Author: Marlene Nqumse
20 October 2023 Media Release: Clean-up & Education and Awareness – a cleaner, greener future
Media Release:Â Clean-up & Education and Awareness – a cleaner, greener future
For Immediate Release
20 October 2023
A National Marine Week celebration was held yesterday by the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Waste Management Section in partnership with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, Cape Nature, Mossel Bay Municipality, Compass Medical Waste, and TM Ndanda Primary School. Â The campaign was rolled out to raise awareness about the importance of marine environments and the need to protect them.
Pollution, especially plastic waste, is one of the most pressing issues facing our oceans. To prevent further damage to marine ecosystems, the campaign encourages students to take part in clean-up activities and reduce single-use plastic consumption.
During the day it was also stressed to the learners that they should keep their communities clean and recycle as much as possible. They were taught that every person can make a difference by picking up litter and getting into the habit of recycling every day. Small, consistent efforts make a huge difference if everyone makes them. Students learned about the different waste streams that can pollute our oceans, including medical waste and how it is handled.
The clean-up campaign was conducted following the formal educational and awareness session.
“A total of 56 bags of recyclables and 14 bags of mixed-general waste were collected. The number of volunteers, including learners and officials, was approximately 90,” said Innocentia Sikweyiya, GRDM Waste Management Officer.
The GRDM Waste Management Section expresses its heartfelt gratitude to its partners in success – Plastic SA, AQUELLE, and POLYCO, as well as all the dedicated volunteers and participants who contributed to and participated in the recent clean-up events.
“Your unwavering support and active involvement have been instrumental in ensuring the cleanliness of our environment. Together, we are making a significant impact on preserving and beautifying our surroundings, and your efforts was truly appreciated, “ said Sikweyiya.
Mossel Bay’s clean-up activities during National Marine Week included many interactive and informative sessions where learners learned about pollution and recycling.
Featured Image Caption:Â Stakeholders who participated in National Marine Week clean-up activities in Mossel Bay.
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19 October 2023 Media Release: Celebrating conservation and bio- diversity in the Garden Route vital to its future
Media Release: Celebrating conservation and bio- diversity in the Garden Route vital to its future
For Immediate Release
19 October 2023Â
The Garden Route district is blessed with numerous conservation organisations such as SANParks and Cape Nature as well as privately managed conservancies and nature reserves. Also, government and non-government agencies and citizens, have a collective responsibility to preserve the biodiversity that remains along the coastal and inland areas, says Cobus Meiring of the Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF).
“Celebrating Conservation in the Garden Route” is the theme of the GREF annual key stakeholder report- back event planned for 13 December 2023 in Wilderness, and vital recognition is given to the sustained collective effort of the resourceful, positive and conservation minded communities and authorities of the Garden Route.
Following a century of farming and development of the Southern Cape, with exponential growth recorded during the past thirty years and with much more projected as a fast- growing population demands ever more infrastructure and resources, the Garden Route has lost a staggering amount of bio- diversity and natural beauty with many jokingly referring to the area as the “Concrete Route” as the developed coastal belt and N2 highway now presents an almost solid barrier between the mountains and the ocean with only islands of bio- diversity remaining where fynbos and the eco- systems it represents and sustained once flourished.
In addition, increased demand for fresh water necessitating damming, water transfers and extraction of ground water all have an impact on the health of Garden Route river systems and estuaries, which in turn impacts negatively on the ability to survive of marine and aquatic life.
Despite these challenges, conservation is not taking a back seat in the Garden Route as there is general consensus that the region will lose much of its allure as world class tourist destination and a region renowned for offering a high quality of life for its communities if natural ecosystems and bio- diversity disappears into oblivion in the face of development.
GREF is a public platform for conservation and environmental management entities in the Garden Route
Enquiries: louisamare@gmail.com
16 October 2023 Media Release: Skills training history made in the Garden Route
Media Release:Â Skills training history made in the Garden Route
For Immediate Release
16 October 2023
The first ever Renewable Energy Workshop Assistant programme in South Africa has been completed with learners at the Africa Skills Private College in George. This historic skills training program for 40 learners was financially supported by Energy and Water SETA through the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Skills Mecca programme.
After two months of dedicated theory and workshop training the recipients are now ready to start their workplace learning at host company workplaces in George where they will gain workplace experience and the application of what they’ve learnt in the identification, selection and care for hand and power tools in the Renewable Energy industry, as well as health, safety and environmental requirements.
At the Achievement Ceremony Elsie Harmse, CEO of UXi Artisan Development said that local expansion in this field is opening job opportunities for recipients with “the right attitude and a willingness to be diligent and dedicated to hard work.”
“As skills training institutes, we can change many lives, but it fully depends on the needs of the economy for specific skills. Africa Skills, within our group has been the first institution ever receiving accreditation to offer this highly demanded skills qualification,” Harmse said.
Keynote speaker, Dr Florus Prinsloo, Coordinator of the Garden Route Skills Mecca said learning must take place in an environment where there is economic growth. ” We are fortunate in the Garden Route that all our municipalities and many stakeholders support learning and the economy is still showing growth. “
He reiterated that learning and training must always be linked to economic development, “and for you as Renewable Energy workers it is important to note that new solar businesses are being considered all over the Garden Route including a proposal to build a solar farm next to the François Ferreira Academy on Airport Road, George.”
Dr Prinsloo encouraged the successful learners to consider starting their small businesses as entrepreneurs. He welcomed the initiatives taken to support training and the possibility of becoming business owners through dedication and focus.
Vanessa Taylor a National Business Institute (NBI) advisor encouraged them to keep entrepreneurial opportunities in mind. “We are looking for people within your group who are excited about the development of their own small businesses and have the potential to start small and grow a sustainable shop or business in this area.”
Dr Prinsloo added: “We have already started targeting 30 existing small businesses in the Garden Route and will help them to grow and become successful. Remember, as they grow bigger, they can again provide jobs and grow the economy of George, the Garden Route and nationally.”
To ease their entry into the world of work, Hardu Els from Outeniqua Solar told the recipients that “the way in which you present yourself to a potential employer holds the key to employment in the industry. Your dedication and commitment will be recognized as this is very important. Make yourself an asset to the company.”
Dr Prinsloo acknowledged every recipient as a winner and encouraged them to never stop learning in their industry of choice. He shared Albert Einstein’s wisdom: “The day you stop learning is the day you start dying. So, it is important that you continue learning, be it in classrooms, browsing the internet, reading books or around a ‘braai’ where you learn things which you learn nowhere else.
Featured image caption:Â Learners off to workplaces to gain work-integrated experience.
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16 October 2023 Media Release: Discussions on creating hope with urgency
Media Release:Â Discussions on creating hope with urgency
For Immediate Release
16 October 2023
The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Integrated Development Planning, Intergovernmental Relations and Public Participation Unit reactivated the Citizen Interface Programme on 11 October 2023 in partnership with the Department of Local Government. Â Â This was a full-day interactive session at the GRDM offices in George.
The programme aims to give hope to neglected communities with urgency, through bridging the gap between government and citizens in deep rural areas where communities feel forgotten. The Citizen Interface Programme will focus on the lack of opportunities in some of the former District Management Areas (DMAs), Old church settlements, and other spaces. This programme follows a whole of society approach which is also aligned with the Joint District and Metro Approach.Â
During the engagement, the current Citizen Interface Programme was reviewed, and the different programmes and activities that could be used to restart and assist the Citizen Interface program was identified.
Among the stakeholders who attended the engagement were officials from the Western Cape Department of Health, Social Development, Government Communication and Information System, and local municipalities in the district.
Participants from different sectors engaged in interactive discussion to find ways to restart the Citizen Interface Programme.
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16 October 2023 Save the date: Council Meeting on 25 October 2023 at 10:00
Save the Date: Council Meeting – 25 October 2023 at 10:00
Notice is hereby given that a COUNCIL MEETING of the Garden Route District Municipality will be held at the CA Robertson Council Chambers and via Zoom, 54 York Street, George, on 25 October 2023 at 10:00.