IN its increased drive to restore roads, Kouga Municipality has prioritised the urgent repair of potholes across the Kouga region – taking the problem to heart.
Work, to be carried out by a contractor and teams from Kouga Municipality in all nine towns, commenced today.
It is important to note that potholes cannot be repaired if the road is wet or if there is water in the potholes.
Kouga Executive Mayor, Horatio Hendricks, said, “The municipality is aware of the myriad of potholes on local roads, which have been taking a severe beating with the recent rain.
“The damage to roads was made worse by years of neglect by previous Councils to maintain the region’s internal road network,” he said. “The lifespan of a road is only about 20 to 25 years, then it has to be rebuilt. Roads also have to be resealed at least once every seven years.
“Most roads in Kouga are far older than 25 years and have never been resealed – apart from the roads that have been resealed since the 2020/2021 financial year under the DA-led municipality.
“This means that the entire road network actually needs to be rebuilt and that filling potholes is simply a temporary fix for a far more serious problem.”
Hendricks concluded that the municipality, who is aware of the extent of the problem, is committed to repair potholes across the region.
SHOWCASING the abundant beauty Kouga has to offer, Endless Wander, a tourism production by RED Creative Collaboration for Kouga Municipality, received a prestigious finalist award in the tourism category at the 5th edition of the International Tourism Film Festival Africa (ITFFA) earlier this month.
The short film was selected from 378 entries from 59 countries around the world, of which only seven entries were from national and international municipalities. Apart from Kouga Municipality, the City of Cape Town entered, as well as five municipalities from Portugal, Spain, and Japan.
Founded in 2019 to honour and promote work with exceptional and innovative content, ITFFA aims to contribute towards stimulating the development and growth of the national and African audio-visual industry and, at the same time, to give visibility and recognition to outstanding work.
“The award is a true feather in Kouga Municipality’s cap,” Kouga Executive Mayor, Horatio Hendricks. “We are extremely honoured to have been recognised for the film created.
“As a municipality, we are really excited that this film, and the recognition it is getting, will continue to highlight our wonderful region and shine the spotlight on the various tourist attractions we have to offer.”
Hendricks continued that they are also extremely proud of the talented and passionate videographers, Rieghard Janse van Rensburg and Eidie Janse van Rensburg from RED Creative Collaboration, who beautifully captured the region.
Kouga Municipality is set to accelerate its resealing of roads with the addition of a new and innovative truck for this purpose. Pictured are (from left) Kouga Executive Mayor, Horatio Hendricks, and Kouga Fleet Manager, Nico Gouws.
KOUGA Municipality is set to accelerate its resealing of roads with the addition of a new and innovative truck for this purpose to its over 250-strong fleet – strengthening the municipality’s capacity to repair roads.
Kouga Executive Mayor, Horatio Hendricks, said a faulty refuse compactor procured in 2003, proved too expensive to repair, and was subsequently converted into a much-needed truck for slurry resealing purposes at a fraction of the repair cost.
The truck now boasts a flatbed setup with bins for premixed tar, fine gravel and a water tank, as well as a concrete mixer. It will be used mainly to slurry seal roads across the region within the next two weeks.
Investing in new and innovative technology
“The prolonged drought and continued implementation of load shedding by Eskom have necessitated the municipality to redirect funds and available resources towards critical drought mitigation projects, as well as a renewable energy strategy,” said Hendricks.
“It is, therefore, that we have taken it upon ourselves to find new and innovative ways to ensure basic service delivery continues for all residents, while investing in new technology – taking the municipality a step closer to becoming a Smart City.”
According to Hendricks, he will be the first to admit that the state of the roads in Kouga is simply not good enough – although great strides have been made over the last years.
“We will continue to endeavour to repair our roads one by one,” he said.
“The municipality is, furthermore, set to enter into an agreement with the Provincial Department of Transport for the transfer of Da Gama Road, St Francis Drive and Woltemade Street in Jeffreys Bay, and Main Road in Humansdorp to the municipality to manage and maintain these roads.
“We will continue to look for new and innovative ways to tackle the most pressing service delivery issues.”
The Loerie Sports Facility in Kouga is set to benefit from a multi-million-rand upgrade – benefitting all sport enthusiasts.
Awarded to LRC Civils by Kouga Municipality, the project to the value of almost R8 million, commenced last month and is set to be completed at the end of September this year.
The work to be carried out will mainly comprise of the rebuilding of the former club house which was demolished to the ground by vandals – leaving only the floor and foundation.
The newly build club house will give support to the combined netball and tennis court to be erected as part of the upgrade, as well as the underroof cricket practice nets which include new concrete pitches.
Both facilities will be fenced.
The perimeter wall will be repaired and extended, while security access gates for vehicles and pedestrians will be installed where needed. The remains of the existing crowd control fence will be removed and replaced with a new fence.
Spectator seating will, furthermore, be constructed, as well as gravel street parking bays.
Kouga Executive Mayor, Horatio Hendricks, said, “We want our young people to play sport on this upgraded field which, once completed, will offer budding sport stars proper infrastructure to nurture their talents and contribute to social development.
“We want them to learn new skills that will help them build a brighter future for themselves and this community. We want them to grow up and be respectable adults. We want them to value their friends and families. We want them to be successful.
“This sports facility can make that happen if we look after it and use it for what it was intended.”
Hendricks appealed to all community members to not let this treasure – the sports facility that belongs to them – be vandalised or damaged by anyone in any way.
“I look forward to watching this facility become a beacon of hope in the Loerie community.”
ARE you a master in the kitchen and love to cook with curry, creating local dishes with your own unique twist?
Then do not delay! Whisk out your cooking utensils, put on your apron and enter a team of three participants for the Chicken Bunny Chow Competition – a first for Kouga Municipality.
Presented in association with Humansdorp Hotel as part of the annual Kouga Easter Festival, the fun-filled event is set to take place at the tent at the Main Beach area in Jeffreys Bay on 8 April 2023.
Each team will receive 2kg chicken, five bread loaves, onions, and potatoes. They will, furthermore, be provided with a table (cooking station).
Participants must bring their own additional ingredients needed, as well as their own gas stove/ burner, cooking utensils and anything else needed. It is important to note that food must be cooked on gas. No fires or electrical appliances will be allowed.
Teams must make enough curry for 10 bunny chows of which some will be sold to the public. Proceeds from the bunny chows sold by each team at a cost of R50 per chow, will go towards a local charity.
The entry fee is R100 per team. Applications to enter close on Saturday, 1 April 2023.
Great prizes will be up for grabs, including a winning trophy for the team who makes the “lekkerste” chicken bunny chow on the day.
For more information, contact Sandra Cuyler from the Humansdorp Hotel at 083 587 4221.
Live question and answer session via Facebook today, Monday, 27 March 2023 at 16:00
Kouga Municipality is set to provide relief to homeowners with a proposed rate reduction.
In current budget discussions, the municipality will be proposing a 23.5% reduction in the rates tariff (cents in the rand calculations) for the new financial year starting in July 2023.
If approved, it will mean that any property increasing in value by 30% or less, will experience a rates reduction. Property rates for residential houses will only increase for properties whose value has increased by more than 30%.
As an example,
– a property currently valued at R1m and the value staying the same, will pay 23.5% less property rates. Currently rates charged R9 685 per annum, new rates will be R7 410 per annum.
– If the R1m property increases in value by 50% to R1,5m, the rates will increase by 14.8%. New rates will be R11 115 per annum.
– If the R1m property decreases in value to R900 000, the rates will decrease to R6 669.
The draft budget will be tabled at the next Council Meeting on Thursday, 30 March 2023.
Valuation queries can be directed to valuations@kouga.gov.za.
Should residents have any objections to their new valuation, objections must be submitted to the municipality before 14 April 2023 at the above email address.
The objection forms are available on the Kouga Municipality website at kouga.gov.za or at all municipal offices.
Kouga Municipality will also be conducting a live question and answer session via Facebook on Monday, 27 March 2023 at 16:00, for the municipality to engage with residents on any clarity seeking questions.
Recent Comments