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Author: Marlene Nqumse

COVID-19: Municipalities implement wide-ranging interventions to assist communities

1 April 2020

Municipalities across the Western Cape continue to roll out a broad collection of interventions aimed at mitigating the impact of Covid-19 in their communities.

The Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape, Anton Bredell, says council’s primary responsibility is to continue to ensure that basic services, including water, sanitation, electricity and cleaning continues.

“In addition councils are doing everything within their means to assist their communities who are all struggling as a result of the Covid-19 virus and the impact thereof.”

The following initiatives have already been undertaken in Western Cape municipalities:

  • Key services including technical services, water, sewerage, electricity and waste management continues.
  • Water and electricity restrictions have been lifted in areas where it may have been implemented to date.
  • Councils are working closely with SAPS and the SANDF to ensure the safety of all communities.
  • Loud hailing pertaining to COVID-19 operations and information is done in rural areas and informal settlements.

A snapshot of some of the additional measures some councils have undertaken include but are not limited to:

  • Stellenbosch Municipality will suspend all rate collections for three months. In addition all homeless residents in the Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and Klapmuts areas are being accommodated in temporary accommodation.
  • In Overstrand Municipality, businesses who find themselves in financial stress, as a result of the lockdown and cannot pay their accounts due for March 2020 and/or April 2020, may enter into an extended term of payment agreement in order for their payments to be done over a period of 6 months. Residential customers, who find themselves in financial stress, as a result of the lockdown and cannot pay their accounts due for March 2020 and/or April 2020, may also enter into an extended payment agreement in order to pay these accounts, over a twelve month period. In addition, all tenants of the Municipality who cannot make use of the premises they lease, for the purpose it is leased for, such as business premises, stalls, etc. will be exempted from the payment of their rental for the months of April 2020 and May 2020.
  • In Hessequa municipality all ward councillors have been provided with funding to provide food parcels to their constituencies where needed.
  • Swartland Municipality is working with the private sector to develop feeding schemes for homeless people. The municipality is still considering a possible payment holiday for property rates as well as writing off interest on arrear accounts.
  • In Witzenberg municipality, the council has decided not to implement strict credit control during the lockdown period. All prepaid electricity meters that may have been shut off due to non-payment has been reconnected. Shelter has been arranged for homeless people needing accommodation during this time.
  • Saldanha-Bay: A temporary suspension of all credit control measures and procedures will be implemented until the end of April 2020, meaning that there will be no blocked electricity meters and no restriction measures. The Free basic water allocation for indigent residents will be increased from 6 to 10 kilolitres from April 2020 until the end of June 2020. The largest holiday resort has been made available for a containment area if needs be.
  • Drakenstein municipality has lifted all water and electricity blocks. Temporary shelter for the homeless has been arranged.
  • BreedeVallei municipality has rolled out additional water points and toilets in informal settlements which are also being serviced on a greater frequency.
  • Mosselbay Municipality is providing financial assistance to all lessee’s of the municipality. When it comes to water all water that has been restricted (on drip) has been opened and all prepaid and conventional electricity meters that were blocked had their restrictions lifted.
  • Oudtshoorn Municipality has undertaken various measures including exempting the billing of interest on all overdue consumers’ accounts for a period of four (4) months from March 2020 – June 2020.
  • Theewaterskloof Municipality has also lifted restrictions on water and electricity. All critical services continue and communication in the affected areas is rolled out continuously. The council is working with NGOs in to distribute food parcels where needed.
  • Drakenstein Municipality is providing shelter to the homeless in four different shelters across its municipal area. The homeless receive soap, water, blankets and daily meals.
  • In Bergrivier Municipality, people who were placed on a controlled water management system, now have full access to water for the duration of the National State of Disaster. Credit control on outstanding accounts are also being relaxed.
  • George Municipality will not charge any interest for April 2020 on service accounts. The council has unblocked all electrical meters from 24 March to allow purchase of pre-paid electricity for all consumers. Additional sanitation facilities and waterpoints are being provided in a number of informal settlements. Rosemore Sport Stadium has been set up as a homeless shelter. Loudhailing has been taking place in all areas as of 25 March – with areas being identified on a daily basis that need to be revisited.

“District municipalities in the Western Cape continue to render all essential services, including firefighting, road maintenance and environmental health services. Our disaster management centres are all in 24/7 activation and working hard to tackle the COVID-19 crisis,” says Bredell.

“Further measures continue to be investigated by all councils as the situation unfolds. I want to thank our councils in conjunction with the Western Cape Department of Local Government for doing what they can to assist their communities during this difficult time,” says Bredell.

Bredell has urged all citizens with questions regarding the ongoing lockdown and what it means for them, their families and their lives to visit the website: www.westerncape.gov.za/coronavirus

“In addition, if you have flu-like symptoms, and have come into contact with someone who has COVID-19, please contact the provincial hotline on 021 928 4102 for advice on what to do next.”

ENDS.

Media enquiries:

James-Brent Styan

Spokesperson for the Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell

Update on the Coronavirus by Premier Alan Winde- communities can help us fight this virus

Media Release: 

As at 00h01 on 31 March 2020, the Western Cape had recorded 348 cases of COVID-19 across the province.

Sub District Breakdown (Cape Town metro):

Metro
Cases
Western 118
Southern 104
Northern 17
Tygerberg 23
Eastern 14
Klipfontein 7
Mitchells Plain 5
Khayelitsha 1
Total 289

Sub-district breakdown (Non-metro):

Non-Metro
District  Sub-district  Cases
Garden Route Bitou 4
Garden Route Knysna 6
Garden Route George 8
Garden Route Hessequa 3
Garden Route Mossel Bay 5
Cape Winelands Stellenbosch 11
Cape Winelands Drakenstein 6
Cape Winelands Breede Valley 4
Cape Winelands Langeberg 1
Overberg Overstrand 5
Overberg Theewaterskloof 1
West Coast Saldanha Bay 1
West Coast Swartland 1
Total   56

Not allocated by address: 3

Sunday was the first day that we provided lower level data and some processing errors occurred in the way that data was allocated to various sub-districts- specifically Swellendam, Bitou and Knysna. These errors have been corrected in today’s data and we apologise for any inconvenience or concern caused.

We currently have 13 people in hospital, with three patients being treated in ICU.

We can also confirm today that 50 people who previously tested positive for COVID-19 in the City of Cape Town, have fully recovered from their symptoms. All of them have completed their 14 day period of self-isolation, and can now, in accordance with guidelines set out by the NICD, leave isolation. They are now in the same scenario as all other members of the public, in that they are required to obey the lockdown laws, but can leave their homes for necessities such as medical care, food, cash and to collect grants, only.

SASSA grants:

Since yesterday, we have seen long queues for the collection of social grants in supermarkets and shops. We are therefore calling on members of the public who are not collecting grants, to refrain from shopping over the next few days unless it is absolutely necessary to do so. This will help to minimize crowds and queues and ensure that grant recipients including the elderly and disabled, are not put at unnecessary risk.

Communities:

The Western Cape Government is working around the clock to ensure that we can mitigate the impact of this virus. Communities have a critically important role to play in protecting themselves and those most vulnerable from COVID-19 infection. By ensuring that we stay inside, and limit contact with other people when it is necessary to go out, we will be able to flatten the curve of infections and ensure our health services are not overwhelmed. This will allow us to ensure that those who are sick, are able to receive the care they need.

It came to our attention today that the Bo-Kaap community has established their own COVID-19 response team. This team, together with proactive and open family of a patient, was able to alert the community to a positive test in a way that was informative, and did not stigmatise the illness. Their efforts could also support us to trace close contacts and ensure they self-isolate. This kind of response team can only work if the messaging is responsible, caring and shared on a voluntary basis, and we would like to thank them for this.

We also call on communities to support our #ThankYouWC campaign aimed at celebrating those essential service workers, from the doctors and nurses at the frontline of our response, to the supermarket staff, farmworkers, law enforcement and all of the other men and women who go to work every day to ensure we are able to get through this pandemic. We thank you for your service.

Residents are asked to hang a flag or a colourful piece of cloth from their doors and windows as a show of support and solidarity in neighbourhoods.

Important numbers

Coronavirus national hotline: 0800 029 999

Coronavirus provincial hotline: 021 928 4102

To report crime or transgressions of the lockdown regulations: 10111

Reporting line for instances of abuse by police members: 073 890 1269

Reporting line for instances of abuse by the military: 012 676 3800 or email intake@milombud.org

Western Cape Police Ombudsman (complaints related to policing): Ombudsman@wcpo.gov.za

Garden Route Business Impact and Continuity Survey March 2020

Recently our lives and specifically our businesses have been affected and disrupted by droughts, crime, energy issues / load shedding and now the Corona COVID -19 virus.

We wish to gather information from you as business owners and leaders as to the impact the disruptions are having on your business. Hence the survey is designed to gather a high-level insight into the impact on businesses and measures taken to ensure sustainable business operations. Read more…

Please click on the link below to complete the survey.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BusinessImpactSurveyMar2020

The survey consists of 12 questions and should not take you more than 10 minutes to complete.

Media Release: COVID-19 awareness sessions in the Bitou area

Media Release: COVID-19 awareness sessions in the Bitou area

For Immediate Release
25 March 2020

In an effort to prevent the spread of the corona virus, the Plettenberg Bay based Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) from Garden Route District Municipality continue to raise awareness about the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

On 20, 23 and 25 March 2020 officials visited KwaNokuthula, Crags and Kranshoek areas in Bitou to distribute flyers to the residents.  During these visits officials educated residents about the pandemic and asked them to also share all essential messages to their respective households, family members and friends to prevent the virus from spreading widely among communities.  Proper hygiene practices, regular hand-washing, keeping a minimum distance of 1.5 meters between oneself and others were shared.  Spaza shops, taxi ranks, informal settlements, petrol stations, police stations and clinics, were among the sites/spots that were visited – some were revisited. Members of these communities welcomed and appreciated the visits from the EHPs.

AFRIKAANS

Op 20, 23 en 25 Maart 2020 het die Omgewingsgesondheidspraktisyns van Plettenbergbaai gemeenskappe van KwaNokuthula, Crags en Kranshoek in Bitou besoek, om pamflette aan die inwoners te versprei. Tydens hierdie besoeke is inwoners oor die korona pandemie opgevoed en versoek om alle noodsaaklike boodskappe met hul onderskeie huishoudings, familielede en vriende te deel, om sodoende te verhoed dat die virus wyd onder gemeenskappe versprei.  Behoorlike higiëne praktyke, gereelde handewas gewoontes, en die handhaaf van ‘n minimum afstand van 1,5 meter tussen jouself en ander is bespreek . Inwoners van hierdie gemeenskappe het die besoeke van die Omgewingsgesondheidspraktisyns verwelkom en waardeer.

ENDS

Written by Marlene Nqumse
Communication Officer

Media Queries
Herman Pieters | Senior Communicator
Garden Route District Municipality
E-mail: communications@gardenroute.gov.za

Media Release: Health System’s response to physical distancing #STOPTHESPREAD OF COVID-19 GEORGE SUB-DISTRICT

Media Release: Health System’s response to physical distancing #STOPTHESPREAD OF COVID-19 GEORGE SUB-DISTRICT

For Immediate Release
22 March 2020

Health system’s response to physical distancing #StopTheSpread of COVID-19

George sub-district

Thousands of people visit public health facilities on a daily basis and, as the Western Cape Health Department, we need to be responsible and #StopTheSpread to especially protect vulnerable people.

To protect our community, we promote avoiding all situations where human bodies are in contact and reducing the times and places when people come together – including going to a public health facility when it is not necessary.

By keeping your distance from crowded places such as clinics and hospitals, you protect the vulnerable, including the sick and elderly, and safeguard our facilities against the spread of the virus.

Western Cape Government Health therefore requests that unless you require emergency treatment that you please stay at home and seek advice first if unsure. If you need emergency medical care, you must urgently go to your closest health facility.

George sub-district

Primary health care clinics will remain open for essential services.

Chronic patients: Patients with 6-monthly Doctor or Sister appointments to renew their scripts will be able to collect their medication at their clinic but they will not have to draw a folder or have observations done if they are well. A fast lane will be set up at all clinics to ensure limited time in the waiting area. Please check with security on arrival at clinic where the fast lane is situated at your specific facility. Patients are requested to please keep to their appointment times as this will help with decongestion of the waiting rooms.

Dental services: Only management of pain and sepsis with medication will be offered, no extractions or any fillings will be done.

Allied services: Occupational therapy, Physiotherapy, Audiology, social work and Dietician services will be stopped.

Only persons who meet the current NICD screening criteria will be tested for COVID-19 at hospitals and select clinics.

No persons who are well (i.e. those with no symptoms) will be tested.  Members of the public are encouraged to complete an online-self assessment form https://www.westerncape.gov.za/department-of-health/risk-assessment-form or call either the National hotline: 0800 029 999 or Provincial Hotline 021 928 4102. For those who do need testing: do not  just present yourself at a health facility for the test. Contact the facility beforehand to arrange for a date and time to arrive at the facility to be tested.

The main three facilities for testing in your area are:

Conville Clinic: 061 683 4312

Pacaltsdorp Clinic: 0670991719

Thembalethu Clinic: 081 392 4130

Uniondale Hospital: Sr Makok & Sr Du Preez 044 814 1410

Uniondale Provincial Hospital will divert all resources to essential and emergency services:

  • All non-urgent surgery has been cancelled.
  • Specialist clinics will be postponed.
  • Women’s health services and services to pregnant women will continue.
  • Limited ultrasound/sonar services will continue.
  • All non-emergency x-ray appointments will be rebooked.

George Regional Hospital will divert all resources to essential and emergency services:

  • All non-urgent surgery has been cancelled.
  • All Outpatient Department visits will be rescheduled for a later date except high-risk antenatal clinic, dialysis treatment and chemotherapy. The hospital will be in touch with clients who had appointments. If we have not made contact with you, kindly phone the Outpatient Department on 044 802 4408 or 044 802 4455.
  • All day-theatre cases, and planned surgery will be rescheduled.

END

COVID-19 Health and Hygiene Awareness Sessions in the greater Oudtshoorn and Kannaland area

As part of the district-wide intervention to curb the rapid spread of COVID-19, also called Coronavirus, personal hygiene and coronavirus awareness sessions were held in the greater Oudtshoorn and Kannaland areas.

People were informed about the following aspects:

  • What the coronavirus is;
  • How the virus is spread;
  • Symptoms;
  • Treatment;
  • Prevention;
  • Measures that should be in place; as well as
  • The importance of hand washing.

The awareness campaign was rolled-out in the form of one-on-one sessions, poster and pamphlet distribution and group sessions.  During the sessions, emphasis was placed on proper hand wash techniques and the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak. The following premises and audiences were reached:

  • Municipalities;
  • Libraries;
  • Community Halls;
  • Hospitals;
  • Clinics;
  • Schools;
  • Crèche’s;
  • Barbers’ and Hairdressers;
  • Food Premises;
  • Police Stations and Courts;
  • Churches;
  • Resorts;
  • Old age homes; and
  • Public Facilities.

Ongoing sessions and outreaches programmes are schedule for weeks to follow.

GRDM Municipal Health Services conducts Corona COVID-19 awareness at St Pauls Primary School

According to Section 24 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996,  “Everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being and to have the environment protected through reasonable legislative measures”.

In a quest to join forces with the rest of South Africa and to curb the rapid spread of the COVID-19, also called Coronavirus by many, Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) of the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) recently embarked on a district-wide intervention by rolling-out a personal hygiene and coronavirus awareness campaign.

To start off the campaign, EHPs of the George office visited the St. Paul’s Primary School in George, where they explained the importance of good hygiene practices to learners.  In a very simplified way, officials engaged with children about COVID-19, focusing on what the disease is; the symptoms; how the virus spreads and methods to prevent the virus.  A practical illustration on proper hand-wash techniques was demonstrated.  This kept learners attentive from beginning to end.

By the end of the session, the Executive Manager of Community Service, Mr Clive Africa thanked the Principal, Mr Baron Calvet for availing learners and teachers to attend the session.  Mr Africa extended a special word of gratitude to the caretakers of the school for keeping the learners bathrooms, which he visited unexpectedly, in such a clean condition.

Through this campaign, the GRDM acknowledges the power of children in helping to educate and inform parents, families and members of the community.  More sessions are underway at primary schools all over the district.

The Portfolio Chairperson of Community Services, Councillor Khayalethu Lose in his address encouraged learners to wash their hands regularly and to live responsibly in order to prevent the virus from spreading.

Mr Clive Africa – Executive Manager of Community Services inspired learners to apply everything they have learned at home.

Learners were very eager and enthusiastic to take part in the discussions.