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Municipal Health

Another Greenest District Municipality award the District

21 October 2016 marked another victorious day for Eden District Municipality (Eden DM) and in particular, the Department: Community Services when they won the Western Cape Greenest District Municipality Award, for the fourth consecutive time and on top of that received R130 000.00 prize money. This announcement was made during a prestigious event which was hosted by the Western Cape Department Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, at the Devondale Golf and Wine Estate, in Stellenbosch. The awards were handed over by the Provincial Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Mr Anton Bredell.

During the press conference (fltr) : Mr Johan Gie (District Waste Management Officer), Mr Clive Africa (Executive Manager: Community Services), Cllr Memory Booysen (Eden DM Executive Mayor), Mr Godfrey Louw (Municipal Manager) and Mr Johan Compion (Manager: Municipal Health & Environmental Services) with the awards won at the annual Greenest Local Municipality Awards ceremony.

Mr Clive Africa, Executive Manager of Community Services and his team, worked hard to keep the Eden district “green”. Excellence in service delivery has once again been achieved, exactly as the Eden DM vision reads: “Eden, a future empowered through excellence”.

During a press conference held to announce Eden DM’s achievements, Municipal Manager, Mr Godfrey Louw, congratulated all role-players for a job well done.  He elaborated that excellence is one of the municipality’s seven (7) values and in cohesion with Eden DM vision; this achievement portrays a true testimony of service delivery outcomes, par excellence.

“Today, I consider myself as one of the most fortunate Mayors in South Africa, who took over a ‘well-run machine’, after the 2016 elections,” said Eden DM Executive Mayor, Cllr Memory Booysen.  “A municipality who received a clean-audit in the 2015/16 financial year; a municipality who won the South African Toughest Firefighter Alive Championships and now this past week, received the Western Cape Greenest District Municipality Award, for the fourth consecutive time.” Furthermore, Cllr Booysen extended his congratulations to the other municipalities in the district who also received awards.  In conclusion he mentioned that in order to ‘stay up there’, as Executive Mayor he will make sure that management and officials receive the political support in order to promote service delivery.

From the four (4) District Municipalities who participated in the 2016 competition, Eden DM won the Greenest District Municipality Award, which included the following categories:
•    Waste Management;
•    Water Management & Conservation;
•    Climate Change Response;
•    Coastal Management; and
•    Air Quality Management.

In addition to this, the district also won awards for the “Clean Fires Campaign and the “Innovation Award” for the Enviro Health Application that is currently being used by Eden DM Municipal Health officials.

Hessequa Municipality won the following B-municipal categories and the overall Greenest Local Municipality:
•    Climate Change Response
•    Biodiversity Management
•    Coastal Management
•    Leadership and Compliance

In a very humble manner Mr Africa explained:  “This award is a beautiful collaboration of love, labour and service. It would not have been achieved without strong team work. Mr Godfrey Louw, the Eden DM Municipal Manager, our Councillors, officials from Supply Chain and Corporate-/Strategic Services, including Administration Staff and Cleaners, all played a vital role in our success. This is proof that our vision of ‘Excellence’ has once more been achieved through focusing our energy towards service delivery to the valuable people of the Eden district”. The profound leadership of Mr Johan Compion must be acknowledged, as well as the dedication, passion and commitment of Dr Johan Schoeman, Mr Morton Hubbe, Mr Johan Gie and Mr Vernon Gibbs-Halls. Eden DM also won the award for innovation for the implementation of a Cell Phone App to improve service delivery and its efforts to inform communities about fire safety with the Eden Clean Fires Campaign.

Mossel Bay Hand-Wash Project

 

Environmental Health Practitioners busy demonstrating proper hand-wash techniques to toddlers.

In a quest to educate communities, especially children at pre-school level about the benefits of proper health and hygiene habits, Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) from Eden District Municipality’s (Eden DM) Municipal Health Section, regularly visits crèches in the district.

 

On 20 and 21 October 2016, EHPs from the Mossel Bay Office, together with the Portfolio Councillor of Community Services, Cllr Khayelethu Lose visited six (6) crèches in Kwanonqaba and Great Brak River. During these visits, four hundred and fifty (450) toddlers and thirty five (35) teachers were reached and trained regarding the importance of proper hand-wash methods.

Toddlers and teachers were also trained in methods to improve hygiene behaviour, as well as ways to prevent diarrhoeal, sanitation and water-related diseases. One of the key messages communicated, was that good handwashing habits are the first line of defence against the spread of many illnesses, like common colds, to more serious infections, such as diarrhea.

Hand-wash techniques were demonstrated and the importance of using soap, were emphasised. Incentives, which included soap dispensers, hand-wash soap and paper towels, were handed out. The project was a great success and feedback received from crèches, was very positive.

Engagement between Chinese and the Eden District might grow trade

The delegates from China with stakeholders from the Eden district shortly after discussions.

A dialogue between various Eden district stakeholders and a Chinese delegation, took place on 8 October 2016 at Oubaai and could lead to stronger trade relations as soon as China buys into what the Eden district has on offer. The Executive Mayor of Eden District Municipality (Eden DM), Councillor Memory Booysen, chaired the engagement and allowed a few local businesses from the agriculture, health and training sectors, to introduce their products and services to Dr Hongbin Cheng and his partners.

Dr Cheng is the Co-founder of New China Times Technology (NCTT), the Managing Director of Beijing Sinoera Technology (BST) and the General Manager in South Africa’s Taichi He. Dr Cheng’s close ties with the Chinese government is an advantage to trade and this will make links to China and South Africa easier. Dr Cheng proposed that a Communication Centre be built in South Africa, to enable efficient communication between the two countries. Communication centres have already been established in Korea, Thailand, Germany and soon in the Netherlands. It is envisaged that Dr Cheng will return next year (2017) with an extended delegation to continue discussions and to visit sites in the Eden district.

The George Executive Mayor, Cllr Melvin Naik welcomed the delegates and said the following: “We want to export, we want to import and we want to do business with other countries, but we have to put our money where our mouths are. I want you to engage with our people and when you come across local businesses that you can assist or help grow, please do so.”

Eden DM Executive Mayor agreed that there might be a level of difficulty when engaging with China via a national level and that engagements should be scaled down to a local level, especially between the more than 300 cities of China. “Those cities should talk to our cities,” and he boasted that “as you spend time with us you will find that this is a great region. We have highly educated people, we are politically stable, we have a good transport system – we are ready for business”.

An extended group of Chinese delegates plan to return to the Eden district during 2017. With Dr Hongbin Cheng (middle), is Councillor Memory Booysen, Eden DM Executive Mayor (left) and Councillor Melvin Naik, George Executive Mayor (right).

Illegal Practise – Environmental Health Inspections

It has come to the attention of Eden District Municipality (Eden DM) that there are individuals posing as Environmental Health Practitioners / Health Inspectors and demanding payment from owners of businesses for license fees, health certificates and health reports.
This is an  illegal practise  and the general public and business  owners  are hereby  warned not  to participate in any activities by  persons  that pose as  above – mentioned  officials .

All Environmental Health Practitioners employed by Eden DM, will at all times, be in possession of an official Eden identity document, which should be presented before any inspection commences.
This identity document is in colour, with the Eden DM logo displayed in front, accompanied by a colour photo of the official and his or her South African identity number.

The reverse side will quote the applicable legislation (in red), enabling the official to perform his / her duties, accompanied by a H.I. number of the official registered at the Health Professionals Council of South Africa, as well as the date of issue and the signature of the Municipal Manager.

No Eden DM official will demand payment in cash, cheque or any other form of payment for services rendered. Where Health Certificate fees or other fees are payable, an official document with a unique reference number with Eden DM banking details, will be presented. Any fees due to Eden DM should by deposited directly into the banking account of Eden DM.

All inspections undertaken by Environmental Health Practitioners are, with a few exceptions, captured electronically on a cellular phone and managers or persons in charge of the premises are required to sign on the screen of the phone, with an electronic pen.  Inspection books are only used in rare cases where the electronic program does not make provisions for certain types of inspections.
Readers are urged to report any irregularities in this regard to SAPS or any Eden DM office in their area of jurisdiction.

ONWETTIGE PRAKTYK – OMGEWINGSGESONDHEIDSINSPEKSIES

Dit het onder Eden Distriksmunisipaliteit se aandag gekom dat daar persone is wat sakepersele en besighede besoek en hulself valslik as Omgewingsgesondheidspraktisyns/Gesondheidsinspekteurs voordoen. Hulle reik vals besigheidslisensies, geskiktheidsertifikate en gesondheidsverslae uit in ruil vir kontant. Eienaars van besighede word gewaarsku om hulle nie deur hierdie skelms te laat mislei nie.

‘n Omgewingsgesondheidspraktisyn in diens van Eden DM moet ten alle tye ‘n amptelike Eden DM Identifikasiekaart by hom/haar hê en moet dit voor enige inspeksie aan die persoon in beheer van die besigheid, toon.

Hierdie identifikasiekaartjie is in kleur gedruk en sal ‘n Eden DM embleem op die voorkant hê. Daarop verskyn ‘n kleurfoto van die amptenaar, sowel as sy of haar naam en RSA identiteitsnommer. Op die agterkant word die wetgewing ingevolge waarvan die amptenaar aangestel is, in rooi vertoon. Tesame verskyn die amptenaar se proffesionele H.I. Registrasienommer by die “Health Professionals Council of South Africa(HPCSA)”, gevolg met sy handtekening en datum waarop die kaartjie uitgereik is. Onderaan verskyn die Munisipale Bestuurder van Eden DM se handtekening.

Geen omgewingsgesondheidspraktisyn sal enigsins kontant of enige ander vorm van betaling in ontvangs neem nie. Betalings, indien enige, geskied deur direkte inbetalings in Eden DM se bankrekening. ‘n Amptelike betalingsvorm met Eden DM se bankbesonderhede met ‘n unieke verwysingsnommer op die vorm, sal in geval van gelde verskuldig, oorhandig word.

Alle inspeksies wat uitgevoer word, word elektronies deur middel van ‘n selfoon vasgelê en ‘n inspeksieverslag word op die betrokke perseel  ingesleutel. Die besigheidseienaar teken dan met ‘n elektroniese pen op die selfoon se skerm dat sodanige inspeksie uitgevoer is. In uitsonderlike gevalle waar daar nie voorsiening gemaak word om inligting elektronies te laai nie, mag ‘n inspeksieboek gebruik word.

Indien enige persoon namens Eden DM dus kontant, tjeks of enige ander vorm van betaling vereis word ‘n beroep op die publiek gedoen om dit onmiddellik by die SAPD of die naaste Eden DM kantoor, te rapporteer.

Eden DM procures a Mobile Air Monitoring Station

“Air Quality ambient monitoring is a statutory requirement of District Municipalities, in terms of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (Act 39 of 2004).

Until recently, the Eden District Municipality (Eden DM) Air Quality Unit made use of passive sampling, which is not ideal for accurate monitoring purposes. In the current financial year, provision was made on the capital budget, for the procurement of a Mobile Air Quality Monitoring Station. The Supply Chain Management processes were followed, where after the tender was awarded to C & M Consulting, for the purchasing of a Mobile Ambient Monitoring Station, the Scentinal SL50.

The Scentinal SL50 provides ambient odour emission monitoring, based on high accuracy (ppb level), detection of odorous gases such as Hydrogen Sulpide (H2S), Ammonia, Volitile Organic Compound (VOC’s), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) and other chemical compounds, depending on user specification. The system allows up to 20 sensors to be optionally incorporated into one Scentinal package. It also allows remote live monitoring of plant emissions on Scentroid’s cloud servers or locally from the Scentinal’s on board display. Scentinal SL50 comes in a NEMA4x cabinet, to operate within ambient environment between 4 to 35 degrees Celsius. Optionally, each SL50 can be equipped with an air conditioning system for temperatures between 35 to 60 degrees Celsius. The station is also equipped with a heating system for temperatures ranging from 4 to -30 °C.

The Scentinal can be used almost everywhere, indoor- and outdoor installation is possible. It has two options for live monitoring, one being remotely on a secure cloud based server or locally with the on-board touch screen. The system can be configured remotely or locally. Access is restricted, and the data is encrypted for maximum security. Users will have access with a unique password and username, which will define their permission level.

This Scentinal SL50 Station will assist Eden DM in determining the impact of air pollution, and will serve as a screening method for possible risk areas. The station is also essential for dealing with air quality related complaints. It is mobile and easy to commission and operate. “This is the 1st station of such a nature used by a District Municipality in the Western Cape,” said Dr Johann Schoeman, Eden DM Manager: Air Quality Control.

The Scentinal SL50 Station is in high demand and will be used in the hot spots areas throughout the Eden district. It is also solar operational in areas where there is no electricity supply. The only disadvantage is that it has to be guarded or placed at locations where it is secure. The station with all its accessories cost R480 000.

On Monday, 12 June 2017, the Air Quality Unit held a press conference during which Dr Johann Schoeman explained to the media that Eden DM is confident that the station will assist them with the objective of determining the impact of air pollution in the district. The station was also recently located in Knysna at the Provincial Hospital. The reason was to determine the aftermath of the possible air pollution impact on the residents. There were a few spikes of Carbon monoxide and Particulate matter. This may well be due to some fires still smoldering as well as the current dust situation due to loss of vegetation. There were however, no exceedances of the National Ambient Air Quality standards after the fires.