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Author: Marillia Veldkornet

25 July 2024 Media Release: Seventeen youth from the Garden Route to gain workplace experience through BIG Heart’s initiative

Media Release: Seventeen (17) youth from the Garden Route to gain workplace experience through the BIG Hearts initiative

For immediate release
25 July 2024

On Monday, 22 July 2024, a second group of eight young people from the Garden Route district participated in an induction session as part of the YES initiative. The previous group attended their Induction session on 18 July 2024. The YES Initiative in collaboration with the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), offers participants the chance to gain skills through a twelve-month workplace experience program.

The induction sessions were conducted by BIG Hearts and this will prepare participants to understand the objective of the programme before being placed at various municipalities, including Knysna, Mossel Bay and Ladismith municipalities.

Portfolio Chairperson for Property Development and Management at GRDM, Cllr Hilton Stroebel, addressing the participants with a message of motivation.

The contract signing session took place at the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), a stakeholder of this initiative. During the session, the representative from BIG Hearts, Christine van Niekerk, conducted the induction to help participants understand the process, expectations, and details of their contracts.

Witnessing the occasion were GRDM’s Portfolio Chairperson for Property Development and Management, Cllr Hilton Stroebel, within the Integrated Planning and Economic Development Department, as well as the GRDM Manager responsible for Expanded Public Works Programme, Richard Dyantyi, as well as officials from GRDM and Oudtshoorn Municipality.

Cllr Stroebel encouraged the participants in his motivational speech, urging them to seize this opportunity for personal growth and envision a bright future. He concluded by emphasising that this initiative should inspire hope in others who may feel there is no way forward. Stroebel also thanked BIG Hearts for partnering with the municipality, highlighting the importance of such collaborations in providing hope to the youth.

Now all participants are looking forward to being placed in various departments within GRDM and the remaining participants will be assigned to local municipalities in the district, focusing on waste management.

Their monthly remuneration will be funded by the public sector, while GRDM committed to cover the administration costs of all contracts which will officially commence on 1 August 2024.

Feature Image: The second group of participants from across the district with representatives of GRDM’s EPWP Unit,  BIG Hearts and Oudtshoorn Municipality after the signing of their contracts at the Induction Session.

ENDS

24 July 2024 Public Notice: Performance Agreements 2024/25 approved

Public Notice: Performance Agreements 2024/25 approved

The following Performance Agreements for the 2024/2025 financial year are approved and available on the municipal website:

Click here  to access and download the agreements.

For more information, please contact the GRDM Performance Manager, Ms Ilse Saaiman at:
E-mail: performance@gardenroute.gov.za / Tel: 044 803 1300 / 1425

 

24 07 2024 Media Release: Food Safety Education Session enhances Standards at “Heroldsbaai Kafee”

Media Release: Food Safety Education Session enhances Standards at “Heroldsbaai Kafee”

For immediate release
24 July 2024

Recently, an Environmental Health Practitioner (EHP) from the Garden Route District Municipality, Carike Jantjies (GRDM), conducted a comprehensive Food Safety Education session to the food handlers of “Heroldsbaai Kafee”. This initiative is part of the nine Key Performance Areas relevant to the profession of EHPs.

The session focused on two critical aspects of food safety, namely:

  1. Food Control
  2. Health Surveillance of Premises

Ensuring Food Control

Food control is pivotal in maintaining food safety and optimal hygiene across the entire food supply chain, from the source to consumption.

During the session, the food handlers were educated on the five keys to safer food. These keys include:

  1. Keep all surfaces clean. Regular cleaning prevents contamination and maintains hygiene.
  2. Separate raw and cooked food to avoid cross-contamination. This is crucial for preventing the spread of harmful bacteria.
  3. Cook food thoroughly because proper cooking kills almost all dangerous microorganisms. This step ensures that food is safe to eat.
  4. Keep food at safe temperatures.  Harmful bacteria can multiply rapidly if food is stored at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Maintaining proper temperatures is essential.
  5. Use clean and safe water and fresh foodstuffs. Ensuring the quality of ingredients and water used in food preparation is vital for food safety.

Health Surveillance of Premises

The health surveillance of premises involves ensuring that any condition on the premises does not pose a health hazard. This includes regular inspections and maintenance to prevent potential health risks.

The Food Safety Education session was conducted by Environmental Health Practitioner, Carike Jantjies (left), at the “Heroldsbaai Kafee”.

The education session aimed to enhance the knowledge and skills of the food handlers at “Heroldsbaai Kafee”, ensuring they adhere to the highest standards of food safety and hygiene. By focusing on these key performance areas, the Environmental Health Practitioners at GRDM strive to safeguard public health and promote safe food practices.

For more information on food safety and health surveillance, please contact:
Johan Compion
Manager: Municipal Health & Environmental Services
E-mail: info@gardenroute.gov.za
Tel: 044 803 1300 / Cell: 082 803 5161

ENDS

26 June 2024 Media Release: Environmental Health Practitioners ensuring food safety at the Oyster Festival

Media Release: Environmental Health Practitioners ensuring food safety at the Oyster Festival

For immediate release
26 June 2024

The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) based at the Knysna office has prepared for the 41st annual Knysna Oyster Festival well in advance.

They have been planning and are implementing a mitigation and monitoring work schedule before, during and for after the festival.  According to James McCarthy, Chief EHP for the Knysna region: “The purpose of the schedule is to minimise and address any public health issue that might arise at the festival”.

During the first weekend (21- 23 June 2024), thousands of marathon runners were welcomed to Knysna, participating in the annual Knysna Forest Marathon.  The second weekend (28 – 30 June 2024) hosts the Knysna Cycling event which is expected to attract numerous enthusiastic cyclists from across the country.

Pre-festival inspections, as well as inspections during the event are undertaken of all formal and informal food premises, including:

  • Eleven (11) official Oyster potential hotspot food venues have been identified where culinary events will take place for the duration of the festival.
  • Daily inspections at these venues, as well as additional food premises are being undertaken.
  • The local High school sportsground that serves as central Festival “hub “.
  • The return of the ever-popular informal stalls (“Oyster Alley”) at the Festival Ground is a favourite crowd attraction with more than 20 food and craft stores selling their goods to tourists and locals.
  • Inspections are also undertaken at various locations in town, where thousands of oysters are kept under required conditions.

Regular inspections and health surveillance of premises of all related public amenities are undertaken during the festival, including:

  • Public toilet facilities;
  • Accommodation establishments;
  • Festival grounds;
  • Food markets;
  • Tobacco control at premises.

COMMUNICABLE DISEASE OUTBREAK

 A strict communication protocol regarding the reporting of any potential communicable disease outbreak between the GRDM and the relevant medical health care providers in the area. This includes both the private and provincial hospitals, general practitioners and pharmacies.

For any additional information regarding the festival, please contact:

Knysna Region
James McCarthy
26A Queen Street, Knysna
E-mail: james@gardenroute.gov.za. Tel: 044 382 7214 / Cell: 082 805 9417  /or

Johan Compion
Manager: Municipal Health & Environmental Services
E-mail: info@gardenroute.gov.za / Tel: 044 803 1300 / Cell: 082 803 5161

Feature Image: Supplied

ENDS