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Author: Marillia Veldkornet

16 June 2020 PRESS STATEMENT: First Positive Covid-19 case at Garden Route District Municipality and Temporary Closure of Head-Office

For Immediate Release 

16 June 2020

From Wednesday, 17 June 2020, the Head-Office of the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) in George will be temporary closed, due to an employee who tested positive for Covid-19.

Executive Mayor of GRDM, Cllr Memory Booysen, when confirming the first Covid-19 positive case of the municipality, said:  “Although the person was working from home and had less interaction with colleagues, the employee occasionally came to our offices and it is our duty as a municipality to follow all related protocols. We immediately took the necessary precautions and are implementing all measures such as closing the building, disinfecting, fogging, etc. to ensure the safety of the rest of the GRDM employees”.

Officials disinfecting the Head-Office of Garden Route District Municipality.

All GRDM satellite offices in the district will continue with normal working operations; however the Head-Office will be closed despite the District Command Centre that is stationed at the Head-Office being the centre point to coordinate Covid-19 related activities in the district.  The temporary closure of the building will therefore allow the municipality to take the necessary precautions related to the Covid-19 protocols.

The person is already in isolation and the process to trace all persons who were in contact with the employee, is underway.   All processes will be conducted in collaboration with the Western Cape Department of Health.  Mayor Booysen concluded by extending a word of appreciation on behalf of Council and Management to the employee, who immediately informed management of the test results. He wished the employee a speedy recovery and also wished all those who might have been in contact with the employee well, during this time.

The Strategic Manager in the Office of the Municipal Manager, Mr Thembani Loliwe, confirmed that the office will reopen on Monday, 22 June 2020 and he further stated that no person will be allowed into the office, including officials and members of the public until the reopening of the building. “We therefore encourage all staff and members of the public to be patient with us while we put these measures in place and ensuring a safe working environment for our employees”.

As we enter the peak period of the pandemic, every person will be at risk of contracting the virus, therefore it is important that we adhere to all principles to prevent the spread of the virus. Stay at home, if you can work from home. Make sure that you keep a 1.5 meter distance between yourself and the next person, wear a clean cloth mask when you have to go out, wash your hands often and avoid touching your face. If you feel sick also stay at home and seek urgent medical care when experiencing difficulty breathing.

For more information, contact:

Mr Thembani Loliwe,

Strategic Manager in the Office of the Municipal Manager

Tel: 067 038 7668 / E-mail: thembani@gardenroute.gov.za

 

-ENDS-

15 June 2020 DSD donates essential food items to homeless shelters in the Garden Route district

For Immediate Release
15 June 2020

On Wednesday, 10 June 2020, the Disaster Management Centre of Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) collected food items from the Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD) in Cape Town to assist shelters situated in all municipal areas with food relief.

Essential food items donated by the Western Cape Department of Social Development on 10 June 2020 to provide food relief to the homeless of the Garden Route district.

Mr Gerhard Otto, Manager of Disaster Management at GRDM, applied for food relief with a list of specified items on 4 June 2020, after sending a request for assistance to the DSD. The request was approved on 8 June 2020. This assistance came at a crucial time after Oudtshoorn and Bitou municipalities shortly before Otto’s request, indicated the need for essential food items at their respective shelters for homeless people. Itemba in Oudtshoorn accommodates 18 homeless, while Native Roots, situated in Plettenberg Bay, accommodates 40 persons.  Homeless persons are not only accommodated at these shelters, but are also cared for during the COVID-19 pandemic and kept safe and healthy during this unprecedented time.

Preparation of the food will be done at kitchens approved by the GRDM Municipal Health Services section. The kitchens will be well-managed by non-governmental and faith based organisations in the respective municipal areas. Soup kitchens supported by the respective municipalities will also benefit from this donation. The items approved and donated by DSD, include: porridge, beef and chicken soup, juice, pasta, mince, chicken casserole, maize meal and pilchards.

Executive Mayor of GRDM, Cllr Memory Booysen, welcomed the donation and extended a word of gratitude to DSD for assisting the Garden Route district with essential food items. Mayor Booysen said: “This donation from the DSD is confirmation of our good working relations with provincial departments.  It is important that we continue with our efforts to explore any possibility to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of our residents, most importantly the most vulnerable – this donation is a result thereof”.

ENDS

10 June 2020 FOR PUBLIC COMMENT – Service Delivery and Budget Implementation Plan 2020/2021

10 June 2020

FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

The Garden Route District Municipality Service Delivery and Budget Implementation Plan 2020/2021 is available for public comment.

Click here to download the PDF document for your perusal.

Closing date for comments is 24 June 2020.

All comments must be forwarded to:

Ms Ilse Saaiman

Manager: Performance Management

E-mail: pms@gardenroute.gov.za / (c) 065 821 7904

8 June 2020 Severe Weather Alerts (Strong Winds & Veld Fire Conditions)

The Cape Town Weather Office has issued the following severe weather alerts:

HAZARD 1: Veld Fire Conditions
Alert Level: Warning
Valid From (SAST): 08/06/20 08h00
Valid To (SAST): 08/06/20 18h00

Expected over the Central Karoo, Garden Route and the northern part of Cape Winelands (W.Cape) tomorrow (08/06/2020).

HAZARD 2: Damaging Winds
Alert Level: Advisory
Valid From (SAST): 09/06/20 00h00
Valid To (SAST): 11/06/20 00h00

Strong interior winds (50 to 70km/h) are expected over the Cape Winelands, Central Karoo and the Garden Route municipalities (W.Cape) on Tuesday (09/06/2020).

DESCRIPTION: Strong damaging winds
Strong damaging winds often occur along coastal regions, but also often occur during thunderstorm activity. These winds are sudden and can cause much damage.

PRECAUTIONS: Strong damaging winds
Stay indoors where possible away from the windows that open towards the severe winds. Be aware of the following: – sudden cross winds if traveling especially between buildings, fallen trees or power lines and flying debris.
Small boats must stay away from the open sea and seek the shelter of a harbour, river estuary or protected bay.
Parked aircraft should be pointed into the direction of the wind and secured Listen to the radio or TV for warnings and obey the instructions from disaster management officers.

DESCRIPTION: Dangerous veld/bush fire conditions
Whenever there are prolonged periods of little and no rain coupled with warm dry winds, veldt or bush fires can easily be sparked and will spread rapidly in strong winds.

PRECAUTIONS: Dangerous veld/bush fire conditions
Don’t make fires in the open and/or leave fires unattended. Don’t throw cigarette butts out of cars or in the open veldt. Don’t throw bottles in the veldt as they can magnify the sun’s rays and start fires. Prepare and maintain fire breaks in controlled manner. In the case of a large fire report it immediately and move away from the area to let the professionals deal with it. Never throw water onto a fire started by an electrical fault or fires started by oil or paraffin lamps. In this case sand or a blanket should be used to smother the fire. Listen to the radio or TV for warnings and obey the instructions from disaster management officers.

2 June 2020 Amendment of the Rules of Order regulating the Conduct of Meetings By-Law

FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

Notice is hereby given that the Garden Route District Municipal Council has approved in principle the amendment of the Rules of Order regulating the conduct of meetings By-law, published in the Provincial Gazette No. 6469 of 28 September 2007.

The document was considered by the Garden Route District Municipality at a District Council meeting held on Wednesday 27 May 2020.

The document is be available for public inspection and comments on the Garden Route District Municipality’s website at www.gardenroute.gov.za, from 02 June 2020.

All comments and inputs must be directed to “The Municipal Manager, Garden Route District Municipality, 54 York Street, George, 6530”

The public has 21 days to comment on the aforementioned document from the publication date of this notice.

For any enquiries, please contact the Manager: Integrated Support Services and Legal Compliance, Adv Sinekaya Maqekeni, at 044 803 1383.

MG STRATU

MUNICIPAL MANAGER

GARDEN ROUTE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY

Notice Number:  26/2020

29 May 2020 Media Release: GRDM Municipal Health Services section educates schools regarding COVID-19

Media Release: GRDM Municipal Health Services section educates schools regarding COVID-19

For Immediate Release
29 May 2020

The National Minister of Basic Education, recently, announced the re-opening of South African schools for Grade 7 and Grade 12 learners on 01 June 2020.

To ensure that these learners enter a safe learning environment it was expected from teachers and principals to return to their schools on Monday, 25 May 2020. This period allowed officials/educators to prepare for the return of learners and to receive personal protective equipment. To ensure that the safe learning environment is maintained during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Basic Education also issued a standard operating procedure which will be used by schools.

A crucial role-player in maintaining an overall healthy learning environment in the Garden Route, is the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Municipal Health Services function. Part of the responsibilities of Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) are to survey and prevent communicable diseases from spreading – this exclude the roll-out of immunization campaigns. It entails the training, awareness and education of all the school circuits within the Garden Route district.

When referring to this critical period, Manager of Municipal Health Services at GRDM, Mr Johan Compion, said: “Health promotion and safety protocols will be addressed to combat the spread of COVID-19. This will be done in collaboration with the Provincial Department of Health and the Department of Education,” he added.

Environmental Health Practitioners from Garden Route District Municipality conduct awareness sessions at various schools in the Garden Route district.

He furthermore highlighted that training of the school governing bodies has already started on Tuesday, 26 May 2020 in each sub-district of the Garden Route, which was conducted by EHPs of GRDM. He added that this will ensure that schools in the Garden Route district are equipped with information to implement a plan which they can effectively execute regarding disinfection and sanitation, especially for high risk areas, e.g. but not limited to:

  • School buildings;
  • Classrooms;
  • Staff toilets (showers, bathrooms, railings etc.);
  • Learner toilets;
  • School Hostels;
  • Kitchen facilities, cuisine areas, kiosk`s (”snoepie”);
  • School gym;
  • All school vehicles (mini-buses any other vehicle);
  • Offices.

The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa allocates Municipal Health Services as a Local Government function under Part B of Schedule 4, Section 156 (1) (a). This means that EHPs from the GRDM have to conduct environmental health inspections at school premises in the Garden Route district. Furthermore, the National Health Act, 2003 (Act 61 of 2003) defines Municipal Health Services in terms of the following 9 Key Performance Areas:

(1) Water quality monitoring

(2) Food control

(3) Waste management

(4) Health surveillance of premises

(5) Surveillance and prevention of communicable diseases, excluding immunizations

(6) Vector control

(7) Environmental pollution control

(8) Disposal of the dead

(9) Chemical safety

In maintaining the health standard of schools in the Garden Route, the district will continue to roll out awareness about COVID-19 through promoting proper hand washing techniques, social distancing, cough etiquette, cleaning, sanitizing and continual disinfection of frequently touched surfaces.

ENDS

25 May 2020 GRDM holds 2-day Institutional Strategic Planning Session to discuss its strategic direction

Press Release

25 May 2020

For Immediate Release

Councillors and management from Garden Route District Municipality, together with representatives from labour unions and various government stakeholders, on 7 and 11 May 2020, convened through a virtual platform, a Strategic Planning Session, to review all operations of the municipality since July to March 2020 and also to discuss the strategic direction that the municipality aims to undertake over the short- and long term.

This annual engagement, as described by the facilitator, Dr Florus Prinsloo, allowed all participants to share their inputs with regards to the damage that the COVID-19 pandemic has done to the economy of the district and also the district’s readiness and the interventions of the municipality to recover from the effects of the pandemic.

When describing the objective of the session, Executive Mayor of GRDM, Councillor Memory Booysen, emphasised the importance of all stakeholders, especially representatives from the various political parties, around one table to discuss strategic issues of the municipality.

With reference to the COVID-19 pandemic that also affects the rest of the work, including Garden Route,, Executive  Mayor Booysen said: “Nobody foresaw that by this time, we would all be affected by this pandemic”. He said: “We all have had to change our lifestyles; we now have to change our management styles as well as our political approach to provide direction to the management in our collective fight of this pandemic. We must use this time as an opportunity to prepare ourselves for change. All the initiatives we are busy with are all enforced by COVID-19. Some would not be sustainable and affordable, but we know that some initiatives have to be adjusted. We now have to realign how we use to do business and how we are going to adapt to the new norm,” Mayor Booysen added.

Municipal Manager of GRDM, Mr Monde Stratu, acknowledged that the pandemic has revealed the levels of poverty in South Africa, e.g. hunger, inhumane settlements etc., but also at the same time how the pandemic brought to the fore that government indeed works. He said: “As we plan for the new financial year, it will not be the same going forward. We have to re-look and review our strategies”.

Mr Stratu also provided feedback about the compliance of all committees from July to date and reported that all Council meetings that were scheduled to take place have been executed, all reports that were prepared to serve at oversight committees were processed and the annual report was approved in time. He furthermore provided an update on the application for GRDM to be registered as a Water Service Authority as well as an update regarding the catalytic projects such as the fresh produce market ,Renewable Energy Projects, Development Agency etc. which are still in its planning phases.

In respect of intergovernmental relations and public participation all forums took place including IDP forums. Mr Stratu furthermore reported that the Service Delivery and Budget Implementation Plan and all planning processes to review the IDP and Budget have been undertaken and that all required financial reports have been submitted to the relevant structures. He therefore extended a word of appreciation to the political leadership for their role to ensure that the municipality complied with these legislative requirements. Mr Stratu also remembered and acknowledged the late Cllr Nomhiki Jacobs who participated in all these initiatives to ensure that Council adhered to all legislative requirements, however she sadly passed away on 18 March 2020.

In going forward, Mr Stratu highlighted the municipality is in a financially stable position, however, he said: “We now have to make serious changes in terms of the long term sustainability of the municipality”. He also acknowledged that the Cost Containment Regulations contributed to various strategies that had to be reviewed as many tourism and other projects came to a halt due to the lockdown.  He concluded with the following words:  “As a Council we do have the political will and we are confident to do everything possible to reignite the economy of the Garden Route in order to take our rightful place as a district municipality and lead as our vision reads”.

Dr Michael Sutcliffe, former City Manager of eThekwini Municipality made a presentation on the Municipal functions as outlined in section 84 of the Structures Act. He shared some findings on the research he has done on this functions and the recommendations that will be made with regards to possible review of Section 84 and 85 of the Structures Act. He acknowledged that the Garden Route District Municipality is capable of performing the functions of the district as outlined in Section 84. Dr Sutcliffe made an example that a district fresh model idea would address the needs of both the most impoverished communities to the richest of the rich.

Mr Walton Carelse from the Western Cape Government presented the Joint District Approach that started in July 2018. The model was developed in conjunction with Local Municipalities and was introduced at the Garden Route Municipal Managers Forum on 4 December 2018. The model included the identification and assessment of Municipal priorities throughout the district and developing a consolidated approach in achieving those priorities. Through these platforms the following themes were created to group the challenges of the municipalities, namely: climate change and water security, local economic development, immigration and urbanisation, infrastructure management, institutional governance, data management, intergovernmental planning alignment, partnering, partnerships and shared services, financial sustainability, citizen interface, political, administrative and social instability and waste management. Each district municipality had to identify their two/three top priorities from  the five top priorities identified across the Western Cape namely: community participation, infrastructure management, urbanisation, climate change and water security, as well as waste management. All these were identified prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. Now the municipality may have to review the priorities, in light of  Covid-19 pandemic. Currently the District has identified the following priorities from the broad themes:

  • Growing the Regional Economy
  • Developing Resilience as a Region
  • Integrated Management for Good Governance
  • Liveable Cities/Towns Social Cohesion
  • Sustainable Human Settlements

When presenting the COVID-19 Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) support programme, Mr Rashid Teofy, Head of the Western Cape Government COVID-19 Economic Cluster, together with members of the Cluster, explained the role of the Cluster since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. These include the access to incentives, the collating of information on all support measures to ensure that these are available to SMMEs etc. Furthermore, together with Provincial Treasury, a database has also been developed to deal with personal protective equipment, which municipalities and government departments can access for procurement of personal protective equipment such as cloth masks. Together with this, WESGRO created a platform for the private sector where suppliers and buyers can interact with one another regarding Covid 19 PPE. The unit also engages with businesses and banks on a bi-weekly basis to discuss the challenges of SMMEs. Another initiative that is also in its planning phase is to transform spaza shops into mini supermarkets which will allow a more sophisticated shopping experience for the community.

The concept of a digital economy was furthermore presented, whereby various components and services have been brought into one platform that can be accessed by SMMEs as a guideline or a digital support tool. The platform, known as Jump for Entrepreneurs, furthermore seeks to assist small businesses to become more competitive and have access to more markets. This tool can be accessed via www.bizjump.co.za. The platform is updated on a regular basis and businesses are therefore encouraged to upload their profiles to interact with other businesses and remain competitive in this digital age.

The second day’s activities were in the form of presentations presented by the different Head of departments within the municipality.  Executive Managers used the opportunity to reflect on the past financial year’s achievements as well as the challenges experienced.  Councillors were enlightened with departments’ objective and strategies for the next financial year.  The impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic on service delivery was also discussed. These presentations outlined various exciting projects that the Municipality will be engaged in to ensure self-sustainability and improve the regional economy.

ENDS