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Author: Marlene Nqumse

31 January 2022 Weather Advisory: Western Cape and Namaqua

Please find included the Weather Advisory for the Western Cape and Namaquland Region.

Alert Level Affected Municipalities Valid From (SAST) Valid To (SAST)
Advisory City of Cape Town, Drakenstein, Kannaland, Oudtshoorn, Stellenbosch, Swartland, Theewaterskloof, Witzenberg 31/01/22 – 01h00 01/02/22 – 18h00

Discussion: Extremely hot conditions are expected over the Drakenstein and Stellenbosch LM (W.Cape) where temperatures may reach 40°C on Monday. Along with the generally hot weather, heat wave conditions are also expected in places over Swartland LM, Cape Metropole, western parts of Cape Winelands, Overberg and Little Karoo until Tuesday.

Impact: In an extreme hot environment, the most serious health and safety concern is heat stroke. Heat stroke can be fatal if medical attention is not available immediately.

Instruction: Avoid prolonged direct exposure to the sun as far as possible and drink plenty of water. Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated. Never leave kids in the car unattended. Make sure your animals have access to enough water.

Report any weather-related incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at:
044 805 5071.

21 January 2022 Impact Based Weather Warnings for Western Cape and Namaqua: Yellow level 2: Damaging Waves

Please find included the Impact Based Warning for the Western Cape and Namaqua Region of Northern Cape.

Hazard Alert Level Affected Municipalities Valid From (SAST) Valid To (SAST)
Damaging Waves Yellow(L2)
(High likelihood of Minor Impacts)		 M_Bergrivier, M_Bitou, M_Cape Agulhas, M_Cape Agulhas, M_Cederberg, M_City of Cape town, M_George, M_Hessequa, M_Kamiesberg, M_Knysna, M_Matzikama, M_Mossel Bay, M_Nama Khoi, M_Overstrand, M_Richtersveld, M_Saldanha Bay, M_Swartland, M_Table Bay 21/01/22 06h00 22/01/22 11h00

Discussion: Wave heights of 4-6m with wave periods of at least 18s and strong south-easterly winds with wind speed of 40-60km/h are expected between Saldanha Bay and Cape Agulhas on Friday morning (21/01/2022), spreading to Alexander Bay by the afternoon and to Plettenberg Bay in the evening. These conditions together with spring tide will result in higher wave heights.

 Impact: Difficulty in navigation for small vessels and personal water craft which may lead to vessels being at risk of taking on water and capsizing. Localised disruptions of small harbours or ports is possible for short period. Localised damage to coastal infrastructure is possible. Localised disruption to beachfront activities. Public at risk of being swept of coastal rocks due to infrequent large waves.

Instruction: Small vessels are advised to seek shelter in harbours, bays or inlets.

Report any weather related incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at: 044 805 5071.

Legal notice:
“This warning from SA Weather Service must be communicated as received and may not be altered under any circumstance.
It must be forwarded or communicated in its entirety and no portion hereof may be replicated or copied and distributed.”

21 January 2022 Weather Advisory: Western Cape and Namaqua

Please find included the Weather Advisory for the Western Cape and Namaquland Region.

Alert Level Affected Municipalities Valid From (SAST) Valid To (SAST)
Advisory Beaufort West, Bergrivier, Breede Valley, Cederberg, City of Cape Town, Drakenstein, Hantam, Kamiesberg, Kannaland, Karoo Hoogland, Laingsburg, Langeberg, Matzikama, Nama Khoi, Oudtshoorn, Prince Albert, Stellenbosch, Swartland, Theewaterskloof, Witzenberg 21/01/22 06h00 23/01/22 00h00

Discussion: Very hot to extremely hot conditions will result from predominantly light northerly wind flow over the interior of the Western and the Northern Cape Provinces.Temperatures are expected to reach up to 39 degrees Celsius on Thursday and at least 40 degrees Celsius on Friday and Saturday over the interior of the West Coast, Cape Winelands, southern high ground of Namakwa District (N.Cape), Central and Little Karoo. These persistent high temperatures might result in heat wave conditions in some places.

Impact: In an extreme hot environment, the most serious health and safety concern is heat stroke. Heat stroke can be fatal if medical attention is not available immediately.

Instruction: Avoid prolonged direct exposure to the sun as far as possible and drink plenty of water. Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated. Never leave kids in the car unattended. Make sure your animals have access to enough water.

Report any weather related incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at: 044 805 5071.

Legal notice:
“This warning from SA Weather Service must be communicated as received and may not be altered under any circumstance.
It must be forwarded or communicated in its entirety and no portion hereof may be replicated or copied and distributed.”

21 December 2021 Media Release: SA Harvest reflects on a successful year

Media Release: SA Harvest reflects on a successful year

21 December 2021

For Immediate Release

For the past year, SA Harvest, previously known as the Garden Route Food Pantry, effectively adhered to their primary mandate by sourcing food from various local suppliers, manufacturers and farmers and becoming a centralised point in coordinating food security needs in the district.  Alleviating hunger and promoting food safety and security in the district remained their top priority.

SA Harvest partnership with the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) as the strategic enabler with an oversight responsibility and Local Municipalities in the district, worked hand-in-hand to ensure that food safety and security received the much-needed attention it deserved the past year.  Considering the impact, the Covid-19 pandemic has had on unemployment and poverty, including the recent disastrous floods the district has experienced, SA Harvest facilitated the humanitarian relief of food to local areas in George and surrounding towns.

A recent wrap-up report on the funding received and services delivered the past year, SA Harvest proudly proclaim that they have had a positive impact regarding food safety and security in the district, thanks to the financial support of the Garden Route District Municipality.

According to Mr Carl van Blerk, Operations Manager of SA Harvest Garden Route, “We’ve received an amount of R603 908 in payments from GRDM, which made it possible for us to cover a significant portion of the operational expenses, allowing us to mainly focus on food security,” he said.

Mr Van Blerk furthermore elaborated that the number of meals distributed to the Garden Route and Klein Karoo region to date equates to 1250 143.  These were a combination of fresh products, non-perishables, emergency disaster relief, and fortified products to combat malnutrition.

The meals per Municipality were as follows:

Kannaland               –           46 511 Meals

Hessequa                 –           65 275 Meals

George                      –           676 827 Meals

Mossel Bay              –           85 220 Meals

Oudtshoorn            –           154 030 Meals

Knysna                    –           105 235 Meals

Bitou                        –           117 045 Meals

The above-mentioned meals were distributed through a network of 203 beneficiaries, ranging from small informal soup kitchens and feeding centres to larger registered facilities.

In conclusion, Mr van Blerk explained that the new facility, operating as SA Harvest, will be operating slightly differently in that they will only be including registered NPO/NPC centres for food donations.  “However, we will embark on partnering the small unregistered sites with a registered NPO so that they can still benefit, and will also assist them to get officially registered.  At this stage we are holding back on registering new sites, until this process is completed, and will then open the system again for new facilities as soon as possible,” Van Blerk said.

21 December 2021 Media Release: AVBOB George donated R31 500 to GRDM

Media Release: AVBOB George donated R31 500 to GRDM

21 December 2021

For Immediate Release

Today, 21 December 2021, AVBOB George branch donated R31 500 to the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) for humanitarian purposes. The GRDM will donate this money to SA Harvest  (previously known as Garden Route Food Pantry), the GRDM’s partner that promotes food safety and security in the Garden Route. AVBOB also donated 5000 x 1ℓ distilled water were also donated.

The handover ceremony was attended by the Executive Mayor of GRDM, Alderman Memory Booysen, Cllr Gert van Niekerk (GRDM Deputy Executive Mayor), Deon Stoffels, (GRDM) Acting Fire Chief, Chris Botha (AVBOB Area Manager, South Cape: George) and Julian Hendricks (AVBOB District Manager).

Alderman Booysen thanked AVBOB for their generous donation and ongoing support during a brief informal gathering. AVBOB also donated R500 000.00 during 2018 to a disaster fund of the GRDM to assist those who suffered losses during wildfires. “Today, we witnessed a continuation of a relationship that started even before 2018, and this also demonstrates that big things can happen when the public sector is trusted,” Booysen said.  He further explained that the water received will also be used “during incidents where residents lost their homes or when portions of towns in the district are without water”.

Deputy Executive Mayor van Niekerk also extended a word of gratitude to the management of AVBOB and said, “As we observe the impact the covid-19 pandemic had on the economy in our district, which resulted in unemployment and poverty, we are genuinely grateful towards AVBOB for this donation. I can assure you that this donation will help our municipality’s efforts to promote food security in the Garden Route”.

With Christmas only four (4) days away, GRDM embraces the holiday spirit of giving and helping others in need through strategically partnering with companies to support vulnerable communities.