How municipal law enforcement addresses vandalism

Municipal law enforcement can assist under the following circumstances:

If a person urinates or defecates in an area considered to be public, the property owner can make a formal case against the alleged offender and must be willing to appear in municipal court to give a statement. Municipal law enforcement may issue a fine and, if the person does not pay, he/she will be summoned to appear in municipal court. Depending on the offence and if found guilty by the court, the offender may go to jail if he/she cannot pay the fine.

Law enforcement officers work normal office hours and a standby team is available for emergency municipality by-law-related situations after-hours.

The municipality land invasion unit has a list of hotspot areas, mainly in the George CBD and industrial areas, where homeless people try to sleep and / or live on public land illegally.

The unit’s vehicles drive through the areas every day and where people are illegally occupying public spaces, they are requested to leave and find an alternative place to sleep where it is legal to do so, such as a night shelter.

To address the bigger issue of people living on the streets in George, the municipality’s department of community and social development services works with the police and social organisations to try and address the multiple socio-economic and other factors that contribute to this matter.

Programmes include drug rehabilitation, skills training, job creation initiatives, locating relatives and assisting with transport to reunite homeless people with family members in places outside the municipal area.

Report vandalism at:

Municipal Law Enforcement: 044 801 6350 (07:45 - 16:30)

Land Invasion Unit: 044 801 9101

(07:45 - 16:30)

Community and Social Development:

044 802 2000 (07:45 - 16:30)

ALL DEPARTMENTS AFTER HOURS: 044 801 6300