Key findings released by Municipal IQ, a specialised local government data and intelligence organisation, reveal that eight out of 10 top-performing local municipalities are in the Western Cape, with Overstrand topping the list followed by Stellenbosch in second and Steve Tshwete (Mpumalanga) in third place.

Shortly after this announcement hit the headlines, Overstrand’s Municipal Manager, Mr Coenie Groenewald, revealed on Friday 5 December that Overstrand has yet again obtained a clean audit for the 2013/14 financial year.

Expressing his gratitude towards each and everyone who have made these achievements possible, Groenewald said: “This is no doubt a direct result of your huge effort as dedicated staff, taking pride in your work and working together as a team with the support of the Executive Mayor and Council as body corporate.”

He did, however, caution that these achievements do not mark the end of the road in the municipality’s endeavour to deliver on its constitutional mandate.
“There will always be room for improvement, and everyone must continue to explore new ways of delivering good governance and ensuring our ratepayers and residents receive good value for money,” he said.

Join us as we celebrate the visit of the famous Dr Sylvia Earle , a world-renown marine conservationist and National Geographic's explorer-inresidence to the Cape Whale Coast Hope Spot.

While a great deal of international recognition is being given to the global Hope Spot programme, that aim of our Cape Whale Coast Hope Spot celebration is to join hands to inform and enable South Africans to be able to make wise decisions with regards to the use of our oceans resources into the future.

We aim to empower all South Africans to create their own hope – beginning in this core area known at the Cape Whale Coast Hope Spot.

Every year, residents and visitors alike love welcoming the New Year with spectacular firework displays. A spectacle most everyone enjoys provided those who practise this custom observe the rules and regulations, play it safe and are considerate.

For the sake of both man and beast, fireworks may only be discharged between the hours of 23:00 and 01:00 on New Year’s Eve at the following prescribed locations: Grotto Beach, east near the lagoon mouth, Hawston beach (not from the camping site or the parking area or the harbour); the Uilenskraalmond beach; the Stanford Bay beach (De Kelders) and Kleinmond main beach. Please remember that all rockets and airborne fireworks must be set off over the ocean to reduce the possibility that they will descend into fynbos and/or mountain areas.

Organised firework/pyrotechnics displays are limited to traditional locations and will only be permitted with consent from the Chief Fire Officer.

When last did you conduct a fire safety “audit” on your property? The summer months in the Western Cape traditionally heralds the fire season, and seeing that your garden and the fynbos grew so lusciously during the winter months, the time has come to check whether that very paradise isn’t perhaps threatening your property, and those of your neighbours.

Firewise gardeners in this neck of the woods ensure that, by November, they have rid their gardens of all dead wood, especially under fynbos, and that overgrowing branches and shrubs have been trimmed back so as to create a clear buffer zone of at least 5 m around buildings. On larger properties with considerable natural vegetation, this zone ought to be no less than 10 m in width.

A luscious green lawn stretching from the property’s boundary right up to the buildings will, of course, serve the same purpose.
Especially on properties in mountain areas and/or within the boundaries of the biosphere, new growth of encroaching vegetation such as Port Jacksons, Myrtle, Rooikrans and Blue Gums must be eradicated, while owners of vacant erven must take care to ensure that vegetation on their properties do not pose a fire hazard for neighbouring homes.