Kouga Municipality gears up for a safe and enjoyable festive season

by SFT | Dec 4, 2024 | St Francis

Kouga – As the festive season approaches, Kouga Municipality is set to welcome residents and visitors with robust safety, traffic, and beach management measures.

Kouga Executive Mayor, Hattingh Bornman, emphasised the municipality’s readiness to ensure a joyful and secure holiday season, stating, “Kouga is committed to providing a world-class holiday experience for all.

“Our focus remains on safety, cleanliness, and accessibility, ensuring that every visitor leaves with fond memories of our beautiful region.”

Blue Flag beaches ready to shine

Dolphin Beach in Jeffreys Bay and Cape St Francis Beach have once again earned the prestigious Blue Flag status for the 2024/2025 season, reaffirming Kouga’s commitment to environmental excellence and tourism standards. The Blue Flag programme, managed by WESSA, assesses beaches on criteria including water quality, safety, and environmental education.

The Blue Flag season for Dolphin Beach will run from 1 December 2024 to 30 April 2025, while Cape St Francis Beach will maintain its status from 2 December 2024 to 28 February 2025.

During this period, lifeguard services will be available daily from 08:00 to 17:00.

Kouga Municipality gears up

Additionally, both beaches feature well-maintained walkways, disability ramps, and amphibian wheelchairs to ensure accessibility for all visitors. Facility maps will further assist guests in navigating available amenities. Shark spotters will also be deployed for added safety.

Lifeguards will also be on duty from 2 December 2024 to 17 January 2025 at Kabejauws Beach and Lagoon, Pellsrus Beach, Aston Bay Beach and Lagoon, Paradise Beach, St Francis Main Beach, Granny’s Pool and Oyster Bay.

Bornman said, “The Blue Flag status of our beaches is a testament to our dedication to maintaining Kouga as a premier tourist destination. Visitors can rest assured that their safety and enjoyment are our top priorities.”

Enhanced traffic law enforcement

The municipality has implemented a comprehensive traffic management plan to promote road safety during the busy holiday period. Enhanced visibility patrols and zero-tolerance enforcement will target:

• Alcohol consumption by drivers
• Seatbelt compliance
• Overloading, particularly in public transport vehicles
• Driver and vehicle fitness.

Speed enforcement measures, including average speed monitoring, will also be in effect.

Bornman urged all road users to adhere to traffic regulations, stating, “Safety on our roads is a shared responsibility. Let us work together to ensure that every journey is a safe one.”

Law enforcement and security

The municipality’s law enforcement teams will operate 24/7, supported by a dedicated Boots on the Ground unit comprising 43 members.

These patrols will cover key areas, including:

• Jeffreys Bay: From Aston Bay Road to Island Vibe, Main Beach, the Central Business District, Kabeljauws, and Pellsrus Park Area.
• St Francis Bay and Cape St Francis: From Granny’s Pool to the Main Beach, St Francis Drive, the R330, Tarragona, and Oyster Bay.
• Humansdorp: The Bosbok, Gill Marcus, Arcadia, and KwaNomzamo Water Treatment Plants, as well as the Humansdorp Holding Pen.

Neighbourhood Watches and private security companies will bolster efforts to combat crime, while regular beach patrols will focus on safeguarding visitors during early morning hours.

Two new LDVs have been allocated for law enforcement patrols, and an additional vehicle will support municipal security operations.

Bornman said, “We are deeply invested in the well-being of everyone in Kouga. From our pristine beaches to our vibrant towns, every measure has been taken to ensure a festive season that is both enjoyable and secure.”

Kouga Municipality wishes all residents and visitors a joyous festive season. Let us celebrate responsibly and make this holiday one to remember.

Read more: Kouga Municipality celebrates historic clean audit achievement

Kouga adds torque power to municipal fleet, investing R58,5M Rand

by SFT | Dec 4, 2024 | St Francis

Kouga – In a major boost to service delivery across the region, Kouga Municipality has recently acquired 60 brand-new vehicles, marking an investment of R58 493 603.00.

The vehicles, which includes specialized yellow plant equipment, were procured through service providers Sky Metro Equipment, MDZ Fleet Services, and Avis (trading as Zeda Fleet).

Designed to enhance operational efficiency, the vehicles will strengthen the municipality’s capacity to deliver essential services such as waste management, water provision, road maintenance, and emergency response.

The new fleet includes:

• 32 Nissan Navara Single Cab 2×4
• 6 Toyota Corolla Hatch (new traffic vehicles)
• 5 Nissan Navara Single Cab 4×4
• 2 Truck Mounted Cherry Pickers
• 2 Refuse Compactors
• 2 Water Tankers
• 2 Skip Trucks
• 2 Land Cruisers
• 2 Honey Suckers
• 1 Grader
• 1 Combination Suction and Jetting Truck
• 1 Nissan Navara Double Cab
• 1 Tractor Loader Backhoe (TLB)
• 1 Smooth Drum Roller

This latest addition brings the municipality’s fleet to a robust total of 312 vehicles, with older models scheduled for auction later this financial year, which will streamline the fleet to 283 units.

 Driving service delivery

Kouga Executive Mayor, Hattingh Bornman, expressed immense pride in this milestone. “When we took over the Council in 2016, the municipal fleet was in a state of complete disrepair, with only 4% of vehicles operational,” he said.

“Today, we can proudly say that 97% of the fleet is in excellent working condition. This remarkable turnaround means our teams can reach every corner of Kouga efficiently, ensuring improved services for all residents.”

The expanded fleet will significantly reduce the time spent on vehicle repairs and maintenance, further enhancing responsiveness and service delivery. This initiative is also expected to deliver significant cost savings by reducing expenses related to repairs, maintenance, and vehicle hire.

“We are excited to see these vehicles in action, delivering essential services and making a tangible difference in the lives of our residents,” added Bornman.

Read more: Kouga Municipality raises prestigious Blue Flag at pristine beaches

St Francis Property Owners Association Sign Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Kouga Local Municipality (KLM) for Self-Funded Road Resurfacing.

by SFT | Dec 4, 2024 | St Francis

The SFPO has developed a process in collaboration with the municipality that will enable ratepayers to self-fund the resurfacing of their roads. 

The first project, as well as the second project, have been completed. An MOU for the first project was signed, enabling the residents of Spray Avenue and Moby Dick Wharf, as well as the developer of Grande Comoros Retirement Village, to engage Scribante Construction to resurface one kilometre of local roads to completion.

 1st Thursday of the Month

The process results from the Mayor’s “1st Thursday of the Month“ meetings, where residents first contacted KLM’s political and professional leadership. Encouraged by the enthusiastic response, the residents then engaged with the SFPO to represent them.

The process is straightforward and will facilitate the fast processing of requests from ratepayers who wish to re-surface their roads in the future.

Here is how it works:

Steps to Resurface Your Road:

1. Contact Lyn Aitkin on mobile: 082 777 5624, Email: info@sfpo.co.za or office telephone: 042 294 0594 at the SFPO, providing details of the road(s) under consideration. The Volunteer Project Coordinator will be the local resident who will represent the homeowners.
2. Arrangements will be made for a site meeting at which a representative from the KLM, the SFPO, the Project Coordinator and the contractor will be present to define the scope of work and allow the contractor to provide a quotation for the specified works.
3. If the local residents approve the quotation, the Project Coordinator will submit the homeowners’ names, erf numbers, and street addresses to the SFPO for inclusion in an MOU.
4. The SFPO will forward and facilitate applications to the municipality.
5. The municipality will prepare a MOU between the volunteers (local residents), the SFPO, and the municipality.
6. After receiving the signed MOU, the Project Coordinator will send the contractor a list of homeowners for invoicing.
7. Works will commence once the contractor has received payment. Alternatively, one or more residents may agree to stand surety for the volunteers, which will allow the work to commence immediately. 
8. The SRA will coordinate roles and responsibilities between the contractor, volunteers and municipality during construction.
9. The Volunteer Project Coordinator will be required to actively manage the process. 

From left: Kimon Augustatus (Initiator), Aldo Scribante (Contractor CEO) , and Ant Adler (Resident Project Coordinator).

By Ant Adler, Volunteer Project Coordinator, Moby Dick Wharf.

Read more: Kouga Municipality raises prestigious Blue Flag at pristine beaches