THE VACCINES ARE SAFE

The COVID-19 vaccine is now available to everyone 18 and older. Vaccination can prevent against serious illness, hospitalisation and death. A few other important facts about the vaccines:

• The vaccines were developed quickly while maintaining the highest safety standard possible: The need for a COVID-19 vaccine was urgent, so governments and companies spent much more money developing it. Research and development took place at the same time around the world, while still following strict safety and clinical standards.
• The vaccines don’t infect you with COVID-19. None of the vaccines contain the live virus that causes COVID-19. They may cause minor side effects such as a sore arm or mild fever, but these are signs that your immune system is responding.
• The vaccines don’t change your DNA. Some vaccines are made using RNA technology, but this only effects how the vaccine is made, and not what it does inside of the body.
• It typically takes two weeks after you are fully vaccinated for the body to build protection (immunity) against the virus.
• People who are fully vaccinated canstill get COVID-19 because no vaccine is 100% effective. This is why we need to continue our COVID-safe behaviours.

Uncertainty and doubts about the vaccine will impact all of us, but getting vaccinated can help you beat COVID-19. Visit coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/vaccine for detailed vaccine information.

Registering for your vaccine is quick and easy, and can be done by:

• visiting https://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za/#/ (the link can also be found on www.westerncape.gov.za);
• dialing *134*832# and follow the prompts (FREE on all South African Networks); and
• WhatsApp the word REGISTER to 0600 123 456.

Although the 18+ age band is now open, the Department remains committed to ensure we prioritise our most vulnerable. Thus people with comorbidities and older

Source: World Health Organisation

IZITOFU ZIKHUSELEKILE

Siyafumaneka ngoku isitofu seCOVID-19 kuye wonk’ ubani uneminyaka eli-18 nangaphezulu. Singakukhusela isitofu kwizigulo ezimandundu, ekulalisweni esibhedlele nasekuswelekeni. Izinto ezimbalwa eziyinyaniso malunga nezitofu:

• Izitofu ziveliswe ngokukhawuleza ngelixa ziwugcinile owona mgangatho wazo uphezulu wokhuselo: Isitofu seCOVID-19 besidingeka ngokungxamisekileyo, ngoko ke oorhulumente bekunye neenkampani basebenzise imali eninzi ukuvelisa ezi zitofu. Uphando nokuveliswa kwazo lwenzeka ngaxeshanye kwihlabathi liphela, ngelixa kulandelwa ukhuseleko olungqongqo kunye nemigangatho yezonyango.
• Izitofu azikosuleli ngeCOVID-19. Akukho nasinye isitofu esiqulathe intsholongwane ephilayo ebangela iCOVID-19. Zingabangela iziphumo ebezingalindelekanga ezingephi ezinjengengalo ebuhlungu okanye umkhuhlane omncinci, kodwa le yimiqondiso yokuba amajoni akho omzimba ayaphendula.
• Izitofu asiyitshintshi iDNA yakho. Ezinye izitofu zenziwe kusetyenziswa itheknoloji yeRNA, kodwa oku kuchaphazela kuphela indlela isitofu esenziwe ngayo, hayi into esiyenzayo ngaphakathi emzimbeni.
• Umzimba wakho udla ngokuthatha iiveki ezimbini emva kokuba ugonywe ngokupheleleyo, ukuba mawukhuseleke ngokupheleleyo kwintsholongwane.
• Abantu abagonyiweyo basenganayo iCOVID-19 kuba asikho sitofu sisebenza 100% ngokupheleleyo. Yiyo kufuneka siqhubeke ngokuyithobela imigaqo yokhuseleko lweCOVID-19.

Ukungaqiniseki nokuthandabuza malunga nesitofu kuza kusichaphazela sonke, kodwa ukugonya kona kungakunceda ekuyoyiseni iCOVID-19. Tyelela ku-coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/vaccine ukuze ufumane iinkcukacha ezithe vetshe.

Kulula kwaye kuyakhaleza ukubhalisela ugonyo lwakho, kwaye kungenziwa ngokwenza oku:

• ngokutyelela ku-https://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za/#/ (ilinki inokufunyanwa nakule webhusayithi www.westerncape.gov.za);
• ngokudayela *134*832# uze ulandele imiyalelo (SIMAHLA kuzo zonke iiNetwekhi zoMzantsi Afrika); kwaye
• Thumela ngoWhatsApp igama elithi REGISTER ku-0600 123 456

Nangona bevumelekile abaneminyaka engaphezulu kweli18+, iSebe lihleli lizinikele ekuqinisekiseni ukuba libeka phambili abona bantu basesichengeni. Kungoko kuza kuqalwa ngabantu abanezinye izigulo nabadala

DIE ENTSTOWWE IS VEILIG

Die COVID-19-entstof is nou beskikbaar vir almal 18 en ouer. Inenting bied voorkoming teen ernstige siektes, hospitalisasie en die dood. ‘n Paar ander belangrike feite oor die entstowwe:

• Die entstowwe is vinnig ontwikkel, met die hoogste moontlike veiligheidstandaarde: die behoefte aan ‘n COVID-19-entstof was dringend, sodat regerings en maatskappye baie meer geld bestee het om dit te ontwikkel. Navorsing en ontwikkeling het op dieselfde tyd oor die hele wêreld plaasgevind, terwyl dit steeds streng veiligheids- en kliniese standaarde nagekom het.
• Die entstowwe besmet jou nie met COVID-19 nie. Nie een van die entstowwe bevat die lewende virus wat COVID-19 veroorsaak nie. Dit kan klein newe-effekte veroorsaak, soos ‘n seer arm of ligte koors, maar dit is tekens dat jou immuunstelsel reageer.
• Die entstowwe verander nie jou DNA nie. Sommige entstowwe word gemaak met behulp van RNA-tegnologie, maar dit beïnvloed slegs hoe die entstof gemaak word, en nie wat dit in die liggaam doen nie.
• Dit neem gewoonlik twee weke nadat jy ten volle ingeënt is vir die liggaam om beskerming (immuniteit) teen die virus op te bou.
• Mense wat volledig ingeënt is, kan steeds COVID-19 kry omdat geen entstof 100% effektief is nie. Daarom moet ons ons COVID-veilige gedrag voortsit.

Onsekerheid en twyfel oor die entstof beïnvloed ons almal, maar om ingeënt te word, kan jou help om COVID-19 die hoof te bied . Besoek coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/vaccine vir gedetailleerde inligting oor entstowwe.

Dit is vinnig en maklik om vir jou entstof te registreer en kan gedoen word deur:

• https://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za/#/ te besoek (die skakel kan ook gevind word op www.westerncape.gov.za);
• *134 *832# te skakel en die aanwysings te volg (GRATIS op alle Suid -Afrikaanse netwerke); of
• per WhatsApp die woord “REGISTER” na 0600 123 456 te stuur.

Alhoewel die ouderdomsgroep van 18+ nou oop is, is die Departement steeds daartoe verbind om te verseker dat ons ons kwesbaarste mense prioriteit gee, dus mense met komorbiditeite en ouer.

Mr Speaker

Mr Speaker, I am going to be short and sweet in my address today. One of the issues at hand, Mr Speaker, is that we, as South Africans, are very good at celebrating events. Year-after-year, week-after-week and day-after-day, we celebrate various international days, or focus months. On top of this, we are also very good at creating policies. The challenge faced by all spheres of Government is to efficiently communicate policies to communities and to implement them.

Mr Speaker, we all know that we are currently in Women’s month. During August annually, we celebrate our women, sisters, mothers and nieces, etc. However, we are still getting sleepless nights because if one looks at the headlines in the newspapers and the media in general, we remain and are constantly reminded of the violent society we live in. Even here in our own Garden Route, the crime statistics are on the rise; if it is not men killing their wives, boyfriends killing their girlfriends, children killing their parents – this remains a scary thought and scenario for all of us.

I know that we do not have a silver bullet for resolving crime here or at any Council, but I know Mr Speaker, that we would need to at one stage or another have more engagements. Our safety summits are already making a difference in communities of the Garden Route, and we also have the relevant stakeholder involved there. However, we need longer-lasting solutions and more dedication from all sectors of society to curb violence in our communities.

Mr Speaker, we probably also need to arrange engagements with the judiciary or someone from the crime intelligence; in essence, we need subject experts to help root out the violence faced by women. We know that trust in law enforcement can often become a problem because perpetrators commit crimes again after they’re released from jail. This has a detrimental impact on perceptions about those who are tasked to keep communities safe.

Mr Speaker, we also know that on a daily basis, we get other scary figures on Covid-19 and even one incident/positive case is one too many, let alone losing a loved one to this dreaded disease.

It has also come to my attention that, apart from the fake news and these other conspiracy theories regarding the vaccination etc., that there is a lot of skepticism about the vaccines. Therefore, I would like to plea with everyone to get the jab. I am a living example of someone who took his first and second Pfizer jabs. Also, I know that some people have shown no signs of side effects, while others have had some side effects – both are normal to experience. I said this the last time I addressed you – I am repeating what the medical practitioners are saying; if you react to the vaccine, your body’s defensive system is working perfectly and this is a good sign.

Mr Speaker, we as Government encourage those who are 18 years and older to register for the vaccine and to go for their jabs. Based on the needs of the Health sector, Mr Speaker, we also had an engagement with Provincial Health and we’ve decided to avail twenty (20) Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers to various sites to assist with administrative duties at entrances. This will alleviate the pressure on medical staff. These EPWP workers have also been vaccinated and they are being managed by the George hospital. The feedback we’ve received thus far is positive and we are happy that we are able to make a difference. We are aware that the frontline staff are exposed to the virus more than anyone else and we appreciate them and the passion they have for fighting this pandemic.

Thank you,
Mr Speaker.

Media Release: Garden Route Fresh Produce Market a step closer to fruition

For Immediate Release
20 August 2021

Section 84 of the Municipal Structures Act 117 of 1998 provides a comprehensive list of functions for which each district municipality in South Africa is responsible. Over the years preceding the 2016 Council’s appointment, many functions were delegated to Local Government institutions. However, the current Council of Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) collectively agreed to take control of each mandate assigned by law incrementally. One such mandate is for the GRDM to establish, conduct and control fresh produce markets and abattoirs serving the area of the district municipality as a whole.

According to GRDM Executive Mayor Alderman Memory Booysen, “the GRDM Council firmly supports efforts to promote food security, economic growth and for the GRDM to raise funds to establish a Garden Route Fresh Produce Market (GRFPM)”. Booysen said: “GRDM plans to provide R10,5 million to the GRFPM on a grant or concessional loan basis for 1-year”. He confirmed that a feasibility study and business plan have already been developed and approved by the GRDM Council.

The Garden Route is well-known for its abundant natural resources, particularly its rich soil for agricultural development. In addition, boosting the agricultural sector will also provide the GRDM to invest in small-scale farmers to help them grow their businesses and create a more inclusive agricultural economy. This is in line with GRDM Growth and Development Strategy. Once the fresh produce market is up and running, local producers will be able to supply produce to the regional market and save a lot of costs on transport and reducing greenhouse emissions. These agricultural producers will grow and eventually export their produce to other parts of South Africa and globally.

The agro-based value chain will be positively impacted too, because a fresh produce market can act as appoint where market-related and product information can be made available. Thus, a fresh produce market can serve as more than only a place to sell and buy food from – in essence, a place where expertise can be shared to ensure that everyone grows together.

International Organization for Standardization

Traditionally, previously marginalised farmers grew fruits and vegetables for subsistence and distribution through household and local markets, which has since changed. The globalisation of vegetable and fruit trades demanded improved quality and the meeting of the stringent International Organization for Standardization (ISO) norms. In order to comply with the standards, there are challenges, such as a lack of post-harvest handling technologies, which included the use of more effective cold and/or controlled atmosphere storage facilities and better transport systems. These facilities are most vital if the extended shelf life of the fresh produce commodities is to be insured. The improved technologies would allow more distant and lucrative markets to be penetrated.

The South African Government has subsequently instituted various interventions, which focused on beefing up entrepreneurial skills through capacity building and various empowerment schemes. However, most of the initiated interventions through multiple organisations and Sector Education Training Authorities (SETA) initially focused on the production part of the fresh produce chain, with recent efforts focusing on the entire value chain of a given commodity.

Post-harvest handling technologies in fresh produce depots, when established, would reduce post-harvest losses incurred by previously marginalised fresh produce farmers in South Africa. The GRDM views the establishment of crucial marketing infrastructure as imperative for the survival of the emerging producers and the inclusive economic growth of the region. If producers were well-organised, the sharing of market infrastructure and transport could significantly reduce their business costs.

An approved business plan by Council confirms a dire need for the aforementioned infrastructure. The infrastructure is also anticipated to generate a massive return on investment and promote more trade thereby creating a greater platform for local and national market agents.

Feature image: Istock

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Media Release: Ald. Memory Booysen gets his 2nd Pfizer jab

For Immediate Release
19 August 2021

Executive Mayor of Garden Route District Municipality, Ald. Memory Booysen, today, 19 August 2021, received his 2nd Pfizer jab at the Knysna Town Hall. Last month, on 8 July, Mayor Booysen received his 1st Pfizer jab at the Thembalethu Clinic in George – read about it here. Like most Mayors in the region, Booysen has been encouraging the public to also get the jab to protect themselves from severe illness. A joint statement was issued about this recently.

During a short interview, Mayor Booysen said: “My wife, Elethu, and I made a decision to get vaccinated because we want protection from severe Covid-19 illness. We’ve witnessed too many friends and family members being ripped away from our lives over the past year and a half. This is why I want to urge you to register to get vaccinated. Let’s all make the right choice together; please, I encourage you to trust science. We all want to enjoy a normal festive season later this year and not be faced with losing more loved ones.”

According to Mr Gerhard Otto, Manager for Disaster Management at GRDM, the vaccination uptake in the Garden Route is going well. “We encourage Garden Routers to keep up the momentum so that we reach our milestone of having at least 80% of citizens vaccinated before the end of November 2021,” said Otto.

Mr Siphiwe Dladla, Chief of Staff for the GRDM also joined Ald. Booysen to Knysna. They were both vaccinated at the same site on 8 July over a month ago.

Here is what to do if you are 18 or older and interested in getting the COVID-19 vaccine: Register for your COVID-19 vaccine by browsing here: https://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za/ or by calling 0860 142 142 between 8 am and 8 pm on weekdays. You can also leave a message and the Health Department will call back. Alternatively, WhatsApp the word REGISTER to 0600 123 456 or dial *134*832# from any SA network for free.

Feature image caption: Sister Claire Vegter with Ald. Memory Booysen at the Knysna Town Hall, shortly after Ald. Booysen received his second Pfizer jab. Photo credit: Ms Nwabisa Pondoyi, Knysna Municipality

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