Notice is hereby given in terms of Section 19 of Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Act 32 of 2000) that an In-closed Special Council meeting of the Garden Route District Municipality is scheduled for Tuesday, 09 May 2023 at 11:00 at the CA Robertson Council Chambers, 54 York Street, George.
For immediate release
26 April 2023
“A battered economy and several high profile local and global challenges such as continued power outages and the Russian invasion of the Ukraine grips South Africa’s socio- political attention and at the same time divert vital focus away from the growing impact a of a changing climate and the challenges it already pose,” says Cobus Meiring of the Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF).
“Despite these challenges there are positive signs of sincere efforts to plan ahead, and GREF wishes to keep a clear view on climate change and the impact it has already bestowed on the Southern Cape over the past decade, including unimaginable wild fire disasters in June 2017 and 2018, persistent drought and slow but measureable sea level rise resulting in coastal degradation, and as rainfall patterns change, the advent of episodic rain storms resulting in flash floods destroying millions of rand worth of often irreplaceable infrastructure.”
“ The present and predicted impact of climate change is well known and solutions to lessen and mitigate its impact are well chartered, but more often than not targets are difficult to achieve as government spending required to act pro- actively is subdued as a result of a shrinking local economy and a myriad of urgent socio- economic issues to address, including the needs of impoverished jobless communities, unsustainable rates of urbanization and the deterioration of South Africa’s vital infrastructure backbone including power, water, roads and railways and falling behind the global curve in modernization and technology.”
“ Despite all the challenges mentioned, positive progress is being made as South Africa and its citizenry does show a clear understanding of the challenges it has to prepare for, and with the private sector and private landowners investing on an unprecedented scale in ensuring their own future survival in terms of green and sustainable energy options and by putting water security measures in place, including fresh water harvesting , water evaporation prevention and reducing the presence of invasive alien plants on their land, topped by significant foreign investment packages such as western financial funding aid to assist the country towards a just energy transition are major positive strides and is setting a platform for a more sustainable future.”
GREF will be hosting its Annual Climate Change and Environmental Management Indaba on Thursday 29 June at the Nelson Mandela University George Campus.
The Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF) is a public platform and climate change think tank for all those in the Southern Cape involved in active and ongoing conservation and environmental management efforts to meet up, interact and showcase what they are busy with and what they are doing in terms of planning ahead.
Photo caption: Critically endangered biodiversity in the Garden Route is under threat from climate change and rapid urbanization – Image – Cobus Meiring.
MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Cobus Meiring: Garden Route Environmental Forum (GREF)
Cell: 083 626 7619
Email: cobus@naturalbridge.co.za
Notice is hereby given that all the offices of the Garden Route District Municipality will be closed on Friday, 28 April 2023 and re-open on Tuesday, 02 May 2023 at 07:30.
An application for Full Scoping & Impact Assessment for a new Crematorium on Erf 50 in MossDustria Industrial Park (Mossel Bay) has been submitted to the Department of Environment Affairs & Development Planning (DEADP) and Air Quality Emission License (AEL) to be submitted to Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM).
In order to be registered as an Interested and Affected Party (I&AP) for the environmental Amendment Application, individuals are requested to respond to this notice by submitting their complete contact details and any comment, in writing, to Louise-Mari van Zyl (louise@capeeaprac.co.za) or Cape EAPrac, PO Box 2070, George, 6530. Contact us at 044-8740365 for any telephonic queries.
Click and download the notice in Afrikaans – MossDustria Crematorium
The session took place at George night shelter where 125 homeless people gathered. EHPs also distributed pamphlets and disinfectants.
Die Tuinroete Distriksmunisipaliteit se Omgewingsgesondheidspraktisyns (OGP) Sive Mkuta en Lusizo Kwetshube, het gister ‘n inligtingsessie met 125 hawelose persone by die George-nagskuiling gehou. Die doel van die sessie was om wenke met die groep te deel oor die verbetering van algehele gesondheid en welstand. Die praatjie het hoofsaaklik gefokus op onderwerpe soos oordraagbare siektes, persoonlike higiëne en omgewingshigiëne. Dis geen geheim dat hawelose persone beperkte toegang tot gesondheidshulpbronne het wat die impak van siektes kan verminder.
UMasipala weSithili saseGarden Route (i-GRDM) uthathe amanyathelo okuphucula impilo kunye nentlalontle yoluntu eGarden Route, ngokubamba i-yokufundisa ngezempilo kuluntu olungenamakhaya. Abasebenzi beMpilo yokuSingqongileyo uSive Mkuta noLusizo Kwetshube bafundise abo bebezimase lendibano ngezifo ezosulelayo, ucoceko lomntu, kunye nococeko lokusingqongileyo, kwaye basasaza amaphecana kunye nezibulali ntsholongwane kubantu abayi-125 abebezimase kwindawo yokhuseleko yaseGeorge ebusuku. I-mfundiso eziloluhlobo zibalulekile kuluntu njengoko zibaxhobisa ngobalulekiyo ngococeko kunye nokunciphisa umngcipheko wokugula.
ENDS
Feature image caption: Sive Mkuta educates homeless people from George about communicable diseases, personal hygiene, and environmental hygiene.
The Cape Town Weather Office has issued an Impact Based Warning for damaging winds for today until 23h00 tonight.
Areas in the Garden Route district affected by damaging winds 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.
Notice is hereby given in terms of Section 19 of Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Act 32 of 2000) that a Special Council meeting of the Garden Route District Municipality is scheduled for Thursday, 20 April 2023 at 10:00 at the Premier Hotel Knysna & via Zoom.
For Immediate Release
11 April 2023
Zubayda January, the Provincial Manager of the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA), visited the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) on Friday, 31 March 2023. A welcoming event was organised by the GRDM Corporate Services Department for the visit of the HWSETA Provincial Manager and to recognise the excellent work of Mr Harold Martiens within the organisation for the past year.
Ms January’s visit was two-fold; first, to hand over from outgoing HWSETA Provincial Officer Harrold Martiens to HWSETA Provincial Manager, and second, to discuss a current project between HWSETA and GRDM.
GRDM was awarded an amount R 5 231 625.00 for the training of 140 unemployed persons as Personal Care assistants across the district that includes the seven (7) b-municipalities. The programme was initiated on the 1 March until 31 August 2023. Training takes place at various training venues across the region where students are exposed to theoretical training and equally to work-based learning. While on training, learners receive a stipend, and at the end of the program they will receive a certificate of completion.
The HWSETA has established an office at the GRDM in George. Martiens served as the Provincial Officer for HWSETA in George for nearly a year. He left HWSETA on 31 March 2023 to pursue another career opportunity. GRDM’s best wishes go out to him for his future endeavours.
-End-
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING
Die Provinsiale Bestuurder van HWSETA het die Tuinroete Distriksmunisipaliteit besoek om ‘n opleidingsprojek te bespreek en om Harold Martiens totsiens te wens. Tuinroete DM het R5,2 miljoen ontvang vir die opleiding van 140 werklose persone as Persoonlike Sorg-assistente. Die program word uitgerol tot Augustus 2023. HWSETA het ‘n kantoor in George gestig en Martiens, die vorige Provinsiale Beampte, het op 31 Maart 2023 sy vlerke gesprei na ‘n ander maatskappy in die Wes-Kaap.
For Immediate Release
11 April 2023
Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) is committed to promoting a healthy and sustainable environment for its residents. In light of that, GRDM is proud to sponsor the 2023 Clean Air Project, which aims to promote awareness about pollution among primary school students in circuits one and two of the Eden/Karoo educational district. This project will have a significant impact on the community with 96 teachers and 2917 learners participating.
The 2023 Clean Air Project is designed to align with the CAPS curriculum regarding pollution, and focuses on Life Skills in Grade 3. The project is divided into several stages, starting with the distribution of resources to the different schools. The resources include six (6) posters, lesson plans, worksheets, and game cards, available in English, Afrikaans, and iSixhosa.
The second stage involved a 30-minute online introduction presentation, which was well attended and received by teachers. As part of stage three, teachers were provided with self-paced online training where they can earn 5 CTDP points.
During the fourth and final stage of the 2023 Clean Air Project, the project will be implement in the classroom with the learners. So far, the programme has been well received by all the schools and teachers involved.
It is worth noting that Oudtshoorn has achieved a reward for the best air quality in Africa, according to IQ Air. This achievement is attributed to GRDM consistent investment and contribution towards improving the air quality in the area. It is the goal of GRDM to have all the towns in the Garden Route district among the top ten with the cleanest air in Africa.
The 2023 Clean Air Project is just one of the many initiatives that GRDM’s Air Quality Section is undertaking to achieve this goal. “With the success of this project, it is hoped that more schools in the region will participate in the coming years. The project is currently in its 6th year cycle. We have reached all the schools in the district and are currently working on the second round. The Klein Karoo was covered last year; next year and the following year, it will be George, Uniondale, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay and all primary schools in-between,” said Dr Johann Schoeman, GRDM Manager: District Air Quality Control
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING
Die Tuinroete Distriksmunisipaliteit borg die 2023 Skoon Lug Projek, wat daarop gemik is om bewustheid te skep oor lugbesoedeling onder laerskoolleerders van die Eden/Karoo opvoedkundige distrik. Die projek is in lyn met die CAPS kurrikulum en fokus op Lewensvaardighede in Graad 3. Die inisiatief sluit die verspreiding van hulpbronne na skole, aanlyn opleiding vir onderwysers, en implementering van die projek in die klaskamer in. Die program is goed ontvang deur alle skole, onderwysers en ander rolspelers. Tuinroete Distriksmunisipaliteit werk daarna toe om alle dorpe in die streek onder die top tien Skoonste lug in Afrika te bevorder.
-End-
