Media Release: GRDM Disaster Management Section developed a GreenBook to plan for future climate change
13 October 2022
For immediate release
As part of International Disaster Risk Reduction Day (IDRR), the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) focused on Climate Change adaptation. According to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, new risks will be prevented, and existing risks will be reduced. The document outlines seven targets and four priorities for action, including:
Understanding disaster risk;
Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk;
Investing in disaster reduction for resilience; and
Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response, and to “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
According to Gerhard Otto, GRDM Head of Disaster Management: “As part of a partnership with Santam and CSIR, GRDM recently launched a Greenbook, which is an open-access tool to support municipalities in planning climate resilient communities”.
“GRDM forms part of a national climate change adaptation initiative that has been launched in three provinces in South Africa,” said Otto.
The purpose of the Greenbook is to encourage resilient, sustainable, and liveable settlements by incorporating climate change adaptation into municipal development planning. The Greenbook provides an overview of current and likely future trends to the year 2050, related to settlement dynamics, climate hazards, and impacts that climate change will have on South African towns and cities. The tool is capable of linking every settlement risk profile to customizable adaptation actions also known as risk reduction initiatives that can be integrated into local strategies, programs and projects.
Furthermore, the GRDM recently updated its Disaster Risk Assessment and is able to use the tool to identify areas in need of urgent intervention. Not only does the tool provide an extensive overview of priority risks (current and future trends), it also provides disaster risk reduction initiatives recommendations to be considered and their likely impacts if implemented correctly.
In order to achieve the seven targets and the four priorities outlined in the Sendai Framework, the Greenbook has been launched. You can access it at http://greenbook.co.za/ .
All local municipalities in the region will be trained to incorporate climate change adaptation and promote climate resilient communities into their future development planning processes.
Media Release: Former Garden Route District Municipality Senior Firefighter, Denver Moses, passes away
7 October 2022
Early this week, on 4 October 2022, a former Fire Senior Firefighter of the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), Denver Moses, sadly passed away at the age of 49. Denver served the Garden Route district for a period of 14 years until 31 August 2022. Prior to him joining the GRDM firefighting team on 18 August 2008, he was also a firefighter at the City of Cape Town.
Moses was described by members of the GRDM Control Room as tall, friendly and calm with a generous personality – the same every day. “It was an extremely sad day on 22 September 2022, when we visited him. He held our hands and he spoke softly. In his eyes we could see he was fighting a difficult battle,” Tippie Bouwer, Control Room Supervisor said. Another colleague said: “He was taken from us at an unexpected time and he will be dearly missed”.
GRDM Chief Fire Officer, Deon Stoffels, described Moses as respected amongst his fellow firefighters. Young firefighters looked up to him. He also had a passion for training members of the public in fire safety. He was known by many names – “Oom”, “Mosie”, “Mola”, “Mr Moses”. “He earned respect not by demanding it, but just by the way he carried himself,” said Stoffels.
Edwin Lottering a former GRDM Senior Firefighter also said: “I will miss his late-night calls, stories and advice”. Heinrich Leslie, also a former colleague said Denver was a natural leader – passionate about firefighting. “He had the experience to take informed risks.” Leslie further described Denver as someone who didn’t spoon-feed others. “He was to the point and would tell you when you had to take control of a wildfire while he searched by foot for signal to report back to the control room”. Adding to this, he said: “When I think about these incidents, he instilled a mindset in all of us to take charge while staying safe during a wildfire”.
Rest in Peace Denver, Your service to the Garden Route district will always be remembered and cherished.
“Firefigters never die, they just burn forever in the hearts of the people whose lives they save” – Susan Diane Murphree
A prayer session will be hosted by the Garden Route District Municipality at the municipality’s Council Chambers on Friday, 7 October 2022 at 10h00am.
Media Release: Environmental Health Practitioners educate communities in celebration of World Environmental Health Day
For immediate release 6 October 2022
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by the United Nations as a worldwide call-to-action, to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity now and in the future. Environmental Health plays an essential role in the implementation of these SDGs.
As World Environmental Health Day was celebrated on 26 September 2022, Environmental Health Practitioners (EHP) from Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) also contributed to this world-wide initiative and rolled out awareness and education campaigns in the Mossel Bay, Klein Karoo and Bitou areas. This year’s theme was “Strengthening Environmental Health Systems for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals”.
Mossel Bay
EHPs from the GRDM Municipal Health office in Mossel Bay, embarked on a campaign to educate the community of Mossel Bay about environmental health issues that could affect their health and overall well-being.
FLTR: Environmental Health Practitioners David Malok (left), Carin Olwagen (Registered Psychological Counsellor, Department of Health – second, left), Monique Anthony (middle), Anelisa Fizani (second, right) and Neo-lay Britz (right) at a clinic in Mossel Bay.
The team informed communities on why and where to report health violations and what individuals can do to minimise risks relating to their health. To demonstrate these risks, a short video clip was played at the D’Almeida and Asla Clinics in the area with the help of Carin Olwagen, a registered Psychological Counsellor at the D’Almeida Clinic.
While the team distributed pamphlets in the area as part of the campaign activities, they also explained the purpose of the Environmental Health function to community members.
In closing, containers were placed at both clinics, to allow the public to insert and report any complaints in relation to health violations. Complainants also have the option to do this anonymously. Over two hundred (200) pamphlets were distributed during the campaign.
Bridgton, Oudtshoorn
GRDM Environmental Health Practitioner, Willie Plaatjies, in discussion with a resident of the Klein Karoo area, during the door-to-door campaign.
The EHPs from the GRDM’s Municipal Health office in Oudtshoorn, collaborated with the Environmental Officer and Cleansing Services section of the Greater Oudtshoorn Municipality to roll out a clean-up and awareness activity regarding illegal waste dumping in Oudtshoorn. The programme was rolled out to ensure clean and hygienic conditions in the community of Old-Bridgton.
The clean-up operation was done by Oudtshoorn Municipality’s Cleansing Services section and the activities involved the collection of illegally dumped waste, sweeping streets in the neighbourhood, as well as the transport and disposal of waste at the Grootkop waste landfill site. A health awareness and education campaign was essential to ensure sustainability during this waste clean-up project. EHPs from the GRDM’s Oudtshoorn office conducted door-to-door education and awareness in the illegal dumping hotspot areas to inform the public of the health risks posed by illegal waste sites in the community.
Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) participants, appointed by the local municipality, are trained by EHPs as peer educators and were utilised to assist them with door-to-door awareness and education activities.
The team further collaborated with different community stakeholders and role-players (e.g. church leaders) and the local municipality to develop appropriate health education material and different methodologies e.g. pamphlets, posters, fridge magnets etc. to conduct health and hygiene awareness and education.
The discussions of the campaign included the following:
Health risks of illegal dump sites which attract vectors like mice, rats, flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches etc. This in turn, spreads communicable diseases such as encephalitis, dengue fever, leptospirosis etc. Furthermore, toxic releases from illegal dumpsites lead to respiratory illnesses such as asthma. Children sometimes play at the sites and step on broken glass, nails and sharp objects – in some cases this can be fatal.
The correct way to manage waste in black bags, rubbish bins or skips for garden waste.
Where illegal dumping can be reported at the local municipality.
Waste removal arrangements on public holidays.
Through this initiative 140 households were reached.
An open space that was previously used as a dumping site is now planned to be used by the community as netball and cricket fields.
To measure the success of this initiative, monitoring and evaluation of areas will be done by the GRDM team, to determine the impact of the campaign performed by the EHPs and EPWP workers.
Bitou
Bitou’s EHPs visited the Kranshoek Primary School to inform learners and educators on what Environmental Health function entails (Scope of Practise). The team also explained all the nine (9) Municipal Health key performance areas in detail.
GRDM’s Environmental Health Practitioner, Nokuphiwa Mbali, demonstrating proper hand wash techniques to the learners during the session.
In addition, they conducted and presented a hand-wash activity to the learners and explained to them what the proper techniques of washing hands are and the importance of clean hands for ones health. All learners showed their eagerness and enjoyed the activities during the session. The principal extended a word of gratitude to the team and thanked them for their role in educating the communities of the Kranshoek area.
Did you know?
Municipal Health Services is defined in the National Health Act, 2003 include the following Key Performance Areas: Water Quality Monitoring, Food Control, Solid Waste Management, Health Surveillance of Premises, Supervision and Prevention of Contagious Diseases (excluding Immunization), Vector Control, Environmental Pollution Control, the Disposal of Human Remains and the Safe handling of Chemical Substances. (This excludes port health, malaria control and control of hazardous substances. The above-mentioned aspects are mentioned in the Scope of Environmental Health Practitioners).
Environmental Health Practitioners have a statutory obligation to protect the health of the present and the future generations as enshrined in the Bill of Rights.
Media Release: Garden Route Skills Mecca Technicians warmly welcomed by Municipal Manager
For immediate release 30 September 2022
The Garden Route Skills Mecca (GRSM) continues to support all municipalities in the District with enhancing skills development. Complementary to this support, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) has secured funding that offers all municipalities in the Garden Route, one-year full time Garden Route Skills Mecca (GRSM) Technicians. They were appointed through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).
GRDM Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu, addressing and welcomed all Garden Route Skills Mecca Technicians at the Garden Route District Municipality.
According to Reginald Salmons, Coordinator for Skills Development at GRDM, five (5) of the technicians are placed at the GRDM and all the seven (7) local municipalities in the district became a workplace home for one (1) technician each, totaling twelve (12) technicians. They are all qualified in either one of the following fields: Business, Economics, Finance, Engineering, Human Resources or Public Administration.
The local municipalities’ Technicians are placed at respective Local Economic Development (LED) Units, and undergo an intensive work-based learning programme to design, develop and implement proposals, projects and programmes for skills development within their towns. In addition, they assist LED Units with reporting, administrative, secretariat tasks, and create, build and maintain a Portfolio of Evidence (POE). The POE will enable them to be considered for future relevant Recognition of Prior Learning processes within the Skills Development Sector. They are mentored and supported by the GRSM team located at the GRDM.
GRSM Technicians warmly welcomed to GRDM, 14 September 2022
On Wednesday, 14 September 2022, Technicians attended an induction session at the GRDM Roads Department in George. They were warmly welcomed by the GRDM Municipal Manager, Monde Stratu. As he welcomed them, he emphasised the vision of the organisation and indicated GRDM’s ongoing commitment towards empowering young people through the various EPWP and Skills Development Programs. Stratu requested each Technician to commit 100% and called on them to represent the GRDM with pride and diligence. He also wished them the best of luck and encouraged them to do their best while they are on contract with the GRDM.
The Executive Manager for Corporate Services responsible for Skills Development at GRDM, Trix Holtzhausen, facilitated the introduction session. Holtzhausen motivated and challenged them to become true ambassadors for the GRSM and she encouraged them to think innovatively and creatively. Reginald Salmons, Coordinator for Skills Development at GRDM facilitated the topic “Andragogic approach to learning about the Skills Mecca” (what each of them already know about the Skills Mecca). This was through a multiple-choice questionnaire based various skills development policies and documents.
Dr Florus Prinsloo, the GRDM Skills Mecca Coordinator, facilitated the discussion on the answers to the questionnaire, allowing for debate and deeper understanding of the world of skills development in South Africa. At the end of the session all the Technicians received memory sticks containing twenty resource documents that included the:
– Skills Development Act
– Garden Route Growth and Development Strategy; and
– critical documents that form the basis for their future work within the Garden Route Skills Mecca.
In conclusion, each Technician was given the following homework to engage in once back at their offices:
Watch PPP Intro Video 17 Minutes
Prep for Module 1 and Module 2, planned for 13 October 2022
Immediate Work = Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority Project,
Imminent Work JET Project
Follow Ups – Memorandum of Understandings, Integrated Development Plans, Indabas, Public Private Partnerships
Schedule & Plan: Task Team and Forum
The session concluded with Dr Prinsloo thanking everyone for their attendance and participation in the session.
Did you know?
Garden Route Skills Mecca (GRSM) refers to a concept that the Garden Route District Municipality in collaboration with stakeholders in all seven local Municipalities are implementing to the benefit of all who live and thrive in this region. To ensure continuity and alignment to the processes that have organically emerged with the development of the Garden Route Skills Mecca since 2017, existing institutional arrangements and structures have been adopted, adjusted as necessary and are being formalised cross the district.
The Garden Route Skills Mecca actively creates partnerships with an arrange of role players that also serve as an ongoing intelligence gathering system to inform the work of the Garden Route Skills Mecca. In this manner the Garden Route Skills Mecca is the directly linked to and supports the national District Development Model.
Feature Image: Executive Manager for Corporate Services at GRDM (right) and Coordinator for the Garden Route Skills Mecca (second, left) with GRDM Skills Development officials and Garden Route Skills Mecca Technicians soon after the introductions.
Wrap-up of today’s Environmental Health Day talks by the Executive Manager of Community Services, Clive Africa
“Section 24 of the Constitution of South Africa reads that everyone has a right to a safe and healthy environment. At the Garden Route District Municipality, we, the administration and our political elected officials, are very serious about protecting the rights of our citizens. Municipal Health Services in the district are performed by our 40 Environmental Health Practitioners, previously known as Health Inspectors. These officials do regular health and hygiene inspections at schools, créches, shops, butcheries, barber shops, hospitals and many other facilities.”
“I think you would agree with me that we live in one of the most beautiful places in our country and we have a collective responsibility to preserve our heritage – especially for future generations to come. But, we are noting that the issue of illegal dumping is becoming a huge problem within our communities. Illegal dumpsites are places where diseases easily spread and where rats and other vectors breed. These places are causing our people and in particular, children, to get sick. We have seen this, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic and many families have lost loved ones because of this illness.”
“We, therefore, urge the people of the district to eliminate illegal dumping within the next 5 years. Now, this is achievable – if everyone works together, we can do it!”
“We ask you to report any incidents of illegal dumping at your local municipal offices. The motto of municipal health is “prevention is better than cure”. We will continue to urge the public to still apply good hygiene practices by continuing to wash hands and sanitise regularly.”
“Health education remains one of our most critical functions and we will keep on informing the public on any health-related issue because what you don’t know can possibly harm you or kill you,” – Clive Africa, Executive Manager: Community Services, Garden Route District Municipality.
Read more about Environmental Health Practitioners here.
An Environmental Health Practitioner (EHP) explains our role in the Disposal of the Dead
“Disposal of the dead is one of the nine key municipal health functions performed by EHP. It is governed by the Regulations relating to the Management of Human Remains, Regulation number 363 of 22 May 2013, promulgated under the National Health Act 61 of 2003.
For EHPs, the disposal of the dead involves the monitoring of funeral undertakers, mortuaries, crematoriums and cemeteries for compliance and also the management, control and monitoring of exhumation, rebuttal and disposal of human remains.
Currently, as it stands, ESKOM has continued to implement load-shedding for weeks. It is for this reason that Environmental Health Practitioners urge all funeral undertakers, crematoria and mortuaries to have a backup plan (like generators during load-shedding). Fridges need to keep running during power outages to prevent bodies from decomposing. The decomposed bodies do not only compromise the dignity of the deceased but also pose health threats for those exposed,” – Khanyisa Shoto, Environmental Health Practitioner, Garden Route District Municipality.
Read more about Environmental Health Practitioners here.
Prevention and surveillance of Communicable Diseases by Environmental Health Practitioners
“Communicable diseases are diseases that can be spread from one person to another through a variety of ways. These include contact with blood, and body fluids, breathing air-borne viruses or being bitten by certain insects, amongst others. Communicable diseases include hundreds of viral or bacterial infections, of which some most prevalent include Covid-19, TB, Hepatitis-B and others. You can prevent the spread of communicable diseases by keeping a social distance between yourself and others. Also, avoid contact with contaminated surfaces. Last, and a very important point – always keep your hands clean – wash your hands regularly,” – Sive Mkuta, Environmental Health Practitioner, Garden Route District Municipality.
Read more about Environmental Health Practitioners here.
Illegal dumping and its impacts on the health and environment (and our water)
“Illegal dumping is one of the biggest challenges we face as environmental health petitioners on a daily basis. The reason for this is that illegal dump sites causes the spread of bacteria, diseases, causes rodent infestations, causes water, soil, and air pollution and it also blocks our water network systems. Our plea with you today is to help us protect the health of the community, to help us protect your health. Please report any illegal damping to your local municipalities. And please dispose of your waste in an approved manner. Let’s be the changes in our communities and let’s curb illegal dumping together.” Jessica Erasmus, Environmental Health Practitioner, Garden Route District Municipality.
To report illegal dumping in your area, contact:
𝗛𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮 𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Call 028 713 8020 or e-mail info@hessequa.gov.za
𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹 𝗕𝗮𝘆 𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Call 044 606 5143 or 044 606 500 or 44802 (SMS) or e-mail admin@mosselbay.gov.za
𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Call 044 801 6350 or e-mail sprins@george.gov.za
𝗞𝗻𝘆𝘀𝗻𝗮 𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Call 044 302 6405 / 081 556 3974 (W’App) or e-mail rloxton@knysna.gov.za
𝗕𝗶𝘁𝗼𝘂 𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Call 044 501 3174/5 or e-mail customercare@bitou.gov.za
𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗢𝘂𝗱𝘁𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗻 𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Call 044 203 3900 or 044 203 7800/1
𝗞𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Call 078 409 9064
Read more about Environmental Health Practitioners here: https://www.gardenroute.gov.za/municipal-health-services/
Impact Based Severe Weather Warning: Damaging Winds
The Cape Town Weather Office has issued an Impact Based Warning for Damaging Windsvalid from 00:00 to 23:00 on 27 September as follows:
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.
A snapshot of Vector Control – a function of Environmental Health Practitioners
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“Today I am going to be speaking about one of the nine (9) functional areas of Municipal Health Services, which is Vector Controlling. Some interesting statistics – according to research, vector-borne diseases account for approximately 17% of the estimated global burden of infectious diseases. Now, what are these vectors? Vectors include insects or animals that spread an infectious disease through a bite or contact with urine, faeces, blood or other body excretions or fluids. Vectors include mosquitoes, flies, ticks, rodents, cockroaches or fleas. Diseases spread by vectors include malaria, Dengue fever, Zika virus, Yellow fever, Rift Valley fever and plague. The role of an Environmental Health Practitioner in vector controlling is to; one, understand the vector, and how it transmits infectious pathogens; two – to monitor the possible existence of environmental factors that can create a conducive environment for vectors; three – to conduct case investigations of vectors; lastly – health education on preventative measures. Preventative measures for pest control include proper waste management, good housekeeping, and elimination or removal of conducive environments that will lead to the breeding of pests. It is of utmost importance for businesses to have a pest control programme in place.
The effective execution of pest control programmes must be regularly monitored. Therefore, EHPs appeal to the public to report any nuisance caused by vectors to the Municipal Health Section of Garden Route District Municipality on 044 803 1300,” – Lusizo Kwetshube, Environmental Health Practitioner, Garden Route District Municipality.
