Author: Marillia Veldkornet
28 May 2024 Public Notice – Public Participation for the Garden Route District Coastal Management Programme – Open for Comment
29/2024: Notice of Public Participation for the Garden Route District Coastal Management Programme
Open For Comment
The Garden Route District Coastal Management Programme was reviewed and updated, in terms of Section 48 of the Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) Act (Act No 24 of 2008). As per the provisions of the ICM Act, any amendments that are made to the existing Coastal Management Programme must be subject to the public participation requirements in accordance with Chapter 4 of the Municipal Systems Act, prior to being Gazetted.
Notice is hereby given that the Draft Garden Route District Coastal Management Programme will be available for review and comment from 24 May 2024 to 30 June 2024. The draft Garden Route District Coastal Management Programme will be available for viewing at the following Places:
- Garden Route District Municipality, 54 York Street, George;
- Mossel Bay Public Library, 99 Marsh Street, Mossel Bay;
- Hessequa Public Library (Gouritsmond Library), 9 Kerk Street, Gouritz;
- Albertinia Public Library, 2 Horne Street, Albertinia;
- Still Bay Public Library, Main Road, Still Bay West;
- Riversdale Public Library, Van Den Berg Street, Riversdale;
- Hessequa Municipal Office, Mitchell Street, Riversdale;
- Plettenberg Bay Public Library; Saringa Way, New Horizons, Plettenberg Bay;
- Knysna Public Library, Memorial Square, 2 Main Street, Knysna;
- George Public Library, Corner Caledon and Courtenay Streets, Camphersdrift, George;
- Community centres and SAPD reception offices within subsistence fisher communities, and;
- Garden Route District Municipality website link:
https://www.gardenroute.gov.za/document-category/2023-24-coastal-management/
The District Municipality hereby invites comments from interested and affected parties on the draft reviewed Garden Route District Coastal Management Programme. Any comments and inputs submitted will be considered during the finalisation of the draft document for final approval and Gazetting.
Written submissions may be directed to the Municipal Manager using the following address:
Garden Route District Municipality, Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu, 54 York Street, George or Private Bag 12, George, 6530 or via email to info@gardenroute.gov.za before / on 30 June 2024.
Any person who is unable to write can submit their input verbally to the Council’s offices where they will be assisted by a staff member to put their comments in writing. Enquiries can be directed to Dr Nina Viljoen at 044 803 1318 or e-mail nina@gardenroute.gov.za.
Click here to download the Official Notice.
M Stratu
MUNICIPAL MANAGER
GARDEN ROUTE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY
21 May 2024 Media Release: Garden Route District MM shares words of appreciation to role-players of Building collapse Rescue and Recovery operations
Garden Route District MM shares words of appreciation to Role-players of partially-built Building Collapse Rescue and Recovery operations
For immediate release
21 May 2024
For nearly two weeks since 6 May 2024, the town of George in the Western Cape, South Africa experienced a disaster unimaginable when a partially-built building collapsed with workers from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique and Lesotho trapped inside.
The collapse prompted a unified response of experts from Local, Provincial and National Government. Individuals from a diverse background joined together to support the families affected by the tragedy and to keep everyone informed as each minute of the rescue and recovery efforts unfolded. Local rescuers and teams from across the country, including urban search and rescue experts, rescue technicians, doctors, paramedics, firefighters, K-9 Police dogs with their dog-handlers, machinery operators, law enforcement, forensic experts, and support personnel worked tirelessly at the site, extracting workers from the rubble. Hospitals were inundated with patients, and volunteers, as well as Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Faith Based Organisations rallied to provide assistance to the rescue teams. A church choir and spiritual leaders were also at the site to provide comfort.
As the days went by, the Multi-Agency Command Centre (MACC) coordinated by Gerhard Otto, Garden Route District Municipality’s (GRDM) Manager for Disaster Management, released updates with the assistance of Communicators from GRDM, George, Western Cape Government Department of Local Government, SAPS, as well as WCG Health and Wellness, to members of the public and media regarding the latest status of the rescue and recovery efforts.
At the MACC were representatives present from WCG, GRDM, George Municipality, Emergency Medical Services, the South African Police Service, The Forensic Pathology Service, National Department of Employment and Labour and the WCG Department of Social Development to name a few. The MACC was operational 24/7 with morning and afternoon briefing sessions taking place for all role-players to discuss their plans of action.
The last successful rescue was that of 32-year-old living miracle, Gabriel Guambe who was retrieved on 11 May 2024. Gumba was trapped under the rubble for 118 hours. His miracle rescue created tears in the eyes as soon as it became public knowledge. This successful rescue created new hope for all families and residents who waited anxiously for more rescues to occur. While not all stories ended in success, the collective resilience and solidarity of the community was evident throughout the ordeal.
In total, and as per the last media statement issued by the MACC on Friday, 17 May 2024, of the sixty-two workers (62) who were affected by the collapse, twenty-nine (34) were rescued, however to date six patients afterwards unfortunately passed away in hospital.
No one could have known that the Garden Route would be faced with such a tremendous nightmare, but to witness the people of George and Garden Route coming together to pray and provide support in this incident that created a tremendous cloud of adversity over the town, one can only take from it a lifetime of memories created by the incident. The dedicated rescue services and support provided by the golden hearts through their good deeds to those involved in the rescue mission, are just a few to be mentioned.
Monde Stratu, Municipal Manager of GRDM, visited the site on a daily basis to get to terms and understand the intensity of the incident and rescue mission. Stratu expressed his gratitude to every single official, person, and organisation, the whole of South Africa, who worked non-stop, on and off the site and to every single media representative, photographer and communicator who kept the whole of South Africa informed regarding the progress of the rescue operations. Stratu furthermore thanked all government organisations, municipalities and the private sector who prioritised their past two weeks in the best interest of the workers and their families affected by the incident.
In offering condolences to those who lost loved ones, Stratu emphasised that the whole Garden Route grieves alongside them. “He said: “As you mourn the loss of your mother, father, son, daughter or sibling, remember the entire Garden Route mourns with you. May their departed souls rest in peace.”
ENDS
09 May 2024 Public Notice: Procurement of Provision of Banking Services for the Garden Route District Municipality for a period of 5 years through a Formal Tender process
Public Notice: Procurement of Provision of Banking Services for the Garden Route District Municipality for a period of 5 years through a Formal Tender process
Notice 42 of 2024
Notice is hereby given in terms of Section 33 of the Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, No.56 of 2003 that the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) intends to enter into a provision for banking services agreement with Nedbank Limited as the recommended preferred bidder for the tender GRDM/06/23-24. The tender is awarded to Nedbank Limited for the period 1 May 2024 – 30 April 2029.
In terms of the Supply Chain Regulations issued in terms of the Local Government: Municipal Financial Management Act, 2003 (Act 56 of 2003), the Municipality must procure banking services through a competitive bidding process. During August 2023 the Municipality advertised Tender No. GRDM/06/23-24 – Procurement of Provision of banking services for the Garden Route District Municipality for a 5-year period.
Following an extensive evaluation and due diligence process, the GRDM Bid Adjudication Committee (BAC) accepted the tender of Nedbank Limited for the provision of banking services for the period 1 May 2024 – 30 April 2029. A section 33 process as prescribed in terms of the MFMA must be followed for contracts beyond three (3) years.
The estimated value for the expenses on this 5-year contract amounts to R500 000. Future interest revenue will be linked to the prime interest rate less 4% as tendered. Provision for the expenditure has been made in the Operational Budget and will be made in future budgets for the duration of the agreement.
Notice is further given in accordance with section 21 and 21A of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, No. 32 of 2000, that the local community and other interested persons are invited to submit comments or representations to the Municipality in respect of the proposed draft contract. Such comments or representations must reach the Municipality within 21 calendar days, via electronic mail on the email address or delivered by mail to the address details provided hereunder. If no submissions and/or correspondence is received within the given time, GRDM will presume that there are no recommendations or views to this matter.
The detailed specifications and the proposed contract as contained in the Tender GRDM/06/23-24: Procurement of Provision of Banking Services for the Garden Route District Municipality for a period of 5 years through a formal tender process is available at the municipal offices and GRDM website at https://www.gardenroute.gov.za.
Submission must be marked as:
PROVISION OF BANKING SERVICES AGREEMENT GRDM/06/23-24: SECTION 33 PROCESS
MG Stratu
Municipal Manager
54 York Street
PO Box 12
GEORGE
6530
Tel: 044 803 1300
Email submissions to: Mr T Mpuru
Email address: tebello@gardenroute.gov.za
Notice number: 42/2024
07 May 2024 Media Release: Calling all tourism organisations – R4 million ‘Tourism Growth Fund’ now open for applications
Media Release: Calling all tourism organisations – R4 million ‘Tourism Growth Fund’ now open for applications
For immediate release
07 May 2024
The Western Cape Government’s (WCG) Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT) has officially opened the 2024/25 ‘Tourism Growth Fund’ and is inviting organisations to apply for project funding for tourism development, tourism infrastructure, and tourism product development.
Speaking about the launch of the latest iteration of the fund, Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger, said “tourism in the Western Cape is on the up. We have moved from post-COVID recovery and into impressive growth, showing that the province is a tourism destination of choice and very much in demand.”
“This is why I am very excited to launch the latest R4 million Tourism Growth Fund so we can work with more organisations across the sector to further improve our world-class attractions and offerings. This fund will allow us to add to and boost the already impressive array of offerings we have across the province, attracting even more visitors, and creating many more jobs in the Western Cape,” continued Minister Wenger.
The Fund challenges those involved in the tourism ecosystem – both public and private – to co-invest in high-impact attractions and experiences in order to offer a more compelling reason to visit the Western Cape and its districts.
The Fund will provide co-funding to:
- collaborative initiatives that enhance high-volume tourism attractions through tourism infrastructure development/upgrading and/ or place-making/ beautification interventions; and/ or
- collaborative initiatives of tourism organisations working with tourism enterprises to enable businesses to enhance and expand their tourism offerings in areas with high growth potential.
There are two categories for which funding can be applied for:
Category 1: Tourism Infrastructure Support initiatives with a focus on upgrading high-volume attractions
The Fund will support regional and local tourism organisations, industry associations, district and local authorities, and tourism enterprises with initiatives to enhance high-volume tourism attractions through tourism infrastructure development or upgrades and/ or place making/ beautification activities.
Tourism infrastructure upgrade means the enhancement or development of any existing or new infrastructure required to ensure that tourists can visit attractions and experiences in a safe, clean, comfortable, and accessible manner. Examples of tourism infrastructure include trails, walkways, signage, street furniture, public lighting, public toilets, shelters, hides, and more.
Category 2: Tourism Product Development Support initiatives with a focus on assisting tourism enterprises (specifically small, medium and micro enterprises) with tourism product development
The Fund will provide financial support to enhance and/or expand collaborative programmes and projects aimed at assisting SMMEs with tourism product development. Regional and local tourism organisations, industry associations, and district and local authorities can apply for support through the programme; in exceptional circumstances, individual enterprises will be considered.
Tourism product development support includes, but is not limited to:
- product and/ or experience development;
- capacity development; and/or
- provision of bespoke support (machinery, equipment, licenses, accreditation, memberships, health and safety compliance, standards etc).
This year, the Tourism Growth Fund will prioritise private sector-led initiatives aimed at stimulating high-growth, high-yield forms of tourism including in Halal, adventure, food, wine, culture and heritage, and township-based tourism offerings.
Minister Wenger emphasised that “As part of our ambitious economic action plan, ‘Growth For Jobs’, we are determined to double the number of visitors to the province by 2035 to aid in our overarching goal of enabling a R1 trillion, jobs-rich, inclusive, diverse, and resilient provincial economy that is growing at between 4% and 6% in real terms.”
“I would like to encourage those organisations who may benefit from the fund to apply without delay, and I look forward to working with the sector to attract more and more tourists to this wonderful province – because more tourists mean more jobs in the Western Cape,” concluded Minister Wenger.
For more information on the fund and on how to apply, interested applicants can visit this website: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/site-page/economic-sector-support-tourism-growth-fund
Enquiries can be directed to Mrs Lindy Cambouris at:
G4Jtourismfund@westerncape.gov.za or at 021-483-6527.
ENDS
By Mireille Wenger, Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities
Media Queries:
Georgina Maree
Spokesperson for the Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities
(Responsible for the Provincial Treasury and the Department of Economic Development and Tourism)
Cell: 076 423 7541
Email: georgina.maree@westerncape.gov.za
Issued by Corporate Communication, Department of the Premier
03 May 2024 Media Release: Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities visits beneficiaries of the Tourism Development Fund
Media Release: Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities visits beneficiaries of the Tourism Development Fund
For immediate release
03 May 2024
On Monday, 29 April 2024, the Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Ms Mireille Wenger, paid a visit to some of the beneficiaries of the Tourism Development Fund in the Garden Route, Mossel Bay, namely; Nova Hot Air Balloons and The Skipper Foundation.
Whilst in Mossel Bay MEC Wenger also paid a visit to The Mossel Bay cruise port to discuss some of the future expansion plans of the Mossel Bay port for cruise tourism with the port management and Mossel Bay Trading Hub. With the Western Cape Governments’ assistance to small businesses at the trading hub in relation to alternative energy solutions to ensure business continuity during loadshedding, the MEC was joined by the Executive Mayor of GRDM, Alderman Memory Booysen, and Mossel Bay Councillor, Cllr Anton Dellemijn.
What is The Tourism Product Development Fund?
The Tourism Product Development Fund supports the development of new tourism products and experiences and/or major upgrading of existing tourism products and experiences to increase the Western Cape’s destination attractiveness to visitors.
The Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT) requested organisations and businesses from both private and public organisations to apply for project funding via the Tourism Product Development Fund.
The Tourism Product Development initiative seeks to develop new or existing tourism products and experiences within the Western Cape. The Fund supported new or existing tourism products and experiences that address gaps and opportunities identified by the draft Tourism Blueprint 2030. A total of R 5 million was made available for disbursement during the 2022/2023 government fiscal year by the Western Cape Government.
Additional: The Department of Economic Development and Tourism’s Tourism Growth Fund is open to receive fund applications.
Click here to visit the dedicated web page for DEDAT’s Tourism Growth Fund for more information and to apply online.
The Tourism Growth Fund – APPLY TODAY!
The Department of Economic Development and Tourism is requesting organisations implementing tourism development projects or programmes in the categories of Tourism Infrastructure Support and Tourism Product Development Support to apply for project funding via the Tourism Growth Fund. The Fund will provide financial support to development programmes and projects that benefit Western Cape-based tourism attractions and businesses. A total of R4 million is available in 2024 for disbursement to successful applicants.
Applications and criteria:
- Applicants must complete the online application form and will be required to upload all of the requested supporting documents. The submitted proposals must be structured toward one of the following categories:
- Category 1: Tourism Infrastructure Support Initiatives with a focus on upgrading high visitor volume attractions.
- Category 2: Tourism Product Development Support Initiatives with a focus on assisting tourism enterprises (specifically small, medium, and micro enterprises) with tourism product development.
- Only applications submitted via the online process will be considered. No emailed or hand-delivered applications will be considered.
- Thoroughly read the application guidelines before completing the online application. All sections in the application form are mandatory.
- We recommend that you familiarise yourself with the online form so that you have the necessary information at hand when completing your application. You can refer to the attached document for an electronic copy of the form, as well as the call for proposals.
There is no closing date, however funds are subject to availability. Don’t delay, apply today!
For more information, contact Lindy Cambouris on 021 483 6527 or G4JTourismFund@westerncape.gov.za
ENDS
03 May 2024 Update 3: Gwaiing Road Construction Works, George
Update 3: Gwaiing Road Construction Project
03 May 2024
The Gwaiing project is still in its construction phase with the progress of the project currently stands at 78% works completed.
The Road Construction team is currently busy with the cement stabilisation of the subbase layer on the RHS lane, which is the second to last layer that will be placed on the newly constructed road, after which, the construction of the final Basecourse layer will begin.
The main focus areas at this stage remain the processing of the layer works. Material is still being carted in from the approved source. The drainage network on the entire section of road has been improved, with minor concrete structures currently being constructed for erosion control.
The intended final completion date is set for 18 September 2024.
-ENDS-