Media Statement: Schulphoek area

On Monday, 23 October 2018 at approximate 20h00, we received a call of a veld fire on a private property in Schulphoek.  
In co-operation with HPP, the fire situation at Schulphoek was monitored via CCTV cameras and the fire services placed on high alert to ensure that building and infrastructure were safeguarded and not threatened by the fire.

Law Enforcement personnel were also placed on standby for assistance to fire services staff.

The area affected by the fire in Schulphoek is a private property, that includes milkwood trees and the Department of Forestry Western Cape was informed. 

The Department of Environmental Affairs’ (DEA) Working on Fire (WoF) officially launched the provincial fire awareness campaign on Friday, 12 October 2018 at the Hawston Thusong Centre.

The fire awareness campaign is aimed to teach communities how to be Fire Safe, to prevent unwanted veld and forest fires, to raise awareness of the risk of veld fires and empower those at risk to take responsibility to reduce the risk and impact of fires in their communities.

“The value of fire awareness and fire safe preparation around properties cannot be over-emphasised,” said Moses Manganye, Western Cape General Manager for the Working on Fire programme.

In her address, Deputy Mayor Elnora Gillion stressed the importance of partnerships in protecting people, property and the Cape Floral Kingdom. She called on the community to help fight fires by being vigilant and reporting fires sooner than later. “The quicker we get the firefighters on the scene, the less damage there will be at the end of the day.” In her closing remarks, she also thanked all stakeholders, including firefighters, law enforcement officers and traffic officials “for making our communities fire safe”.

Overstrand Municipality has once again secured Blue Flag status for Grotto, Kleinmond and Hawston beaches as well as pilot status for Castle Beach in Pearly Beach.

A total of 46 beaches, 8 marinas and 12 sustainable tourism boats around South Africa have been awarded Blue Flag status for the 2018/19 season. This was announced at the Blue Flag launch at Santos Beach in Mossel Bay on 12 October 2018, which forms part of the National Blue Flag Programme, co-ordinated by the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA).

The Blue Flag is the prestigious, voluntary eco-label for beaches that is recognised as a trusted symbol of quality, designed to raise environmental awareness and increase sound environmental practices among tourists and local residents and improve proper beach management.

Pilot beaches are not required to comply with all Blue Flag criteria, but must work towards meeting fundamental elements like water quality standards within a two year period to stand a chance to ultimately acquire full Blue Flag status.

Overstrand Municipality received a Certificate of Achievement from the Western Cape Department of Public Works for the effective implementation of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and exceeding the target during the 2017/18 financial year.

The target was set on 461 work opportunities for the EPWP participants for the period 1 April 2017 - 31 March 2018, and the Municipality succeeded to create 1 055.  73% of the youth and 41% of women in Overstrand have benefitted from this programme.

EPWP is a government initiative designed to create job opportunities for those residents who are in need of financial relief, while facilitating the development of practical work experience.

The Municipality’s Economic and Social Development & Tourism Department is responsible for the EPWP-programme in Overstrand.