Skip to content Skip to left sidebar Skip to footer

Local Government News

02 November 2026 Progress Update 7 on the GRDM Regional Waste Management Facility

Progress Update 7 on the GRDM Regional Waste Management Facility

02 November 2026

Construction of phase one of the Garden Route District Municipality’s (GRDM’s) Regional Waste Management Facility (RWMF) is 90% complete. The facility is located approximately 15km outside Mossel Bay, next to PetroSA.

According to Johan Gie, GRDM Manager: District Waste Management: “The only critical items to be completed are the leachate & contaminated water dams; these are currently 81% complete, and they require the final layer of geocells filled with concrete. This was initially scheduled to be completed by the end of October 2026; however, recent rains caused some delays in the pouring of concrete, and it is now due to be completed within the next two weeks. Regardless of the delay, the contractor is still on track with the programme.”

The remaining construction works mainly comprise finishing works for all buildings, access road marking, stone pitching at stormwater headwalls, and final shaping around the facility.

default

Images in this update: Placement of geocells that will be filled with concrete remains ongoing for the leachate & contaminated water dams

Public Notice 97/2026: Notice of Adoption of the Garden Route District Climate Change Adaptation Assessment and Implementation Plan 2025/2026 – 2030/2031

NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF THE GARDEN ROUTE DISTRICT CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION ASSESSMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 2025/2026 – 2030/2031

Notice number 97/2026

Notice is hereby given that the Garden Route District Municipality’s (GRDM’s) Council adopted the Garden Route District Climate Change Adaptation Needs and Response Assessment, as well as the Garden Route District Climate Change Adaptation Response Implementation Plan for the period 2025/2026 – 20230/2031, in accordance with the National Climate Change Act 2024 (Act 22 of 2024).

These documents were adopted by the Garden Route District’s Council at a District Council meeting held on Wednesday, 21 October 2026.

The documents will be available on the GRDM’s municipal website: www.gardenroute.gov.za, or please click on the link below to download the document: https://www.gardenroute.gov.za/document-category/2025-26-climate-change-2/

Media Release: Garden Route District Municipality kicks off Annual Disaster Management Awareness Campaigns in the Klein Karoo

Media Release: Garden Route District Municipality Kicks Off Annual Disaster Management Awareness Campaigns in the Klein Karoo

For immediate release
26 October 2026

The annual Disaster Management Awareness Campaigns were officially launched on Friday, 23 October 2026, by the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) together with the Western Cape Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC)  at the R.P. Botha VGK Primary School in Zoar situated in Kannaland.

The campaign, this year, will continue up to 30 October 2026, with the main focus on schools and communities in the Klein Karoo region of the district. The aim of the initiative is to educate learners about the risks of disasters and to promote a culture of safety, preparedness and resilience among the local communities.

Using an interactive educational play which features Gerry the Giraffe, the mascot of the Western Cape Government Disaster Management department, learners are given an introduction to the essential safety measures and the practical steps they can take to protect themselves, their families and their communities from disasters. The awareness campaign is centred around the main hazards of the season, especially floods, fires, electrical outages, and impacts of illegal dumping. Thus giving learners the knowledge needed to identify possible risks, take preventive action and respond properly in an emergency.

The programme aims at engaging pupils at primary level to reinforce awareness of disaster risk from an early age and get the learners to pass on the knowledge they have acquired to their families and communities. In this way, a culture of preparedness for disasters is developed and safer, more resilient communities are built throughout the Garden Route.

After the event in Zoar, awareness sessions will take place at schools in different parts of Kannaland and Oudtshoorn, the programme being scheduled to end in Van Wyksdorp on 30 October 2026. As part of these activities, the GRDM, the PDMC and the local municipalities wish to improve community preparedness and reduce disaster risks before the summer season.

Each year the campaign stresses the need for proactive disaster risk reduction and the part that education and cooperation play in making communities better prepared to deal with seasonal hazards.

In alignment with the International Risk Reduction Day theme “Communities that have made preparations are resilient communities; disaster preparedness begins with awareness and awareness begins with us.”

ENDS

Public Notice 94/2026: First Quarter Financial and Performance Management Report

PUBLIC NOTICE: FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT REPORT

Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) hereby informs the public that the Section 52 First Quarter Financial and Performance Management Report for the 2026/2027 financial year is available on the municipal website.

The report provides an overview of the Municipality’s budget implementation, financial performance and service delivery performance for the quarter ending 30 September 2026.

The report can be accessed via the official municipal website: https://tinyurl.com/535v6cjw

22 October 2026 Obituary: Garden Route District Municipality Councillor, Ald. Petru Terblanche, passes away

Obituary: Garden Route District Municipality Councillor, Ald. Petru Terblanche, passes away

For immediate release
22 October 2026

Shortly after a Council meeting on 21 October 2026, Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) and its Council, were informed about the passing of Ald. Petru Terblanche.

The late Ald. Terblanche has dedicated his service to the GRDM Council for a period of five years from 2021 to 2026 and during this period he fulfilled the positions of councillor and specifically Portfolio Chairperson of Roads and Transport Services from December 2021 to  July 2024.

Throughout his tenure, Ald. Terblanche showed immense dedication, commitment and passion for serving the communities of the Garden Route district. His contribution to the work of Council, particularly in Roads and Transport Services, reflected his commitment to improved service delivery and advancing the interests of the communities he served.

Politics interested him early in his life and by the age of 22, Ald. Terblanche had to put his successful political career on hold to take over the family butchery from his father, who was not able to run his business because of his health. For the next 32 years, he would manage both his farm and the butchery, also serving as a judge at agricultural shows. Terblanche returned to politics after selling his business and soon served as a Councillor for Mossel Bay Municipality for a period of two (2) terms. During his first term, he served as a Mayoral Committee member for Community Services and became an Alderman and Speaker during his second term.

Described by the Speaker of the GRDM Council, Ald. Georlene Wolmarans, Cllr Terblanche was a well-respected human being. “He will be fondly missed for the caring person that he was and who always offered advice to his colleagues.”

“He was someone who always made the effort to come over and greet others as soon as he entered the building – a small gesture that spoke volumes about his character and humanity,” Ald. Wolmarans said.

“Often, it is the small things – a friendly greeting, the willingness to offer advice, and the respect shown to others, that leave the most lasting impression. Ald. Terblanche embodied all these qualities, and that is how I will remember him, with deep appreciation,” Ald. Wolmarans added.

Speaking fondly about his character and work ethic, many said they have lost a respected colleague and a decent and genuine public servant; and that his service and contributions are highly valued and will be remembered with gratitude and much respect.

The GRDM Council and staff express their sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the late Ald. Terblanche and said that his loss leaves a void in the Chambers and among his fellow councillors and colleagues throughout the organisation.

To the family and loved ones of Ald. Terblanche, “May our Heavenly Father grant you the comfort, strength and peace as you navigate this difficult time in your lives.”

“Ald. Terblanche, may your dear soul rest in peace.”

ENDS

20 October 2026 Media Release: Garden Route Skills Mecca Bags Top Honours for Service Excellence

Media Release: Garden Route Skills Mecca bags top honours for service excellence

20 October 2026

The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) has achieved top honours at the 2026 Western Cape Provincial Government’s Service Excellence Awards, where its flagship Garden Route Skills Mecca (GRSM) programme was awarded Gold for the Best Municipal Project category.

Presented at Paarl on 16 October 2027, the award acknowledges the outstanding achievements of the GRSM. Since 2017, the initiative has attracted more than R157 million in external funding, delivered more than 31 projects and provided skills development and employment opportunities to more than 3 891 unemployed people, with a strong focus on youth Garden Routers, particularly the youth, across all seven Garden Route local municipalities.

GRDM Strategic Manager, Thembani Loliwe, who leads the programme, said the award is a tribute to the learners, host employers, training partners, and funders who have driven this success. “When the devastating fires swept through Knysna and Bitou, communities lost more than homes and businesses; many people lost hope for their future. The Skills Mecca was created as a response to that challenge.

“We moved away from fragmented interventions and built an integrated system where training providers, funding partners, employers, and communities work towards a shared goal,” said Loliwe.

“Our success is not measured by the number of certificates issued, but by the lives transformed, households supported, and people who have been given a pathway back into employment and opportunity.”

Executive Mayor, Ald. Marais Kruger congratulated the team and dedicated the award to the people of the Garden Route. “For thousands of families, a monthly stipend and a workplace placement have meant food on the table, school fees paid and a young person with real experience on their CV. That is service excellence in its truest sense. I am proud that a district municipality in the Western Cape has built a model that others in South Africa and beyond would like to duplicate.”

Acting Municipal Manager, Nthabeleng Raisa-Mlandu said this recognition confirms the value of working together across government. “This award shows what is possible when the GRDM, the seven local municipalities in the Garden Route, the Western Cape Government, SETAs, TVET colleges and business commit to one plan. The GRSM is no longer a programme; we are moving to institutionalising it as a permanent part of how this district delivers skills aligned to industry needs. Our task now is to grow it and ensure that more residents can walk through its doors.”

ORIGINS OF THE GRSM

The GRSM emerged from a time of a crisis. In 2017, devastating wildfires swept through Knysna and Bitou, destroying homes, businesses, and livelihoods, while leaving tthousands of residents without work in key sectors such as tourism, forestry, agriculture and construction.

Prior to the disaster, skills development in the district was characterised by fragmented efforts, with municipalities, training providers and employers working in isolation, and available funding streams not being fully utilised.

Recognising the need for a more coordinated approach, GRDM developed South Africa’s first municipality-led, fully integrated regional skills ecosystem bringing together communities, employers, government, training providers and funding partners under one integrated system designed to connect people with meaningful economic opportunities.

KEY MILESTONES OF THE GRSM

  • active projects grew from zero in 2017 to 31 today, demonstrating the rapid expansion of the initiative.
  • more than R175 million in external investment has been mobilised to support skills development and employment opportunities across the district.
  • more than 3 891 beneficiaries: unemployed residents have participated in accredited training, learnerships, workplace learning, artisan recognition, and driver training
  • with most learners receiving monthly stipend, an estimated 15 564 household members have benefited directly from the programme
  • learners have been placed with host employers across the district, and number of those placements resulting in permanent  employment opportunities
  • programmes span a wide range of sectors, incduding driver’s licence training, firefighting, plumbing, electrical trades and artisan recognition, cooks, In-service training, construction etc.

The programme has attracted growing interest from municipalities and other stakeholders across South Africa and beyond, who are exploring opportunities to replicate the model.

The Western Cape Service Excellence Awards honour public sector projects that deliver measurable, resident-centred results. The GRSM’s win reflects its alignment with the Provincial Strategic Plan 2025 – 2030 priority pf helping businesses grow and create jobs, and equipping residents to get those jobs.

FUTURE OF THE GRSM

Going forward, the GRDM has proposed a Shared Services Model that seeks to establish a sustainable, collaborative funding and governance arrangement between GRDM and its seven local municipalities to secure the long-term future of the GRSM. Through pooled resources, shared financial responsibility and coordinated planning, municipalities can collectively invest in this regional initiative, ensuring that it remains responsive to industry needs and accessible to communities throughout the district. By investing in the Skills Mecca, municipalities are investing in the long-term development of the region’s human capital, strengthening local economies and improving the livelihoods of residents across the Garden Route.

Residents interested in upcoming Skills Mecca opportunities can follow the Garden Route District Municipality on Facebook or visit www.skillsmecca.gardenroute.gov.za.

Feature image: Acting Municipal Manager, Nthabeleng Raisa-Mlandu with Thembani Loliwe, the GRDM Strategic Manager and Skills Mecca Programme lead showcasing the Service Excellence Awards

END

 

 

15 October 2026 Media Release: Garden Route’s Skills Coordinator named HR Practitioner of the Year

Media Release: Garden Route’s Skills Coordinator named HR Practitioner of the Year

For immediate release
15 October 2026

When 200 unemployed people from across the Garden Route enrolled to train as cooks, few would have guessed that some of them would end up on an international cruise ship. For Reginald Salmons, that is what skills development initiatives aim to achieve.

Salmons, Coordinator: Skills Development at the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), has added a feather to his cap when he was awarded the 2026 Human Resource Practitioner of the Year by the Institute of Municipal People Practitioners of Southern Africa (IMPSA) on 9 October 2026.

The award recognises more than two decades of work developing young people. Most importantly, the award acknowledges his contribution to the development of the Garden Route Skills Mecca, a pioneering district-wide model he helped establish with former GRDM Executive Manager for Corporate Services, Trix Holtzhausen, and former GRSM Project Manager, Dr Florus Prinsloo. Today, the initiative continues to flourish under the leadership of Mr Thembani Loliwe, Strategic Manager in the Office of the Municipal Manager.

Today, municipalities, SETAs, TVET colleges, government departments, employers, and training providers work together under a shared vision for skills development, replacing fragmented efforts with coordinated action. Through this collaborative model, the Garden Route Skills Mecca has successfully secured and coordinated more than R157 million in skills development funding and investment across the district.

A notable example of the Garden Route Skills Mecca’s impact is the Occupational Certificate: Cook Programme. The initiative provided training and assessment opportunities to 200 unemployed learners, many of whom completed the programme successfully. The programme has since opened doors to meaningful employment, with several graduates securing permanent jobs and others embarking on international careers with MSC Cruises.

This is one of several large projects that Salmons has coordinated with funding from the National Skills Fund. Together they have opened doors for unemployed youth and municipal employees through internships, apprenticeships, occupational qualifications, and workplace-based learning.

Behind the scenes, he has also helped shape the policies that keep municipalities running well. These include training and succession planning, Recognition of Prior Learning, bursaries, and councillor development.

“I’m deeply honoured and humbled,” said Salmons. “This recognition reflects my own journey, but it belongs just as much to the Garden Route District Municipality, my former and current leaders, our municipal partners, the SETAs, government departments, educational institutions, and employers who share the vision of transforming lives through skills.

“I dedicate this award to every learner, intern, apprentice, and employee whose commitment to growing themselves inspires us to keep building a skilled, capable and prosperous Graden Route.”

Salmons also chairs IMPSA’s Cape Branch, which represents the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, and the Free State.

GRDM Strategic Manager, Thembani Loliwe, who currently champions the Garden Route Skills Mecca, congratulated Reginald Salmons on this significant achievement, noting that the award reflects years of dedicated service to empowering individuals and building stronger municipalities. He also extended sincere gratitude to the SETAs, the National Skills Fund and other strategic partners whose sustained commitment has helped drive skills development and employment creation across the Garden Route, despite increasingly constrained financial resources.

Feature image: Reginald Salmons, Skills Development at the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), has added a feather to his cap when he was awarded the 2026 Human Resource Practitioner of the Year by the Institute of Municipal People Practitioners of Southern Africa (IMPSA) on 9 October 2026.

ENDS.

Media Release: Garden Route retains its place among leading Blue Flag destinations for 2026/27

Media Release: Garden Route retains its place among leading Blue Flag destinations for 2026/27

For Immediate Release
14 October 2026

Hessequa Municipality continues to set the benchmark for Blue Flag excellence countrywide after again achieving full Blue Flag status at all six of its designated swimming beaches.

The Garden Route is known globally for its quality coastal tourism and responsible environmental management. This year, 14 beaches across Hessequa, George and Bitou municipalities were awarded full Blue Flag status for the 2026/2027 season. Blue Flag status is an internationally recognised eco-label that highlights beaches meeting established criteria relating to water quality, environmental management, environmental education, safety and the provision of appropriate facilities.

In a proud moment, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Executive Mayor, Marais Kruger, shared a few words by saying “congratulations to the participating municipalities, marina operators and tourism businesses on their achievements”.

“It is rarely seen in other parts of the country where a region comes together like the Garden Route to maintain environmental standards, protect coastal resources and provide quality experiences for visitors.”

“I am proud to form part of a region where these standards are upheld to ensure that residents and visitors can enjoy well-managed coastal destinations while contributing to the long-term sustainability of the Garden Route’s tourism economy,” Kruger concluded.

Hessequa achieves full status across all six its designated beaches

The municipality on the western border of the Garden Route, Hessequa, received special recognition for achieving full Blue Flag status at all six of its designated swimming beaches for the 2026/2027 season. These are:

  • Lappiesbaai
  • Gouritzmond
  • Stilbaai-West
  • Witsand
  • Jongensfontein
  • Preekstoel
Stilbaai West, one of the total of six beaches in Hessequa that achieved a Blue Flag Status.

Blue Flag beaches across the Garden Route

In addition to Hessequa’s six Blue Flag beaches, George Municipality has three beaches with full Blue Flag status, while Bitou Municipality has five.

George Municipality

  • Herold’s Bay
  • Victoria Bay
  • Wilderness

Bitou Municipality

  • The Dunes
  • The Waves
  • Singing Kettle
  • Nature’s Valley
  • Lookout Beach

Two additional beaches have been recognised under the Blue Flag pilot programme:

  • Leentjiesklop – George Municipality
  • Robberg V – Bitou Municipality

Pilot status provides an opportunity for participating beaches to work towards meeting the requirements for full Blue Flag status.

Recognition extends to marinas and tourism boats

The Garden Route’s coastal tourism offering also includes recognised marinas and tourism boats.

The following marinas have Blue Flag status:

  • Thesen Harbour Town Marina
  • Thesen Island Homeowners Marina, which has achieved Blue Flag status for 10 consecutive years and received recognition of excellence.

Offshore Adventures’ Robberg Express: Oceanic has also been recognised under the Blue Flag Tourism Boats programme.

Green Coast recognition for four sites

Four sites in the Garden Route have been recognised under the Green Coast programme for 2026:

  • Swartvlei Beach – Knysna
  • Nature’s Valley – Bitou Municipality, achieving five consecutive years of recognition
  • Gwaiing Beach – George Municipality
  • Kanon Beach – Mossel Bay
Nature’s Valley – Bitou Municipality, achieving five consecutive years of recognition

The Green Coast programme recognises coastal areas where communities and stakeholders work to protect natural coastal environments while promoting responsible use and sustainable tourism.

Feature Image: Hessequa – Stilbaai Preekstoel Beach (Supplied by Hessequa Tourism)

ENDS

Public Notice 93/2026: Council Meeting on 21 October 2026 at 11:00

Notice of a Council Meeting on 21 October 2026 at 11:00

Notice Number: 93/2026

Notice is hereby given that a COUNCIL MEETING of the Garden Route District Municipality will be held at the CA

Robertson Council Chambers, 54 York Street, George, and via Zoom on 21 October 2026 at 11:00.

Members of the public are invited to follow the proceedings through the Municipal YouTube Channel at: https://youtube.com/live/cYMlELd5gDo?feature=share

13 October 2026 Media Release by Western Cape Department of Infrastructure

Media Release: Good progress on Seven Passes flood-damage repairs

13 October 2026

Good progress is being made on a R73.6 million Western Cape Government Department of Infrastructure flood damage repair project on 10km of the MR355 (Seven Passes) road near George, as well as district roads west of George, and a district road in Wittedrif near Plettenberg Bay. The project is anticipated to be completed in March 2027, depending on whether there are further weather delays at several river crossings.

Causeway repairs on DR1639

Five failed culverts are being replaced on MR355 with concrete pipes. Slips on this road are being repaired using piling and reinforced concrete decks in three places. Slips are being repaired with reinforced earth and gabion retaining walls in seven places, and with reinforced earth and a dry stack stone wall in one place. The drainage pipes on this road are being replaced with larger diameter concrete pipes. Layerworks are being restored on surfaced parts of MR355 that have subsided. These sections will be resurfaced when the layerworks are complete.

One failed causeway will be replaced on each of the district roads DR1602, DR1633 and DR1639 in the agricultural areas west of George and north of Brak River. A failed causeway on DR1602 will be replaced with a bridge once environmental authorisation has been obtained. The geometric alignment of this road is also being improved to make it safer. A failed causeway will be replaced on DR1791 at Wittedrif between Plettenberg Bay and Keurboomstrand, and a 150m section of this road is being raised by about 1 metre to tie into the new causeway.

“In addition to the benefits for residents and visitors of our infrastructure projects, these projects also benefit local labourers, targeted enterprises, local enterprises and emerging contractors”, said Provincial Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers. “

A total of 10 458 person-days of local labour has so far been utilised on this project against a target of 11 500. A total of 92 work opportunities has been created against a target of 135. R10.3 million has been spent on targeted enterprises against a target of R18.9 million. Goods and services have been procured from 4 local enterprises against a target of 6, and from 4 emerging contractors against a target of 3”, he added.

Media enquiries

Stephen Heyns
Acting Head of Communication
Western Cape Department of Infrastructure
stephen.heyns@westerncape.gov.za, 021 483 0597