The municipality is currently implementing its Winter Readiness Programme, which includes amongst others, the clearing of stormwater channels and drains to allow rainwater to comfortably drain from road- and pathways.

In addition to this, we are urging residents to ensure that trees growing on privately owned land, those at risk of falling over or overgrown, to be trimmed before the winter rains begin. This is to prevent trees from falling over during weather conditions such as when heavy rain and strong winds are experienced and trees and other overgrown vegetation can fall onto municipal and/or Eskom infrastructure, causing damage and affecting, for example, the timeously return of power supply.

Trees on privately owned land which encroach onto municipal, provincial or Eskom servitudes, will be trimmed or removed without the consent of the property owner to ensure that service delivery is restored as quickly as possible.

The felling/trimming of trees on privately owned land, which are causing a risk, however, remain the responsibility of residents/owners. Residents can contact the relevant Directorate at the office number below for contact details of contractors who can help, at owners’ cost, with the trimming or felling of any trees at risk.

Residents are also requested to allow access to municipal or Eskom officials onto their property, should a fallen tree need to be urgently accessed or removed from a power line.

Your co-operation in this regard is much appreciated.

Directorate: Community and Operational Services

Contact details:

Office (office hours): Tel. (022) 701-6941

24-Hour Call Centre: Tel. (022) 701-7061/6974

Saldanha Bay Municipality has noted with disappointment the latest incident of firefighters being attacked in the line of duty.

The Municipality’s Fire and Rescue Services were attacked early this morning while attending to a reported fire in Witteklip, Vredenburg.

Attacks on municipal essential workers and/or emergency personnel (including firefighters) are becoming a regular occurrence. Municipal vehicles and trucks are either stoned, or the personnel are attacked, harassed or threatened.

This type of behaviour could rob the community of a potential lifesaving service and result in serious consequences.

Saldanha Bay Municipality urges the community to cooperate and report any incidents of harassment and intimidation of municipal employees to the 24-hour control room on 022 701 6834.

Over the past 29 years, the ruling party put in place a web of racial requirements through, inter alia, constitutional provisions, legislation and white papers that dismally failed the intended beneficiaries.  Just like race-based empowerment and affirmative action policies failed to work in the past, it is undeniable that the enforcement of the Employment Equity Amendment Act [EEAA] will also not solve poverty and inequality – instead, it will cause more harm than good.

This piece of legislation, described by the Minister of Employment and Labour, Thulas Nxesi, as a ‘more aggressive strategy’, unashamedly imposes race quotas on businesses. No matter the circumstances or availability of qualified employees, the Minister is allowed to “set numerical targets for any national economic sector”, including “targets for different occupational levels, sub-sectors or regions within a sector” to achieve “equitable representation” at “all occupational levels in the workforce”. Companies, sectors and regions will be forced to adopt and achieve the affirmative action ‘targets’ set by the Minister of Employment and Labour, who also has the prerogative to differentiate the quotas per region and profession as he deems fit.

The EEAA and regulations will drastically change the procurement rules applicable to state entities.  Businesses who fail to meet the racial targets set by the Minister, or successfully justify the grounds for failing to do so, will not be allowed to provide goods or services to any organs of state. In addition, companies who have existing contracts with state entities, run the risk of having these agreements cancelled if the racial targets are not met. In essence, this legislation will prevent businesses from participating in tender processes from the start and allow a limitless race premium over value-for-money.

Non-compliant businesses face fines of up to R1,5m, or 2% of their annual turn-over, whichever is greater, for a first ‘offence’. For a second or repeat offence, a fine of up to R2,7m, or 10% of their annual turnover, whichever is greater. These hefty fines will undoubtedly bankrupt most businesses which in turn will increase unemployment.

Sadly, this legislation will prohibit the employment of specific racial groups in certain provinces and sectors, which is expected to result in as much as 600 000 people losing their jobs simply because they reside and work in the “wrong” areas.

Racialisation of labour, procurement and government legislation has already crippled the SA economy. Therefore, any legislation or practice implying the superiority of one race over another cannot be tolerated in a country who will be celebrating 30 years of democracy next year.

As a community and citizens of this beautiful country, we need to stand together and reject the implementation of more aggressive race-based legislation, just like we did in the dark days of apartheid. Let us not forget that the government of this country has a constitutional obligation towards all its citizens to right the wrongs of the past.

More than 30 organisations and political parties have decided to unite and stand up against this new race law.

As the Executive Mayor of Saldanha Bay Municipality, I call on all residents who believe in a non-racial South Africa with fair access to jobs and opportunities to stand in solidarity and unite against this unconstitutional legislation.

Let us be reminded of the powerful words of the late President, Nelson Mandela: “As long as poverty, injustice, and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest.”

I thank you.

EXECUTIVE MAYOR: SALDANHA BAY MUNICIPALITY

COUNCILLOR ANDRé B. TRUTER