STELLENBOSCH TAKES ACTIVE STEPS TO STOP COVID 19

A report served in front of the Mayoral Committee today to inform the Mayoral Committee of the steps the Stellenbosch Municipality is taking to comply with the national state of disaster due to the COVID 19 outbreak, as announced by the President earlier this week.

Many of these steps have already been implemented and this information will also be presented to the Council at the upcoming Council Meeting, scheduled for 30 March 2020.

The report states the following:

a) Municipal services will provisionally continue as normal, but residents are encouraged to avoid non-essential visits to any of the municipal offices and facilities, and to rather use online, telephone, and electronic services;

b)The following municipal facilities be closed with immediate effect, until further notice:

• community halls, town halls and library halls, multi-purpose centres, picnic sites and/or resorts, nature reserves, swimming pools, sports facilities and clubhouses;
• Approval be granted that existing bookings of said facilities either be cancelled or postponed, and that fees be refunded without recovering the administrative fee associated with cancellations where the booking is not rescheduled;
• The operating hours of the libraries will be from 09:00 – 14:00, but that only basic services (taking out and retuning of reading material) be provided, and that access and number control be applied;
• Sectoral and other IDP and budget-related public participation meetings be cancelled until further notice;
• Cemeteries remain open, but users be made aware of the legal number restrictions applicable to gatherings;
• Customer offices, such as cash offices, traffic licencing and test centres remain open to the public for the time being, but strong precaution be taken to ensure a heightened level of hygiene;
• Sectional and other budget related public participation will take place through other methods to be communicated soonest;
• Meetings of the Council and its committees provisionally continue as scheduled, but members of the public will have restricted access to these meetings, excluding the media;
• Provision will be made for social distance and hygiene;
• All community development projects, and holiday programmes scheduled and presented by the directorate Community Development during the school holiday and on public holidays, be cancelled;
• No applications be approved in terms of the Gatherings Act, as well as in terms of the Municipality’s By-law regarding the Holding of Events, and existing approvals be cancelled until further notice.

c) The Municipal Manager be authorised to take urgent decisions relating to the COVID pandemic, inter alia regarding but not restricted to the following:

• Identification of available sites to be used as isolation and quarantine facilities, and to submit the list to the Department of Health (as per regulations);
• Shortening/determination of regulatory periods as determined in this resolution;
• Increased access control and security measures at inter alia municipal offices, stores, test centres;
• Identification of available sites to be used as isolation and quarantine facilities, and to submit the list to the Department of Health (as per regulations);
• Shortening/determination of regulatory periods as determined in this resolution;
• Increased access control and security measures at inter alia municipal offices, stores, test centres;
• Appointment of a task team and communication spokesperson/s, as well as determination of communication methods and handling of enquiries;
• Closure/reopening of facilities and termination/continuation of services;
• Safety measures for staff, e.g. provisional suspension of biometrics, approval and criteria of special/quarantine leave as provided for in SALGBC collective agreement, use of protective equipment/clothing, shift systems and working from home, awareness measures;
• Attendance of courses, workshops and meetings by staff representatives.

As the situation develops, we will keep our residents and the broader community updated. We are fully aware that this is a challenging time and we urge all residents to please give their full cooperation and adhere to the restrictions as they are announced and implemented by the national and provincial authorities. Please adhere to the restrictions of 100 people (including staff) or less at social events. This includes funerals, weddings and religious services.

Our law enforcement section has been briefed and they have been instructed to act according to the regulations as announced in the national government gazette. Residents and businesses who do not adhere to these regulations may face a hefty fine or even jail time.

For safety information, useful tips and government communications please visit our website (www.stellenbosch.gov.za) or follow us on social media – Facebook: Stellenbosch Municipality and Twitter: @StellMun