: Garden Route Coastal Resorts Perform Exceptionally Well Over the Festive Season
Media Release: Garden Route Coastal Resorts Perform Exceptionally Well Over the Festive Season
For Immediate Release
12 January 2022
The 2020 festive season was very bleak for most of South Africa and other countries. Tight lockdown restrictions, which included the beaches being closed, as well as longer curfews and a ban on the sale of alcohol, placed a damper on everyone’s holiday spirit. In 2020, people had no choice but to cancel their holiday plans. However, the recent festive season was a stark contrast compared to a year ago because restrictions were almost completely lifted. Holiday-goers flocked in their thousands to the Garden Route.
Like many other resorts, Garden Route District Municipality’s (GRDM) coastal resorts benefited from this. Victoria Bay and Swartvlei Caravan Parks reported a bumper holiday season, which started with a visit from the Berg-en Toerklub (BTK) from Stellenbosch University in early December. The group started their journey at Swartvlei Caravan Park, stayed there for one night and then hiked to Victoria Bay Caravan Park along the coast. There they enjoyed another braai, swimming and a well-deserved night’s rest.
As for the rest of the season, Marelize Claassen, Resort Manager, reported that Victoria Bay was at full capacity since early December. According to her, bookings are now decreasing slowly.
Swartvlei bookings increased from 12 December and reached capacity between 18 December 2021 and 2 January 2022. Holidaymakers are now heading home to tackle the new year.
It was a very busy season, and it was as if people waited two years to have this holiday – Marelize Claassen
On behalf of GRDM and its coastal resorts, the Municipality would like to thank everyone for their ongoing support and looks forward to seeing return visitors throughout the year.
Visit www.victoriabaycaravanpark.co.za and www.swartvleicaravanpark.co.za to book your spot. Remember to like our social media pages on Facebook by searching for our resorts on the platform.
Fire Update 3: Klein Bavaria on 11 January 2022 at 10:55 am (Closing report)
Fire Update 3: Klein Bavaria on 11 January 2022 at 10:55 am
15 December 2021 Media Release: Garden Route DM HAZMAT crash simulation conducted in Hessequa
Media Release: Garden Route DM HAZMAT crash simulation conducted in Hessequa
For Immediate Release
15 December 2021
The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) collaboratively conducted an emergency preparedness exercise (EPE) recently, along the N2 at the Still Bay turn-off, with the Hessequa Municipality, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) as well as emergency response staff. The primary purpose of this particular simulation was to test the current systematic approach in dealing with a hazardous material (HAZMAT) incident in a safe manner.
“Our experience and knowledge of past incidents inform many of our responses; however, we need also to be adaptable to the unknown,” said Martina MacDonald, GRDM Disaster Management Officer in Hessequa.
“During this type of incident, we assess the response, collaboration and communication of stakeholders during a disaster-related incident.”
The EPE simulation involved a tanker carrying a hazardous substance (UN 1828) that collided with a light motor vehicle. This led to a HAZMAT spill from the tanker and resulted in injuries and death.
A debriefing session took place whereby all stakeholders raised matters that required attention. “Refresher training, compatibility of radio communication, and crowd control were some of the issues identified that require attention,” said MacDonald.
The GRDM considers EPEs as the most vital part of learning about emergencies, plans and procedures experimentally.
According to Gerhard Otto, GRDM Head of Disaster Management, the GRDM needs to ensure that what is written on paper can be used in real life. “The Garden Route Disaster Management Centre, in collaboration with Local Municipalities and first responders, resolved to do more of these types of simulations and exercises,” said Otto.
According to him, Covid-19 has resulted in face-to-face exercises being limited and for most preparedness exercises to be done as informal, discussion-based sessions. “This specific simulation was done when Covid-19 positive cases were at its lowest point towards the end of the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the Garden Route,” concluded Otto.
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13 December 2022 Media Release: GRDM embraces Occupational Based Learning
Media Release: GRDM embraces Occupational Based Learning
For Immediate Release
13 December 2021
The Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority (PSETA), the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and various Municipalities in the Garden Route have partnered to implement an occupationally based course for Public Office Administrators.
An Occupational Certificate is a combination of theory and on-the-job learning that is delivered in an integrated manner to give a person knowledge and practical skills too, rather than only a theoretical background. This means that students will acquire the work experience needed to enter the job market far earlier. Once enrolled, most of the learning will take place at a workplace and not at an educational institution.
These students are learning in the real world for the real world.
Occupational qualifications and certificates fall under the control of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO); one of three (3) Quality Councils in South Africa.
“The vision of the QCTO is to qualify a skilled and capable workforce.”
These occupational qualifications are destined to become the new way of learning in South Africa as the country moves towards a more demand-led system that develops young people with the skills needed in the labour market.
As aspiring Public Office Administrators, those enrolling for this CPUT Occupational Certificate, learn core skills such as managing, organising, and analysing the effects of government policies and using business and statistical tools to solve public sector challenges in an ethical way. Added to this, learners will also learn skills in planning, organising, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting, and budgeting.
The eight (8) Batho Pele principles of “people first” guide the implementation of public service delivery and is core to the values taught during this course. The duration of the certificate is over a period of six (6) months and students from various towns in the Garden Route to take part in it. Once selected, each student is placed at a municipality within their hometown and given tools of the trade such as a laptop and data bundles.
An example of this is the two learners who work with the rest of the Garden Route Skills Mecca Team. Both assist with skills development processes across the country, whilst getting to know all the sections and their main functions within GRDM. They work 40 hours a week and report to a supervisor who mentors them under strict supervision and signs their work experience records (logbooks). A percentage of the marks scored during this period counts towards their final marks.
The outcome of the course is to ensure that each learner is qualified and fit to be employed by the public sector with the newly acquired skillsets and valuable work experience they gained during the time.
Feature image caption: Anelisa Myeki (left) and Trishke Roodman (right), are two of the current CPUT students working with other Garden Route Skills Mecca stakeholders.
ENDS
Information supplied: Anelisa Myeki and Trishke Roodman
13 December 2021 Media Release: Water flowing in the Olifants River brings some relief to drought-stricken farmers
Media release: Water flowing in the Olifants River brings some relief to drought-stricken farmers
For Immediate Release
13 December 2021
Widespread heavy rains over the past few weeks have resulted in areas in the Garden Route experiencing flash floods. Meteorologists globally attribute this phenomenon to a “La Niña” weather season.
Rains in the Klein Karoo resulted in the Olifants River (Afrikaans: Olifantsrivier) flowing again after being dry for an extended period. The last time the river had this much water was in 2006.
It rained twice a week in the Klein Karoo for the past month and the recent cloud burst over Oudtshoorn pushed large amounts of water into the Olifants River.
Mr Gerhard Otto, Head of Disaster Management at Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) said that the GRDM, in conjunction with the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), are carefully monitoring the water levels of the Olifants and Gamka rivers. They are also keeping a close eye on the upstream river water levels of Calitzdorp Spa. “We have several early warning systems in place should the Spa be affected by flash floods,” said Otto.
Melanie Wilson, GRDM Manager, Economic Development and Tourism responded with enthusiasm about the rains by saying: “This is welcomed with open arms and will definitely give a break to the agricultural sector in that area.” She cautioned that the challenge still exists of the water running away from the area and that a system to store it is not in place yet. “This does not benefit the agricultural sector to the extent we’d like it to yet – those residing in the area barely cope with the severe drought that gripped the area for a few years”.
Otto agreed and noted that all possible measures should be taken to optimise every drop of rainwater, which is crucial for water-stressed areas like the Klein Karoo.
Although farmers are extremely grateful for each drop of water received, it must be noted that those who farm with stock, will only find themselves in a better position in about six weeks’ time. This is because grazing will become possible again, instead of having to rely on food pallets to feed the animals.
The levels of the major dams that provide drinking water for the Garden Route are as follows:
- Garden Route dam: 100% – Source of drinking water for George;
- Wolwedams dam:100,57% – Source of drinking water for Mossel Bay
- Koos Raubenheimer dam: 100 % – Source of drinking water for Oudtshoorn;
- Korente Vet/ Poort dam: 104,23% Source of drinking water for Riversdale;
- Duiwenhoks dam: 102,38% Source of drinking water for Heidelberg;
- Roodefontein dam: 102,1% – source of drinking water for Bitou; and
- Calitzdorp dam: 64,55%- Source of drinking water for Calitzdorp.
The levels of the dams that provide water for irrigation in the Klein Karoo are in stark contrast to those in the rest of the Garden Route and the community remains hopeful that this will change. The levels of Stompdrift and Kammanassie are currently below 6 and 4% respectively.
Caption: Feature image: Olifants River flowing again after an extended dry period.
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