A capacity building workshop was held in Gordon’s Bay on 22 February 2019 to improve municipal understanding and benefits of the Blue Flag beach programme.

The workshop was well attended with much interest shown by municipal representatives from Overstrand, Mossel Bay, Cape Town, Malmesbury (Yzerfontein) and Agulhas.

Blue Flag status is a well-respected international award, ensuring that each Blue Flag beach is not only beautiful and safe but also environmentally friendly, socially responsible and have accessible facilities for the disabled.

The workshop included an overview of Blue Flag Structure and Policy, Blue Flag Criteria and Application, Annual inspections: compliances and non-compliances, Blue Flag pilot programmes and Tourism Blue Flag projects.

In South Africa, the Blue Flag programme is managed by WESSA (the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa) since 2001 and the programme offers many benefits: Improved tourism facilities, enhanced management of coastal ecosystems, educational awareness programmes and excellent water-quality standards and facilities.

Overstrand residents urged to use this opportunity to collect IDs

The Department of Local Government – Thusong programme is providing transport to residents from outlying areas to apply/collect their IDs from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) offices in Caledon.

Buses depart from 08h00.

4 March 2019 - KLEINMOND & BETTY’S BAY
Pick-up point: Proteadorp Community Hall

5 and 6 March 2019 - HAWSTON (includes Paradise Park, Vermont, Onrus)
Pick-up point: Hawston Thusong Centre

7 March 2019 - GANSBAAI (includes Blompark and Eloxulweni)
Pick-up point: Blompark Community Hall

Solution for smouldering wetlands fire

On Thursday, 14 February, Overstrand Municipality’s Environmental Section, representatives of the Camphill School and Farm Community, CapeNature, Working on Wetlands and Enviro Wildlife, as well as other role players at National and Provincial level, met with renowned wetland expert, Dr Piet-Louis Grundling,  to discuss how to put an end to the underground fire in the Onrus River Peat Wetlands area.

This subsurface fire has been smouldering for more than a month in sections of the Onrus River Peat Wetlands area, which is situated on the Camphill School and Farm Community property.

Underground fires have been smouldering for more than a month in sections of the Onrus River Peat Wetland area, which is situated on the Camphill School and Farm Community property.

A Section 30A emergency directive was approved by the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning on Thursday, 14 February 2019.

This emergency application enables the Camphill Farm Community to proceed with implementation of emergency works to isolate the subsurface fire in order to prevent its spread and ensure its termination to preserve the remaining peat wetland and eliminate the source of risk to human health and safety and property.

The Fire Department has confirmed the fire is extremely dangerous. Because of the intensity and depth of the fire, it is practically impossible to douse it with water or in a manner that is not harmful to the environment. This situation is beyond conventional fire service tactics.