Municipality too has to tighten its belt

The George Quarterly Budget Monitoring Report for the third and fourth quarters (April to June) of the 2019/2020 financial year were tabled at a special council meeting last Friday, 31 July. Mayor Leon van Wyk said during the fourth quarter Covid-19 started to take effect on both businesses and the municipality's customer base. "In the nine months up to March we've had billings on an average of R117-million a month and in the last three months of the year our billings were only just under R100-million for a month. The debtors collection within this quarter have dropped to 90% from the usual 95% - 96%. There is a difference of R27-million that we have received less from our normal billings of every month," said Van Wyk.

He said this is an indication of the need for the adjustment budget process that has commenced. Various one-on-one sessions have taken place with each of the directorates. Van Wyk said the municipality needs to reduce expenditure by R81-million, of which roughly R41-million should come out of salaries or employee-related costs, and R40-million out of the balance of the municipal expenditure. "This is going to be a fairly mammoth task and we are going to have to cut back very strategically to make sure that our core services can continue, and look at where the savings could take place," said Van Wyk. "The directorates have all been given instructions by the municipal manager [Trevor Botha] to commence that process and within the next week or two, hopefully, we will be pretty far advanced in completing that exercise." 'n Vergadering tussen lede van die gemeenskap en die Victoriabaaiinwonersvereniging wat op Dinsdag 4 Augustus sou plaasvind, is uitgestel. Volgens Virgill Gericke, 'n stadsraadslid van die George-stadsraad en die Garden Route-distriksmunisipaliteit sal dit waarskynlik aanstaande week plaasvind. Gericke het reeds vroeër 'n formele ondersoek na onlangse gebeure by Victoriabaai aangevra.

Die ondersoeke hou onder meer verband met grondverskuiwingswerk wat by die ingang van die strandoord plaasgevind het.

Gerugte het die ronde gedoen dat van die inwoners 'n mate van toegangsbeheer wil toepas. Die grond by die ingang is platgestoot en plaveisel is gelê. Vrae het ontstaan oor wie toestemming daarvoor verleen het en of 'n openbare deelname proses gevolg is.

Verlede Donderdag het lede van die gemeenskap na Victoriabaai opgeruk en antwoorde gevra. Onder die protesgangers was verskeie lede van politieke partye soos die PBI, die ANC en die EFF. Gericke het Maandag aan George Herald gesê die vergadering is op versoek van die inwonersvereniging uitgestel. "Ons is steeds gretig om met hulle te ontmoet om alle onsekerhede uit die weg te ruim en om seker te maak dat Victoriabaai toeganklik is. Daar is 'n gees van eensgesindheid onder die gemeenskap om die saak op te klaar."

Gericke het gesê geen inwonersvereniging het die reg om te besluit oor 'n strand nie, dit behoort aan almal.

Francois Roets wat namens die inwonersvereniging gepraat het, het gesê hulle wil hê dat almal die strand moet geniet. Daar sal nie toegangsbeheer wees nie.

Niel Schalkwyk, voorsitter van die inwonersvereniging, het die interaksie tydens die protesgeleentheid as "konstruktief" beskryf. Hy het gesê die voorgestelde elektroniese hek sal nie vir voetgangers wees nie. Dit sal slegs vir voertuie wees.

Daar is laasweek ooreengekom dat konstruksiewerk by die hoofingang tydelik gestaak word.

A meeting scheduled for 4 August between members of the community and the Victoria Bay Residents Association has been postponed. Over the last few weeks it was alleged that some residents were planning a form of access control, such as a boom gate. Construction work at the main entrance fuelled the rumours. This was denied by the residents association, which promised to engage with concerned Georgians.