by SFT | Oct 18, 2026 | St Francis
A new school along the R102 will help ease classroom pressure in Humansdorp, as preparations continue for its official handover.
The Kouga Wind Farm Community Development Trust will hand over the new Humansdorp Primary School on Friday, 30 October 2026. Developed with the Eastern Cape Department of Education, the facility responds to growing demand for primary school places in the area.
For surrounding schools, the development will provide additional classroom capacity. For local families, it marks an investment in educational facilities designed to serve the growing community.
Final inspection ahead of handover
The trust recently hosted provincial education officials for an onsite inspection ahead of the handover. During Thursday’s walkthrough, representatives from both organisations inspected the completed learning blocks, administration facilities and supporting infrastructure.
The visit gave the project partners an opportunity to review the completed facility as final preparations continue. Meanwhile, the trust and education department are preparing for the operational and administrative handovers scheduled for the end of October.
These arrangements form part of the preparations for the upcoming academic year.
More classroom space for Humansdorp
Built on Erf 3298 along the R102, the new Humansdorp Primary School addresses a practical need: more space for learners.
The project aims to ease overcrowding at surrounding primary schools while providing modern, inclusive educational infrastructure. As a result, its value extends beyond the new campus to the wider network of schools serving the area.
Additional capacity will help accommodate growing classroom demand. At the same time, the completed learning and administration facilities bring the project closer to its next stage.
Local cooperation brings school to completion
The development reflects a joint effort between the Kouga Wind Farm Community Development Trust and the provincial education department. It also involved local residents, municipal partners and project contractors.
The trust thanked these contributors for helping bring the school to completion. Their cooperation supported a shared goal of expanding educational infrastructure in the Kouga region.
With construction complete and the inspection undertaken, attention now turns to the formal handover on 30 October. The occasion will mark the culmination of the building project and the next step towards bringing the new school into use.
by SFT | Oct 18, 2026 | St Francis
Kouga Local Municipality has secured a conservation agreement covering approximately 235 hectares of state-owned land near Cape St Francis. The agreement follows a community-driven process that began in 2015.
Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson announced the agreement on Friday, 16 October 2026. It gives the municipality responsibility for managing conservation land at Ongegunde Vryheid.
According to Macpherson, this is the department’s largest management lease. It also creates opportunities to protect the coastal landscape and support carefully managed nature-based tourism.
“This is a milestone for conservation, for the Kouga community and for the responsible management of public assets,” he said.
Macpherson explained that responsible management means assessing each property’s environmental, social and economic value.
“At Ongegunde Vryheid, that right use is conservation,” he said.
A conservation agreement more than a decade in the making
Kouga Municipality first approached the department about the land in 2015. Over the following years, discussions considered different portions for housing, municipal infrastructure and conservation.
However, environmental assessments identified significant areas as too sensitive for development. A solution therefore needed to protect these areas while allowing separate housing plans to proceed.
In October 2025, Macpherson directed the department to find a definitive solution. Officials then developed an approach separating the conservation land from the portion earmarked for future housing.
Following legal review and the necessary approvals, Macpherson granted final approval on 29 September 2026.
Under the agreement, national government will retain ownership. The arrangement provides for formal protection as a nature reserve under the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act.
Meanwhile, Kouga Municipality will serve as the management authority. FOSTER will play an operational role through a formal co-management arrangement.
This approach allows conservation work to move forward alongside the separate housing process.
Protecting the Cape St Francis coastal landscape
The property contains sensitive coastal habitats, wetlands and vegetation that support the region’s biodiversity.
Among its key features is St Francis Strandveld. This critically endangered vegetation type occurs only in the Eastern Cape and has limited protection elsewhere.
In addition, the land supports plant species of special conservation concern, including species threatened with extinction.
Coastal dunes help regulate sand movement and maintain beach stability. Wetlands also manage water flows and provide valuable natural services.
The landscape provides habitat for Cape grysbok, bushbuck, Cape clawless otters and diverse birdlife. Its archaeological heritage also connects the area to people who lived there thousands of years ago.
“These are assets that cannot simply be replaced once they are lost,” Macpherson said.
Formal protection would strengthen the conservation network around Cape St Francis. This includes the Cape St Francis Nature Reserve, Irma Booysen Flora Reserve and Seal Point Reserve.
Together, connected conservation areas help protect wildlife habitats and support the long-term health of the coastal environment.
Building on Irma Booysen’s conservation legacy
The agreement also builds on a longstanding local conservation effort.
Irma Booysen’s family owned the original Ongegunde Vryheid farm. During its development, she advocated for setting aside land to protect the fragile coastal fynbos.
The resulting Irma Booysen Flora Reserve now offers walking trails and opportunities to explore the area’s botanical diversity.
The additional conservation land creates an opportunity to extend that legacy. It also broadens the coastal landscape available for protection for future generations.
Supporting nature-based tourism
Kouga Executive Mayor Hattingh Bornman welcomed the agreement and the opportunities it creates for the area.
“The natural beauty makes Kouga a nice place to live, but the people make it special,” he said.
Bornman highlighted the connection between conservation and tourism. Protecting the landscape helps preserve the natural attractions that draw residents and visitors to Kouga.
With suitable planning, carefully managed public access could complement existing attractions. It could also support local tourism businesses and related economic activity.
However, visitor activities will need to suit the land’s environmental sensitivity. Any future facilities will depend on planning and the conservation management framework.
Partnerships will therefore play an essential role. The municipality, conservation organisations, tourism businesses and community representatives will help identify suitable opportunities and promote the area responsibly.
Macpherson also highlighted the wider public benefit of protecting government land.
“The value of a government asset is not measured only by what can be built on it or how much revenue it can generate,” he said.
For Cape St Francis, that value includes protecting biodiversity and maintaining the landscape that supports its tourism appeal.
The next steps for conservation
The next phase will focus on cooperation, oversight and implementation of the protected area’s management plan.
Macpherson acknowledged Kouga Municipality, FOSTER and the wider conservation community for their commitment. He also thanked Director-General Sifiso Mdakane and his team for helping resolve the longstanding matter.
For community members who supported the initiative from 2015, the announcement marks more than a decade of persistence.
That local effort has now developed into a partnership between national government, local government and conservation stakeholders. Its lasting value will depend on protecting the land’s natural habitats and heritage for future generations.
by SFT | Oct 18, 2026 | St Francis
The first Toughest KLM Employee Competition brought Kouga Local Municipality employees together on 16 October 2026 for a day of friendly competition.
Staff from departments across the municipality took part, sharing plenty of laughter, determination and encouragement along the way. The event gave colleagues an opportunity to connect outside their usual working environment.
The Office of the Deputy Municipal Manager initiated and organised the competition. Its focus was on teamwork, camaraderie and working together towards a common goal.
Electrical Team takes first place
The Electrical Team from Electro-Mechanical Services claimed first place in the Toughest KLM Employee Competition. Community Services finished second, while the Finance Team from Finance and Economic Development secured third.
Meanwhile, the celebrations extended to every employee who took part. Participants brought enthusiasm and a healthy competitive spirit to the challenge, while colleagues offered support throughout the day.
The municipality congratulated the winning teams and thanked all participants for stepping up to the challenge. It also acknowledged the organisers and supporters who helped make the event a success.
Connecting colleagues across departments
Alongside the competition, the day created space for employees to build relationships across municipal departments. Colleagues could spend time together in a different setting, share the experience and encourage one another.
Teamwork remained central to the event. While the final placings rewarded the leading teams, participation and support helped shape the atmosphere throughout the day.
The municipality highlighted this sense of connection as a key part of the competition’s success. Furthermore, the response from employees gave the first event a strong foundation for the future.
An annual tradition for Kouga employees
Following the success of the first Toughest KLM Employee Competition, the municipality plans to bring the challenge back next year.
The event has established a new opportunity for staff to come together through friendly competition. With the first results recorded, teams now have a benchmark for the next edition.
For the winning teams, there was plenty to celebrate. Meanwhile, everyone who participated helped launch a tradition built around shared effort, encouragement and team spirit.
by SFT | Oct 18, 2026 | St Francis
The Kouga electricity amnesty closes on 30 October 2026, giving residents limited time to regularise tampered meters and register rooftop solar systems.
Through its Revenue Enhancement Programme, Kouga Local Municipality offers residents an opportunity to bring their electricity installations into compliance. Those who voluntarily follow the process during the amnesty can avoid the penalties that would ordinarily apply.
For St Francis Bay and Cape St Francis residents with affected installations, the deadline is now approaching.
Regularise prepaid electricity meters
The programme covers tampered prepaid electricity meters. Residents with these meters can contact the municipality for guidance on putting their connections in order.
According to the municipality, meter tampering causes electricity losses, inaccurate billing and lost revenue. Consequently, it places additional pressure on resources needed for municipal services.
Executive Mayor Hattingh Bornman encouraged residents to use the opportunity before the deadline.
“We want to give residents every opportunity to put their electricity connections in order,” he said.
Bornman said the programme would also help protect the electricity network, improve billing accuracy and support a fairer system for residents.
Register rooftop solar systems
The Kouga electricity amnesty also covers unregistered rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.
All rooftop solar PV systems must be registered with the municipality. This process helps ensure that installations meet applicable requirements and operate safely.
Furthermore, the municipality warned that unregistered installations can create risks for the electricity network and its maintenance teams. These include electricity feeding back into the network during outages, voltage fluctuations and danger to employees carrying out repairs.
Residents with unregistered systems should therefore contact Electrical Services for guidance on the registration process.
Complete the process before the deadline
The municipality launched the programme on 1 March 2026. Council subsequently approved a four-month extension on 27 July 2026, allowing more residents time to comply.
However, the current amnesty period ends on 30 October 2026.
Bornman urged residents to act promptly and help build a safer, more sustainable electricity network across Kouga.
To make use of the programme, contact Kouga Local Municipality’s Electrical Services Department for guidance on meter regularisation and solar registration.
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