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Service delivery gets fiery boost

June 4, 2021

A state-of-the-art water tanker and fully equipped fire and rescue vehicle are set to significantly enhance the DA governed Kouga Municipality’s ability to respond effectively to emergency situations across the entire region.

The two new vehicles were procured at a combined cost of R3.5 million – boosting Kouga’s emergency fleet to 14 fire and rescue vehicles which are stationed across the Municipality.

The new fire and rescue vehicle replaces the old bakkie that will now be solely used for rescue operations. The municipality’s Housing Department, furthermore, boasts a brand-new Nissan double cab bakkie.

“We are very proud of this latest addition to the municipal fleet,” said Kouga Executive Mayor, Horatio Hendricks. “The two new fire-fighting vehicles will strengthen the capacity of our fire department to keep Kouga safe, while the newly-purchased bakkie will help to improve service delivery.”

He said the three new vehicles brought the number of vehicles that had been added to Kouga’s fleet over the past four years to 58.

The vehicles procured include eight TLB’s, eight Toyota LDV’s and two chippers. A new 4×4 bakkie and quad bike have also been purchased for the municipality’s lifeguards, as well as five brand new bakkies for the municipality’s Electrical Services Section.

“The municipal fleet was in a terrible condition when we took over control of the municipality in 2016,” said Hendricks.

“This had a devastating impact on service delivery and the morale of staff who had to struggle to get things done without the right equipment on hand,” he said.

“We have since then been implementing a fleet replacement plan. In addition to the new vehicles, we strengthened the capacity of the municipal workshop. “The workshop team has been doing an incredible job and has refurbished over 115 vehicles, adding further muscle to the municipality’s service fleet.

”One of the latest refurbishments is an old Komatsu TLB and a MAN tipper truck, two cherry pickers and one old fire truck.

They have also repaired and refurbished four sewerage suction tankers, and one old redundant refuse compactor has been converted into a sanitation truck.

“Kouga continues moving from strength to strength and we are grateful to everyone who has supported our drive to establish a culture of service excellence across the region,” said Hendricks.

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SAMWU loses court case against Kouga Municipality

May 1, 2021

Kouga Municipality’s case against SAMWU was heard in the Labour Court in Port Elizabeth yesterday (April 30).

The court needed to give judgement on whether the interim Labour Court interdict obtained against striking workers on March 16, which declared the SAMWU led strike unlawful and illegal, be made a permanent order of the court.

The following judgement has been made by the Labour Court:

  1. SAMWU is interdicted and restrained from striking in terms of the COVID-19 allowance.
  2. SAMWU has been ordered to pay punitive costs, thus it means they must pay all attorney and client costs of the municipality.

The judge delivered a scathing judgement with regards to the actions of the SAMWU shop stewards, including that the SAMWU shop stewards were very well aware they could not strike and the agreement they had with the municipality upon which they agreed not to strike is devoid of any legal jargon or ambiguity.

According to the judge, it is highly improbable that SAMWU, a trade union of long-standing and a trade union steeped in dispute resolution processes, can hide behind a veil of ignorance.

The judge further stated that SAMWU showed flagrant disregard of an existing court order.

The judge also stated that the violent actions of SAMWU did not go unnoticed by the court, and it is unbecoming of a union to not have control over its members when exercising the right to strike – a right which was hard-fought for pre-1994, and a right which has totally been disregarded by the SAMWU shop stewards.

The judge further said that the SAMWU shop stewards clearly lack leadership and blatantly misled their members.

Kouga Mayor, Horatio Hendricks, said, “The court ruling is a vote of confidence in the legal processes followed by the municipality.

“The municipality will continue with the legal processes against the 14 suspended SAMWU shop stewards who have been charged with gross misconduct, as well as the few SAMWU members who participated in the ongoing strike.”

Hendricks said that although the municipality welcomes the ruling of the Labour Court in Port Elizabeth, it is not a time to gloat about the victory as there is no winners in the outcome of today.

“People’s livelihoods were affected and will still be affected in the aftermath of the unlawful strike. We need to take stock of all losses, clean up our acts and move forward towards service excellence,” he said. “Hopefully, valuable lessons are learned.

“However, what stands out most is that ill-discipline and unlawfulness will not be tolerated in the municipality.”

According to Hendricks, the municipality hopes to rebuild the very good working relationship they had with SAMWU.

“We thank residents for their patience in this very difficult period,” he said. “Our single-most commitment remains to serve residents to the best of our ability – putting service delivery first.

“Let us make Kouga the best run municipality in the country.”

Photo: While strikers destroyed infrastructure, the DA led Council continued to work hard to improve service delivery in the Municipality. Robbie Irlam

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Why we need to keep Kouga DA in 2021

April 28, 2021

Almost all the municipalities in the Eastern Cape are under extreme financial distress.

Almost all of them owe massive amounts of money to Eskom. Most of them can’t pay their creditors. At least 14 of them are considered financially unsustainable.

Local government has all but collapsed across the entire province, except for one clear exception,  and that is Kouga Municipality.

The municipality of Kouga has had an outright DA government since 2016, and the difference this has made to every single aspect of the municipality’s governance cannot be ignored.

Since 2016, almost 1600 households in Kouga have received electricity for the first time. New water treatment works have been constructed and old ones upgraded.

Many kilometres of road have been resurfaced and tens of thousands of potholes have been repaired.

60 new vehicles were added to the municipality’s fleet and a further 130 vehicles and plant were refurbished.

In 2018 and 2019 alone, more than 1800 historic title deeds were handed over to rightful beneficiaries, and further 110 have been handed over so far this financial year.

Kouga now also has the country’s first eco-friendly road built with waste plastic, as well as over 1,000 streetlights and floodlights fitted with energy-saving LED lights.

And last year Kouga passed its first-ever billion Rand budget.

In a sea of local government failure in the Eastern Cape, Kouga stands out as an island of excellence. And again, this is no coincidence. Given a full mandate to execute our plan, this is what the DA does.

We don’t steal. We don’t empower our friends and family. We don’t protect the corrupt. We simply do the basics of good governance, and we do it well.

And this means that wherever the DA governs, people have a better chance of building a life of value for themselves and their families.

A better chance at freedom.

If that sounds like the kind of place you would like to live in, you need to make the first move. You need to make sure your name is on the voters roll now so that you can cast your vote in October.

And when the 27th of October arrives, you need to go out and do your bit to ensure that Kouga remains with a government that can deliver.

Don’t think the other voters will do this for you. Because that’s when you end up and handful of votes short of a proper government.

Yes, there is plenty a DA government can do for you, but the first move is all yours.

John Steenhuizen

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Watch the State of the Municipality address tomorrow

March 18, 2021

Listen to Kouga Municipality Executive Mayor, Cllr Horatio Hendricks, as he delivers the State of the Municipality Address at 11:00 on March 19, 2021.

Please follow Kouga Municipality’s You Tube link to be directed to the Live Broadcast of the SOMA – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjw3cs3O6DijAjbGDvfCneA.

Alternatively, you can follow us on Facebook or Instagram for more information:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KougaNews
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kougamunicipality/

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SAMWU members strike at Kouga Municipality

March 9, 2021

A strike is taking place at present at the Kouga Municipality. It is affecting the towns of Jeffreys Bay, Humansdorp, Hankey and Patensie.

According to Kouga Executive Mayor, Horatio Hendricks, one of the municipal worker unions, SAMWU, has called on its members to embark on an illegal and unprotected strike today.

“It is important to note that not all municipal workers are striking,” said Hendricks.

“The municipal offices have been closed to ensure the safety of our staff, as well as the public.

“We appeal to all members of the public to not put their black bags outside today, as some services are affected by the strike.”

DA Constituency Chairperson, Hattingh Bornman, said that it is interesting that it is only the ANC-faction of the municipality that is striking – especially considering that it is so close to the municipal election.

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Submit comments on the Integrated Development Plan

February 22, 2021

KOUGA residents and stakeholders have just over a week left to submit comments on the Kouga Municipality’s draft Integrated Development Plan (IDP) for the 2021/ 2022 financial year.

“The IDP, a five-year plan that captures the development needs of communities, is the municipality’s most important planning tool,” said Kouga Executive Mayor, Horatio Hendricks.

“It captures the service-delivery and development requirement for each ward. These requirements, in turn, help to determine how the annual budget of the municipality is allocated.

It is, therefore, critical that communities provide input as to ensure that the needs of their wards are correctly identified and addressed.”

According to Hendricks, the biggest capital project is the resealing and repair of roads across the Kouga region.“Apart from the resealing of 12km of road during the 2019/ 2020 financial year, more than R8 million had been budgeted for the resealing of roads in the current financial year, ending on June 30, 2021, he said.

“It is hoped to secure additional funding for the resealing programme in the adjustment budget this month – allowing us to tackle more roads.

“Furthermore, R9.2 million was spent on gravel road upgrades, while 15 378 potholes were fixed in 2019/2020 compared to the 7 785 potholes fixed in 2018/ 2019.

A further 9 720 potholes were fixed from July 2020 to December 2020.”He said that the highest priority in the IDP, and one of the municipality’s greatest concern, is the dependence of the informal settlements on the bucket system – which needs to be eradicated.

“Usually, the first round of IDP public meetings take place in October and November each year,” said Hendricks. “Regrettably, we had to put the meetings on hold last year due to the resurgence of positive Covid-19 cases in our region.

“Lockdown restrictions on gatherings have, unfortunately, not yet been relaxed. As a result, we have had to make alternative arrangements to consult with residents about the review.

“I would like to encourage each and every one of you to take the time and use this opportunity to voice what you would like to see happening in your ward.

”An electronic copy of the IDP is available on the municipal website at www.kouga.gov.za, as well as at all municipal offices, libraries and ward offices.

The IDP will furthermore be circulated on flash drives.Comments and suggestions on the ward priorities can be submitted to the IDP section headed by Colleen Dreyer at idp@kouga.gov.za.

Alternatively, contact Dreyer at 081 760 7245. It can also be dropped into one of the comment boxes at the ward offices, libraries and main administration units.

The closing date for submission is Friday, February 26, 2021.

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Municipality disappointed at decision to close beaches

December 15, 2020

Statement by Executive Mayor, Horatio Hendricks:

Kouga Municipality is not in agreement with the national directive that all beaches and parks in the Eastern Cape and Garden Route District will be closed from 16 December to 3 January.

We are of the view that the closure of beaches and parks on specified dates only, as is the case for the remainder of South Africa, would have enabled a better balance between saving lives and saving livelihoods.

Unfortunately, the final decision was not ours to take and we now have to deal with the hand we’ve been dealt.

While Kouga still has much to offer visitors, the beach is the main attraction over the summer season.

The impact of the 19-day beach closure will be devastating on our local businesses, job retention and creation.

In addition, there is concern that the closure of beaches and parks will simply lead to people congregating at other venues, including private residences, where the risk of infection is even higher.

We have raised our concerns with the Premier. Early indications are that the chances of the national decision being reversed are slim and that there is little likelihood of local municipalities and law enforcement agencies, as well as affected businesses, receiving support from a provincial or national level.

We are further awaiting clarity as to whether the closures affect all beach-related activities, as the Gazette only alludes to fishing for which an exemption will be made for those in possession of a permit.

We are also awaiting clarity as to whether the closure affects all bodies of water such as rivers and lagoons or only the sea. In the meantime, the municipality will be meeting with other law enforcement agencies today to discuss the enforcement of the stricter regulations, as announced by the President last night.

Regardless of whether we are in agreement with the closure of beaches or not, the COVID-19 pandemic is a reality and safeguarding our communities remain the priority.

We will continue to do all in our power to curb the spread of the coronavirus and to keep our residents and visitors safe.

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Affordable rental housing for Kouga

October 2, 2020

At least 1 500 rental units for households with low to moderate incomes are set to be built in Kouga over the next five years.

Kouga Executive Mayor, Horatio Hendricks, said the municipality had secured a place in the “Municipal Support Programme” run by the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA), the body that oversees the implementation, regulating and funding of state-subsidised rental housing projects in South Africa.

“Kouga is the only municipality in the Eastern Cape to have been selected for the municipal support programme and one of only six local authorities countrywide,” he said.

“Our inclusion will ensure that the municipality receives the necessary technical and organisational support to implement social housing programmes.

“The target is to deliver at least 1500 rental units over the next five years but, according to SHRA, the first project for Kouga can be approved, built, tenanted and managed within as little as one to three years.”

He commended the municipality’s Human Settlements section for their excellent submission that secured the municipality a place in the programme.

“It is another feather in the municipality’s cap and will help to address the demand for affordable rental housing in the area.”

Hendricks said social housing is a government programme aimed at providing low to moderate-income households, earning between R1 501 and R7 500 per month, with quality and affordable rental housing opportunities in well-located areas.

He said the project would complement the Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme (FLISP) that had also been approved for the area.

“While social housing addresses the need for affordable rentals, FLISP offers first-time home-ownership opportunities to South African residents earning between R3 501 and R22 000 per month,” he explained.

“This is the income group that earns too much to qualify for an RDP house but typically also struggles to secure a bond to buy a home.”

He said the municipality had appointed a service provider, Own Haven Social Housing, in October 2019 for the implementation of social housing and FLISP projects.

“The service provider has completed a demand and needs analysis study for the proposed project in Jeffreys Bay.

“They are currently drawing up a detailed report on how the FLISP and Social Housing programmes will be introduced and marketed to prospective buyers and beneficiaries.”

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Joint effort to address Domestic Animal issues

August 11, 2020

Kouga residents have been asked to report problems related to stray or neglected domestic animals to the municipal call centre (042 200 2200, option 5).

Kouga Community Services Portfolio Councillor, Daniel Benson, said the municipality was streamlining its relationship with local animal welfare organisations.

“These organisations do an amazing job with limited resources. The municipality recently met with them to determine how we can improve our support to them.”

He said a key challenge was the vast distances these organisations sometimes had to travel to address animal-related complaints.

“This often happens because people phone the organisations directly even when they are not based in the area where the problem is.

“This then also leads to unhappiness where animals have owners, as the owners then have to travel far to collect their animals.

“We would, therefore, like to ask residents to report concerns about stray or neglected domestic animals to the municipal call centre. They will then alert the organisation that works in that area.”

He said key roleplayers were the SPCA Assisi in Humansdorp, Jeffreys Bay Animal Rescue Services and St Francis Animal Rescue.

He said residents were further asked to refrain from feeding stray animals, especially in the CBD areas.

“This draws stray animals, which then starts posing a safety and health risk to both people and the animals.”

He encouraged those who want to help feed stray animals to donate food to the recognised animal welfare organisations and to get involved.

“They know where the need is and will ensure that the food gets to where it is needed most.”

He said the municipality had established the Kouga Animal Management Committee and was busy reviewing the related policies and bylaws to support roleplayers’ efforts.

“This will go hand-in-hand with a public awareness campaign to help communities understand the role played by the various roleplayers”.

“For example, people often phone animal welfare organisations with complaints about noisy dogs while this is actually the mandate of the municipal Law Enforcement section.”

The municipal call centre can be contacted on 042 200 2200 (option 5).

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New vehicles for Kouga Lifeguards and Disaster Management

August 7, 2020

As the Tourism industry slowly but surely re-opens, Kouga Municipality has set the wheels in motion to welcome visitors back to its swimming beaches this coming festive season.

A new 4×4 bakkie and quad bike have been purchased for the municipality’s lifeguards.

“The lifeguards work over a wide area, covering swimming areas all the way from Oyster Bay to the Gamtoos Mouth,” Kouga Community Services Portfolio Councillor Daniel Benson said.

“There are also times when they have to respond to emergencies that happen away from the main swimming areas.

“The new vehicles will help to improve their response time in these instances.”

He said the safety of Kouga’s beaches was a big drawing card for tourists and that the municipality would continue its efforts to strengthen its lifeguard section year on year.

A new 4×4 bakkie has also been procured for Kouga’s Disaster Management section.

“This section’s old bakkie is still in working order and will also be used for the lifeguard section when necessary.”

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