Media Release: Garden Route DM: Nineteen (19) youth being up-skilled for Food Handling
For Immediate Release 3 May 2021
Alderman Memory Booysen, Executive Mayor, and Ald. Rosina Ruiters, Deputy Executive Mayor for GRDM, recently visited nineteen (19) Cater Care students at the Francois Ferreira Academy (FFA) in George. Between the ages of 18 and 35, these students are currently busy studying a 3-month Food Handler Qualification (level 2). GRDM’s goal with this Programme is to address the high unemployment rate of South Africa and the Garden Route.
Ald. Memory Booysen, GRDM Executive Mayor (wearing a chain) and Ald. Rosina Ruiters, Deputy Executive Mayor (left of Ald. Booysen) with Cllr Rowan Spies (member of the Education, Training and Development Committee) with students and representatives from the Francois Ferreira Academy.
Alderman Memory Booysen also has a history of working in the hospitality industry and said: “The hospitality industry remains one of the key drivers of the Garden Route economy, and we will continue to fund these types of training initiatives to complement the industry”.
He further added: “The proof is in the pudding – we have supported the up-skilling of 82 youth since starting at this Council in 2016.”
“More than R1 million has been spent since 2016 on the Cater Care Programme,” Booysen said.
The Quality Council for Trades & Occupations (QCTO) accredited SAQA Course (110644) consists of the following subjects:
Introduction to Professional Cookery
Personal Safety
Workplace Safety
Food Safety
Numeracy and Units of Measurement
Preparation Methods
Production Methods
In addition to the seven (7) modules, each student will be allowed the opportunity to gain in-service training at a restaurant or hotel for ten (10) days. After that, students will officially graduate by the end of May 2021.
Feature Image Caption: Ald. Memory Booysen is shown how to safely handle a knife when cutting vegetables. With him is Mr Lwandile Green (left), Ms Siyamthanda Mahe (2nd from right) and Chef Jean-Marie Basson from Francois Ferreira Academy.
Anam Falake
Andrew Gwijila
Asithabele Maweni
Avuzwa Baleni
Axolile Rululu
Davidene Williams
Dylan Michaels
Justin Windwaai
Lwandile Green
Mechay Pieterse
Nosipho Sonti
Sibabalwe Winter
Sibongile Mkhosi
Simamkele Gulwa
Siyamthanda Mahe
Thandokazi Sambokwe
Thulisa Norushe
Tomonique Mathabatha
Zhane September
Editor’s note:
The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) is a Quality Council established in 2010 in terms of the Skills Development Act (Act 97 of 1998) as amended in 2008.
The Department f Higher Education and Training (DHET) oversees this part of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
The QCTO is one of three Quality Councils (QCs) responsible for a part of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
Media Release: Adaptive Capacity Facility Climate Resilient Human Settlements Pilot Programme to be project managed by the GRDM
For immediate release 30 April 2021
Adaptive Capacity Facility Climate Resilient Human Settlements Pilot Programme to be project managed by the GRDM
The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) is one of three (3) district municipalities that were selected to be the beneficiaries of the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) Adaptive Capacity Facility (ACF): Climate Resilient Human Settlements Pilot Programme. The Government of Flanders will fund this programme through its Country Strategy Paper (CSPIII) over five years. The funds will mainly be used to implement climate change adaptation projects that build human adaptive capacity.
The programme intends to select projects across three (3) typologies. These include urban settlements, peri-urban settlements, and rural settlements. These settlement typologies fall under the banner of “testing climate-resilient human settlements”.
After an extensive two-day site visit investigation by DEFF from 22 – 26 March 2021, the high fire risks within the GRDM and the threat of these fire risks to vulnerable communities were identified as a focus area for a project that will be funded as part of the programme.
The first co-creation workshop (one of three planned workshops) was arranged in Knysna to workshop possible fire resilient projects and challenges. The workshop included all the key stakeholders within the project area and the participation of some vulnerable community leaders/members.
The day before the workshop, on 23 March 2021, DEFF’s videographer visited some key fire risk areas in the Garden Route to document the conditions and challenges on the ground.
At the workshop, various presenters provided information on the project focus areas, fire risks and impacts within the GRDM, as well as current and future climatic changes and predictions on what this will mean for the fire risks to vulnerable communities going forward.
The workshop also included conveying the traumatic experiences of stakeholders such as the authorities and vulnerable community members during the 2017/18 Knysna/Plettenberg Bay fires.
Second Workshop – 23 April 2021
From 21 to 23 April 2021, the GRDM, DEFF/ACF and critical stakeholders had a fruitful second workshop to have more detailed discussions on priority interventions to be unpacked into projects. The workshop outcomes included the following priority intervention categories:
Ecosystem-based fuel load management: To include block burning, fire breaks, alien clearing as well as an initial follow-up; fire-scaping; access /escape route management;
Early fire detection and monitoring: cameras and towers;
Training: Development of a training academy, train the trainer, “training – to be wildfire ready”, basic land management principles; workshops on legislative requirements.
During the two workshop engagements, all the stakeholders agreed upon the following project criteria. The GRDM will lead the project, and although the initial idea was that the interventions would be geographically focused in the Knysna area, particular emphasis will be on the areas identified as high-risk areas in the recently completed macro fire risk assessment by the GRDM.
The project will address fire risk from a climate change adaptation perspective. The project interventions must have a robust interface with human settlements (meaning that we need to consider the project interventions’ impacts on the selected human settlements, and we need to take into consideration the needs of that human settlement/s);
The project interventions will be located within an urban setting. This does not mean that the settlements need to be formal dwellings and “high-income” communities; on the contrary, grassroots communities vulnerable urban settlements will be the primary target audience. This means that informal settlements and forest communities with strong links to urban areas will be targeted.
28 April 2021 Executive Mayor’s Speech at the GRDM Council Meeting
Mr Speaker
I greet those online, at home and the significant listenership on Eden FM – I welcome you.
Once again, we are known and prone to disasters, no matter the size of it. We are in the season when we see many fires, like the Cape Town wildfire recently. Mr Speaker, the Garden Route were not recently spared when a wildfire spread through parts of the Greater Oudtshoorn area. Fortunately, no lives were lost. I want to convey our gratitude to our firefighters, our Garden Route team, George and Mossel Bay Municipalities, and all the other role players who helped us contain this wildfire. We appreciate you.
Let us remain vigilant about fire emergencies and continue to share notices and warnings as and when required.
Also, Mr Speaker gives me great pleasure to share that we recently visited the Cater Care facility where nineteen (19) students are currently being upskilled. We noted that they are excited about their experience, and we are looking forward to them completing this training. Of equal importance is the event we recently hosted, whereby we officially donated external bursaries and grant-in-aid assistance. These are all signs that we practice what we preach.
In the same vein, curbing Gender-Based Violence remains one of our critical commitments as Council. We will continue to try to curb GBV. Last week we hosted another summit with the relevant stakeholders and role players. My call is for everyone to step up again and fight GBV daily.
To our colleagues, this is going to be a very busy week as Garden Route District Municipality. The Honourable Deputy President David Mabuza will be in our region on 30 April 2021 to hand over land to the residents of Covie. In addition, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde will also be in the area and accompanied by his entourage. It is indeed an indication that all eyes are on the Garden Route – we paved a path for ourselves and the Garden Routers we have been elected to serve. We want to see that people are given what is rightfully theirs and their dignity to be restored.
As the Garden Route, we will be hosting those dignitaries and being our best behaviour; we do not play politics during these events.
Media Release: Garden Route District Municipality supports the Commemoration of Freedom Day 2021
27 April 2021 For Immediate Release
Garden Route District Municipality supports the Commemoration of Freedom Day 2021
On the 27th of April 1994 South Africa held its first democratic election, marking an annual commemorative day, which is Freedom Day. On this very important day South Africa does not only remember the historic change that took place but more importantly also celebrates the freedom of the people and the country from a long period of oppression and apartheid.
This day highlights the journey of moving away from hatred, segregation and a painful past for a common goal of building a better future together as South Africans. Celebrating freedom day we emphasize on the peace, unity and the rebuilding of South African dignity.
Media Release: GRDM continues its efforts to collaboratively address Gender-Based Violence (GBV)
For immediate release 23 April 2021
Media Release: GRDM continues its efforts to collaboratively address Gender-Based Violence (GBV)
Stakeholders from various government departments, municipalities in the Garden Route district and community representatives, gathered as a collective in Mossel Bay on 20 April 2021 to continue to strategise and discuss methods to prevent GBV in the Garden Route.
The Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Femicide Prevention Summit was the second of its kind to be hosted by the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) in collaboration with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Western Cape Department of Community Safety. The event’s primary purpose was to tackle the issues women and children are challenged with to claim and retain their rightful place in society. The aim of the event was thus for representatives to identify future actions to safeguard communities. These were done through four commissions. The entire room of attendees was split into four groups to discuss the following topics: Pro-Active and Preventative; Re-Active and Response; Rehabilitation and Re-integration and GBV in the context of Covid 19 lockdown.
The shortcomings in our communities identified by these groups were, among others, the lack of mentors and role models and moral values, access to services, to name a few. Some of the proposed actions identified include establishing victim support programmes, the empowerment of non-governmental organisations and non-profit organisations to drive awareness programmes relating to GBV. Furthermore, safe houses should be established in all local municipal areas of the Garden Route district. It was also proposed that government organisations such as the Department of Correctional Services should provide a 24/7 service to assist victims with domestic violence-related crimes.
During his welcoming address, GRDM Executive Mayor Ald. Memory Booysen said: “I tend to look at the big crimes when it comes to violence, the crimes SAPS are trying to resolve. But there are other issues; sometimes, men do not realise that they have abusive habits. For example, when a woman arrives at home after a day’s work and the partner/husband asks her to see what messages she had received during the day and from whom, or why are certain messages deleted from her cell phone – these are the type of abuse women are faced with”. Adding to this, he said: “Most of the times women are happy at work because being at work is a distraction from what is happening at home or what is waiting at home. When business close, they start to realise that they still need to go home to the monster waiting for them at home – these are the fears women have to deal with,” he said.
Deputy Director of Community Safety in the Western Cape, Justin Lottring, during the event, told the story about the broken femur syndrome by Margaret Mead, and with those words, he encouraged all participants to work together to change the world.
Advocate Leslie Morris, during the event, shared valuable advice with the men and women who were present at the event to prevent the issue of gender-based violence. and how complaints of GBV should be handled.
Major-General Oswald Reddy, Cluster Commander of the Eden Cluster Commander at the SAPS, explained the structures in place from national to local level, for the purpose to address the issue of gender-based violence.
Siphiwe Dladla, Chief of Staff in the Office of the Executive Mayor and co-driver of project, extended words of appreciation to all delegates and organisers of the second GBV Prevention Summit of GRDM.
Major-General Oswald Reddy, Eden Cluster Commander, provided a message of support to the initiative and explained the structure in place to defeat the issue of GBV. He said:” SAPS has worked on the GBV programme on a national level which is an integrated Sexually Offences and Gender-Based Violence Action Plan”. According to Reddy, a forum is further launched on the Provincial level with all clusters in the Western Cape Province. On the cluster level operations, he said: “We have appointed chairpersons for all streams working on issues of GBV, which is going to filter down to each police station. And during our next Community Police Forum (CPF) meeting, we will discuss how we get the CPF on board to take ownership of the plan so that their six focus areas can be given serious attention”.
Advocate Leslie Morris, a passionate lawyer who educates vulnerable victims of domestic violence, as well as assisting and educating them when they experience difficulties relating to their cases, referred to the reality of how crimes are classified according to categories. He made an example of a woman killed in a luxury hotel or upper-class area and how it is categorised differently from a woman being killed in an informal settlement.
He highlighted that no one is above the law, “whether you stay in an upmarket area or an in an informal settlement. When addressing the men in the room, he said: “We will never get rid of gender-based violence as long as we want to be seen as the superior of women – we need to understand and remember that all of us have equal rights and we are all equal before the law”.
According to Siphiwe Dladla, Chief of Staff in the Office of the Executive Mayor and co-driver of the project, all inputs and proposed actions by the various commissions will be circulated to all participants with the main aim that it be implemented by the relevant stakeholders in the various municipal areas (constituencies) of the district.
As the attendees left the event, the GRDM Council is optimistic that participants will remember and convey the messages of advice and hope to their respective community representatives and implement the proposed resolutions, because as Justin Lottring, Deputy Director: Community Safety in the Western Cape at the event said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has”.
In the video:
Executive Mayor, Ald. Memory Booysen, sharing his thoughts while welcoming all representatives from government departments, municipal officials in the district and non-governmental organisations who acknowledged and attended the importance of the event.
Garden Route DM helps Non-Profit Organisations and students with funding support
For Immediate Release 22 April 2021
An annual highlight for the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) is when the institution is able to finalise and officially hand over its committed funding support to students and Non-Profit Organisations (NPO). This year, the GRDM supported fourteen (14) NPOs, as well as twenty-two (22) students who are studying towards accredited NQF qualifications; some are studying degrees such as Chemical Engineering, Tourism, Computer Science or LLB Law.
During his keynote address, Alderman Memory Booysen, Executive Mayor for GRDM, said: “We supported NPOs with R210 000.00, even though we all face tough budget cuts because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also provided funding support to the tone of R510 000.00 to students, which was partly funded by the Western Cape Provincial Treasury.”
Alderman Memory Booysen, GRDM Executive Mayor during his keynote address.
Cllr Rowan Spies, Member of the GRDM Education, Training and Development Committee was the programme director for the event.
He also alluded to the fact that “we are the poorest of all eight (8) municipalities in the Garden Route, and we have been told that we often punch about our weight”. However, he stated that the GRDM would continue to try its best to help communities as far as possible.”
Ald. Booysen pleaded for external bursary recipients to never forget where they are coming from, particularly for what their parents fought for. “Do not forget your grannies, fathers, uncles and aunts, amongst others; some of them had to drop out from school to make money and support their family members who had dreams of studying further.
Ald. Booysen asked: “What does the future hold for South Africans?” He then answered: “I do not have answers to where our country will be in the near future, but the GRDM is trying its best to play a small part in the solution.”
When referring to students, he said: “I am optimistic about your futures and that you will not drop out – that you will shine and make a success of this opportunity”.
The Human Resources Manager at GRDM, Ms Nontobeko Klaas, highlighted that the municipality places an advertisement in newspapers, social media (Facebook and Twitter) around the beginning of October annually. This call-to-action is intended to invite students and families who require assistance with funding their studies to apply for such support. Cllr Rowan Spies, who was the programme director of the handover ceremony, also boasted about the GRDM Education, Training and Development Committee he serves on. He said: “Mayor, without undermining the efforts of other committees I serve on; this specific committee gives us the most gratification because of the impact it has on communities”.
Ms Nontobeko Klaas, GRDM Human Resources Manager, providing a background of GRDM’s bursaries.
Mr Siphiwe Dladla, GRDM Chief of Staff providing a background of the Grant-in-Aid assistance and processes followed.
During the address by Mr Siphiwe Dladla, GRDM Chief of Staff, he provided a brief background of the Grant-in-Aid support offered by the Mayor’s office. He said: “We advertise during November or December, but the COVID-19 pandemic shifted our deadlines to January 2021”. He further added: “We received forty (40) applications and had to utilise internal policy directives to guide our selection process. Currently, we focus on NPOs who work with causes such as HIV/AIDS, Senior Citizens, Disabled, Youth and Substance Abuse.”
WORDS OF APPRECIATION
One of the recipients of an external bursary for BCom Accounting through the University of the Western Cape, Mr Lizalise Gamane, said: “This financial contribution towards me and others is a gesture of confidence in us as the youth of the Garden Route – it provides a great deal of hope for families who are here. Children from marginalised families now also have the opportunity to study and eventually support their families when landing jobs in their respective career fields”.
Mr Lizalise Gamane, one of the external bursary recipients shares a word of appreciation on behalf of external bursary recipients.
Ms Elmarie Maxim from Knysna shared a word of appreciation on behalf of NPOs who attended the handover ceremony.
Ms Elmarie Maxim delivered a word of appreciation on behalf of the NPOs by saying that beneficiaries are honoured and happy for the gesture by the GRDM to support them.
“We are all trying to recover from the adverse financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. NPOs need to constantly look for funding, at the same time, it remains difficult for us to find such support, especially after the public offered so much support since 2020 ,” she said.
NPO Recipients (in no particular order).
List of NPOs who received funding support:
Golden Movement Service Centre – Knysna/ Karatara
Epic Sports Project – Kleinbrak River
The Plett Aid Foundation – Plett
Outeniqua Dawn – George
Paul M.Draay soup drive – Mossel Bay
The Living cornerstone alzeimers res – Sedgefield
Smiling ducks Educare – Albertinia
J-Square empowerment – Riversdale
Knysna Association for Persons with Disabilities – Knysna
Vermont Old Age Home – Knysna
Hephziba Solutions – Sedgefield
Youth for Change – Plett
Linos – Calitzzdorp
Tinkerland Nursery School – Knysna
External Bursary Recipients (in no particular order):
Please note that some of the recipients were represented at the handover ceremony by their parents.
Jose Rossouw
Zukhanye Marikeni
Lizalise Gamana
Zanda Ncedani
Leighton Cherry
Teddy Thomo
Johannes Van Wyngaard
Lynne Erasmus
Jaylin Opperman
Luciano Cobrim Trantraal
Sanelisiwe MgQobhozi
Sandre Adams
Anjahlay Julene
Cajtlin Samatha
Robert Swart
Alutha Althea
Shurenay Magan Jacobs
Heimne Giselle Elizabeth Esau
Ngamela Matiwane
Ernest Lamprecht
Wayiene Windwaai
Annie Muller
List of Grant In Aid Applications for year 2021:
1 Golden Movement Service Centre Sandalina Afrika
6 Hospice Plett Cecily van Heerden
10 Epic Sports Project Nicolaas Bezuidenhot
12 Outeniqua Dawn Xoliswa Bomvana
13 Paul M.Draay Soup Drive William Sam
14 The Living Cornestone Alzeimers Res Gilda Scammell
15 Smiling Ducks Educare Arita Terblanche
16 J-Square Empowerment Justin van Rensburg
17 Knysna Association for Persons with disabilities Veronique Fortune
19 Vermont Old Age Home Magdallena Hillary Brouwers
29 Hephziba Solutions Cleone Vanstone
37 Youth For Change Sithenkosi Innocent Bobani
38 Linos Coffee Christolino Pêrel
39 Tinkerland Nursery School Elmarie Maxim
Rain: There is 60% chance of light rain along the south-coast from today morning, spreading to the adjacent interior and the Central Karoo District from this afternoon. The rainfall is expected to be cleared by the mid-morning tomorrow along the western parts of the south coast, but remaining everywhere else until in the afternoon. Light rain is also expected on Wednesday morning along with the eastern parts of the south-coast, spreading throughout the south-coast by the evening until the early hours of Thursday morning. No significant weather expected from Thursday afternoon until Saturday afternoon. A weak cold front approaching the Western Cape Province is expected to make landfall on Saturday evening, resulting in light rain over the south-western parts of the province, spreading to the south-coast by Sunday morning while clearing from the west, remaining only along with the extreme eastern parts of the south-coast by the evening.
Winds: are expected to be strong easterly to south-easterly over the Cape Metropole and along with the south-western coastal areas today until tomorrow in the afternoon. A Yellow level 1 warning for WINDS has been issued with possible impacts such as possible runaway fires over these areas and other possible impacts. Otherwise, light to moderate southerly to south-easterly winds are expected throughout the province for the most part of the week.
Temperatures: are expected to be cool to warm along the coastal areas, but warm to hot over the interior.
Coastal winds: Winds are expected to be moderate to strong easterly to south-easterly for the most part of the week, moderating along the West-Coast by tomorrow afternoon where it becomes south-westerly, spreading to the south-coast by Friday afternoon.
Sea state: Mostly 2.0 to 3.0m wave heights, reaching 4.0 to 5.0m along the south-western coastline from Sunday afternoon, mostly south-westerly swells but easterly along the south-coast.
Most recent spring tide date: 12 April 2021
Issued by the South African Weather Service.
Report any severe weather-related incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at telephone number 044 805 5071.
Weather Alert: Impact Based Weather Warnings for Western Cape and Namaqua – 19 April 2021
Please find included the Impact Based Warning for the Western Cape and Namaqua Region of Northern Cape
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.”
Hazard
Alert Level
Affected Municipalities
Valid From(SAST)
Valid To(SAST)
Damaging Winds
Yellow(L1)
City of Cape Town, M_Cape Agulhas, M_Cape Agulhas, M_City of Cape town, M_Hessequa, M_Overstrand, M_Saldanha Bay, M_Swartland, M_Table Bay
19/04/21 05h00
20/04/21 23h00
Discussion: A high-pressure system south-west of the country will result in strong, south-easterly winds along the south-west coast of the Western Cape, and in places over Cape Metropole. Wind speed will be between 40 to 65km/h, with gusts reaching 75km/h. The wind are expected to moderate north of Slangkop on Tuesday morning. Along with the strong winds, wave heights of 4.5m between Cape Point and Cape Agulhas are expected resulting in very rough and choppy seas.
Impact: Considering warm, dry and windy conditions there is risk of additional fires are possible along with the further spreading of the Devils Peak fire. Furthermore, some transport routes, as well as high-sided vehicles, might be affected and/or blown over due to crosswinds. Some localised structural damage is also possible. For the coastal waters, difficulty in navigation of small vessels and personal water crafts such as kayaks are likely. There is also a risk for these small vessels to take on water and capsize in totality.
Instruction: Be aware of the following: – sudden crosswinds if travelling especially between buildings, fallen trees or power lines and debris on roads. Ensure that all temporary structures are well anchored and refrain from starting uncontrolled fires.
Report any weather related incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at:
044 805 5071.
SOUTH AFRICAN WEATHER SERVICE
Cape Town Weather Office
2nd Floor: Oval Office Park
Cape Town Int airport
Freight Road
Matroosfontein
Cape Town
