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26 July 2023 Impact Based Warnings for Western Cape and Namaqua: Yellow Level 4 for Disruptive Rain, Damaging Waves & Disruptive Snow

Impact Based Warnings for Western Cape and Namaqua: Level 4 for Disruptive Rain, Damaging Waves & Disruptive Snow

Please find included three (3) Impact Based Warnings for Yellow Level 4 Disruptive Rain, Damaging Waves and Disruptive Snow valid from from Friday, 28 July to Sunday, 30 July 2023. 

Areas in the Garden Route district affected by disruptive rain include Bitou, George, Hessequa, Kannaland, Knysna, Mossel Bay and Oudtshoorn.

Areas in the Garden Route district affected by Damaging Waves include Bitou, George, Hessequa, Knysna, and Mossel Bay.

Areas in the Garden Route district affected by Disruptive Snow include Kannaland and Oudtshoorn.

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.

26 July 2023 Impact Based Warning: Yellow Level 1 – Damaging Waves

Impact Based Warning: Yellow Level 1 – Damaging Waves

The Cape Town Weather Office has issued a Level 1 Impact Based Warning for Damaging Waves valid from 20h00 on 26 July to 17h00 on 27 July 2023.

Areas in the Garden Route district 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.

ENDS

25 July 2023 Media Release: Oudtshoorn Local Municipality progress in clean-up, recycling initiatives by Garden Route District Municipality and Community involvement

Media Release: Oudtshoorn Local Municipality progress in clean-up, recycling initiatives by Garden Route District Municipality and Community involvement.

For Immediate Release
25  July 2023

The Oudtshoorn Municipality is pleased to report significant progress in the comprehensive clean-up of the Greater Oudtshoorn area, with numerous residents and schools actively participating in maintaining a cleaner town. Additionally, the Garden Route District Municipality has launched a Recycle Campaign Initiative in two schools, aiming to foster a cleaner and more sustainable environment for the entire community.

This recycling campaign initiative from Garden Route District Municipality aims to tackle the pressing issue of waste management and promote recycling practices in the region. The Oudtshoorn Municipality has partnered with two schools, De Villiers Primary School, and Protea High School, to implement the campaign. The involvement of these schools is pivotal as it represents an investment in our future leaders and demonstrates the significance of active youth participation in environmental conservation.

These two schools will spearhead the recycling drive in its immediate vicinity. The recycling launch raised awareness about the importance of recycling and demonstrated the processes involved. The school will establish recycling stations on its premises, encouraging students and their families to embrace sustainable waste management practices.

“The Clean-Up and Recycle Campaign is an embodiment of our commitment to the environment and the well-being of our community,” stated Ambrose Carelse, Municipal Environmental Officer, expressing the municipality’s enthusiasm for the project. “By involving our local schools, we are nurturing a culture of environmental consciousness from an early age. We believe that this project will inspire positive behavioural change and forge a cleaner, greener future for Oudtshoorn.”

During the cleanup and recycling event, Councillor Berry, Councillor of Ward 7, urged learners to be ambassadors for Cleaning and Greening, educating peers and friends by discouraging dumping in open spaces. She commended the community’s responsible use of open spaces for sports and expressed gratitude to the Garden Route Municipality and Cape Nature for their initiative and for using the municipality as a pilot to launch the recycling campaign.

“Local businesses, residents, and community leaders are encouraged to support the Clean-Up and Recycle Campaign by actively participating in the organized clean-up events and embracing recycling practices in their daily lives.”

These projects also form part of the MyTownMyProblem initiative, whereby it is crucial that all the residents young and old commit to their responsibility to look after the areas in which they live, work, and play with the help of the municipality. We want to encourage all residents to take pride in the areas where they reside in. Furthermore, the municipality would also like to encourage residents to report any illegal dumping activity within their areas.

Together, let us embrace this collective responsibility for the betterment of our environment. For further information or to get involved in the campaign, please contact Ambrose Carelse on 044 203 3982.

Students, teachers, and municipal officials will join forces to clean up litter and debris, restoring the beauty of the surrounding area and fostering a strong sense of civic pride.

Issued by Oudtshoorn Municipality Media & Communication Services on Monday, 24 July 2023.

Pictures of the different stakeholders who took part in the Clean-Up and Recycle Campaign.

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21 July 2023 Public Notice: Mossel Bay unemployed individuals invited to register on the Garden Route District Municipality EPWP database

Public Notice: Mossel Bay unemployed individuals invited to register on the Garden Route District Municipality EPWP database

21 July 2023

Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) invites all unemployed people from Mossel Bay municipal area to register on our Expanded Public Works (EPWP) database from 24 – 28 July 2023.

Tuinroete Distriksmunisipaliteit nooi werklose persone van die Mosselbaai-area uit om te registreer op die munisipaliteit se Uitgebreide Openbare Werke-Programme (EPWP) tussen 24 en 28 Julie 2023.

Umasipala weSithili saseGarden Route (iGRDM) imema bonke abantu abangaphangeliyo kwingingqi yaseMossel Bay ukuba babhalise kuluhlu lwethu lweEPWP ukusuka ngomhla wama-24 ukuya kowama-28 kaJulayi 2023

Download the form here: EPWP-Database-Application-Form

21 July 2023 Media Release: Garden Route DM rolls out multi-stakeholder anti-litter clean-up campaign regionally

Garden Route DM rolls out multi-stakeholder anti-litter clean-up campaign regionally

21 July 2023

As part of the District Illegal Dumping Strategy, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Waste Management Unit this week started with a multi-stakeholder approach to clean hotspots from illegally dumped waste. The aim of the campaign is also to reduce pollution caused by the mismanagement of waste and educating communities on the importance of legal waste disposal. The campaign will continue until 28 July, whereafter it will be reviewed and rolled out throughout the region. All seven (7) municipal areas within the Garden Route district will be covered.

“Activities in each area include litter picking, road gutter cleaning, clearing of illegal dump sites, as well as education and awareness,” said Innocentia Sikweyiya District Waste Management Officer.

Some pictures taken at Ward 5 in Plettenberg Bay before and during the clean-up of a hotspot.

According to Sikweyiya the cleaning of a hotspot in Bitou on 19 July went as planned although work was interrupted by some rain. Our first clean-up session showcased that many community members are passionate about living in a clean and safe space. The focus will now shift to Oudtshoorn today, with Mossel Bay following suit. “Ward Councillors will also participate in the campaign in areas,” she said.

Partners of this campaign include the GRDM Environmental Health Practitioners (EHP), Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE), and POLYCO along with each local municipality.

“My plea is really for us all to work together to create a cleaner, greener, and safer environment for generations to come.”

Feature image: The team who helped with the clean-up of Ward 5 in Plettenberg Bay.

ENDS

21 July 2023 Speech by Alderlady Iona Kritzinger at the District Export Campaign

Speech by Alderlady Iona Kritzinger at the District Export Campaign

21 July 2023

The Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism is rolling out a province-wide Export Awareness Campaign. Today it is the Garden Route’s turn. Alderlady Iona Kritzinger delivered the official welcome at the event. The programme includes the Provincial Growth for Jobs Strategy, Export portal, complexity mapping tool, existing commodities, and presentations by various DTIC, IDC, SEDA, SEFA, DoA and Exporters Club.

One critical goal of the Growth for Jobs Strategy of the Western Cape is to, by 2035, ensure that the Western Cape will be an R1 trillion inclusive economy and in percentages, it means growing at between 4% and 6% per annum. This will be achieved by enabling a competitive business environment in which growth is driven through business exploiting opportunities. We have to triple exports by 2035!

Speech at the Export Awareness Dialogue by Alderlady Iona Kritzinger on 21 July 2023

Distinguished guests, delegates, and fellow colleagues,

On behalf of the Garden Route District Municipality, I extend a warm welcome to each and every one of you gathered here today for this crucial session on broadening our understanding of exporting and the opportunities the Western Cape holds for you.

For nearly a decade, our municipality has shown its unwavering dedication to fostering the growth of exports from our region. Today, as we focus on implementing interventions identified in our Growth and Development Strategy’s key strategic areas, our commitment to furthering export initiatives is stronger than ever.

In 2018, we took a bold step by hosting our region’s first Investment Conference. During this momentous event, we welcomed esteemed business delegations from countries like China and Sweden. The conference served as a platform to explore niche products unique to our region, such as honeybush and buchu, and to discover potential business opportunities for exporting.

Following the conference, we launched the Export Readiness Assessment Programme in 2018. This program aimed to support businesses already producing products with export potential. We appointed an export consultant who conducted one-on-one business assessments, paving the way for 4 of these companies to become successful exporters of their respective products today.

As a District Municipality, we remain steadfast in our commitment to this objective, and we are actively engaged in partnerships that further promote export development. Our collaboration with Wesgro on the Export Development Programme and our joint efforts with the Departments of Agriculture and Local Government on the Garden Route Agro-processing Support Programme exemplifies our dedication.

Your presence here today reflects the shared commitment to the growth of our region’s exports. I wish you all fruitful and productive deliberations throughout this day. Together, let us seize the opportunities that lie ahead and propel our district towards a prosperous future – as our slogan reads – Garden Route District Municipality is “your route to prosperity”.

Thank you.

21 July 2023 Media Release: Home and Veld Fire Safety education rolled out to agricultural workers

Media Release: Home and Veld Fire Safety education rolled out to agricultural workers

For Immediate Release
21 July 2023

The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Fire and Rescue Services, last week, held a ‘Fire In-and-Around the Home, Safety Awareness session at the Geelhoutboomberg Village and Avocado Farm near Blanco, George. “Firefighters focused on educating workers through practical demonstrations related to home and veld fire safety,” said Heinrich Leslie, GRDM Acting Station Officer.

“There were more than 20 enthusiastic agricultural workers in attendance and the event proved to be a valuable learning experience for all.”

Leslie says the importance of fire awareness and safety education continues throughout the year, especially for remote workers who frequently encounter potential fire hazards.

Several critical topics were covered during the session, which included:

  • Cooking and fire safety;
  • Electrical system maintenance: Emphasing the regular inspection and upkeep of electrical systems and equipment to prevent electrical fires;
  • Handling flammable materials: Educating workers on safe practices when dealing with fuels and chemicals;
  • Vegetation clearance: Stressing the importance of clearing vegetation around living spaces, storages, and barns to reduce fire risks;
  • Proper fire equipment handling: Equipping workers with knowledge on handling fire safety equipment and responding to emergencies;
  • Regular maintenance of equipment: Encouraging routine maintenance of equipment, gas container connections and installations, gas stoves, heating systems, and other devices to prevent fore incidents;
  • Safety around candles and heating appliances: Raising awareness about potential fire hazards relating to candles and heating appliances;
  • Load shedding considerations: Educating workers on safely switching off appliances during load shedding periods;
  • Sources of ignition: Identifying potential ignition sources such as smoking, welding, or ploughing on hot days.

The workers actively participated in the educational activities, demonstrating enthusiasm and excitement for the knowledge gained.

By empowering workers with knowledge about fire safety, the GRDM Fire and Rescue Services created a safer working environment. “We try our best to create a culture of preparedness and responsible fire safety practices when we do awareness sessions,” said Leslie.

Feature image: Agricultural workers with firefighters from Garden Route District Municipality.

GRDM Brand- en Reddingsdienste hou ‘n suksesvolle brandveiligheidsbewusmakingsessie

Die Garden Route Distriksmunisipaliteit (GRDM) Brand- en Reddingsdienste het onlangs ‘n ‘Brand In-en-Om die Huis’ Veiligheidsbewusmakingsessie by die Geelhoutboomberg en Avokadoplaas naby Blanco, George, gehou. Die geleentheid het gefokus op die opvoeding van meer as 20 landbouwerkers deur praktiese demonstrasies wat verband hou met huis- en veldbrandveiligheid.

Heinrich Leslie, waarnemende stasiebeampte van GRDM, het sy tevredenheid met die sessie uitgespreek en gesê: “Die geleentheid was ‘n waardevolle leerervaring vir almal.” Met die klem op die belangrikheid van brandbewustheid en veiligheidsopvoeding, het Leslie die belangrikheid van deurlopende opleiding beklemtoon, veral vir afgeleë werkers wat gereeld potensiële brandgevare teëkom.

Tydens die sessie is verskeie kritieke onderwerpe gedek, insluitend kook- en brandveiligheid, behoorlike elektriese stelsel instandhouding, hantering van vlambare materiale, plantegroei opruiming en die korrekte hantering van brandveiligheidstoerusting. Werkers is ook opgevoed oor veiligheid rondom kerse en verwarmingstoestelle, beurtkrag-oorwegings ens.

Die entoesiastiese deelname van die werkers het hul gretigheid gewys om verantwoordelike brandveiligheidspraktyke te leer en te implementeer.

19 July 2023 Financial Assistance towards Further Studies 2024 – National Government

19 July 2023 Financial Assistance towards Further Studies 2024 – National Government

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) intends to award comprehensive bursaries to qualifying applicants pursuing and/or intending to further their studies in identified careers in the agriculture, land reform and rural development sector for the 2024 academic year. The bursary will cover tuition, accommodation, books, meals and monthly allowance. The bursary awards target the previously disadvantaged and impoverished persons from poverty-stricken and rural communities.

Application forms are available on the GRDM’s website at https://www.gardenroute.gov.za/2023/07/19/19-july-2023-financial-assistance-towards-further-studies-2024/ as well as on the DALRRD website The Department Of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (dalrrd.gov.za) under vacancies.

Relevant documents:

19 July 2023 Media Release: Garden Route DM rolls out various activities before and on Mandela Day

Media Release: Garden Route DM rolls out various activities before and on Mandela Day

For Immediate Release
19 July 2023

While the world celebrates the life of an icon, the late President of the Republic of South Africa, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, employees of the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) also followed his example to reach out to vulnerable community members throughout the region.

GRDM kicked off their activities on 17 July by hosting a pre-Madiba Day blood donation drive at its head office in George in collaboration with the Western Cape Blood Service. The GRDM also invited the public to donate blood, which resulted in just over 50 blood donations being made.

The Oudtshoorn Municipal Health Office donated nutritious and delicious ‘food socks’ to two families in the Buffelsdrift rural area of Oudtshoorn. Food socks contain pasta, rice, flavourings, stock powders, herbs, spices, dehydrated vegetables, pulses, beans, and soy products. GRDM officials bought the socks. The donation will provide food for eight beneficiaries for a week. The two families extended their appreciation to the GRDM officials for providing them with food.

The Oudtshoorn Municipal Health Office donated ‘food socks’ to families in Buffelsdrift.

Planning and Economic Development Department officials, comprised of the EPWP, Tourism and Local Economic Development, and Human Settlements sections, took Madiba Day activities to a new level when they rolled out the following activities at Kusile Baby Care in Thembalethu. In the morning, they divided themselves into different groups. The first group painted the outside walls of the school building with a primer. After that, others begin painting the building with a beautiful topcoat colour. Other officials, who are much more handy with a hammer and nails, installed PVC ceilings. Some of the female colleagues spent time reading and feeding toddlers and newborns. While others prepared a ‘braai’ lunch for the children and their educators. The daycare center also received a coat from officials.
GRDM Planning and Economic Development officials installing PVC ceilings and feeding toddlers at Kusile Baby Care in Thembalethu.
Environmental Health Practitioners (EHP) of Garden Route District Municipality’s Wilderness region celebrated Mandela Day with 60 children from Klipdrift Primary School. The EHPs painted a classroom and supplied colourful tires to improve the playground area. EHPs also shared slices of cake and snack parcels with each child, while they also played games and shared the importance of giving back to others.
EHP officials of GRDM shared cake with children from Klipdrift Primary School and improved their playground.
Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Firefighters proved that they can do more than fight wildfires and protect communities. They made sandwiches and distributed them with cool drinks to homeless people in George’s Shoprite parking lot.

GRDM Firefighters sharing sandwiches and cool drinks with homeless people in George.

Garden Route District Municipality’s (GRDM) Office of the Municipal Manager, donated 51 pairs of shoes and funds to Mzoxolo Primary School. The shoe donations sprout from the Walk a Child to School campaign and included more staff donations too. The school is already collecting small donations from learners on Fridays to buy shoes for those who are in need. Principal Raymond Eagan thanked the GRDM for the shoe donations and funding. He said: “Our school is home to 1554 bright minds and 42 dedicated teachers.” Learners are mainly from Borchards, Thembalethu, Maraiskamp, Parkdene, and Lawaaikamp. The Principal also said the school’s name, Mzoxola, means “a beacon for peace,” and it was established in 1994 by Naledi Pandor.

Officials of the Office of the Municipal Manager GRDM donated 51 pair of shoes and funds to Mzoxolo Primary School in Lawaaikamp.

ENDS