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2022 12 08 Media Statement 5: The majority of beaches have been cleaned of hydrocarbon oil drops

Media Statement 5: The majority of beaches have been cleaned of hydrocarbon oil drops

For Immediate Release
8 December 2022

Beach clean-up activities and monitoring continue following a recent incident that resulted in hydrocarbon, low-sulphur oil droplets spreading to Garden Route beaches.

According to Gerhard Otto, GRDM Manager: Disaster Management, most beaches are now classified as ‘green’. “It is unlikely that the multi-agency command center will meet again unless new serious issues arise.”

There have been no reports linking the oil spill to humans, birds, or marine life.

Members of the media and public can access the real-time colour-coded map of the region here to see the status of beaches: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/2dff978cb8e9493dadc58ccd2ab9163b/

The status of beaches is included below:

If any member of the public notices small black pellets on any beach along the Garden Route, please report it to the Emergency Call Centre, 044 805 5071.

The Garden Route District Municipality Multi-Agency Command Centre (MACC)  includes the following stakeholders:  Garden Route District Municipality, Bitou, Knysna, George, Mossel Bay and Hessequa Municipalities, Provincial Disaster Management Centre, South African Maritime Safety Authority, DFFE: Oceans-to-Coast, Transnet, CapeNature, PetroSA, South African National Parks (SANParks) and the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB).

ENDS

5 December 2022 Media Statement 4: Several beaches given the ‘green light’

Media Statement 4: Several beaches given the ‘green light’

For Immediate Release
5 December 2022

One week later and clean-up operations of beaches along the Garden Route will continue following the reports of stranded hydrocarbon, low-sulphur oil droplets. These droplets were found along the coastline of the Garden Route towards the end of November 2022.

According to Gerhard Otto, GRDM Manager: Disaster Management, several beaches are now classified as ‘green’, and priority is to finalise cleaning busier beaches, including Blue Flag ones, as the holiday season moves closer. “We are also meeting less frequently now as beaches return to normal. We will only meet at 14h00 on Thursday again.”

There have been no reports linking the oil spill to humans, birds, or marine life.

Members of the media and public can access the real-time colour-coded map of the region here to see the status of beaches: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/2dff978cb8e9493dadc58ccd2ab9163b/

The status of beaches is included below:

 

Next update: Another update will be issued tomorrow, 8 December 2022.

If any member of the public notices small black pellets on any beach along the Garden Route, please report it to the Emergency Call Centre, 044 805 5071.

The Garden Route District Municipality Multi-Agency Command Centre (MACC)  includes the following stakeholders:  Garden Route District Municipality, Bitou, Knysna, George, Mossel Bay and Hessequa Municipalities, Provincial Disaster Management Centre, South African Maritime Safety Authority, DFFE: Oceans-to-Coast, Transnet, CapeNature, PetroSA, South African National Parks (SANParks) and the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB).

ENDS

05 December 2022 WELCOME TO THE GARDEN ROUTE AND KLEIN KAROO, SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST BEAUTIFUL AREA

WELCOME TO THE GARDEN ROUTE AND KLEIN KAROO, SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST BEAUTIFUL AREA

My warmest welcome goes out to all visitors to our region. Here you will find seven (7) municipalities with their respective local tourism offices keeping our region on the map. Areas are known as Hessequa, Mossel Bay, George, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Oudtshoorn and Kannaland. Each town has a myriad of unique offerings.

I’m honoured to boast that 19 of the 51 Blue Flag beaches in the country are located in our region this year. This means that we have the most Blue Flag beaches out of any other municipal area in South Africa! Our region’s beaches comply with strict standards of excellence in safety, cleanliness, amenities, environmental information, and management.

Let’s take a closer look at some of our areas. Zooming in on Hessequa, we see that all six (6) of its beaches have received Blue flag status. Additionally, they offer off-the-beaten-track experiences like Big 5 Game drives, forest glamping, fynbos gin, award-winning olive oil, cheese, wine, and aloe products.

Knysna is the most deserving winner of the KFM Best of the Cape Award known as the ‘Dorpie van die Jaar’. It is also the 19th most-loved destination around the world according to the 2021 Tourism Sentiment Index!

Plettenberg Bay has been nominated as a Whale Heritage Site and extensive work is being done by all stakeholders public and private with regard to their Marine and Ocean Economy.

Taking a glance at George, which is the central entry point to the region and boasts of the world’s top signature golf courses – it is indeed a golfers’ paradise!

With over 1100 meters of over-the-ocean zipline in the “Iconic Mossel Bay”, you’ll have plenty of time to take in the scenery. Zipline over the ocean at speeds of up to 80km/h and enjoy unparalleled views of the cliffs, ocean, and sea life. On the other side of the long stretch of mountain ranges, you’ll find the Klein Karoo which offers the largest cave system in Africa – the Cango Caves. Calitzdorp, located next to Oudtshoorn is also known as the port capital of South Africa – for good reason.

Our region is safe and offers wonderful forests along the coast with well-maintained boardwalks through thick forests, across gentle streams. Annually I also encourage visitors to also seek the little adventures offered by our region. One example is our region’s rich coffee culture, which offers a unique social setting and interaction between connoisseurs.

We promise you that tourism activities are right on your doorstep in this region.

To learn more about what we have on offer visit our official regional tourism website at www.visitgardenrouteandkleinkaroo.com

Finally, while enjoying your time with us, you need to be tolerant while travelling. Please obey speed limits; road rules; do not text or call while driving; do not drink and drive, and always wear a seatbelt. Save our 24/7 emergency call centre number if you find yourself in a troubling situation – 044 805 5071.

See you on the beautifully, diverse Garden Route and Klein Karoo!

Alderman Memory Booysen

Executive Mayor

Garden Route District Municipality

2 December 2022 Media Statement 3: Beach monitoring and clean-up activities continue along the Garden Route coastline

Media Statement 3: Beach monitoring and clean-up activities continue along the Garden Route coastline

For Immediate Release
2 December 2022

Clean-up operations will continue over the weekend. Feedback received during a multi-agency response session this morning about the stranded hydrocarbon, low-sulphur oil droplets, indicates that we are nearing the end of the incident. Along the Garden Route beaches, the windy conditions and high-impact swells have yielded little to no new oil droplets.

According to Gerhard Otto, GRDM Manager: Disaster Management, it is important to note that there are manual and natural clean-ups of beaches. With this, it is meant that within three days, the droplets will no longer be visible to the naked eye, depending on their size.

There have been no reports of the spill affecting humans, birds, or marine life. According to Dr Nina Viljoen, Head of Environmental Management at GRDM, no estuaries along the Garden Route have been contaminated. Nevertheless, continuous assessments will be conducted over the weekend, responders will be on standby, and monitoring will take place for any further evidence of oil contamination. In the multi-agency response engagement, it was stressed that monitoring of birds would be extended if the response was scaled down since it is difficult to catch flying birds.

In collaboration with the municipality’s Geographic Information System Unit, GRDM Disaster Management developed an interactive map showing beach colour codes in real-time. This platform can be accessed here.

The current status of beaches is included below:

Next update: Another update will be issued tomorrow, 5 December 2022.

If any member of the public notices small black pellets on any beach along the Garden Route, please report it to the Emergency Call Centre, 044 805 5071.

The Garden Route District Municipality Multi-Agency Command Centre (MACC)  includes the following stakeholders:  Garden Route District Municipality, Bitou, Knysna, George, Mossel Bay and Hessequa Municipalities, Provincial Disaster Management Centre, South African Maritime Safety Authority, DFFE: Oceans-to-Coast, Transnet, CapeNature, PetroSA, South African National Parks (SANParks) and the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB).

ENDS

2 December 2022 Media Release: LGSETA conducts another due diligence visit at GRDM

LGSETA conducts another due diligence visit at GRDM

For immediate release
2 December 2022

As part of the Due Diligence process, a Local Government Sector Education Training Authority (LGSETA) delegation led by Mr E Saeke, Manager in the Office of the CEO, and Ms J September, Provincial Coordinator, visited the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) on Wednesday, 30 November 2022. The meeting follows GRDM’s application for a Discretionary Grant (DG) when the funding window for the period from 09 October 2022 to 01 November 2022 opened.

The Garden Route Skills Mecca Team supported the Training Team at the GRDM and coordinated the needs of the Skills Development Teams across all eight municipalities (including GRDM) and submitted a combined application for the following projects during the window:

  • Fire Fighter training
  • Water Reticulation
  • Water Purification
  • Minimum Competency Training
  • Bursaries for Unemployed Youth (18.2)
  • Bursaries for Employed Officials (18.1)
  • Artisan Training (Plumbing, Electrical, Bricklaying and Carpentry)

The Garden Route Skills Mecca (GRSM) Coordinator, Dr Florus Prinsloo said: “The above combined collaborative approach demonstrates that the District Development Model is being implemented pragmatically within the Garden Route for the benefit of all residents”.

The meeting was chaired by Trix Holtzhausen, Executive Manager of Services, who thanked LGSETA for considering GRDM for these projects. “We would like to thank LGSETA for their past and ongoing support, as well as assure you that these projects will greatly contribute to alleviating poverty within our district.”

After careful evaluation and consideration, LGSETA selected the following projects for the due diligence visits:

  • Fire Fighter training
  • Water Training
  • Artisan Training (Plumbing, Electrical, Bricklaying and Carpentry)

These projects amount to R30 million and will benefit employed and unemployed youth.

Dr Florus Prinsloo, gave a brief overview of the Garden Route Skills Mecca and introduced the Garden Route Skills Mecca Technicians who assist with the drafting of LGSETA proposals.

GRDM Skills Development Coordinator Reginald Salmon and Senior Training Officer Angeline Naidoo presented the different proposals. As Skills Development Facilitators, both officials act as a link between the LGSETA and the Municipality.

Fire Chief Deon Stoffels also attended the meeting with Brian Afrikaner, who facilitates training at the fire service. Stoffels thanked LGSETA for considering GRDM for Firefighter training and explained that GRDM recently received accreditation from the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). ” LGSETA’s Fire Training will be the first of its kind in the district, and it will serve as a pilot project to prepare GRDM for more significant projects in the future,” he concluded

Several sites and training facilities in the George area were visited by LGSETA delegates.

After the formal presentations, the delegates from LGSETA were accompanied to by the Training Section and GRSM Technicians to the various sites and training facilities within the George area. The following areas were visited:

  • Outeniqua Water Works in Pacaltsdorp
  • African Skills Village in Thembalethu
  • Garden Route District Municipality Fire

Did you know:

What is Seta discretionary grant?

Discretionary grants are paid out at the discretion of SETA management for skills development projects linked to scarce and critical skills (sector priority occupations). Funding for discretionary grants is focused on Professional, Vocational, Technical and Academic Learning (PIVOTAL).

What is due diligence?

Due diligence takes place when the LGSETA initially approves a project and then needs to check if the municipality will be able to deliver the training. Training venues, training facilities where participants will be trained, and accreditation of the service provider are all checked.

-End-

2 December 2022 Media Release: Another clean audit for Garden Route DM – a promise kept!

Media Release: Another clean audit for Garden Route DM – a promise kept!

For Immediate Release
2 December 2022

As promised, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) has maintained its clean audit outcome. The culture of good governance and accountability remains unmatched when comparing the GRDM to some of the 44 district municipalities in South Africa.

The fiscal discipline, rigid financial planning, and continuous oversight, combined with hundreds of internal controls added to the institution’s achievement. Clean audits and improvements by municipalities reflect the tone set by municipal managers and institutions.

Monde Stratu, GRDM Municipal Manager proudly boasted about the achievement. “We’ve consistently worked on instilling a culture of being accountable and improving controls to sustain the Clean Audit Outcome.”

“I am also very proud of everyone who worked in the background to help us achieve such a wonderful milestone, it was a team effort,” said Stratu.

The Executive Mayor of GRDM, Alderman Memory Booysen, expressed his gratitude to the entire municipality, in particular, the Municipal Manager and Financial Services Department. It is an honour for us to be part of the Western Cape, a province that sets the highest standard of financial management in South Africa.” According to the Auditor General’s report to Parliament on 23 November, the Western Cape continues to be the province with the highest number of clean audit outcomes.

When presenting the Audit Outcome to a Combined Municipal Public Accounts Committee and Audit Committee of GRDM, Ashiq Allie, the Manager AGSA for the GRDM audit, congratulated the institution for achieving a clean audit outcome for the financial year under review. The Final Audit Report was submitted to the Municipality on 30 November 2022. He also commented that he knows it takes a lot of work on the ground to maintain a clean audit and that it is a combination of hard work by management and taking the AG’s findings seriously over the years.

MPAC Chairperson Cllr Danie Acker expressed gratitude to employees and Council for their commitment to a clean audit report. He further elaborated on the fact that the audit outcome is proof that coalition governments can work because they keep things together. “I am extremely proud and honoured about this achievement.”

ENDS

Notes by the editor:

Municipal managers are responsible for preparing and fairly representing their institution’s financial statements in accordance with the Generally Recognised Accounting Practice (GRAP) and the requirements of the Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003. The Auditor General conducts an audit in accordance with the International Standards on Auditing (ISAs).

01 December 2022 Mayor’s World Aids Day Message  – Alderman Memory Booysen

Mayor’s World Aids Day Message  – Alderman Memory Booysen

01 December 2022

Globally, HIV and AIDS have been an epidemic for decades. My message today is to encourage our nation, especially our Garden Routers, to commit themselves, unite in the fight against HIV, show support for those living with HIV and remember those who have lost their lives to the disease.

As Garden Route District Municipality, we want to remind you that you can reduce the risk of getting HIV by:

  • Practising abstinence – while you are waiting for the “right’ partner or until you’re ready for a sexual relationship;
  • Use condoms;
  • Ensure that your partner who lives with HIV is taking his or her treatment;
  • Using PrEP, a medicine blocking HIV from infecting oneself;
  • Never sharing needles but rather using sterile needles and syringes for all injections, and lastly;
  • Regularly getting tested and treated for sexually transmitted infections.

In honour of World Aids Day, let’s not forget that HIV remains a reality and that we must continue to fight prejudice, stigma, and discrimination.  It is important to change our attitude and understand that people living with HIV and taking ARVs, are suppressing the virus and preventing its spread.

So, I want to end by emphasizing that World AIDS Day remains as relevant today, as it has always been. HIV has not ‘died’ away. We must continue to create awareness about it, end stigma and discrimination, and do our part to improve the quality of life for people living with HIV.

-End-