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26 May 2021 Media Release: GRDM Executive Mayor and Mayoral Committee visit three key projects in the Greater Oudtshoorn and Kannaland areas

Media Release: GRDM Executive Mayor and Mayoral Committee visit three key projects in the Greater Oudtshoorn and Kannaland areas

For immediate release
26 May 2021

On Friday, 21 May 2021, the Executive Mayor of Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), Alderman Memory Booysen, together with his Mayoral Committee members, first visited the Western Cape Honey Bush Tea Co-operative (PTY) Ltd in Oudtshoorn and later, two other projects in the Kannaland region where the GRDM is involved.

Executive Mayor, Alderman Memory Booysen, during his address to members from the Western Cape Honey Bush Co-operative.

The Cape Honey Bush Tea Co-operative (PTY) Ltd leases land from GRDM to produce honeybush tea for domestic consumption and international markets. The land is situated adjacent to the GRDM’s De Hoek Mountain Resort in Oudtshoorn. According to Lusanda Menze, GRDM Executive Manager for Economic Development and Planning, the Cape Honey Bush Tea Co-operative (PTY) Ltd is currently leasing the property from the municipality for nine years. However, he further explained: “It will take an extended period for the farm to reach a level of sustainability and to provide the Co-operative ample time to achieve all the objectives they have set out to achieve”.

During the visit, members of the Co-operative shared essential information with the delegation, including their background, the progress of the farming operations and what plans they have in place to attract tourists to the farm and Greater Oudtshoorn area. The plan also includes a training facility for those interested in this unique honeybush product and other related products that could be produced in the area.

As part of the programme, the delegation was accompanied to the Nooitgedagt Farm where honeybush plants will be grown and harvested. Currently, small-scale farmers harvest honeybush in mountainous areas, but in a sustainable manner. Honeybush is pruned for optimal regrowth and more are cultivated for planting during the growing season.

The Nooitgedagt Farm where honeybush plants will be grown and harvested.

Mayor Booysen and his Mayoral Committee members welcomed the presentations made by the members of the Co-operative and Ald. Booysen said: “This initiative and partnership has the potential to add value to families, the Garden Route and Western Cape economies”. When referring to De Hoek Mountain Resort and its activities, Mayor Booysen said: “When GRDM Council took office in 2016, the following questions came to mind: How the municipality fits in as government and as landlords of the property and how the project fits in with us in becoming a partner of with small business”. In explaining his statement, he said: “One leg of government rest on the community which we operate in and of which you form part of”. He then highlighted: “The time has come to formally put this initiative on the map; however, we are now first navigating through red-tape and we need to follow the relevant processes,” he emphasised.

In conclusion, he said: “Let us make this initiative work – this has to work, it needs to be on the map of the Garden Route, on the map of the Western Cape and the map of the entire Republic of South Africa.

The municipality is now in the process of requesting the Council to withdraw its previous Council resolution relating to the lease period and consequently seeking approval from the Council to proceed with the legislative processes to extend the current lease contract to twenty (20) years.

As soon as the item is approved, both parties and the communities of Greater Oudtshoorn will be able to look forward to mainstream Honeybush tea production activities in their area. Together with this, the initiative will address the issue of unemployment in the area and the training facility where formal training can become a reality and economic spin-offs for the Klein-Karoo and the Garden Route district.

Subsequently, the delegation also visited other projects while in the Klein-Karoo, namely the borehole/pomegranate project in Calitzdorp, as well as the municipality’s resort, Calitzdorp Spa, to view the progress made regarding the installation of new roofing for chalets.

Also read:
https://www.gardenroute.gov.za/2021/05/20/grdms-calitzdorp-spa-receives-a-facelift-with-new-thatch-roofs/

END

25 May 2021 Media Release: Eighty-year old the first to get jab as part of Phase 2

Media Release: Eighty-year old the first to get jab as part of Phase 2

For Immediate Release
25 May 2021

Kitty Rossouw(80) was the first public person to be vaccinated, today 25 May 2021,  in the Garden Route district as part of Phase 2 of the vaccination drive.

“I’ve decided long ago to get the vaccination, and I am glad my chance has finally come. I want to visit my children and feel safe doing so”, said Kitty.

Katty can’t wait to see her children and grandchildren after being fully vaccinated.

“We have started with people in old age homes, and plan to visit all the old age homes in our district. We plan to start vaccinating the rest of those who are over 60 and who have registered, at our sub-district sites in June. This is all dependant on the number of vaccines we receive and when we do receive them. Those who have registered will then receive an SMS with a date, time, venue, and unique code. SMS messages will be sent out a few days in advance in order for clients to make the necessary arrangements. Please do not visit vaccination sites if you have not received your SMS to confirm your appointment”, said District Director Mr Zee Brickles.

Kitty is one of 81 980 persons over the age of 60 living in the Garden Route District. Registration on EVDS has been slow in some sub-districts.

The following percentage of persons over 60 have registered in the following sub-districts:

– Knysna sub-district: 56%
– Mossel Bay sub-district:  50 %
– Hessequa sub-district: 46%
– Bitou sub-district: 40%
– George sub-district: 33%
– Kannaland sub-district: 27%
– Oudtshhorn sub-district: 52%

We ask that you assist a family member, friend or neighbour to register so that they can receive the vaccine and be protected against severe illness from COVID-19.

To register, please visit www.westerncape.gov.za and click on the link, or Dial *134*832# and follow the prompts (FREE on all South African Networks), or WhatsApp the word REGISTER to 0600 123456.

Appointments for vaccinations for over 60’s

We expect most people (above 60) who have registered to start getting their SMS in 2 to 3 weeks. If you missed your appointment date, don’t worry. All unredeemed vaccination vouchers will remain open on the database. The system will then generate a second appointment date, venue and time. If you unfortunately miss this appointment, the system will generate a third invitation. Should you miss your third appointment, the system will close your registration and you will need to contact 0800 029 999. Those residents who have registered and still waiting for their second SMS, please do not worry. Public sites will soon open. We urge residents to take up their invitation to be vaccinated the first time they receive their invitation SMS.

We urge people to only come to a vaccination site if you have received the second SMS confirming your appointment and your unique code.

Caption: Katty can’t wait to see her children and grandchildren after being fully vaccinated.
Caption 2: Katty receives her vaccination from Rabanya Lebone as part of Phase 2 of the vaccine roll-out.

END

Nadia Ferreira
Principal Communications Officer
Garden Route and Central Karoo Districts
Western Cape Government Health
Town Clinic,Plettenberg Bay
Tel: 076 379 5423
Email: Nadia.Ferreira@westerncape.gov.za
Website: www.westerncape.gov.za

25 May 2021 Executive Mayor’s Speech at the GRDM Council Meeting

Executive Mayor’s Speech – GRDM Council Meeting on 25 May 2021

Thank you, Speaker

As always, I remain a very competitive person, so I do not like to be outdone by the opposition party. The opposition party has welcomed a new member of their team. Still, at the same time, I am taking this opportunity to introduce and welcome my newly appointed Mayoral Committee member, Cllr Bernardus Van Wyk. Please take note that he replaces one of my previous Mayco members, Cllr Joslyn Johnson. Cllr Van Wyk is a competent member of my party, and I know that we will hit the ground running.

In terms of those listening to us on Youtube and Facebook, I am also proudly announcing and challenging everybody who forms part of the Garden Route District Municipality to be reminded of a campaign we are running in collaboration with Eden FM Vodacom and George Museum. The drive we are collaboratively working on is coined as the “Walk a Child to School” campaign. Through this campaign, we’ve identified schools where the most vulnerable and most impoverished kids are schooled. We mainly focus on learners at farm schools and low fee schools, etc. Those participating in this campaign can donate shoes to these schools by dropping off shoes to these kids at all our Garden Route District Municipality offices in the region, Eden FM, Vodacom or George Museum offices. We need kid-sizes of 10 to 7 for this specific campaign. Please come on board because we would like to have this campaign finalised before the end of June 2021. 

It also gives me pleasure to announce here that last Friday, I visited a small business with Councillors in Oudtshoorn, specifically De Hoek Mountain Resort, where the Western Cape Honeybush Co-operative is currently stationed. There is massive potential for the demand for Honeybush tea, especially on an international level. They plan to broaden their scope by expanding their business model to a tourism attraction near the Cango Caves. They have big plans, and this will have spin-offs for De Hoek Mountain Resort. People must watch this space.

In the same vein, we also visited the Calitzdorp Spa because we were in that area. I would like to extend a word of gratitude to the Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu and officials. They are involved in these type of projects. As it stands, we are currently upgrading Calitzdorp Spa with our funding, and the first phase is to replace the thatch roofs. The second phase would be to upgrade the interior of the resort. We need to explore more ways to up the standards of the resort.

I also want to take a moment to acknowledge what our officials are doing, particularly the Human Settlements Unit. We are aware that we signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Western Cape Department of Human Settlements in terms of us getting into the human settlements space. I know that there are still some unanswered questions or clarity about what role we will play in terms of that. I want to say thank you to Joel and Shehaam for going from municipality to municipality to outline this draft integrated human settlements plan. The Municipal Manager and I remain on standby if we are required to outline our role if we are required to do so. We do not want any miscommunications or misunderstandings in this regard. I want to emphasise again – we are not trying to take over the Breaking New Ground projects from local municipalities; we are here to fill the gap and enhance what they are doing.

Two weeks ago, I congratulated and encouraged participants who formed part of the peace officer and learner and drivers license programmes. During this event, which took place at the Rosemoor Stadium in George, I also recognised the achievements of the youth. We also committed that that would not be the end of those projects, especially not in the Garden Route. The skills funding we funded filled the gaps for many of the job requirements currently in the market. We are clear that we will continue with those kinds of projects.

Ald. Groenewald, because of the massive unemployment in South Africa and the Garden Route, we will continue to get the youth on board and skilled to become employable. I want to see more entrepreneurs, partners in terms of what our vision is for the region. Based on that Alderman Groenewald, we have approached the National Skills Fund. They paid us a due diligence visit to verify the training organisations and clarify contractual issues for when funding is approved. This will be a significant injection to youth development skills in our region. This will be of benefit to women and differently-abled Garden Routers too. 

Mr Speaker, we will remember that we’ve had two skills summits, and we are also well on our way to becoming a skills mecca. There is also a new skills summit envisaged for the near future. At that skills summit, it will be a list of dreams that we want to achieve and an overview of what has been achieved from the other skills summits. We will be dealing with concrete numbers during the next meeting.

We are also due for a State of the District Address; what were the achievements since we took office in 2016 to date. The SODA is set for 17 June 2021. The identified hosting municipality is Bitou Local Municipality’s Piesang Valley Hall. Logistics will be communicated in due time – the whens and hows. I also want to call all councillors in terms of their attendance; please indicate as soon as possible who will be attending. We will also ensure that Councillors will be able to invite their partners to the SODA.

The approach following the SODA will offer opposition parties to pose questions, raise their concerns and provide inputs on 18 June 2021 during a Special Council meeting. Ald. Groenewald, I would still like your inputs about this before we set it in stone. The idea will then be at the next Ordinary Council meeting to respond to all the questions posed by Councillors. Ald. Booysen, we will take your guidance on how exactly to approach this going forward.

Lastly, Ald. Groenewald, we are concerned about the 3rd wave of Coronavirus. We know the Western Cape is still on high alert, and we are monitoring what is happening in terms of it in our area. We cannot take anything for granted and remain on high alert – in particular, because of the fact that we are planning a SODA. I would like to reiterate that we are monitoring what is happening in terms of COVID-19. We remain flexible on how we will deal with the SODA if positive cases increase.

Thank you.

21 May 2021 Media Release: Rural Roads Asset Management Systems Grant Annual Meeting

Media Release: Rural Roads Asset Management Systems Grant Annual Meeting

For Immediate Release
21 May 2021

On Wednesday, 5 May 2021, Roads Services Representatives from National Government, the five (5) District Municipalities in the Western Cape and local municipalities within the Garden Route District gathered for the quarterly Rural Roads Asset Management System (RRAMS) meeting at Oubaai in George.

 

Western Cape Road Service representatives who attended the quarterly Provincial RAMS Meeting in George.

Over the past ten years, the RAMS (Roads Asset Management System) Conditional Grant has been used in South Africa to transfer funding to provinces and district municipalities (with preference to those in the rural areas), to achieve national government policy objectives. Furthermore, to ensure efficient and effective investment in municipal roads by developing road asset management systems (RAMS) through the collection and analysis of data.  

 

With the above in mind, the primary purpose of the RRAMS Grant as stipulated in the Division of Revenue Bill is to assist district municipalities in setting up rural RAMS and collecting road, bridges, and traffic data on municipal road networks in line with the Road Infrastructure Strategic Framework for South Africa.

 

As part of the National Government’s strategy to capacitate GRDM to fulfil the RAMS function in-house, four (4) contract positions were created and filled by two Civil Engineering graduates, a GIS operator and an Administration Assistant. GRDM also purchased two (2) Toyota LDV bakkies valued at R433 163.00 each, which will be utilised by the newly appointed RRAMS personnel.

On Wednesday, 18 May 2021, the Garden Route District Municipality Executive Mayor Alderman Memory Booysen, and the Municipal Manager, Mr Monde Stratu, received the two (2) bakkies during a small handover ceremony.  The Portfolio Chairperson of Roads and Transport Planning Services, Cllr Rowan Spies, and the Executive Manager:  Roads and Transport Planning Services, Mr John Daniels, also attended the ceremony. The Roads department will manage these assets.

 

21 May 2021 Media Release: Fencing subsidies available – call for applications

Media Release: Fencing subsidies available – call for applications

For Immediate Release
21 May 2021

On an annual basis, Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) provides fencing subsidies for a selected number of landowners on neighbouring provincial rural roads with fencing of their properties.

This is subject to a budget as received from the Western Cape Government.

The funding will only be applicable on a subsidy basis. It effectively means that 60% subsidy will be contributed towards the cost of the fencing. The subsidy is determined by an average price for the material. The material is deemed as 60% of the total cost. Labour cost is deemed as 40% of the total cost and must be carried by the applicant. All initial costs must be carried by the applicant and a subsidy will be paid out after the successful completion of the fence. For more information refer to the Fencing Subsidy Policy of Garden Route District Municipality.

The new fences must adhere to the specifications of the Provincial Government of the Western Cape: Roads Infrastructure Department. Minimum specifications will be made available to successful applicants.

Application process

  1. Application forms can be obtained from Mr Qamani Nkebana at the Roads Transport & Planning Department. Contact numbers at the office are 044 803 1506 or email Qamani@gardenroute.gov.za. Alternatively, download from www.gardenroute.gov.za.
  2. Application period: 21 May 2021 to 18 June 2021.
  3. Applications will be audited and evaluated according to risk analysis by a panel. Risk factors include: Status of road, traffic count, operating speed of vehicles, type of farming, condition of current fence, etc.
  4. The panel outcome will be decided by 19 July 2021. All applicants will be informed. A fencing subsidy contract will be signed with successful applicants. Unsuccessful applicants can apply again in the next financial year.
  5. All fences must be fully completed by 10 December 2021 for payment before 28 February 2022.
  6. Payment will be done after an inspection and approval for the fence has been made.

Closing date: 18 June 2021

Notice number: 43/2021

Relevant Documents 

Application-and-Annexures

Fencing-subsidy-letter-for-applying-applicants-2021

Guidelines for the fencing of roads by adjacent landowners

MBD4-Declaration-of-Interest

20 May 2021 Media Release: GRDM’s Calitzdorp Spa receives a facelift with new roofs

Media Release: GRDM’s Calitzdorp Spa receives a facelift with new roofs

For Immediate Release
20 May 2021

Garden Route District Municipality’s (GRDM) Calitzdorp Spa is getting a facelift. New steel-based, lightweight roofs will replace the current roofing at the resort. Work commenced on Monday, 17 May 2021 and seeks to replace fascias, hip and ridge flashings, treated timber battens and related accessories. The service provider, Shivacon (Pty), was appointed through a tender process to install the roofs after the tender was advertised on 10 September 2020.

According to Mario Appels, Superintendent at GRDM, the first phase of the project includes the reception area, main building and the mountain chalets and is envisaged to be completed by end June. “The second phase of the project will commence as funding becomes available in the new financial year starting from 1 July 2021,” he said. This phase will include the upgrading of twenty (20) swimming pool chalets, four (4) ablution facilities at the camping sites and four (4) pool lapas.

With the construction works in full swing and other upgrading projects in the pipeline, the Municipality looks forward to welcome visitors to the resort!

Click here to visit our website.
Click here to visit our Facebook page.

Feature photo: Neil Damons

ENDS

20 May 2021 Media Release: Participatory governance central to the success of Garden Route DM’s New Integrated Human Settlements Plan

Media Release: Participatory governance central to the success of Garden Route DM’s New Integrated Human Settlements Plan

For Immediate Release
20 May 2021

The President in the 2019 Presidency Budget Speech (2019) identified the “pattern of operating in silos” as a challenge which led to “to lack of coherence in planning and implementation and has made monitoring and oversight of government’s programme difficult”. The consequence has been non-optimal delivery of services and diminished impact on the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and employment. The President further called for the rolling out of “a new integrated district-based approach to addressing our service delivery challenges and localise procurement and job creation, that promotes and supports local businesses, and that involves communities….” The President is aware that such an approach will require for “National departments to have district-level delivery capacity together with the provinces … provide implementation plans in line with priorities identified in the State of the Nation address”.

Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) is one of the 48 District Municipalities identified for launching the One Plan strategic initiative. This is supported by the National Development Plan (NDP) and is based on intergovernmental cooperation between the different spheres of public authorities to bring services and developmental programmes closer to the people. This initiative will create an environment where long-term sustainable socio-economic integration in the Garden Route becomes a reality.

According to the GRDM Human Settlements division, “Socio-economic integration in the context of human settlements relates to the review and redress of old spatial planning distortions that ensured historical race-based settlements patterns, which made it difficult to attain long term socio-economic integration”.

“The intent is to pursue and implement, through a collaborative approach, spatial planning reprioritisation in the use of government assets and properties.”

For transformation to happen, a participatory governance and cooperative approach with all stakeholders is needed. In anticipation, the GRDM has met and consulted with national government departments as well as their agencies to prepare and align with this reality. To this end, it has initiated various workshops with all seven (7) local municipalities in the Garden Route to build a common understanding of how best to prepare for this. In addition, it will ensure collective ownership and structured coordination between the different government departments and municipalities in the Garden Route.

The GRDM Human Settlements team presenting to external stakeholders at Knysna Municipality.

Other than redressing the injustices of the past, the needs of low-income households need to be addressed, which is why it is important for long term socio-economic integration to happen. It is for that reason that the Western Cape Provincial Government and Local Government in the Garden Route remains committed to meet the Human Settlements mandate (see the previous article).

The consultative sessions by the GRDM are crucial in enhancing common coherent understanding and commitment to the new housing approach. One of the key discussion points at these sessions is introducing a new Draft GRDM Integrated Human Settlements Plan. This Plan relates primarily to how the housing model and realisation of it in well-located areas, deemed as Priority and Restructuring Zones, will become a reality.

It should be noted that the four targeted catalytic towns of Bitou, Knysna, George and Mossel Bay will be the focal points in the implementation of the new Priority Human Settlement and Housing Development Areas (PHSHDA) as gazetted by the national government. According to the GRDM’s Human Settlements Management team, Ms Shehaam Sims and Mr Joel Mkunqwana: “The Integrated Human Settlements Plan will include targeted development projects and related housing programmes in well-located areas now defined as Priority and Restructuring Zones within the jurisdiction of the Garden Route.”

According to Sims: “At a higher strategic level a myriad of plans need to be integrated, which include the Garden Route Growth and Development Plan, Integrated Development Plans, Spatial Development Frameworks, District Development Plan, South Cape Corridor Development Initiative, Priority Human Settlements and Housing Development Areas and the overall plan – now to be launched as the One Plan.”

“It is a complex process and requires strategic preparation and think-tanks from all corners of the human settlements arena to work together with one common goal in mind,” said Simms.

Mkunqwana says the “Integrated Human Settlements Plan must be guided and align to the goals and objectives of the ‘One Plan’ concept of National Government”. The National and Provincial Governments are both obliged to be other spheres of government partners committed to co-planning, co-budgeting, and co-implementation to make the One Plan a feasible proposition.

All the three spheres of government and their agencies will therefore be guided by the District Development Model (DDM) /Joint District Metro Approach (JDMA) {as defined by the WC Provincial Government}, Priority Human Settlements and Housing Development Areas (PHSHDAs) which will eventuate into the One Plan overall strategic intervention as aligned and guided by the National Development Plan (NDP).

From a human settlements perspective, all these three strategic interventions are geared towards complementing each other towards the eventuality defined as the One Plan strategic concept. The district spaces are seen as focal points of government and private sector investment, with the GRDM expected to play an enabling role towards such a conducive delivery environment.

The GRDM and its’ 7 B Municipalities and government partners and stakeholders have therefore geared themselves for an exciting period of new strategic interventions that will complement efforts to change the lives of targeted low-cost communities for the better.

Editor’s note

The legislative and policy guidelines for integrated human settlements include the following:

  • Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 and Regulations
  • The Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act no. 1 of 1999);
  • The Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Act no. 32 of 2000);
  • The Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003 (Act no. 56 of 2003);
  • The Housing Development Agency Act, 2008 (Act no. 23 of 2008);
  • The Housing Act, 1997 (Act no. 107 of 1997) as amended;
  • The Rental Housing Act, 2021The National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act 103 of 1977;
  • The Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act, 2005 (Act no. 13 of 2005);
  • Municipal by-laws;
  • Social Housing Act, 2009;
  • The Supply Chain Management Policy of the Implementing Agent;
  • The Annual Division of Revenue Act; and
  • The National Human Settlements Policies and Programmes together with the Implementation Guidelines for the Comprehensive Plan for the Development of Sustainable Human Settlements.

Feature image credit: Ryan Kova, Bitou Communications

ENDS

20 May 2021 Weather Alert: Impact Based Weather Warnings for Western Cape and Namaqua

20 May 2021 Weather Alert: Impact Based Weather Warnings for Western Cape and Namaqua

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

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.”

 Hazard Alert Level Affected Municipalities Valid From (SAST) Valid To (SAST)
Damaging Waves Yellow(L2) Bitou, Cape Agulhas, Cape Agulhas, City of Cape town, George, Hessequa, Knysna, Mossel Bay, Overstrand, Saldanha Bay, Swartland, Table Bay 20/05/21 – 00h00 21/05/21 – 00h00

Discussion: A series of cold frontal systems passing over the Western Cape Province causes significant wave heights of 4.0 to 5.0m between Cape Columbine and Cape Agulhas on Thursday afternoon, spreading to Plettenberg Bay by the evening. The wave heights are expected to reach 5.5 to 6.0m between Cape Point and Cape Agulhas on Thursday night, spreading to Plettenberg Bay on Friday morning, subsiding by the evening.

Impact: Difficulty in navigation at sea can be expected with strong winds and large waves where small vessels might be at risk of taking on water and capsizing in a locality. Beachfront activities will be disrupted and anglers and beach-goers on low-level rocks are at risk of being caught off guard from infrequent large waves and swept off the rocks.

Instruction: Be aware of large unpredictable waves along the coast. Small vessels are advised to seek shelter in harbours, bays or inlets.

14 May 2021 Media Release: GRDM Executive Mayor encourages participants of Mayoral Programmes during Certificate Ceremony

Media Release: GRDM Executive Mayor encourages participants of Mayoral Programmes during Certificate Ceremony

For Immediate Release
14 May 2021

On Wednesday, 12 May 2021, youth between the ages of 18 and 35 from various towns within the Garden Route, were acknowledged and handed over certificates by the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), after  completing a Peace Officer (Law Enforcement) and/or Learners & Drivers Licence Programme.  This was the last group of participants who underwent one or both programmes as part of the 2017-2021 Mayoral Programme.

The event took place at the Rosemoor Stadium with the councillors, management, training providers, service providers and the participants in attendance.

Executive Deputy Mayor at Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), Ald. Rosina Ruiters welcomed all officials and participants and training providers to the event.  She specifically welcomed and commended the training providers for the excellent manner in which they presented the programmes to the participants.

The Mayoral Law Enforcement programme started in 2017 with the aim to capacitate local municipalities to enforce by-laws within their respective areas. The programme initially commenced in the Knysna and Bitou municipal areas due to the high crime rates in both areas at the time, but subsequently was extended to the other areas of the district.

After completion of the Law Enforcement Programme, the Learners and Drivers Licence Programme was rolled out to empower unemployed youth with essential skills to get easier access to the job market, according to Richard Dyantyi, Manager for Expanded Public Works (EPWP) at the GRDM. “Both these programme are initiatives of the GRDM Executive Mayor, Ald Memory Booysen,” he said.

GRDM Councillor Rowan Spies, programme director of the event, congratulated and encouraged all participants who completed the programme(s) with the following words: “Success is not a moment, but a challenge that you pick up every step of the way. It is getting up in the morning and showing up what you are supposed to do that day when you do not feel like doing it. It is working through relationships in spaces that you work in and learn in and try to move forward when you do not get along with people which you supposed to be working with. That is how success is built. Adding to this he highlighted: “Success comes after your darkest moment when you just want to give up – commend yourself for your hard work and success,” he concluded. Spies is also a member of the Skills Development Training Committee, as well as Portfolio Chairperson tasked with Road and Transport Planning at GRDM.

GRDM Executive Mayor, Ald. Memory Booysen, with some of the participants of the two programmes.

Participants namely Nolusindiso Thafeni, Nathan Buys and Jozé Olivier shared warm messages of appreciation with GRDM, Mayor Booysen, their respective local municipalities and training providers for their efforts to roll out these programmes. Thafeni (Law Enforcement) said: “There are people who weren’t as lucky as us to be selected to the programme, so we are very grateful to Mayor Booysen for making this possible. We are also grateful to everyone who was involved and took initiative by teaching us and getting us here today – we thank you. Buys from Riversdale said: “I am thankful towards both GRDM and Hessequa municipalities for the opportunity created for the youth, in order to build a future for themselves. He also thanked Mayor Booysen for the course that was created for the youth and for all future programmes that will continue to benefit youth. Oliver, a Learners and Drivers Licence participant, also thanked GRDM and stakeholders involved for the opportunity created to assist them in obtaining the necessary skills to be job-ready.

The moment all participants waited for was the appearance of Mayor Booysen when he shared his story of passion with them to help the Garden Route district become a better district for all.  He applauded the group for their endurance throughout the programme and praised them for not giving up on themselves. When highlighting the group’s achievement, he said: “This is just the beginning, because if you are doing good in what you are doing today, you are not only paving the way for yourselves but for others too. Your performance during these programmes motivates us as Council to continue to invest in similar programmes,” Mayor Booysen said.

When referring to the challenges faced by our country in terms of skills development and jobs, Mayor Booysen emphasised: “The GRDM Council made a unanimous conscious decision to invest in the skills of the Garden Route youth and will continue to do so. This idea fits into the broader Skills Mecca concept, which is also being driven by the GRDM at the moment”. He added that from the GRDM’s side, Council also wants to make sure that when opportunities arise, the youth are ready for those opportunities. In closing, he said:  “To be ready for the future, you need to be able to help yourself, you need to be able to solve problems and if you are able to do so, you would then be able to fulfil your purpose in the future of the Republic of South Africa”.

The event was organised by the representatives in the Office of the Executive Mayor, led by Siphiwe Dadla (Chief of Staff in the Office of the Executive Mayor), in collaboration with the EPWP Unit and other internal departments of GRDM.

END