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SALDANHA BAY MUNICIPALITY ENABLES THE DIGITAL CITIZEN IN SOUTH AFRICA

SALDANHA BAY MUNICIPALITY ENABLES THE DIGITAL CITIZEN IN SOUTH AFRICA

by | Nov 23, 2022 | Press Release

SALDANHA BAY MUNICIPALITY ENABLES THE DIGITAL CITIZEN IN SOUTH AFRICA

The Saldanha Bay Municipality has accepted the challenge to prepare its municipality for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and, in so doing, to enable its residents to benefit from opportunities and improvements.

The municipality has commenced with the process of establishing an optical fibre network that will provide all its residents with open access to data networks. At this stage, the Saldanha Bay Municipality is the only municipality in South Africa addressing the problem of accessibility to a data network in the community.

The Boabab Fibre project has now formally started and substantial progress has been made with the establishment of the open access fibre infrastructure (already installed in Langebaan, Saldanha, Vredenburg, Jacobsbaai, Hopefield and Paternoster).

In July 2022, the Saldanha Bay Municipality introduced its Digital Citizen app, which is integrated with the open access network in order to digitally provide its utility services to prospective users and residents. The app has received a lot of attention to date and is used by more than 1 071 residents.

The SBM Digital Citizen was conceptualised by Amoeba TSC to integrate seamlessly with Saldanha Bay’s municipal systems, with the focus on connecting every household in the municipal area.

The app is a comprehensive platform for liaison between residents, the municipality and service providers and includes the following functions: communication between residents and the municipality, a helpdesk, an emergency button, service purchases, repository for documents, facility management, utility management and a digital wallet. Homeowners can also connect their properties to the app. Furthermore, the app contains many more functions to make the lives of our residents hassle-free.

The SBM Digital Citizen can be downloaded from Google Play Store, Apple App Store and Huawei App Gallery. Residents are welcome to visit www.sbmsmartcity.co.za or www.sbm.gov.za for further information.

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CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF SBM COMMUNITIES VIOLATED

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF SBM COMMUNITIES VIOLATED

by | Nov 22, 2022 | Media Release

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF SBM COMMUNITIES VIOLATED

Sadly, both days of the provincial taxi shutdown saw numerous incidents of violence and intimidation, leaving our communities vulnerable and feeling unsafe.

This morning it was evident that there was a calculated effort to disrupt and close off Saldanha. In the early hours of the morning the senseless damaging of our public property continued as our residents were intimidated and assaulted.

As the Executive Mayor of Saldanha Bay, I want to explicitly state that this barbaric behaviour is strongly condemned. We will do whatever it takes, within the ambit of the law, to protect our citizens and property.

I want to give credit to our diligent Neighbourhood Watch, Law Enforcement and Fire Services, as well as members of POPS [Public Order Policing] who continued to work diligently under dangerous conditions to maintain a good presence in our towns and for going beyond the call of duty to restore law and order. The members of Vredenburg SAPS are also commended for the effective manner in which they executed their duties on Monday, 21 November ’22.

Whilst we respect the democratic right of the Taxi Industry, and any other industry for that matter, to strike / protest peacefully, we will never tolerate rogue individuals and groups who utilize this opportunity to embark on violent actions and disruptions to create chaos by damaging and destroying roads and public property and interfering with the free movement of our people.

Our urgent request to those participating in the protest action, is to refrain from interfering in any way, shape or form, with learners and their parents.

In view of the numerous illegal and violent incidents that happened, I can confirm that the Saldanha Bay Municipality reported several crimes to the local police for further investigation.

Our communities are advised to-

  • Pay no attention to any unsubstantiated posts or rumours [and refrain from sharing it].
  • If you must travel, ensure beforehand that your planned route is safe.
  • Report any illegal activities to the Saldanha Bay Municipality Control Room on 022 701 6834.

I want to plea with each and every member of our respective communities to put your safety and the safety of your loved ones first. Do not interfere and do not take the law into your own hands.

According to the Constitution, every person has the right to assemble with others and express their views on any matter freely in public and to enjoy the protection of the state while doing so. Section 17 of the Constitution provides that: everyone has the right, peacefully and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket and to present petitions. The exercise of such rights shall take place peacefully and with regard to the rights of others.

Saldanha Bay Municipality acknowledges the value of the Public Transport Industry in the local economy and has no dispute with the industry. However, in a democracy that is bound by the rule of law, we cannot and will not allow one party to exercise a constitutional right which infringe the constitutional rights of others.

Cllr André Truter

Executive Mayor: Saldanha Bay Municipality

TAXI SHUTDOWN

by | Nov 21, 2022 | Media Release

TAXI SHUTDOWN

I have monitored and noted the actions by the members of the Saldanha Taxi Association, an affiliation of the SANTACO since the call by the Western Cape SANTACO for the SHUTDOWN on the 21 – 22 November 2022.

I have been briefed on the closing of all the major roads into all our town. And that has unfortunately affected and inconvenienced all our residents and had a major impact to the economy and service delivery to our citizens.

I have since monitored what was supposed to be a peaceful strike, escalating to violence, intimidation and vandalism to infrastructure. I have instructed the Executive Management Team of SBM together with SAPS to engage with the Saldanha Taxi Association Executive Management to find an amicable solution that will cause a minimal disruption and peace to the citizens of the municipal area.

I would like to condemn in the strongest possible terms any violence and intimidation targeting innocent and abiding citizens as well as any destruction and vandalism at public infrastructure meant to serve our communities.

Furthermore, I would like to request the public to be more vigilant and assist and protect one another during this period. And report any incidents to SBM Control Room at 022 701 6834.

Cllr André Truter

Executive Mayor: Saldanha Bay Municipality

SALDANHA BAY MUNICIPALITY APPOINTS HEINRICH METTLER AS MUNICIPAL MANAGER

by | Nov 8, 2022 | Media Release

SALDANHA BAY MUNICIPALITY APPOINTS HEINRICH METTLER AS MUNICIPAL MANAGER

During a Council Meeting on 13 September 2022, the Saldanha Bay Municipality Council welcomed the appointment of Mr. Heinrich Mettler as the Municipal Manager for the next five years.

In terms of the Municipal Systems Act, the employment contract for a Municipal Manager must be for a fixed term to a maximum of five years but may not exceed a period of one year after the election of a new Council.

The vacancy was advertised nationally with a total of 28 applications received and two (2) candidates were invited to attend the assessment and interview sessions on 5 September 2022 after a screening and vetting process.

Two (2) interviews were conducted after three (3) candidates withdrew from the interview session. Council resolved on the appointment of Mr. Mettler from 1 November 2022, after considering the report received from the service provider on the recruitment process.

Executive Mayor André Truter wishes to congratulate and welcome back Mr. Mettler in his continuing role as Municipal Manager. “I wish him well in his responsibilities and I know together we will take Saldanha Bay Municipality to even greater heights. We all know the re-appointment of a Municipal Manager indicates stability and progress for Saldanha Bay Municipality,” Truter said.

Mettler has extensive experience in Municipal Management and first joined the Saldanha Bay Municipality on 3 December 2018, following his tenure as Municipal Manager at Prince Albert Municipality.  He holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degree from the Port Elizabeth Technikon, which he achieved in 2003, and a National Diploma in Civil Engineering from the Cape Technikon (Cape Peninsula University of Technology), supplemented by various municipal aligned training as well as vast experience in the public, private and local government sectors.  Mettler is also a board member of the Freeport Saldanha Industrial Development Zone.