Triage facilities to open in Overstrand soon From P 1 According to Premier Winde, the use of steroids has been approved for use in line with international recommendations. “This will have a positive impact on the clinical outcomes of patients infected with Covid-19. These steroids will be used for ventilated patients and those on high-flow nasal oxygen. “Oxygen has shown to have a significantly positive impact on the clinical outcomes of patients, and we are using oxygen in our facilities to manage ill patients. An oxygen calculator has been developed that facilities can use to monitor their daily oxygen requirements. We have also adopted a predictive model that shows our current average consumption is 12 tons a day and at the peak we will require approximately 40 tons of oxygen daily. We have engaged with suppliers, and we have been assured of this supply.” Further to this, some 24 testing and triage facilities will soon be opened in rural areas of the Western Cape, including Hawston, Kleinmond and Hermanus. “At the moment we have the highest number of Covid-19 hospitalisations to date, and we are anticipating and planning for a further increase in demand in our health services. The additional capacity of the Hospital of Hope at the CTICC has already provided significant support, recording 230
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admissions by 24 June. A total of 176 people have been discharged from this field hospital. “Our health care system planning and provisioning is guided by modelling, which is done in conjunction with the National Covid-19 Epi Model consortium, which is the same model used by the National Government. As a responsible government, we are preparing for a range of possible scenarios as guided by these models, including those which anticipate limited mitigation of the epidemic. We believe it would be irresponsible to plan for an optimistic scenario, and then not be able to provide services to those who need it,” said Winde. He added that modelling is never perfect and that it is based on several assumptions on how the virus might spread through our communities, and who might get infected. “We currently cannot be certain whether we have started approaching our peak or whether it has been pushed out, and we are therefore undertaking an additional calibration of the model, using the latest data and trends. We will make this new calibration public as soon as it is completed.” The Western Cape is also making sure it is adequately prepared to manage increased fatalities. A temporary facility for this purpose is being constructed at Tygerberg Hospital and is due for completion by the first week of July.
Council appoints new municipal manager The Municipal Manager of Cape Agulhas Municipality, Dean O’Neill, has been appointed by the Overstrand Municipality (OM) to take over from Coenie Groenewald as the new Municipal Manager for Overstrand on 1 November. Groenewald’s fixedterm contract of employment terminates on 31 October when he reaches retirement age. According to a statement released by the OM, O’Neill has many years’ of experience in local government. “A total of 28 applications (one was late) were received for the position and, after proper screening, three candidates were invited to attend the evaluation and interview sessions for the post. One candidate withdrew from the interview session,” said the OM. The selection panel consisted of Mayor Dudley Coetzee (Chairman), Adv G Mettler (Specialist – Municipal Manager of Stellenbosch Municipality), Cllr Elnora Gillion (OM Deputy Mayor), Mr G Paulse (HoD Provincial Department of Local Government), Cllr Valerie Pungupunge (Observer), Mr R Steele (Facilitator) and Ms Desireé Arrison (Director: Management Services and Secretariat). The Executive Mayor, Dudley Coetzee, has welcomed the appointment and said Coun-
The new municipal manager appointed by Overstrand Municipality, Dean O’Neill will take over from Coenie Groenewald when he retires on 1 November. PHOTO: Gurswin Prins, Cape Agulhas Municipality cil approved the appointment unanimously during a virtual Council meeting on 24 June. “The Council has every confidence in Mr O’Neill’s capabilities and is looking forward to working with him. He is a competent and experienced municipal manager and we are hopeful that he will exercise his duties as the accounting officer with the utmost care and diligence,” the Mayor said.
Offices close due to Coronavirus infections With more employees testing positive for Covid-19, Overstrand Municipality advised on Monday that the Hermanus Traffic Department, situated on the corner of Short and Mussel Streets, will unfortunately remain closed until further notice. It was also confirmed on Monday that another member of Kleinmond SAPS had tested positive for Covid-19 and that the station would be closed for sanitation. Until it reopens, service delivery would continue from the Kleinmond Town Hall. The emergency number to contact is 079 893 9918. Traffic offices in Kleinmond and Gansbaai will be open for certain transactions such as the registration and licensing of a motor vehicle, as well as annual renewals, while the Hermanus office is closed. The traffic offices in Kleinmond and Gansbaai will be
open Monday to Friday from 08:00 – 15:30, with a lunch break between 13:00 – 13:45. Residents have a 90-day grace period from 1 June for documents that expired during the lockdown period from 26 March to 31 May. These include driver’s licences, learner’s licences, temporary permits, professional driving permits (PDPs), roadworthy certificates, and the registering and licensing of a motor vehicle, as well as annual renewals. Remember to take your identity document with you when renewing your motor vehicle licence. If someone else renews your licence on your behalf, you need to ensure that they have a letter of authorisation to do so; a certified copy of your ID and their own ID; the licence disc or the vehicle's registration papers; and the appropriate fees. In the case of a married couple, a spouse doing the transaction can bring their marriage certificate and this will be sufficient proof of permission.
