Since its inception in 1995, Overstrand has been an active participant in the Department of Environmental Affairs' Working for Water (WfW) programme, recognised globally as one of the most outstanding environmental conservation initiatives on the African continent. The WfW regards the development of people as an essential element of environmental conservation, and by offering short-term clearing jobs aims to create an enabling environment for skills training that will help to empower communities.

With funding from the Department of Environmental Affairs, the WfW extended this initiative in 2013 by introducing an Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) project intended to assess and improve the literacy and numeracy levels of its beneficiaries and contractors.

Recently, its commitment towards furthering the development of WfW beneficiaries, high level of professionalism and excellent cooperation with the service provider earned Overstrand the Christine Fortuin Memorial Award as ABET Client of the Year. A well-deserved accolade indeed given that those who sat for the exam achieved a hundred percent pass rate and, with the encouragement of the municipality, managed to ensure that the WfW project remained fully operational throughout.

Overstrand Municipality once again delivered a high spirited Mini AFCON soccer tournament (5 A side) in Zwelihle, on Saturday, 7 February 2015. The event started off by singing of the national anthem in front of the full capacity grand stands and there after the official opening and warm welcoming by ward councilor Vuyani Macotha.

The event comprised of participants from Gansbaai, Stanfords, Mt Pleasant, Zwelihle, Hawston and Kleinmond and the participants were all aged under 15.

The 8 teams were divided into two groups (Group A and Group B: four in each group). On the group stages, teams were required to play point system which will mean the two teams per group that accumulates the most points qualify for knockout stages. The teams were given names of the countries that participated in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nation in Equatorial Guinea.

PLEASE NOTE
Eskom Western Cape will be implementing new load shedding schedules from 1 February 2015.

The new schedules will follow a four day rotational pattern. What this means is that over a four day pattern, customers will be shed in different times slots.

The new schedules will provide a balance between equity and predictability.
Customers should please treat all electrical installations as live for the full duration of the load shedding period.

Interpreting the new load shedding schedules :
1. Identify your area block number using the alphabetical list of the Eskom supply areas.
2. Identify the load shedding stage.
3. Look at the day of the month for the relevant stage declared.
4. Find your block number in the time slot that you will be shed in.

Unless you display your house or property number visibly, calling an ambulance, the fire brigade or the police in case of an emergency will be no use at all. In fact, it could have fatal consequences.

Quite simply, if we can’t find you, we can’t assist, and valuable time that could have been used to save a life or your property will go to waste simply because we had to chase up and down the street trying to find you.

This is a serious matter, people, and in terms of the applicable municipal bye-law, you can be held accountable for any damages incurred as a result of not displaying a premises’ allotted number in the proper fashion.

According to the by-law, all premises – be they residential or commercial – must at all times display a number that is clearly visible and readable from a height of 1,5 m above the centre line of the adjacent road or carriageway.
Thus, best check to see whether your street number has not become illegible, obliterated or defaced in any way. Note that a street number project will be rolled out in Zwelihle in February 2015.