Perseverance of resident pays of

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GEORGE NEWS & VIDEO - Thanks to the tireless efforts of retired George resident Peter-John Hannabus, working conditions for the security guards at the Garden Route Dam are now much improved.

Hannabus, who moved to George in 2009, loves hiking and often walked from his house to the dam for exercise. When he saw the conditions the guards had to work in, he decided to do something.

"It was not humane. Some of the guards had to walk a kilometre to a toilet," he said. Before retiring he was in the police force and never gave people a job that he could not do himself. He also never let people work in conditions that he could not face.

Getting something done was not easy. He contacted different departments at the George Municipality without much luck, which left him very frustrated. In his quest he also contacted George Herald to make enquiries.

It was only after he got hold of the ward councillor for the area, Donavan Gultig, that the ball really got rolling.

Hannabus (left) with some of the workers upgrading the toilet at the Garden Route Dam.

The security guards are smiling broadly. Though the project is not fully finished yet, conditions are much better. They now all have better equipped huts to work from and toilets near their working places.

Peter-John Hannabus at the basin in the security guards' hut.

The hut at the entrance at the main gate has a basin with running water and an electric meter. Gultig thanked Hannabus for spearheading the project. He also thanked George Mayor Leon van Wyk, Municipal Manager Trevor Botha, and head of Protection Services Steven Erasmus.

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Gultig is happy that everything worked out well and that the security guards now have better and more humane working conditions.

"I welcome it when people bring such things to my attention. I don't view it as a complaint, but as a potential improvement."

A relieved Hannabus said he is very happy with the progress. He stressed that it was a team effort and thanked Gultig and other municipal officials. "It shows what can be done if residents and other stakeholders join hands and work together," he said.

One of the upgraded huts with a toilet nearby.