Author: Marlene Nqumse
Severe Weather Alert (7-8 September 2018)
Significant rainfall and intense downpours are expected on Friday, 7 September 2018, where flooding may be a risk. Thunderstorms are also possible. At this point, rainfall amounts expected 20-40mm along the South Coast (Riversdale to Plettenberg bay) and 50mm in the mountains. Also to note is that light rain is expected from Wednesday through to Saturday morning along the South Coast, which will act to saturate the ground.
Less snowfall expected, compared to the initial assessments done on Monday. Although snowfalls still very likely for both Thursday and Friday over the Langeberge, Swartberge and Nuweveld berge, the snowfall will be lighter for the Outeniqua mountains than initially expected. Very cold weather will be persisting from today through to the weekend though.
However, please note that the models have not been consistent over the last few days in terms of amounts and locations, and thus the SAWS will monitor further.
Garden Route DM participates at the Agricultural Show
An Annual Agricultural Show took place at the George Show grounds last week.
The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) exhibited many of its service delivery offerings at two stalls with the purpose of creating brand-awareness and to educate the public about the role of the District.
The following municipal functions were showcased during the 4-day show:
- Air Quality
- District Economic Development
- Fire & Rescue Services
- Municipal Health Services
- Municipal Disaster Management
- Tourism
- Waste Management
Eden DM officially changed to Garden Route District Municipality
It is with pleasure to announce that on 24 August 2018, the Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, MEC Anton Bredell, officially approved the name change of Eden District Municipality to the Garden Route District Municipality.
The announcement was made in terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act 117 of 1998), as per the Western Cape Government Provincial Gazette no: 7972 published on 24 August 2018.
Download the full copy of the Government Gazette No 7972.
Eden DM performs outstandingly at the SA Toughest Firefighter Alive 2018 competition
It is with great pleasure to announce that the Eden District Municipality firefighters once again proved to be the toughest competitors of the “South African Toughest Firefighter Alive” competition, when they brought back the trophies to the Eden district the past weekend.
The competition took place at the Roeland Street Fire Station in Cape Town from 10 to 12 August 2018.
The accolades include Senior Firefighter Emile Conrad as, once again, the “SA Toughest Firefighter Alive,” being the overall winner of the “Men’s Individual” category. Mr Conrad has won the title ever since he attempted his first TFA competition in 2011. Furthermore, three firefighters of the Eden DM team, namely Messrs Deon Stoffels, Edwin Lottering, Branville Abrahams and Martino-Mariano Jacobs, participated in the individual challenges and all these participants performed superbly.
In the “Relay Team” challenge the Eden DM team competed against various municipalities and were able to walk away in 2nd position after Ethekwini Municipality snatched the first place.
Mr Conrad extended a word a gratitude to all who supported the team until the end of the competition and added these special words: “I thank our Lord Jesus Christ for His amazing grace, love and overwhelming faithfulness and favour”. Mr Conrad furthermore thanked the organisers for making the event possible and added that the impact that this event has on the Fire Services, is immeasurable.
Executive Manager: Community Services, Mr Clive Africa, who accompanied the team during the three day’s events, described the competition as “very tough” and said: “Our Eden DM firefighters fought like gladiators!”
Ms Khutula Maki, the Eden DM Team Leader and Senior Firefighter, commended the team for their performance and emphasised: “Our Team was confident and enthusiastic from the beginning until the end of the competition and did not show any signs of fear or panic”. Ms Maki concluded: “It was an honour to be part of a winning team”.
Following the events of the past weekend, on Tuesday, 14 August 2018, the Eden DM Executive Mayor, Cllr Memory Booysen, paid a special visit to the team at the Eden DM Fire Station in George to congratulate them personally and praised them for their perseverance throughout the years of their involvement in the competition. “On behalf of Council, management and staff of Eden DM, we wish you well and look forward to many more great achievements from you as a well-renowned and respected Eden DM Firefighting Team,” Mayor Booysen concluded.
Garden Route DM hosts cross-district support engagement for more effective Integrated Development Planning
The Integrated Development Planning (IDP) Unit of Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) on 3 August 2018, hosted the Western Cape Districts Integrated Forum. The meeting was attended by IDP Managers from the GRDM, Overberg District Municipality, Cape Winelands District Municipality, as well as a representative from the Auditor-General South Africa.
The aim of the meeting was to achieve the cross-district alignment of key performance areas in terms of Integrated Development Planning and to share challenges faced by the IDP function. Best practices pertaining to the function itself, the readiness of the IDP process as per the legislative framework, as well as the establishment of an inter-district IDP support platform, were also discussed at the engagement. During the meeting, the IDP managers exchanged their process plans, as well as time schedules and agreed that future Western Cape Districts Integrated Forum Meetings will take place prior to the Provincial IDP Managers Forum meetings. The change in meeting schedule, will ensure better outcomes to be expected and more effective decisions to be made at the Provincial IDP Managers meetings.
Manager of the IDP Unit at GRDM, Mr Mzukisi Cekiso, commented on the manner in which the engagement transpired and said: “It was an excellent Provincial IDP Budget & Performance Management System Alignment engagement, which focused on the importance of districts offering support to one another and finding solutions to common challenges. This is paramount for the progress of the Western Cape as an entirety,” Mr Cekiso added.
It is envisaged that the Forum meetings will take place on a quarterly basis to continue with the progress of proper Integrated Development Planning across districts in the Western Cape.
World Environmental Day Celebrated at Plettenberg Bay Secondary School
On Tuesday, 24 July 2018, Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) of one of the Eden District Municipal Sub-Offices in Bitou, celebrated World Environmental Day, at Plettenberg Bay Secondary School. The purpose of the visit was to create awareness among learners about the various types of pollution, the risks posed by pollution in communities, hazards of pollution and how pollution can be prevented.
The following environmental pollution control risks topics were presented:
• Waste Management (Recycling and Illegal Dumping);
• Water Quality; and
• Food Safety and Hygiene.
Grade 10 and 11 learners attentively listened and enthusiastically participated in the topics which are known to them, as it is integrated in their curriculum CAPS for Life Sciences.
The work done by EHPs were also showcased at an exhibition exclusively put together for the learners, especially aimed at the well-being of the environment. These days, the function of Environmental Health is a critical field and can only grow as the world population increases.
Food Safety along the Food Chain explained
What is food safety?
Food safety is a scientific discipline, which describes the handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent foodborne illnesses. The WHO defines ‘Food Safety’ as the assurance that food will not cause harm to the consumer when prepared and/or eaten in accordance with its intended use. ‘Food Hygiene’ is defined as all the measures necessary to ensure the safety, soundness and wholesomeness of food at all stages from its production or manufacturing until it is consumed.
Why is food safety important?
The purpose of food safety is to ensure that FOOD IS SAFE TO EAT in order to protect the consumer.
Contaminated food and water are the biggest sources of food borne illnesses that affect people, particularly in South Africa. This phenomenon is also true throughout the world. The problem does not discriminate between rich or poor countries, but in both cases, contaminated food imposes substantial health burdens, ranging in severity from being mildly sick to fatalities.
Food safety is an increasingly important public health issue and according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), governments all over the world are intensifying their efforts to improve food safety. This is largely due to rapid globalisation, overpopulation and the importance of the safety when food gets transported from one country to another. Together with this, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people travelling internationally for, amongst others, sport, tourism and business purposes etc.
Food safety in South Africa safety in South Africa
The services rendered by health authorities in South Africa aims at ensuring that the food consumers are not exposed to food that causes any harm. This is also referred to as “Food Safety Control” and can be defined as a mandatory regulatory activity of enforcement by the relevant health authority. Consumer protection has to be provided and it needs to be ensured that all foods are safe during production, handling, storage, processing, and distribution phases. Food has to be fit for human consumption and conform to safety requirements as prescribed by law and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Legislation exists to ensure that all foodstuffs and food handling facilities comply with health standards that protect consumers from unsafe food or conditions that are unhygienic.
Although South Africa is considered a developing country, the food industry of the country can be considered as a well-developed and sophisticated sector, geared towards safeguarding the needs of consumers through both the formal and informal sectors of the country’s economy. This includes the entire food chain:
A consumer’s role in the food chain
One might assume that the buck stops at the food producer or trader, or a government authority responsible for enforcing regulations, but this is a myth. Neither the government nor the food producer and traders can ensure that a food consumer practices hygiene standards and food safety at home. Or that consumers willfully support businesses who do not possess a “Certificate of Acceptability”. Consumers also have to act responsibly and report instances where foul play is suspected. All food traders must, therefore, at all times, clearly display their “Certificate of Acceptability”, where they trade; otherwise, Government cannot be held liable for any unintended consequences which may result by negligent food traders and producers.
- Food production on farms
- Processing at factories
- Selling at the retail level (Wholesalers, Supermarkets and Spaza shops)
- Ready to eat meals (hotels, catering businesses, restaurants, fast food outlets, street food vendors, etc.)
Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) conduct daily inspections
According to the myriad of responsibilities of EHPs, Food Control is one of the areas which require the most time and complex responsibilities.
Food Control relates to a mandatory regulatory activity of enforcement to provide consumer protection and to ensure that food is:
- handled in a hygienic manner during production, storage, processing, distribution and sale;
- safe, wholesome and fit for human consumption and conforms to safety, nutrition and quality requirements; and
- honestly and accurately labelled as prescribed by law.
The role of the Environmental Health Practitioner includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Inspection of food premises and vehicles
- Compliance monitoring in terms of legislative requirements and provisions and instituting remedial and preventative measures
- Issuing of certificates of acceptability
- Examination, sampling and analysis of foodstuffs
- Examination of food labels
- Reaction to complaints
- Law enforcement by serving compliance notices or if deemed necessary by issuing “summonses to appear in Court” notices (Sect 56 of Criminal Procedures Act. 1977)
- Export control when requested
- Provision of information
- Health promotion and training
Legislation around food control and safety
- The Constitution of South Africa 1996, (Act 107 of 1996)
- National Health Act 2003, (Act no 61 of 2003) as amended
- Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants 1972, (Act 54 of 1972)
- Guidelines for an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) Engaged in the evaluation of food premises within the HACCP principles, Department of Health
Directorate: Food Control
For more information, consult the Environmental Health Practitioner at Eden District Municipality, Community Services Department, Municipal Health Services’ Office at 044 -8031522. Or visit the office at Mission Street, Roads Department, George Industria.