Media Release: Executive Mayor Alderman Memory Booysen Supports Local Learners’ Netball Dreams
For Immediate Release 26 August 2023
In a heartwarming display of community support and commitment to youth development, Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Executive Mayor, Alderman Memory Booysen, has generously donated funds to two promising learners from Bitou, Asanda Brakfesi and Lakheni Xuba. The beneficiaries, form part of the Eden Development Netball Team, and are ready to represent the region in the upcoming Western Cape Netball Festival.
Lakheni Xuba, a student at Plettenberg Bay Secondary School, and Asanda Brakfesi, who attends Murray High School, was selected to join their peers from George and Mossel Bay. The team, comprising two players from Plettenberg Bay, will be joined by six (6) additional athletes from Mossel Bay and two from George.
FLTR: Asanda Brakfesi, Ald. Memory Booysen, Ms Rosie Mandeka and Lakheni Xuba.
The girls will be representing our region at the Western Cape Netball Festival in Cape Town.
Ald. Booysen expressed his excitement at meeting Asanda and Lakheni in person today, during a brief gathering where they were introduced with Mrs. Rosie Mandeka, who will accompany the girls. The Executive Mayor congratulated the young athletes on their well-deserved selection for the Eden Development Netball Team and wished them the best of luck for this weekends Western Cape Development Netball Tournament scheduled to take place in Cape Town.
“I am incredibly proud of the talent exhibited by Asanda Brakfesi and Lakheni Xuba,” said Alderman Booysen. “Supporting their journey in the Eden Netball Team is not only a testament to their hard work, but also a demonstration of our commitment to nurturing local talent and enabling our youth to excel in sports.”
The GRDM remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering a culture of excellence, empowerment, and inclusivity among its youth.
Media Release: Multi-stakeholder anti-litter clean-up campaign continues
For Immediate Release 28 July 2023
Recently, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) kicked off its anti-litter campaign aimed at educating people about proper waste disposal techniques, using waste as a resource, and the pollution effects litter brings to the Garden Route District. Raising awareness at taxi ranks, schools, informal settlements, public facilities, malls, and shopping centres form part of the campaign.
On Tuesday 25 July 2023, the GRDM Waste Management Section conducted an awareness campaign at the Asla Clinic in Mossel Bay in collaboration with the Environmental Officers of Mossel Bay Municipality’s Pollution and Waste Management section.
Community members were educated about the severe negative consequences of illegal dumping on both the environment and human health. Topics covered included the disposal of hazardous materials, garbage and pollutants in unauthorised locations as well as the effects of contaminated soils and water sources on animal and human life. There was a lot of interaction during the session, and community members received stickers with contact information for reporting illegal dumping.
On Thursday 27 July 2023, the GRDM Waste Management Section hosted a workshop with twenty-four (24) waste pickers (Expanded Public Works Program Workers and offenders from Community Correction) to educate them on the different waste streams that can be recycled. During the training, pickers were taught that waste could be a resource for someone else as well as a treasure. It was also clarified that every citizen has the right to live in a clean, healthy, and safe environment. The fact that it is a human right, but also a responsibility, was emphasized.
Stakeholders in the workshop included Mossel Bay Municipality, Henque Waste, and Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) – Local Government Support. Similar workshops continue to be rolled out in other towns of the Garden Route district.
The following pictures were taken during the two awareness sessions hosted by the GRDM Waste Management Section the past week.
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Featured Image Caption: The workshop was attended by waste pickers from Mossel Bay
Save the Date: Notice of Council Meeting, 26 July 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 26 July 2023 at 10:00.
Media Release GRDM Regional Waste Management Facility construction to start before July 2023
For Immediate Release 14 June 2023
Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) yesterday, 13 June 2023, held its official site handover meeting with Tefla Group (Pty) Ltd for the regional waste management facility. Before the commencement of this site establishment and construction of the facility, it was required to obtain the Construction Work Permit from the Department of Employment and Labour.
The Department of Employment and Labour fast-tracked the application process, which typically takes 30 days, after they received the application on 26 May 2023 and provided the approval on 8 June 2023.
Currently, Bitou-, Knysna-, George-, and Mossel Bay municipalities use the PetroSA landfill in Mossel Bay. PetroSA previously granted an extension of the current waste disposal contracts with the different municipalities for an additional twelve (12) months, which will end on 29 February 2024, when the site is expected to reach full capacity. By this time, an operational waste cell must be available at the newly constructed Regional Waste Management Facility for domestic waste disposal.
During the engagement, GRDM Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu, said: “Today is a huge milestone achieved for GRDM, and we look forward to seeing Tefla Group carry this forward. Finally handing over the site, is something I never thought would happen in my time at GRDM. However, when I leave, I will be able to say that there is a large facility on the N2 that services four local municipalities.” Stratu thanked the Community Services Department and other role players who steered the project to this point, and he wished the contractors and project managers’ good luck in bringing the project to completion on time.
The Regional Waste Management Facility Management Project is a crucial initiative aimed at improving waste management practices within the region. Site establishment will now proceed for the next three weeks, which will be followed by the commencement of construction.
The estimated project timeline, taking into account local weather patterns, as well as the need to import most materials from Germany, is as follows:
Impact-Based Severe Weather Warning: Level 2 for Damaging Waves
The Cape Town Weather Office has issued an Impact Based Warning for damaging waves valid from 25 to 26 May 2023.
Areas in the Garden Route district that will be affected by damaging waves include Bitou, George, Hessequa, Knysna and Mossel Bay.
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.”
Report weather-related incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at 044 805 5071.
Save the Date: Notice of Council Meeting, 30 May 2023 at 10:00
Notice is hereby given that an 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 30 May 2023 at 10:00.
Media Release: Challenges and Solutions: Minister Kubayi Engages with Local Officials and Communities
For Immediate Release
19 May 2023
The National Human Settlements Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi, accompanied by Deputy Minister Pam Tshwete, conducted a visit to the Garden Route District municipal area in the Western Cape yesterday, 18 May 2023. The purpose of the visit was to evaluate the advancements made in providing sustainable human settlements.
The day commenced with Minister Kubayi actively engaging with local municipal officials, as well as provincial representatives, to gain insights into the challenges faced in terms of land availability, bottlenecks, and funding issues. The discussions revealed the need for enhanced communication channels between national, provincial, and local governments, which would lead to a more streamlined approach in addressing current issues.
The National Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi, and the Executive Mayor of Garden Route District Municipality, Alderman Memory Booysen, listen and respond to issues raised by residents during their visit to the Concordia community in Knysna.
Municipal Manager of Garden Route District Municipality, Monde Stratu (right), as well as Executive Mayor of Knysna, Cllr Aubrey Tswenga (left), provided feedback to the Minister of Human Settlements, regarding the status and progress of Human Settlements in the Garden Route and Knysna specifically. 0
In addition, the program for the day included significant events, such as the symbolic handover of title deeds to deserving community members from Qolweni in Plettenberg Bay and Concordia in Knysna. Community members were provided an opportunity to express their concerns and raise issues related to housing.
Minister Kubayi also shared her findings at the Khayalethu Bungalow area. She alluded to the distress she witnessed when she visited two vulnerable households whose living conditions in wooden bungalows were unfit for human habitation. She apologised to the community for what she had witnessed and the unbearable conditions in which people were forced to live, addressing both long-standing promises and emerging concerns, ensuring that all matters were duly noted. Some urgent cases were identified as requiring immediate attention and designated as emergency interventions.
During the visit and in response to some of the questions raised by the community, Minister Kubayi emphasised the priority given to the elderly and disabled individuals as beneficiaries for housing.
A happy resident of Kwanokuthula in Bitou after twenty (20) residents of the area received their title deeds that were handed over to them by Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, in the presence of the Deputy Minister and Executive Mayors of Garden Route District and Bitou Municipalities.
After an insightful speech by Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, when she informed the community about various housing matters including housing applications and a lack of land for housing purposes, residents used the opportunity to capture and report their concerns to the delegation present. These concerns will be processed and responded to in a suitable time after the engagement.
Drawing from her own personal experiences, she shared a poignant story of her childhood, growing up in a shack as the child of a domestic worker. Through determination and careful saving, she was able to purchase a home for her mother, underscoring the importance of providing dignified housing for all.
On the specific issue of Khayalethu 150 Bungalows being restored, she undertook to close the gap between the different spheres of government and its agency, Housing Development Agency, by establishing an intervention team as well as immediate appointment of a Geotech company to do the structural assessments.
This team which will make contact with local and Provincial / National governments and look at a streamlined approach with targeted performance milestones to bring relief under the Emergency Funding. The funding is now located in her department.
There will regular feedback sessions with the communities to enhance assurability of the programme progress.
Minister Kubayi reiterated her commitment to improving the lives of South African citizens by creating sustainable human settlements. She emphasized the need for collaboration and cooperation among all levels of government to address the challenges faced by communities. She urged members of the communities she addressed in Knysna and Bitou municipal areas to take pride in their homes, surrounds and communities at large, rather than waiting for government to be the change-maker for certain matters. Communities were urged to work together to keep their areas clean, support local entrepreneurs and local businesses, which would result in the economy to grow.
She also made specific reference to the potential of tourism in the region and that it is remains a key driver of jobs and economic growth of the Garden Route and Klein Karoo.
The last part of the Minister’s visit included an opening of a Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS) satellite office in George. Learn more about CSOS here: https://csos.org.za/
According to Minister Kubayi, the CSOS office will play a crucial role in promoting harmonious and well-governed community focused access by offering dispute resolution services, regulating governance documentation, providing education and training, and facilitating transparency and access to information.
These pictures were taken during the official launch and ribbon cutting ceremony of the satellite office for Community Schemes Ombud Services (CSOS) in George.
Overall, the visit to the Garden Route District municipal area proved to be an insightful and productive engagement, with Minister Kubayi and Deputy Minister Tshwete demonstrating their dedication to achieving equitable housing solutions for the people of the region.
Tourism marketing and development Unit is responsible for coordinating regional tourism initiatives and promotes and develops tourism throughout the region, while working closely with eight (8) Local Tourism Offices (LTO). With a focus on selling and promoting the region’s vast potential, GR&KK also aims to attract global attention and foster economic growth in the district.
GR&KK tourism representatives who attended the 2023 Africa Indaba Show last week in Durban. FLTR: Joan Shaw – Tourism Manager from George/Wilderness/Uniondale Tourism, Denver Johnson – GRDM Tourism Officer and Thozeka Sikali from Visit Knysna.
From 09 May – 11 May 2023, preceded by a Business Opportunity Networking Day (BONDay) on 08 May 2023, the Africa Indaba Show aimed to provide a platform for thought leadership, knowledge sharing, and market insight. BONDay is developed in collaboration with global tourism organisations, continental experts, and industry associations.
During the trade show, African tourism exhibitors showcased their offerings to international and local buyers, destination marketing companies and leisure tourism service providers. The event allowed travel trade professionals to meet face-to-face with some of the most influential buyers on the continent, and gain a deeper understanding of Africa’s excellence and endless potential. As a result of these opportunities and quality connections, Africa will be able to shape its future.
According to GRDM representatives, several new and existing connections were made over the course of the three days, as the GRDM delegation engaged with various domestic and international buyers interested in learning about our area, re-visiting or expanding their tourism offerings by integrating the Garden Route & Klein Karoo into their existing packages.
The following top four tourism offerings were most popular under the tourism buyers
Educational trips to familiarize tour/travel agents of existing and new products/offerings in the Garden Route & Klein Karoo
High-end luxury travel (5 Star)
Incentive travel (Golfing, wine routes, craft beer and gin experiences)
Camping and caravan offerings in the Garden Route & Klein Karoo – most interest from the domestic market
The Western Cape stand was hosted by Wesgro, with the GR&KK Regional Tourism Office also forming part of it to promote the region along with Visit Knysna, George, Wilderness and Uniondale Tourism LTOs.
Africa’s Travel Indaba is an iconic African leisure trade show, owned by South African Tourism, with the specific objective of creating market access for our vast array of African leisure tourism products.
In the photograph, GRDM Tourism and LED officials with Dr. Takalani Ramukumba at the 2023 Africa Indaba. FLTR: Denver Johnson – GRDM Tourism Officer, Dr. Takalani Ramukumba and Johannes Jafta – Economic Development Officer.
GR&KK officials present the region’s offerings to international and local buyers.
Media Release: Update 3 on the construction of the GRDM Fire Station
For Immediate Release 12 May 2023
The newly constructed Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Fire Station is progressing swiftly.
The backfilling of the administration building is completed. The apparatus bay columns have been erected and work has progressed to the first floor beams which are being erected currently. The project is on schedule and managed by Kubeka Construction and Kantey & Templer.
The Cape Town Weather Office has issued an Impact Based Warning for damaging waves for Friday 12 May 00:00 until Saturday 13 May 00:00.
Areas in the Garden Route district affected by damaging winds include George, Hessequa, Knysna, Mossel Bay Kannaland and Bitou.
2. Level 3 for disruptive Rain – Warning valid Friday 12 May 00:00 to Friday 23:59
3. Level 2 Damaging Winds – Warning valid from Friday 12 May 00:00 to Saturday 13 May 00:00
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.”
Report weather-related incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at 044 805 5071.
Legal notice:
