Government Plans New Court Bid to Contain Knoflokskraal Occupation
The self-proclaimed Khoisan settlement has grown to between 15,000 and 20,000 people despite a 2021 interdict
Grabouw
“Gaan Kak”: TWK Mayor Says
According to an emailed “request” from the (DA) Mayor of Theewaterskloof to the Municipal Manager, copied to the (GOOD Party) Deputy Mayor, the council no longer wants to attend to water or sewerage leaks outside of office hours.
The post “GAAN KAK”: TWK MAYOR SAYS AFTER-HOURS SEWERAGE LEAKS CAN WAIT TILL TOMORROW appeared first on For Good.
Theewaterskloof Is in a Mess After Years of Bad Management
But the new municipal manager hopes to get things back on track
Document Goes Missing in Police Torture Case
Magistrate reprimands lawyers
Police seize illegally harvested abalone worth R1.3m
Police seize illegally harvested abalone worth R1.3m
Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has welcomed the recovery of over 4 300 illegally harvested abalone valued at approximately R1.3 million and the arrest of 11 people allegedly involved in illegal poaching operations.
From 28 February to 2 March 2025, the South African Police Service (SAPS), the City of Cape Town Marine Unit, and other enforcement agencies successfully disrupted a large-scale illegal poaching operation involving approximately 50 snorkel divers at Robben Island.
"The scale and brazenness of this illegal activity are deeply concerning, but the professionalism and dedication of our enforcement teams have once again demonstrated our unwavering commitment to protecting South Africa’s marine resources.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to all those involved for their tireless work in preventing the exploitation of our marine biodiversity,” the Minister said on Friday.
This operation follows a series of successful interventions in the last month, where law enforcement officers intercepted four significant abalone-related cases in a single day.
On 13 February 2025, coordinated operations in Glencairn, Muizenberg, Grabouw, and Botriver led to the seizure of thousands of illegally harvested abalone and the arrest of multiple suspects.
The Minister has reiterated government's firm stance against illegal fishing and called on the public to report any suspicious activities to the relevant authorities.
"We will continue strengthening our enforcement capabilities and working closely with our partners to ensure that those who exploit our natural resources face the full consequences of the law. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to every officer and partner involved in these operations. Their hard work and sacrifice are crucial in safeguarding South Africa’s marine biodiversity,” George said. - SAnews.gov.za
nosihle
Fri, 03/07/2025 - 11:58
39 views
Protesters Block N2 for Hours at Grabouw
They demanded sanitation and water
Security guard strike hits Western Cape SASSA offices
Several offices closed on Tuesday
Wet, cold weather expected to continue in Western Cape
Wet, cold weather expected to continue in Western Cape
Cold and wet weather is expected to continue in the Western Cape this week with a series of cold fronts still to make landfall over the coming days.
“A series of cold fronts are still on track to make landfall, resulting in a week of wet and cold conditions. [Monday] will see the coldest daytime temperatures, and the next cold front with rain is expected to arrive on Tuesday.
“Between 10 and 20mm of rain is expected over the western parts, and between 40 and 60mm can be expected over the southern western mountains,” the Western Cape Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning department said.
The department added that the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) is monitoring the situation.
“[The South African Weather Service] confirmed its outlook for strong to gale force west to north-westerly winds for the south-west coast and emphasised the high danger of runaway wildfires in the Garden Route District. The Department of Water and Sanitation continues to monitor river and dam levels, which are expected to rise significantly in the coming week.
“Eskom reported several outages over the past 48 hours caused by the severe weather. Cape Town, the West Coast and Overberg regions were hardest hit so far, and repair teams are attending to them as fast as possible,” the department said.
READ | Western Cape prepares for inclement weather
Disruptive weather
The department’s MEC Anton Bredell said since the first cold front made landfall over the weekend, the PDMC has received reports of damage and disruptions due in several areas.
“Widespread disruptions and damage, including loss of shelter in informal settlements, localised flooding, fallen trees, electricity outages, and road closures due to snow or flooding, were reported during our meeting [on Monday].
“The City of Cape Town, Overberg, Cape Winelands and West Coast Districts were hardest hit by the severe weather. As always, our focus remains on the safety of our residents and the humanitarian support that they need,” he said.
Significant rainfall has already been recorded in several towns in the Western Cape, including at Ceres, which received some 123mm and Elgin Grabouw which received 84mm of rainfall.
The provincial government and the national Department of Human Settlements are working together to assist those who have lost homes due to flooding.
Search and rescue operations are also ready for those communities cut off from main roads.
“Wuppertal and other communities in the Cederberg area will be reached by specialised 4x4 teams once a needs assessment has been conducted, and we will be ready for similar requests as the week unfolds,” Bredell said. – SAnews.gov.za
NeoB
Mon, 07/08/2024 - 15:00
534 views
Pesticides are polluting Western Cape rivers all year round
Studies of three river catchments have found an association between pesticide exposure and poorer brain function in children
South Africa’s Tobacco Bill process faces scrutiny as experts uncover flaws.
[Pretoria, South Africa] – As we wrap VApril, a month dedicated to education and awareness about vaping, the Vapour Products Association of South Africa (VPASA) recommits itself to keeping the public informed about the ongoing process for South Africa’s Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill (the Tobacco Bill). Most recently, several public hearings …
Winde thanks roleplayers battling wildfires around the Cape Winelands
Winde thanks roleplayers battling wildfires around the Cape Winelands
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde visited a mobile disaster management incident command centre near Wolseley on Monday after wildfires erupted in the Cape Winelands district and surrounding areas.
The fires have been raging for over a week, with high temperatures and strong winds fuelling the flames.
Affected areas include Hangklip, Buffeljags Bay, Karwyderskraal and Grabouw.
According to the Premier’s Office, fire teams in the Breede Valley and Witzenberg areas were given a slight reprieve on Sunday evening as temperatures dipped and winds subsided.
“But that was unfortunately short-lived. Winds picked up again compounding the already difficult situation.”
Despite the thousands of hectares of land that have burned, the Premier said he was relieved there has been no loss of life.
However, he said he remained very concerned about the situation generally.
“Fires are volatile and unpredictable. Coupled with the hot, windy weather, these fires have stretched our emergency teams to their limit. But I have all the confidence in our entire disaster management network to eventually bring the blaze under control, with officials in the public and private sectors working together around the clock to protect lives and infrastructure.
“Our disaster management staff have gone from floods to fires and I know the significant toll that it takes on our dedicated staff and all the volunteers who always step up,” Winde said.
Winde has described as "heroes" a group of firefighters who had come off the line for a break, having worked throughout Sunday evening.
“You make us all very proud,” he told the firefighters.
According to the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC), there have been more than 4 000 fires across the Western Cape this summer, of which the vast majority have been recorded in Cape Town.
The Premier urged the public in fire-affected regions to heed the advice of officials and be vigilant.
“There can be no doubt that climate change is a major factor. That is why the Western Cape government is taking this crisis extremely seriously by planning accordingly for the future and by building up the resilience of our province. We are doing all we can to enable the private sector to pivot to renewable energy to help mitigate the climate crisis,” he stressed.
City of Cape Town's Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, announced this morning that the fire line in Hangklip was completely extinguished.
“All our firefighters are safe and accounted for. There are no injuries and no damages to any of our vehicles or equipment,” Smith explained. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Tue, 01/30/2024 - 12:00
76 views
City of Cape Town rental flats in poor condition
Mayco member says the City has to manage 45,000 units and prioritises repairing them based on safety
Transgender woman who says she was raped in police custody has waited four years for justice
High Court judge critical of the Minister of Police’s “lackadaisical approach” to dealing with the matter
Franschhoek Pass closed for construction
Franschhoek Pass closed for construction
The Western Cape Infrastructure Department has announced the closure of Franschhoek Pass, which connects Franschhoek and the towns of Grabouw and Villiersdorp, as construction work is underway following severe storms and flooding that hit the province in September.
Infrastructure MEC Tertuis Simmers said the closure of Franschhoek Pass will take effect from Mondays to Fridays between 8am and 5pm from 28 November until 15 December 2023.
The pass will then be open from 15 December 2023 (with the proceed-when-safe arrangement and weight restriction) until 7 January 2024 and closed again from 8 January 2024 till the end of February 2024.
Simmers said the pass was reopened to selected categories of light motor vehicles after it was closed following a severe weather system that hit the Western Cape, and the teams started working on temporary repairs, as soon as the engineering team was satisfied that the landslips had stabilised sufficiently to start work.
He said the works have reached a point where the pass must be closed daily to initiate the soil-nailing (a technique used to stabilise existing slopes) process of phase 1.
“This soil reinforcement process uses metal tendons which are drilled and grouted into the soil to create something that represents a gravity wall. For this to be done, the pass needs to be closed due to the size of the equipment that is used and the size of the working area required.
“Light motor vehicles will be able to traverse the pass outside of the closure times. The use of the pass, even during times when the pass is open, by vehicles with a mass of more than five tons remains strictly prohibited,” Simmers said.
The MEC has expressed his concerns over the non-compliance of road users and advised them to continue using the alternative routes.
“The blatant disregard of road signs and restrictions, by some road users is a serious concern. We have received numerous reports of interlink heavy motor vehicles accessing the pass despite clear signage prohibiting such acts.
“This reckless behaviour compromises the repair works and negatively impacts the entire repair process. What is a further concern is that should these trucks disregard the signage and get to the closure points during the closure periods, they will be stuck there until the road reopens because there isn’t any space to turn around,” Simmers said.
While acknowledging the inconvenience the closure has had on the local community and visitors, and the impact the weight limitation has, Simmers said, the safety of all road users remains a primary concern.
“Work on permanent repairs continues. The department foresees that it will still be a considerable period before the pass will allow two-way traffic,” Simmers said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Fri, 11/24/2023 - 12:33
146 views
Khoisan Protesters Picket on N2
Knoflokskraal residents want to be allowed to repair their homes and be allowed to farm the land.