Author: Herman Pieters
12 November 2020 Media Release: Awareness about the dangers of illegal dumping continues
Media Release: Awareness about the dangers of illegal dumping continues
For Immediate Release
12 November 2020
Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) and George Municipality recently started weekly clean-up activities in the illegal dumping and Covid-19 hotspots in Thembalethu and Pacaltsdorp areas in George. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) has already been signed to cement both institutionās agreement to achieve a certain set of goals over a 4-month period with the option of extending clean-up it. The MoA, provides specifics in terms of how the project will continue and how funding of R2.47 million injected into the project by GRDM will be utilised.
Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers and educators have been appointed to be the change-makers tasked to bring about a clean, green and a safe George. During their initial discussions, both municipalities identified the need for educators to interact and share valuable information with communities about illegal dumping, refuse removal and communication about waste management. Thirty six (36) educators are already doing door-to-door education and awareness as well as a survey to determine the causal factors of illegal dumping; and the community requirements; or possible solutions to prevent issues in future. Twenty four (24) educators have been assigned to Thembalethu and 12 to Pacaltsdorp. Each person, who moves in a group of six (6), is easily identifiable by a high visibility vest.
Educators received training on 10 November and the eager group commenced work on 11 November. The educators use masks and hand sanitisers in order to ensure that all health protocols are adhered to during their daily walkabouts, which is expected to continue for a 4-month period.
Executive Mayor for GRDM, Alderman Memory Booysen and the Portfolio Chairperson for Community Services at GRDM, Cllr Khayalethu Lose, and other leaders decided that the regional waste management office needs a joint approach to confront the illegal dumping phenomena. āWe can only solve illegal dumping if municipalities get the buy-in from the public and their support for the project,ā said Alderman Booysen. He further stated that, āGRDM and all the local municipalities wishes to remind the public that illegal dumping is a crime ā we cannot let this continue and ruin our beautiful Garden Route. What about our future, that of our kids and our environment?ā
The waste management unit, communicators and environmental health practitioners from GRDM work closely with George Municipality and have weekly planning sessions to address challenges. Morton Hubbe, GRDM Manager: Waste Management, said: āBy having educators on a grassroots level we hope to gain a better understanding about public perceptions relating to waste management, current service delivery gaps and general issues in some wardsā.
GRDM wishes to remind the public that illegal dumping of waste is dangerous and a health hazard. Waste should be collected in refuse bags and placed for collection on waste removal days. The communities are also urged to participate in the survey in order for municipalities to determine what needs to be done to assist the communities to prevent illegal dumping.
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Caption for feature image: Two of the 36 educators raising awareness about illegal dumping and conducting surveys in Pacaltsdorp.
11 November 2020 Media Release: Garden Route District Community Safety Forum established – another first for the Garden Route
Media Release: Garden Route District Community Safety Forum established – another first for the Garden Route
For Immediate Release
11 November 2020
āSafety is everyoneās responsibilityā
28 October 2020 marked a historic occasion for the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) when the GRDM in collaboration with the Western Cape Department of Community Safety, launched the first-ever Garden Route District Community Safety Forum in Mossel Bay. This event follows after several engagements and workshops, including an Alcohol Harms Reduction Work session, a Safety Plan Workshop and a Gender-Based Violence (GBV) workshop in 2019.
In December 2018, the Premier of the Western Cape, Mr Alan Winde, hosted a meeting with District Mayors – and Municipal Managers in the Western Cape. The purpose of the engagement was to introduce the Western Cape Provincial Cabinetās District Safety Initiative Project, funded by the Department of Community Safety for four years.
Subsequent to the meeting, a Transfer Payment Agreement (TPA) was signed between the municipalities in the district and the Department of Community Safety where after funds were transferred to the GRDM. The TPA obliged the District Municipality to submit safety- and business plans in support of safety initiatives in the district. This approach emphasises the establishment of effective safety structures to facilitate and co-ordination role-players at the district and local municipal level. As part of this agreement, the WC Department of Community Safety will guide and assist each District Municipality with the development of a resilience model, to build safe and cohesive communities, which will be monitored through the municipal safety structures.
The launch was attended by Mayors and Deputy Mayors from across the district, Councillors and representatives from the Western Cape Department of Community Safety, the South African Police Services, Department of Correctional Services, Department of Social Development, Department of Home Affairs, the Provincial Traffic, the District Menās Sector and senior municipal officials. During the official welcoming address, the GRDM Deputy Executive Mayor, Alderlady Rosina Ruiters, thanked the Western Cape Department of Community Safety for initiating and rolling out the project in the Garden Route and emphasised the critical importance of safety in the district.
Mr Justin Lottring, Deputy Director for Community Police Relations at the Western Cape Department of Community Safety did a presentation on what he called āthe milestones reachedā in leading up to the launch. He gave a brief background report on the progress made since 2018, future plans in terms of safety initiatives in the district and what stakeholders can expect from the Garden Route District Safety Forum. āToday we are pleased to be in a partnership with the GRDM to improve safety in the district. I believe that there is a link between well-being and safety, and that trust clearly influence and flow out of it. If partners donāt trust one another, they wouldnāt be able to work together,ā Lottring said.
The GRDM Executive Mayor, Alderman Memory Booysen during his keynote address was persuasively stated that fighting crime is a collective effort. āWhat happens after today is the āreal scienceā of what is important. We collectively need to work together and address the current situation of over-crowdedness at correctional facilities within the district,ā Alderman Booysen said. He said: āAs a District Municipality, we do not want to overstep or interfere in the local municipalityās business. We are aware that some of the municipalities in the district are struggling and for that reason, we want to form partnerships and work together to combat crime.ā In conclusion Alderman Booysen thanked stakeholders for their presence and support and said: āLetās all keep on spreading the message by taking a āwhole of societyā approachā.
In support of the newly established Forum, the different municipal- and sector department representatives each delivered a short message of support to the District Municipality for leading the district in a safer environment. As a token of their commitment, representatives signed a pledge, manifesting their support and willingness to partner with the GRDM.
As for the way forward, the GRDM will coordinate the establishment of local Community Safety Forums in each Local Municipality in the district to identify, develop and implement safety strategies, safety plans and safety projects. Safety plans will be captured in the IDP processes and existing safety partners will be utilised to assist the GRDM and local municipalities to combat COVID-19 and promote social distancing in the local hotspot areas.
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17 November 2020 Media Release: Garden Route DM collaborates with Oudtshoorn Municipality on a home composting model
Media Release: Garden Route DM collaborates with Oudtshoorn Municipality on a home composting model
For Immediate Release
17 November 2020
Ā Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) has collaborated with the Greater Oudtshoorn Municipality in a home composting pilot project to motivate households in the municipal area to consider home composting to reduce the burden on the Grootkop Waste Disposal facility.
The project was launched on 4 November 2020 at the Oudtshoorn Municipalityās Banquet Hall, in an information session attended by the residents of the Greater Oudtshoorn who showed interest in participating in the initiative. The 30 residents of the Greater Oudtshoorn who committed to participate in this pilot project received home composting bins, guidelines, worm farms, datasheets and scales.
Johan Gie, the GRDMās waste management officer said the reason that motivated the GRDM to initiate this project with municipalities throughout the district is because, āapproximately 30% of all household waste being disposed of at landfill consists of organic waste that could potentially be diverted from landfill by means of household compostingā.
āThe organic waste stream in municipal areas is increasingly becoming a challenge to manage,ā Gie said. āGrowth in population densities, new environmental legislation, limitations in the sustained availability of disposal space and public pressure to accept a more environmentally friendly approach has led to an increased awareness on local government level of the role that organic waste materials play in waste management.ā
The Oudtshoorn Municipality welcomed this initiative. āAlthough we are not in a dire situation like our neighbouring municipalities with regards to landfill space in the district, we eagerly welcome this initiative to make the best of our household and garden waste to the benefit of our communities,ā said Rodwell Witbooi, Oudtshoornās manager for solid waste.
āThe active participation of our community members is illustrating the eagerness to partake in sustainable development projects ā addressing waste management; and this is exciting.ā
During the information session, the officials showed residents how to do composting, introduced the participants to composting methods and the benefits of composting, among others. Each participant was required to sign a contract to abide by the requirements of the agreement with the GRDM, which include the weighing of the collected data, and submission of a monthly report of composting for a period a year.
āA successful implementation of the home composting project could result in more opportunities for residents,ā Gie concluded.
6 November 2020 Media Release: GRDM Environmental Health Practitioners, SAPS and Local Municipalities visit spaza shops
Media Release: GRDM Environmental Health Practitioners, SAPS and Local Municipalities visit spaza shops
For Immediate Release
6 November 2020
During October a number of role players visited 126 Spaza Shops in the Garden Route to ensure that compliance to regulations governing general hygiene requirements, including COVID-19 regulations; food premises standards; and the transport of food and related matters, were adhered to.Ā The visits were arranged by the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) and approached jointly with the help of the South African Police Services (SAPS) and local municipal officials from town planning, law enforcement, building control and local economic development.
āThe Garden Route District Municipality command centre collectively decided that unannounced visits to Spaza Shops were needed,ā said Johan Compion, GRDM Manager: Municipal Health and Environmental Services. āSpaza Shops are visited by a great number of people and especially nowadays, with the risk of a second wave of COVID-19 emerging, it is more important than ever that businesses are safe and compliant to regulations,ā he said.
During the inspections the focus is on the following issues:
- Checking if all Spaza Shops had Certificates of Acceptability (CoAs);
- compliance to local municipal bylaws;
- compliance to hygiene standards;
- adherence to COVID-19 safety measures (hand sanitizer at designated points available to customers and employees; social distancing for queues);
- monitoring of employees and customers wore face masks;
- sanitising of hands before and after servicing customers;
- sanitising of hands after handling money.;
- displaying appropriate signage and awareness information;
- maximum ventilation;
- daily cleaning and disinfection of high risk surfaces and objects;
- wearing of utility gloves by those removing refuse;
- proper sealing of waste bags; and
- no illegal dumping of waste.
Challenges identified at some of the Spaza Shops, include:
- Sanitising and wearing of masks in some Spaza Shops were not adhered to.
- Social distancing of 1.5 m in and outside shops when queuing and inside some Spaza shops were not followed by customers.
Where non-compliance was identified, additional awareness and education was provided and an inspection report issued, which will include a follow-up inspection. This has to happen to ensure that hygienic requirements are met and COVID-19 preventative measures are followed to combat and prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Picture: Gcobani Tshozi, EHP for Garden Route DM and Thomas Fosibo (Manager of Shop 2 in Thembalethu)
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2 November 2020 Media Release: Garden Route District Municipality welcomes 30 interns for workplace experience
Media Release: Garden Route District Municipality welcomes 30 interns for workplace experience
For Immediate Release
2 November 2020
The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) recently welcomed thirty (30) interns from various sectors for an internship programme at its Head-Office in George. This, after the Department of Western Cape Department of Local Government created an opportunity for interns to be placed at various municipalities for a period of six months from 1 October 2020 to 31 March 2021 in the 2020/2021 financial year.
The Department of Provincial and Local Government (DPLG) required each municipality to do a Skills Audit of all the qualifications of their staff members. The information obtained was then collated onto the GAPSKILSS Programme which is an online national system. In order to reach the desired outcomes, the DPLG approached the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT) to fund the interns, as a means to assist the Department with the entire process. DEDAT then granted municipalities the funds to appoint interns. The funds were transferred to all municipalities who participate in the programme, such as the GRDM.
All municipalities who take part in the programme have to adhere to certain requirements. Two of the requirements are that the municipality have to indicate the need or number of interns needed within the municipality and that they must fund four to five of the interns that they accommodate. The rest of the interns will be funded by the DEDAT.
With the GRDM who accommodates 30 interns, these interns will be able to require the necessary skills and gain workplace experience within their specialised fields. This will allow them to be job-ready and will enable them to start building their careers. Also, the initiative further aims to assist households within rural areas financially.
Interns from various sectors welcomed to the Garden Route District Municipality on the 1st of October 2020.
Strict measures are in place and proper monitoring are done to ensure that the desired outcomes are reached. Currently the interns are tasked with meaningful work activities and proof thereof must be provided together with an attendance register that have to be signed by each participant on a daily basis.
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