GEORGE NEWS - The multi-stakeholder Festive Season Monitoring Committee that kept the boat afloat during the holidays will soon start with their planning for the 2023 festive season.
Municipal and external stakeholders such as the NSRI, SANParks and police met daily to assess available resources, and identify and address possible risks to ensure that holidaymakers have a carefree time.
QR codes provided the public with quick and easy access to websites containing information on tourist activities and events, important municipal contact details as well as water and other safety tips for our visitors.
According to George Municipality, they received very positive feedback from residents, businesses and visitors on the management of the season. Some commented on the safety: "One felt safe, looked after and protected on so many levels during what can only be described as a bumper season. Our village was swamped with visitors and I believe that we showed how things can be done." Others were impressed by the general upkeep of the town: "Our children have been visiting from Cape Town, and have been so impressed by the beach monitors, helpful traffic cops and general cleanliness."
Acting park manager for the Wilderness National Park Jonathan Britton expressed his gratitude to all staff, municipal and otherwise, who worked long hours. He said this holiday season again proved the value of partnerships, dedication, and teamwork.
NSRI Wilderness station com-mander Michael Vonk lauded the successful management of this past season, which was one of the busiest in recent years. He did however qualify that a measured response should be adopted to the success of the season, as we did experience three fatal drownings, two at Wilderness Beach and one at Victoria Bay, and a number of non-fatal drowning incidents.
He said close collaboration, teamwork and partnerships between all role players ensured that the necessary preventative measures were in place to limit the number of serious incidents on our beaches. "In particular, the lifeguards should be recognised for their effort in preventing more drownings," said Vonk.
Emergency services
Lifeguards were deployed at Gwaiing Beach, Herold's Bay, Victoria Bay, Wilderness Leentjiesklip, Steps, Wilderness Main and the Conville public swimming pool daily from 07:00 to 19:00 and will remain on duty until 31 January at the Blue Flag beaches (Herold's Bay, Victoria Bay and Wilderness Main).
A total of three drownings, 35 rescues, 66 help-outs, 66 first-aid incidents, 336 bluebottle stings and eight emergency medical assistance were attended tp by the team of lifeguards, NSRI and emergency personnel at the various beaches.
The newly acquired JetRIB, a 1 800cc jet ski built into a rubber duck pontoon structure, proved invaluable this season and a huge asset to the summer safety measures. The mobile JOC was deployed for 10 days of high season and the fire brigade drone was used to survey sea conditions, for shark spotting, searching of missing persons and during rescue operations, once again showing the value of expenditure on technology to aid in safety measures.
Emergency services were kept busy and attended to eight formal structure fires and 23 informal structure fires. Regrettably, two lives were lost in the informal structure fires. Fire officials also attended to 59 veld fires, two building fires, four motor vehicle fires, 47 motor vehicle incidents, 32 other emergency incidents, four drowning incidents and 23 false alarms.
The JetRIB in action.
Traffic management
George Traffic Services actively patrolled all municipal areas in collaboration with Western Cape Provincial Traffic, including participating in regular vehicle checkpoints focusing on drunk driving as well as vehicle and driver fitness. Traffic flow was managed as best possible, in particular at congested intersections such as the N2/Victoria Bay, Garden Route Mall, the exit ramp to Mossel Bay on Knysna Road, N2/Station Road (Wilderness), N2/Caltex (Wilderness), N2/SANParks and N2/Salinas.
Temporary road signs and traffic cones were placed at dangerous locations to ensure compliance (prevention of illegal parking/obstruction/encroachment on roadways) causing danger to other road users. To ease traffic flow, each beach had an area demarcated for drop and go. Staff deployed over this period at beaches were eight traffic wardens and 20 EPWP staff assisting with drop and go, monitoring and enforcement of parking, road closures and directing motorists to suitable parking locations.
A law enforcement official on the job.
Funeral escorts and events
Aside from attending to beaches and high-pressure traffic points, traffic officials assisted with 12 funeral escorts as well as traffic control at various events including the Christmas Lights Festival, George Tens and Palm Tyres 21km race.
A total of 43 vehicle accidents were attended to without recorded injuries, 10 with injuries and three with fatalities. A total of 322 notices were issued for a variety of traffic and vehicle offences, 32 impoundments were made and R70 000 worth of fines were collected.
The vehicle testing station offered three days in December where a free 10-point check could be done on your vehicle before travelling. This is the second year the service was offered and 40 motorists took advantage of it. The same service will be offered until tomorrow, 13 January, from 08:30 to 15:30 (VTS, Hibernia Street).
Blue flag beaches and cleansing
Wilderness Main Beach and Herold's Bay Beach remain full Blue Flag beaches until 31 January, and Victoria Bay retains Pilot Blue Flag status. Compliance is required in terms of the international standards, which includes high standards of water quality monitoring, public safety, lifeguard services and well-maintained coastal amenities.
Oil spills consisting of hydrocarbon, low-sulphur oil droplets were found on several beaches along the Garden Route early in December and a multi-agency command centre was established to resolve the issue. There have been no reports linking the oil spill to humans, birds or marine life and all affected George beaches were declared green status (monitored and open for use) by 8 December.
Municipal cleaning teams together with Working for the Coast teams worked non-stop for days to clear Herold's Bay, Victoria Bay, Ballot's Bay, Wilderness Beach from Leentjiesklip to Salina's, Gwaiing Beach, and Kaaimans mouth.
Municipal beach cleaning teams worked from 06:00 until 21:00 frequently and started at 04:00 on New Year's Day to ensure that the beaches were clean for the first beachgoers of the morning. The cleaning teams also did sterling work in keeping the beach ablution facilities in excellent condition despite heavy usage. The CBD cleansing teams kept the town clean and neat for visitors.
Herold's Bay in peak season.
Beach facilities were kept intact and neat.
Wilderness lagoon
Beach monitors, law enforcement and anti-land invasion officials
George Municipality was adamant that no alcohol would be allowed on our beaches and confiscated 317 litres of alcohol with a retail value of about R21 110 from the start of the festive season. Neighbourhood watches, community police forums as well as the police worked closely with the municipality with regard to community safety. The confiscated alcohol will be handed over to the police for disposal.
The department of Forensic Pathology Services for George assisted by the community police forum, SANParks, George Law Enforcement, neighbourhood watch and Bambanani members at the Wilderness and Leentjiesklip beach areas, handed out 8 000 orange and yellow armbands to children.
The parent or caregiver's name and contact details were written on the armbands and recorded in a register to assist in the event of the children being separated from their parents or caregivers. Two children were reunited with their families using this system at Wilderness Lagoon.
Some of the confiscated alcohol
Fireworks
George Municipality continued to implement a complete ban on the setting off of fireworks, firecrackers, flares, paper lanterns, and other such paraphernalia in the George municipal area.
Over 292 visits were undertaken to a variety of retail outlets and an estimated R4 500 worth of fireworks was confiscated (retail value) with fines issued totalling R14 500. It is encouraging to see that the value of fines and confiscations has declined on last year. The municipality thanks those retail outlets who have adhered to the applicable regulations.
Municipal offices remained open
The municipal offices were only closed on the public holidays and for a few days after 27 December after a burst pipe caused extensive water damage to the third, second and first floor of the main building in York Street.
The planning division processed 309 building plans in-season with 113 approved (104 residential, nine non-residential). A total of 144 applications (124 residential and 20 non-residential) remain in circulation. A total of 196 (170 residential and 26 non-residential) were not approved due to either not complying and/or additional information being required.
A total of 46 (44 residential and two non-residential) Certificates of Occupancy were issued. Furthermore, a total of 106 building control-related inspections were conducted. These include 13 commencement inspections, 12 drainage inspections and 81 completion inspections.
The building control division was equally busy with building control contraventions and complaints that could be addressed ex-peditiously over the festive season. A total of 35 complaints were received and attended to.
Human settlements
The division for human settlements dealt with the aftermath of several fires in December with a large incident totalling 20 informal house fire cases in Edameni on 10 December.
All 20 families lost their structures and belongings during this incident. Temporary accommodation was given to the 20 families at the All Bricks Community Hall. The municipal social services division assisted them with mattresses, blankets, food and other items. Assistance was given to four families who accepted second-hand building material.
Another five families have been prioritised and will receive assistance soon. The remaining families must still provide the balance of documentation required for assistance in terms of the approved Emergency Accommodation and Assistance Policy.
Two BNG (breaking new ground) houses affected by fires will be investigated, whereafter an application in terms of the Emergency Housing Programme will be submitted to the Western Cape Provincial Department of Human Settlements.
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