Politicians cheer name change

GEORGE NEWS - The Garden Route District Municipality officially unfurled its new name and logo at their offices in York Street on Friday 28 September to loud cheers from the politicians of all the political parties represented in the chamber.

Sporting the new smartly crafted mayoral chain, Garden Route District Municipality Mayor Memory Booysen praised the opposition parties for their support on the name change.

Booysen added that the Garden Route District Municipality must be one of the few or maybe the only council in the country in which the opposition supported the budget that was tabled for 2018/2019. "We work well together but I am the first to admit that I listen to what they say and ask for."

The mayor explained the different elements of the new logo:
The King Protea, which has pride of place in the top right corner, is South Africa's National flower, found in the Western Cape, including parts of the Garden Route.

The outline of the Outeniqua mountain depicts the linkage between municipal areas on both sides of the mountains. The mountains separate the northern and southern parts of the Garden Route, but it can also be seen as linking the lush southern part with the dry northern part of the region.

The ostrich in the top left corner symbolises the Oudtshoorn and Kannaland municipal areas.

The blue swishes resemble the sea and the wetlands.

Charles Shilowa of the Airports Company South Africa (left) and Monde Stratu, municipal manager of the District Municipality, sign the memorandum of understanding while George Airport manager Brenda Vorster and Mayor Memory Booysen look on.

A memorandum of understanding between the district municipality and the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) was also signed at the ceremony. Charles Shilowa, group executive of Business Development at Acsa, said that it will be easy to market the new name as it is not only well known, it is also distinctive and unique to South Africa.

Guests applaud the new logo at the entrance to the Garden Route District Municipal offices in York Street. Photos: Myron Rabinowitz