Coca-Maak Skoon to ‘sweep’ Kouga’s streets – again

by SFT | Dec 1, 2023 | St Francis

 KOUGA – In a vibrant display of community spirit and environmental stewardship, Kouga Municipality is gearing up for its annual clean-up campaign for the fourth consecutive year. Thus fostering a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable environment.

Residents of Kouga are once again invited to declutter their homes by disposing of unwanted items that cannot be accommodated in standard refuse collections.

Coca-Maak Skoon

Known as ‘Coca-Maak Skoon’, incorporating the isiXhosa and Afrikaans words for cleaning up, this project is an integral part of the ongoing Keep Kouga Clean campaign. Furthermore, it is set to commence on 4 December 2023 and is scheduled to conclude on 8 December 2023.

This year, a notable change will take place as the project is set to run simultaneously across all towns in the region.

Building on the success of previous initiatives since 2020, residents are encouraged to part with items ranging from electronic waste to old furniture. Yet, exclusions are limited to food items, to deter scavengers, as well as garden refuse and builders’ rubble.

So food items should be disposed of in wheelie bins on regular refuse collection days. Further, garden refuse and builders’ rubble must be taken to designated landfill sites.

Fourth Consecutive Year

“We are thrilled to launch the Coca-Maak Skoon campaign for the fourth consecutive year, a testament to the commitment and enthusiasm of Kouga residents,” said Kouga Executive Mayor, Hattingh Bornman, said. “This year’s simultaneous clean-up across all towns amplifies our collective impact, demonstrating the unity of our community in maintaining a clean and thriving environment.

Bornman emphasises the importance of adhering to the advertised collection days in each area. Further, he advises against placing items on the pavement once the collection truck has moved on from a specific location.

“The collective effort of Kouga residents is crucial in ensuring the success of this endeavour to maintain a clean and thriving community,” he said. “So let us work together to create a cleaner, healthier Kouga for all.”

The programme is as follows:

Gamtoos Valley

• Monday, 4 December – Patensie
• Tuesday, 5 December – Hankey
• Wednesday, 6 December – Weston
• Thursday, 7 December – Loerie
• Friday, 8 December – Thornhill

Greater St Francis Area

• Monday, 4 December – Santareme
• Tuesday, 5 December – St Francis Bay
• Wednesday, 6 December – Cape St Francis and Sea Vista
• Thursday, 7 December – Oyster Bay

Humansdorp

• Monday, 4 December – Kruisfontein and Donkerhoek
• Tuesday, 5 December – Maak `n Las, Gill Marcus, Vaaldam, Mooi Uitsig, and Johnson’s Ridge
• Wednesday, 6 December – Arcadia, Graslaagte, Matt Melville and Moerasrivier
• Thursday, 7 December – KwaNomzamo, Vergenoeg Golf Course, Shukushukuma and Polar Park
• Friday, 8 December – Humansdorp Town, Boskloof and Panorama

Jeffreys Bay

• Monday, 4 December – Paradise Beach and Aston Bay
• Tuesday, 5 December – Pellsrus, Ocean View, Madiba Bay and Tokyo Sexwale
• Wednesday, 6 December – C-Place, The Sands, Jeffreys Bay Central
• Thursday, 7 December – Upper Wavecrest
• Friday, 8 December – Lower Wavecrest and Kabeljauws

See also: Kouga Municipality proudly raises prestigious Blue Flag – Three Beaches Awarded, Including Cape St Francis

Notes From The Editor – The Winds Of Change

by SFT | Dec 1, 2023 | St Francis

The other day, I drove around the village and looked at the ongoing development. It is quite startling when you slow down, soak it in and notice the winds of change.

The reason behind development, generally, is that needs have been recognised in that area. There is a need for more accommodation, retail outlets, safe and gated communities, and bigger premises for booming businesses.

A lot is going on, and it will only gather momentum.

Talking to friends, of whom I have younger and older friends and acquaintances, there is a mix of distrust, acceptance and ambivalence. Our history will show that this serene little neck of the woods has been quiet and undeveloped for a very long time, and now that so many people have semigrated, the floodgates are wide open. There is now rapid development in many areas that were earmarked for development years ago and have only recently come to the fore.

Local schools are being developed, as well as lifestyle communities, which is a term that describes ballie communities—with development thus catering for our kids and looking after our elderly.

Is It A Village, is It A Town?

When it comes to the sizes of communities, the classification according to size goes from hamlet (smallest) to village to town to city. After doing some complex research (asking Google in very different ways), I came up with this answer.

“A village and a town differ primarily in size, population, and infrastructure. A village is typically a small community, often characterised by a close-knit population engaged in agriculture or traditional crafts. It generally needs more advanced amenities and services, relying on nearby towns or cities for essential facilities.

In contrast, a town is larger and more developed, featuring a more diverse economy, infrastructure, and services such as schools, hospitals, and markets.

Regional Ecosystems

Towns tend to be more organised and may have local government structures. While villages and towns play vital roles in regional ecosystems, towns are generally more urbanised and offer residents a wider range of opportunities and resources.”

When researching population numbers, I stumbled upon the magical number of 7,500 somewhere in my homework. Greater than 7,500, we are a town; less than 7,500, we are a village. That sounds a lot, though, and what happens if a coastal village has a ten-fold increase in population during the holidays? Does anyone know?

The Winds Of Change

Anyway, with the first lifestyle village taking shape, the two retail outlets at the petrol station rising fast with a third also on the go, and the Homestead Views development growing in leaps and bounds daily, we now live in a humming and popular area. The industrial area is booming, and so much more is about to happen there. Cape St Francis has more than one development in the wings. There is a lot more coming. In 2024, we will regularly get stuck behind brick trucks.

The winds of change are going to blow like crazy.