Since the end of October 2018, various wildfires started raging through the Garden Route District. The Joint Operations Centre (JOC) has, because of this, been activated. Coordination of firefighting resources and all logistical arrangements are dealt with by the Garden Route DM JOC.
The municipality’s website will be changed from green to orange while the JOC is activated.
For official information about wildfires in the Garden Route, follow our Facebook page: www.fb.com/gardenroutedm
The Emergency Communications Centre can be contacted at 044 805 5071.
Dignitaries from Government departments, local government, forestry companies, media houses, academic and research institutions, as well as landowners, attended the 2018 Fire Management Symposium at the George Campus of the Nelson Mandela University from 3 to 5 October 2018.
Executive Mayor of GRDM, Cllr Memory Booysen (right), and former Principal of the Nelson Mandela University in George, Prof. Quinton Johnson (left), addressed the delegates at the gala evening on 4 October 2018.
The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) sponsored an amount of R100 000 towards this event which attracted more than 200 delegates, both locally as well as abroad.
Acting Speaker of Garden Route DM, during his welcoming speech spoke about the initiatives implemented by the Garden Route DM, since the June 2017 fires destroyed many parts of the Garden Route.
In officially opening the event on 3 October 2018, Ms Pumeza Nodada, Acting Deputy Director-General for Forestry and Natural Resource Management, acknowledged that only by sharing the scarce resources across public & private sectors, we would be able to give effect to integrated veldt fire management (IFM). She pleaded that continuous efforts by all role players are needed to improve IFM. Ms Nodada also acknowledged the services currently rendered by institutions like Working on Fire and other organisations and highlighted: “These programmes are still contributing greatly to building the concept of integrated fire management”.
Speakers who addressed the delegates on the first day of the event, are from left: Dr Christo Marais, Chief Director at the Department of Environmental Affairs, Mr Roger Godsmark, Operations Director of Forestry South Africa, Mr Paul Buchholz, Project Manager of the Garden Route Rebuild Initiative, Dr Jaap Steenkamp, Director of Forestry and Allied Manufacturing, Ms Pumeza Nodada, Acting Deputy Director-General: Forestry and Natural Resources Management, Mr Malcolm Procter, Deputy Director of Regulation and Oversight at DAFF, Mr Leo Long, Senior Practitioner for Training and Skills Development at SAFCOL, Mr Axel Jooste, Projects Manager at SAPPI Forestry, Mr John-John Emary from Volunteer Wildfire Services, as well as Dr Mmaphaka Tau, Deputy Director-General (Head) of the National Disaster Management Centre.
Dr Mmaphaka Tau, Deputy Director-General (Head) of the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC), shared with the delegates that South Africa experiences increasing levels of disaster risks which exposes us to a wide range of weather hazards. “The interplay of these hazards point to the need for an integrated approach and sustainable mechanisms in the management of the risks it poses,” Dr Mmapahaka added.
By using the eco-systems approach, Dr Mmapahaka said: “We must surely by now understand the threat of invasive alien species” and acknowledges that there is a need to prioritise the clearing of these species, as it affects our water security as well”.
Panel discussions throughout the events, allowed delegates to pose questions to the speakers. The first panel consisted of Mr Gerhard Otto, Manager of Disaster Management at Garden Route District Municipality, Ms Pumeza Nodada, Acting Deputy Director-General: Forestry and Natural Resources Management, Ms Pumeza Nodada, and Deputy Director-General (Head) of the National Disaster Management Centre, Dr Mmaphaka Tau.
Cllr Barend Groenewald, Acting Speaker of GRDM, during his address, on behalf of the GRDM Executive Mayor, Cllr Memory Booysen, emphasised the following: “It is a known fact that all communities are vulnerable to the impact of various types of disasters, especially those who are not as fortunate as others. Many members of society still barely have enough to fulfil their basic human needs. As decision-makers and administrators who render services to communities, we have to recognise the diversity of our communities, adjust to the challenges of a dynamic environment and most importantly manage situations to the best of our ability with due consideration of scarce resources at our disposal”.
Officials from the Garden Route District Municipality who were present at the symposium, were: Executive Manager of Community Services, Mr Clive Africa, Acting Speaker, Cllr Barend Groenewald, Manager of Disaster Management, Mr Gerhard Otto and the Garden Route DM George Fire Station Officer, Mr Deon Stoffels.
Mr Paul Buchholz, Project Manager of the Environmental work stream of the former Garden Route Rebuild Initiative (GRRI), elaborated on the activities performed soon after the outbreak of the June 2017 fires in the Garden Route and how these activities were maintained. Efforts ensured successful outcomes to prevent further damage to affected areas, e.g. one such activity was the installation of 34 kilometres of fire sausages (soil erosion prevention booms) at the most damaged and affected areas to ensure that sediment does not flow down from higher geographical areas. Mr Buchholz acknowledged that this could not have been successfully implemented without the assistance of geographic information systems (GIS) to analyse the high-risk areas. A drone was also used to spot the most affected areas in order to prioritise and guide intervention initiatives.
The event was well-attended by representatives from forestry companies, government departments, including the National Disaster Management Centre, municipal authorities, media houses, private and public conservation bodies, academic and research institutions, as well as private and public landowners and land-managers.
The involvement of communities was also high on the agenda, when various role-players acknowledged that decisions cannot be taken without community inputs. “We need to include our communities in decision-making processes; we need to have value in the protection of assets e.g. trees, infrastructure etc,” Mr Mr Leo Long, Senior Practitioner for Training and Skills Development at South African Forestry Companies Limited (SAFCOL) said. “An inclusive evacuation plan needs to be developed and communicated. Identify, communicate and maintain safe areas of which in where the community can actively take part in,” Mr Long highlighted.
Prof. Ed Kirtley, Assistant Dean at the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology from the Oklahoma State University, also acknowledged the importance of community involvement. Through his presentation which was live-streamed at the event, he advised that formal and informal leaders need to be engaged with as soon as possible after an event and said: “Authentically engage with the community in decision making, debate conflicting ideas, act, decide and move forward’’ and added that these relationships must be maintained.
Mr Axel Jooste from SAPPI Forestry presented “A Case of Factory Blindness” when he made an example of the case study of the Apollo 1 space mission fire that killed three astronauts of which the accident inquest was the “failure of imagination”. Mr Jooste posed a question to the audience: “Are we also guilty of oversight: missing, overlooking, lack of imagination, blindness and blind spots?”.
The first day’s event followed by two more days of active participation and a gala evening which the Executive Mayor of GRDM, Cllr Memory Booysen, and former Principal of the Nelson Mandela University in George, Prof. Quinton Johnson, also attended. At the gala evening, these dignitaries addressed the audience about the issue of the expropriation of land which left many delegates with something important to think about.
Dignitaries from Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) currently represent the Municipality at the 2018 Fire Management Symposium hosted by the Nelson Mandela University in George.
GRDM sponsored an amount of R100 000 towards the initiative.
The three-day programme was officially opened on 3 October 2018, followed by a field trip the next day through the areas mostly affected by the June 2017 fires in the Knysna and Bitou municipal areas.
The programme will be concluded on 5 October 2018.
It is with great pleasure to announce that the Eden District Municipality firefighters once again proved to be the toughest competitors of the “South African Toughest Firefighter Alive” competition, when they brought back the trophies to the Eden district the past weekend.
The competition took place at the Roeland Street Fire Station in Cape Town from 10 to 12 August 2018.
The accolades include Senior Firefighter Emile Conrad as, once again, the “SA Toughest Firefighter Alive,” being the overall winner of the “Men’s Individual” category. Mr Conrad has won the title ever since he attempted his first TFA competition in 2011. Furthermore, three firefighters of the Eden DM team, namely Messrs Deon Stoffels, Edwin Lottering, Branville Abrahams and Martino-Mariano Jacobs, participated in the individual challenges and all these participants performed superbly.
In the “Relay Team” challenge the Eden DM team competed against various municipalities and were able to walk away in 2nd position after Ethekwini Municipality snatched the first place.
Mr Conrad extended a word a gratitude to all who supported the team until the end of the competition and added these special words: “I thank our Lord Jesus Christ for His amazing grace, love and overwhelming faithfulness and favour”. Mr Conrad furthermore thanked the organisers for making the event possible and added that the impact that this event has on the Fire Services, is immeasurable.
Mr Conrad extended a word a gratitude to all who supported the team until the end of the competition and added these special words: “I thank our Lord Jesus Christ for His amazing grace, love and overwhelming faithfulness and favour”. Mr Conrad furthermore thanked the organisers for making the event possible and added that the impact that this event has on the Fire Services, is immeasurable.
Executive Manager: Community Services, Mr Clive Africa, who accompanied the team during the three day’s events, described the competition as “very tough” and said: “Our Eden DM firefighters fought like gladiators!”
Ms Khutula Maki, the Eden DM Team Leader and Senior Firefighter, commended the team for their performance and emphasised: “Our Team was confident and enthusiastic from the beginning until the end of the competition and did not show any signs of fear or panic”. Ms Maki concluded: “It was an honour to be part of a winning team”.
Following the events of the past weekend, on Tuesday, 14 August 2018, the Eden DM Executive Mayor, Cllr Memory Booysen, paid a special visit to the team at the Eden DM Fire Station in George to congratulate them personally and praised them for their perseverance throughout the years of their involvement in the competition. “On behalf of Council, management and staff of Eden DM, we wish you well and look forward to many more great achievements from you as a well-renowned and respected Eden DM Firefighting Team,” Mayor Booysen concluded.
The Firefighting team of Eden District Municipality (Eden DM) is currently participating in the “South Africa’s Toughest Firefighter Alive (TFA-SA)” competition held at the Roeland Street Fire Station in Cape Town from 10 to 12 August 2018.
The team is registered to participate in all “Individual” categories as well as the “Relay Team Category”. Team members Messrs Emile Conrad, Deon Stoffels, Edwin Lottering, Branville Abrahams and Martino-Mariano Jacobs, as well as team leader Ms Khutula Maki, are representing the Eden district at the event.
The Eden DM Firefighting team is well known for their outstanding performances in the competition since 2011. Especially Senior Firefighter Emile Conrad, who has won gold in the open division at the first participating competition. In this competition the Eden team walked away with four medals. Over the last seven years, the team excelled and brought back more accolades, as well as more commitment and endurance. Ever since, Emile Conrad continued to make the Eden district proud by maintaining his title as “Toughest Firefighter Alive” and the team members continued to excel in the Individual and Relay challenges over these years.
The event officially kicked-off with the Meet-and-Greet Session and Team Orientation today and will follow with the challenges on Saturday, 11 August 2018 from 9h00 until 18h00.
Good luck to Eden DM Firefighting team. Continue to make the Eden district proud!
Eden Distriksmunisipaliteit (Eden DM) se Rampbestuur en Brandweer afdelings het die Van Der Hoven Laerskool besoek. Die skool bestaan uit 4 onderwysers, ‘n sekretaresse en 75 leerders tot en met Graad 5.
Mnr Gerhard Otto van Eden DM het die verskillende afdelings aan die personeel en leerders voorgestel. Tydens die aktiwiteite het me Gail Bekeer noodhulpwenke aan die kinders verduidelik en me Tippie Bouwer het noodnommers aan die leerders verskaf. Brandweerpersoneel het ‘n skuim demonstrasie gedoen en die kinders hul ‘bunker’ pakke laat aantrek. Ter afsluiting, is kerrie en rys aan die leerders bedien, waarna ‘goodie bags’ en sakke vol klere aan almal oorhandig is.
Die skoolhoof, me Anita Oosthuizen, het die Eden span hartlik bedank vir die gebaar.
Eden District Municipality intends to extend the lease of the contract for the provision of a fire station. The initial contract with Terblanche Transport (Pty) Ltd was valid for the period of 01 January 2015 until 31 December 2016.
This contract was extended for a further period up until 31 December 2017. A further extension was requested and also approved up until June 2018. A new request was made to Council for a further extension. On the 29th of May 2018 Council approved a further extension to June 2019.
In terms of Section 116 of the Municipal Finance Management Act, Act 56 of 2003, a contract of agreement procured through the Supply Chain Management policy, may be amended by the parties, but only after the local community has been given reasonable notice of the intention to amend the contract or agreement.
The local community is henceforth invited to provide comments, if any, in writing to Mr Monde Stratu, Municipal Manager of Eden District Municipality to 54 York Street, George, 6530 or to pa.mm@edendm.gov.za before 31 July 2018.
For any further information, contact the Chief Fire Officer, Mr Freddy Thaver at Firechief@edendm.gov.za.
This notice is available on the notice boards of Eden District Municipality and the website.
Eden District Municipality intends to extend the lease of the contract for the provision of a fire station. The initial contract with Terblanche Transport (Pty) Ltd was valid for the period of 01 January 2015 until 31 December 2016.
This contract was extended for a further period up until 31 December 2017. A further extension was requested and also approved up until June 2018. A new request was made to Council for a further extension. On the 29th of May 2018 Council approved a further extension to June 2019.
In terms of Section 116 of the Municipal Finance Management Act, Act 56 of 2003, a contract of agreement procured through the Supply Chain Management policy, may be amended by the parties, but only after the local community has been given reasonable notice of the intention to amend the contract or agreement.
The local community is henceforth invited to provide comments, if any, in writing to Mr Monde Stratu, Municipal Manager of Eden District Municipality to 54 York Street, George, 6530 or topa.mm@edendm.gov.za before 31 July 2018.
For any further information, contact the Chief Fire Officer, Mr Freddy Thaver at Firechief@edendm.gov.za.
This notice is available on the notice boards of Eden District Municipality and the website.
Management of Eden District Municipality, on 30 June 2017, recognised and praised efforts by all the dedicated, courageous and heroic Eden DM firefighters and those who volunteered during the June 2017 inferno. It was the most devastating fire that swept through the Eden district since 1869.
Cllr Memory Booysen, Executive Mayor of Eden District Municipality, during his keynote address at the Appreciation Ceremony, explained to those present that there are no words to describe what firefighters and volunteers went through. “No matter what we say or how we say it, we will never experience the emotions and trauma that you all had to. You all saw properties destroyed, people and animals die. I also understand that you might have felt helpless at times, but be assured that we were and will always support and pray for you, every step of the way”.
Mr Johan Brand, Eden DM Station Officer (white shirt, left with Drone controls) takes a photo of firefighters, volunteers and managers who were given recognition for their efforts during the June 2017 inferno.
Cllr Booysen boasted about the firefighters’ accolades and reminded those present, that Eden DM has the best firefighters in South Africa. “You know when you are good; it rubs off on others, you make me feel like a Toughest Firefighter too.” He said that during his engagements with the President of South Africa, Mr Jacob Zuma and the Premier of the Western Cape, Ms Helen Zille, he reiterated to them about Eden DM having the best firefighters in South Africa and that they did the best that they could under the circumstances.”
The Mayor also reminded everyone that when one house or twenty houses are destroyed, it is a disaster and that when a family suffers, it is also a disaster. Mayor Booysen made a promise that the conditions that firefighters return to at the Eden DM Fire station’s dormitories and facilities will be improved, “starting today”. He was baffled by the fact that firefighters never complained about the space they returned to after hours of tireless work and pleaded with them to raise issues in the future.
Mr Monde Stratu, Eden DM Municipal Manager (MM), committed to the Mayor’s instruction of creating a long-overdue relaxing space for firefighters. He also announced that Mr Gerhard Otto, Eden DM Manager: Disaster Management, was nominated to form part of the National Disaster Management Centre’s task team responsible for preparing guidelines that will be used to address disaster relief initiatives in South Africa.
Mr Gerhard Otto gave a brief overview of the fires over the past seven months and stressed that firefighters hardly had a normal life. “Many firefighters in the Eden District had to sleep at work for days on end, leaving families alone and worried at home.” During December 2016, persistent dry weather conditions fuelled wildfires which affected large parts of Knysna, Mossel Bay, Hessequa and George. It is predicted that annually, 7% of the Eden District will burn.
For Mr Otto, the June 2017 inferno reminded him of the seriousness of the tragedy that struck the United States of America on 11 September 2001. The entire world watched in shock and horror how the tragedy unfolded. “Fortunately for the district, we were able to deploy 1106 firefighters from all over South Africa. Every single person’s efforts had an invaluable effect on lives and properties saved.”
Recent statistics about the disaster, are as follows:
Aircraft from various institutions dropped approximately 1700 water bombs. In total, this amounted to 2.9 million litres of water bombs.
Knysna lost 805 formal dwellings and Bitou, 80.
48 Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) houses were destroyed.
180 Informal structures were destroyed.
The wind damaged 456 homes in George.
Aerial firefighting costs amount to R13.5 million (SANDF R8 million, Working on Fire R5.5 million).
The has amounted to R4.2 billion in damages.
The Eden DM Mayoral Committee and Speaker salute firefighters and volunteers. Fltr are: Cllr Memory Booysen (Executive Mayor), Cllr Rosina Ruiters (Deputy Executive Mayor and Portfolio Chairperson: Local Economic Development), Cllr Khayalethu Lose (Portfolio Chairperson: Community Services), Cllr Joslyn Johnson (Portfolio Chairperson: Rural Development), Cllr Erica Meyer (Portfolio Chairperson: Strategic Services), Cllr Jerome Lambaatjeen (Portfolio Chairperson: Financial Services) and Cllr Mark Willemse, Speaker.As a sign of respect for lives and property lost, Mr Emile Conrad, Eden DM Senior Firefighter(left) performed a beautiful saxophone rendition of “I was blind, but now I see” with Mr Deon van Wyk, Deputy Fire Chief (right) who rang the firefighter’s bell.Shortly after firefighters performed a parade, Cllr Memory Booysen, Eden DM Executive Mayor and Mr Monde Stratu, Eden DM Municipal Manager awarded firefighters with medals and certificates. Pictured is Ms Michelle Smalberger, Senior Eden DM Firefighter, walking towards the Mayor and MM to receive a medal and certificate.Cllr Memory Booysen, Eden DM Executive Mayor, promises that Eden DM Management will ensure that the dormitories are conducive to a relaxing and well-deserved environment for firefighters.
Mr Johan Brand, Eden DM Station Officer, who presented the Appreciation Programme, also made use of a slideshow to visually present how different areas in the Eden district have been affected since December 2016. All firefighters received medals of honour and certificates. Special recognition was given to Mr Phillip Wilken, who voluntarily fought fires by working side-by-side with Mr Deon van Wyk, Eden DM Deputy Fire Chief. Mr Deon Van Wyk, rang a bell in tribute to efforts by all firefighters. While the bell rang, Eden DM Firefighter, Mr Emile Conrad performed a beautiful saxophone rendition of I was blind, but now I see.
Mr Clive Africa, Eden DM Executive Manager, Community Services, during his address said: “Out of the ashes, beauty has come forth in the form of hope, compassion, courage, kindness, forgiveness, and above all, the spirit of generosity by the people of South Africa and across the world”.
Four of Eden District Municipality’s (Eden DM’s) toughest firefighters are ready to compete in the “6th Fire and Emergency Services Fire-Fighter Competition” this coming weekend, after receiving a special invitation from eThekwini Fire and Emergency Services, due to Eden team’s successes of the past couple of years.
This Grinder Challenge will be hosted by eThekwini Fire and Emergency Services on 25 and 26 August 2017 at the Durban North Beach Amphitheatre.
This annual fitness challenge is specifically for fire-fighters, which must traverse a gruelling course of fire-fighting specific tasks/obstacles in the fastest time possible. The overall winner will be crowned the “Toughest Fire-Fighter in Kwazulu-Natal”.
The Eden District Municipality Council, Management and Co-workers would like to extend best wishes to firefighters Emile Conrad, Branville Abrahams, Jano Minnie and Petrus Jordaan, who will represent the Eden district at the challenge.
25 to 26 August 2017