Did you know that all beneficiaries receiving an indigent grant must re-apply for the subsidy every year as stated in the Overstrand Municipality Indigent Policy, clause 13(b).

Households in need of financial support will automatically forfeit their indigent subsidies and free basic services (such as the electricity units) if their indigent subsidy has expired and they have not re-applied for the grant.

So, this is an urgent reminder to those indigent consumers whose grants for free basic services expired on 31 August 2023 to re-apply and submit applications as soon as possible.

New applications will be implemented from the date of application.

Affected indigent consumers can visit any of the municipal offices in Gansbaai, Stanford, Hermanus or Kleinmond during the week.

Hermanus Library will be closed between 2 - 9 October 2023 for stocktaking of library material by the Western Cape Provincial Library Services.

In accordance with legislation, stocktake should be done in all libraries affiliated with the Provincial Library Service.

The public are asked to please do their check-in and check-out of books before these dates, in order to uphold deadlines. We also ask that residents report lost books.

The library will re-open on Tuesday, 10 October from 09:30 - 17:00 Mondays to Thursdays and 09:00 - 16:30 on Fridays.

For any additional information please contact the Hermanus Library on 028 313 8077.

We note with concern the post on EMS Foundation’s Facebook page that a death warrant has been issued for a baboon in Pringle Bay.  We assume that this relates to the efforts of the Overstrand Municipality to capture and relocate the male baboon, known as Blue Tag, to its natal troop in Gordon’s Bay, which commenced earlier today, 20 September 2023.  We urge EMS to please supply us with proof of the death warrant issued, as certainly we are not aware of such warrant.  The Municipality followed due protocol and obtained the necessary permits from Cape Nature to hunt, capture and transport a wild animal.  These permits were issued with specific conditions to ensure the well-being of the baboon in the execution of the capture as well as transport thereof.

Overstrand Municipality’s Disaster Management and Emergency Services as well as the Environmental Department are busy assessing the damage along the Overstrand Coast line after spring tide and massive swells were experienced on Saturday afternoon, 16 September 2023.

There were extensive damage to the coastal paths in some towns. These will most probably be closed as a pre-caution by Disaster Management.

In other areas, roads adjacent to beaches are covered in kelp. Our teams are attending to those and will clear them.

Residents are advised to be cautious around the coast and rivers and lagoons.