During a virtual Council meeting held on Wednesday, 27 May 2020, in Hermanus, Gansbaai and Kleinmond, Executive Mayor Dudley Coetzee delivered the following address regarding approval of the 2020/21 budget.

The full Council of Overstrand Municipality has unanimously approved its budget.

Speaker Anton Coetsee said it is a really remarkable achievement and that it reflects a tremendous vote of confidence in the Mayor and Municipal Manager and Administration as a whole.

The Mayor’s speech, is published below:

Today the third review of our 5 year Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and 2020/2021 Budget will serve before Council.

Owners and tenants of Hermanus' CBD and Industrial Area are herewith informed that the successful contractor, Meyer Beton Siviele & Boukontrakteurs, has officially been appointed by Overstrand Municipality on 6 May 2020 for the Construction of Stormwater Infrastructure for Hermanus CBD, Industrial Area and High Street Revitalization.

This contract includes the upgrading of the stormwater infrastructure in Main Road, Marine Drive and High Street, as well as the revitalization of High Street.

Stormwater upgrades will also be implemented in Mimosa Street and Prelliwitz Street in the Industrial Area.

Overstrand fire fighters Phillip Goodman, Ebrahim Isaacs and Francois Marais are part of municipal sanitising team who clean and disinfect buildings and surfaces.

They systematically go through offices and areas, cleaning all key touch points and surfaces with approved high-level surface disinfectant.

The Municipality urges those who need to visit the offices to pay accounts, etc. to please adhere to the rules of social distancing, wearing a face mask and sanitising hands.

Overstrand Municipality’s Traffic Services and Law Enforcement are working closely with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Provincial Traffic to ensure compliance with Covid-19 restrictions.

Roadblocks and vehicle check points are held all the time in order to check people’s movements as special permits are required to move between places and towns; unfortunately people still take chances transporting illegal perlemoen and other items.

Overstrand Traffic is making an appeal to motorists to practise good road safety, even though they are very frustrated with restrictions.

Residents can expect to see more of these operations as the lockdown continues.