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7 February 2022 Media Release: Garden Route DM continues to assist local municipalities with loadshedding impacts

Garden Route DM continues to assist local municipalities with load shedding impacts

For Immediate Release
7 February 2023

South Africa experienced a staggering 133 days of power outages in 2022, with November 2022 hitting a peak of 27 days of outages for the entire month. The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) recently again engaged on a platform with the Western Cape Government (WCG) Head of Department for Local Government to discuss the load shedding crisis. It was confirmed that stages 4-6 of load shedding would become the norm for South Africa in the foreseeable future.

In response to this dire situation, GRDM has assisted George Municipality in applying for an exemption from load shedding above stage three for the municipality’s water purification plant and main domestic water pump stations. Eskom has approved this exemption until June 2023. “We have also assisted Oudtshoorn Municipality in applying for an exemption above stage three for the operation of their water infrastructure. This includes providing water to the Klein Karoo Rural Water Supply Scheme, which includes boreholes in Dysselsdorp. This particular approval is pending the construction of a short feeder line, which is currently required,” said Gerhard Otto, Head of Disaster Management at GRDM.

Below are a few images of the Klein Karoo Rural Water Supply Scheme boreholes in Dysselsdorp

According to Otto, GRDM has also been providing bulk domestic water storage tanks (5000-litre tanks) to ensure that water is available to residents in Kannaland and Oudtshoorn in high-lying areas. “ Since the start of January 2023, the GRDM Fire Services has provided approximately 102 000 litres of water to water-stressed communities in the Klein Karoo.

GRDM has also applied to the WC Provincial Government for funding towards the rental or purchase of backup generator units. These will assist local municipalities where they experience challenges due to extended periods of load shedding. Unfortunately, this will place a severe strain on the operational budgets of municipalities because of the high cost of diesel required to keep the generators running.

GRDM has contacted the Provincial and National Disaster Management Centres to determine if it would be possible to declare the Garden Route district as a local disaster area due to the current load shedding challenges. This would enable local municipalities to access disaster grant funding as well as to implement emergency measures to be able to address financial, as well as operational challenges, due to the current prolonged periods of load shedding.

The Premier of the Western Cape will be requesting the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, to declare a national state of disaster. If this is not approved, the National Disaster Centre will alternatively be requested to classify the Western Cape as a provincial disaster area.

ENDS

31 January 2023 Public Notice: Garden Route District Municipality telephones offline

31 January 2023 Public Notice: Garden Route District Municipality telephones offline

Members of the public, please be informed that all telephone lines of the Garden Route Municipality (GRDM) are currently offline due to technical problems. Only the switchboard number (044 803 1300) is working, however no calls can be transferred.

If you need to contact an official urgently, we kindly advise that you alternatively send an email to the relevant official or contact him or her on a cell phone number until the problem is resolved.

Thank you for your patience in this regard.

Issued: GRDM Communications

31 January 2023 Media Release: A positive turnout for GRDM Coastal Resorts over the holiday season

A positive turnout for GRDM Coastal Resorts over the holiday season

For immediate release
31 January 2023

The resort manager of the Garden Route District Municipality’s (GRDM) two coastal resorts, Victoria Bay Caravan Park and Swartvlei Caravan Park, Ms Marelize Claassen is pleased with the turnout of campers over the past holiday season. “For both of our resorts, the holiday season was one of the busiest in a long time after a slow recovery from the impact of Covid-19 for two years,” Claassen said.

Victoria Bay- and Swartvlei Caravan Parks are two of the most beautiful and pleasantest caravan parks along the Garden Route coastline. These Caravan Parks have been under the management of GRDM for decades. At both facilities, a person can enjoy an oceanside holiday at a campsite while being just a stone’s throw away from the beach.

According to Ms Claassen, occupancy at Victoria Bay Caravan Park, which consists of three different camping sites, increased from 10% early in November to 100% in December’s high season. The numbers at Swartvlei Caravan Park during this period also increased from to approximately 80%. “We are thankful to have been full for the holidays with many long-time guests returning to spend the holidays. We also had many new guests who chose our caravan parks as their seasonal holiday destination,” said Claassen.

Marelize attributed the increase in occupancy to an intensive series of awareness campaigns and collaborative marketing efforts at all GRDM resorts over the past year.  Like any busy season, there were also some unexpected challenges, of which some were beyond control that arose, but were very easily resolved.

 “Both resorts have received constant compliments about our friendly and helpful staff, as well as for the cleanliness of the ablution blocks,” Claassen concluded.

Bookings for our Peak Season from December 2023 and January 2024, open from 1 February 2023 and will close on 28 February 2023.

Please complete the application form attached. Also take note that tariffs are reviewed on or before 30 June 2023 and are subject
to a slight increase. E-mail your completed application form to vicbay@gardenroute.gov.za

Click and download Victoria Bay Application Form

Click and download Swartvlei Caravan Park  Application Form 

30 January 2023: Notice – Third Adjustment Budget 2022/2023 Approved

NOTICE: THIRD ADJUSTMENT BUDGET 2022/2023 APPROVED

Notice 7/2023

Notice is hereby given that the Garden Route District Municipal Council’s Third Adjustment Budget for the period 2022/2023-2024/2025, was compiled in accordance with the Local
Government: Municipal Finance Management Act 2003 (Act 56 of 2003).

This document was approved by the Garden Route District Municipality at a District Council meeting held on Monday, 30 January 2023.

This document will be available for public inspection and comments on the GRDM municipal website www.gardenroute.gov.za from 31 January 2023.

Members of the public is invited to submit written comments or representations to the municipality in respect of this document. All comments and inputs must be directed to “The Municipal Manager, Garden Route District Municipality, 54 York Street, George 6530”.

Please contact the Budget Manager (Ms Louise Hoek) at 044 803 1300 with any enquiries.

Click here to view the Official Public Notice
Click here to view the 2022/2023 Third Adjustment Budget Report

 

M G Stratu
Municipal Manager
Garden Route District Municipality

27 January 2023 Media Release: Garden Route District Municipality donates mattresses to Kleine Handjies Crèche in Uniondale

Media Release: Garden Route District Municipality donates mattresses to Kleine Handjies Crèche in Uniondale

For immediate release
27 January 2023

An Early Childhood Development (ECD) facility is required to create a suitable and comfortable environment for all toddlers enrolled at it. A safe sleeping area for toddlers is an integral part of a suitable environment. To ensure that these spaces are comfortable enough to provide a healthy sleeping routine, items such as mattresses are regarded as essential items for a toddler.

GRDM Chief Fire Officer, Deon Stoffels (right) and Senior Firefighter and Acting Station Officer: Fire Safety & Training, Devonia Cupido (2nd, right), as well as caretakers and toddlers of Kleine Handjies Creche, with the mattresses.

Caretakers and toddlers from the “Klein Handjies Crèche” in Uniondale were pleasantly surprised, last week Friday, when they received a visit from Garden Route District Municipality’s (GRDM) officials who donated twenty (20) mattresses to the crèche.

Crèche principal, Chanell Jumat, extended words of appreciation and gratitude to the GRDM Chief Fire Officer, Deon Stoffels and Senior Firefighter and Acting Station Officer: Fire Safety & Training, Devonia Cupido, who delivered the items. She admitted that the daycare facility had many needs, of which mattresses were one of them. “We are extremely thankful for the GRDM who reached out to us, especially our toddlers. We want each child to enjoy a safe and comfortable environment where they receive the care they deserve”. Adding to these words, Jumat said: “There are times when I feel that we are the forgotten ECD facility, as we have many needs that still need to be addressed and today, I am thankful for these essentials,” she said.

The GRDM officials also used the opportunity and offered a refresher session to the toddlers and caretakers about the importance of fire safety and important tips related to it.

“Kleine Handjies Crèche” was established in 2018 and currently accommodates fifty (50) toddlers of the Uniondale area. Although the facility has the capacity to accommodate ninety (90) toddlers, a long list of needs still need to be addressed. This includes daily meals, toiletries, stationary, tables and chairs for the toddlers to have the ideal and suitable environment where they can be prepared for the next phase of their education.

If you would like to donate to this crèche, contact Chanell Jumat at 066 3381 748.

16 January 2023 Media Release: A Catalyst for Positive Change in Senior Management – ILGM to play a central role

Media Release: A Catalyst for Positive Change in Senior Management – ILGM to play a central role 

For immediate release
16 January 2023

On Thursday, 12 January 2023, senior managers from the local municipalities in the Garden Route convened to discuss the resolutions taken at the Institute of Local Government Management (ILGM) Annual Conference in December last year.

Garden Route District Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu, chaired the ILGM meeting hosted at the Council Chambers of Garden Route District Municipality.

In attendance were senior managers from the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), led (chaired) by the Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu, as well as senior managers from the local municipalities in the Garden Route and several middle managers.

The IGLM is a voluntary institution that was initially established for senior managers that was over the years organised by the LG sector, although the body has not been active to its optimum for the last few years,” Stratu said. The ILGM is an Institute that is focused on the needs of the Senior Managers as they are excluded from the Bargaining Council that on a regular basis determine benefits of employees.

The purpose of the meeting was to introduce senior managers from the respective municipalities to all in attendance, as well as to discuss the way forward to revive the operations of the district structure in relation to the ILGM.  Stratu furthermore explained that the meeting emanates from a meeting that was held for municipal managers of the province that took place in Cape Town during December last year.  At the meeting it was agreed that Municipal Managers must go back to their respective organisations and encourage managers to join the ILGM to become members of the institute and to organise the district chapters of the institute, with the district Municipal Manager tasked to champion the process.

Additionally, Stratu said that at the National Conference of the ILGM in Bloemfontein last year, a key resolution was approved to establish a union for senior managers. He said that the process is now at an advanced stage.  The union will specifically focus on the interests and benefits of the managers, as they are not represented at any other structure. He encouraged all municipal managers and senior managers that were present to encourage managers at their respective municipalities to join the institute so that “we can start coordinating various activities in the district and province”.

Local municipalities are now tasked to make submissions of a representatives to serve on the Union to GRDM, before Monday, 16 January 2023 (today).

Did you know?

Members of the Institute are represented by Municipal Managers and Senior Managers that are employed within Local Government. Members are given a platform for the pursuit of mutual professional interests. The principal object of the Institute is therefore to promote the common interest of its members holding managerial positions in local government by enhancing their managerial skills. A national meeting is held once per annum, but regional meetings are held as often as local leaderships may deem it necessary.

The institute runs a variety of programmes aimed at achieving its strategic objectives. These programmes range from Workshops, Seminars and Conferences to International Manager Exchange Programs. Some of the programs are run in collaboration and co-operation with companies from the Private Sector as well as with the national Department of Provincial and Local Government.

ENDS

13 January 2023 Media Release: GRDM CFO spreads his wings to join an International Software Investment company

Media Release: GRDM CFO spreads his wings to join an International Software Investment Company

For Immediate Release
13 January 2023

Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Jan-Willem de Jager, has accepted a new role at a fast-growing, international software investment company. Jan-Willem joined GRDM as Chief Audit Executive in 2015 and was appointed as CFO in March 2019.

Speaking about the move, he said, “I was presented with a unique opportunity to join a fast-growing international software investment company. It provides great scope for professional growth in areas such as exposure to the latest system developments and international trends in global markets, finance and investments.”

The new role will be within the finance function and will involve analyzing financial processes to enhance operational efficiencies while ensuring accurate and timely reporting to stakeholders. Jan-Willem will bring a wealth of experience to the role, having gained experience in a diverse range of business processes within local government, particularly in the implementation of the national Municipal Standard Chart of Accounts (mSCOA) reform, as well as experience in systems and processes from former employers.

This role will build on Jan-Willem’s career which, prior to joining GRDM in 2015, includes time with PricewaterhouseCoopers in SA and Europe, Moore George, KPMG Dublin, and other companies in London, including the investment bank Goldman Sachs.

De Jager stated, “I would like to thank GRDM for the opportunity to serve as CFO of such a progressive and ambitious institution. The highlights of my tenure include the clean audit outcomes for 2021/22 and 2020/21, and equally rewarding to assist colleagues, departments, and fellow government institutions to achieve their goals in serving their communities.”

During his feedback to the Mayoral Committee, Executive Mayor, Ald. Memory Booysen said: “It is not nice to say goodbye to Jan-Willem. It makes sense to get involved at an institution that operates on an international level, given the state of South Africa. The same would have been done by me if I were you.”

“It is also a feather in the cap of the Garden Route because the Americans recognised the talent we have.”

“I am grateful for your role in various turn-around strategies over the past few years, in which you played a pivotal role. You’ve done a great job crossing the ts and dotting the i’s.”

His last working day at the GRDM is on 27 January 2023. Thembani Loliwe, GRDM Strategic Manager, has been appointed to act for three months as the CFO, while the process to appoint a new one is underway.

GRDM wishes Jan-Willem de Jager all the best in the future.

ENDS

Special Council Meeting at 10h00 on 13 January 2023

𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗔 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗜𝗟 𝗠𝗘𝗘𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗡 𝟭𝟯 𝗝𝗔𝗡𝗨𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗔𝗧 𝟭𝟬:𝟬𝟬

Notice is hereby given that a SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING of the Garden Route District Municipality will be held at the CA Robertson Council Chambers,
54 York Street, George and via the municipality’s Youtube Channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/gardenroutedistrictmunicipality