Huge shout out to the Greater Gansbaai community for attending the first First Thursday event in Gansbaai last night!

Your input and ideas on how to better our services is greatly appreciated.

First Thursdays is a great platform for residents to engage in person with the Mayor and her Mayoral Committee Members, as well as the Municipal Manager and his Directors on topics such as mining rights and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), illegal building activities, building plans approval delays and account issues.

Mayor Rabie said at the start of this historical meeting, that the residents cannot say anymore that they don’t have access to councillors; or that they are not heard.

She encouraged those community members who do not like to speak up in a public meeting, to make use of these opportunities to talk to them about any issues or ideas affecting them.

The main points raised were:

• How to expand a very successful weekend at the Danger Point lighthouse; what small businesses would work/thrive in Gansbaai
• The Christmas market at the NG church and how to assist people working from home to have an outlet for their produce and
• Municipal tenders that are not awarded to Gansbaai businesses

The next meeting will be on the first Thursday of June in Hermanus.