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www.thevillagenews.co.za
29 July 2020
Plastic Patrol resumes cleanups T
he Mandela Day Plastic Patrol cleanup of the New Harbour in Hermanus resulted in almost 400kg of mostly plastic rubbish being collected in just three hours.
Gloves and collection bags are provided, but volunteers must bring their own masks. No groups are permitted and all volunteers have to sign a register.
The event, an initiative of Kim ‘Sharklady’ MacLean with the support – and active participation on the day – of Harbour Master Nomonde Simon, was held on Saturday morning, 18 July and drew more than 50 dedicated volunteer cleaner-uppers who helped to clear the harbour’s rocks, cliffs, parking lots as well as the sea itself.
The next Plastic Patrol Cleanup will be on Saturday 1 August, from 10:00 (weather dependent). It will focus on the marine environment, making use of boats and jetskis. Interested volunteers can contact Kim on 083 746 8985. Divers are also welcome.
Kim was overwhelmed by the public’s response, especially during these trying times. “The open-hearted Madiba spirit was evident in the commitment shown by all these wonderful volunteers,” she said. Three local divers lent their hands and flippers to drag out from underwater, among others, four cellphones, many lengths of rope and masses of tangled fishing line, which mean possible death for many a sea creature or bird. Plastic Patrol is sponsored by Sharklady Adventures, Majestic Cruising and Pick n Pay. The events are responsibly managed under Covid-19 regulations, with compulsory social distancing,
The Village NEWS is excited to present readers with interactive newspapers.
hand sanitisation and mask-wearing.
During lockdown, more and more of our readers have been using our website, social media, ISSUU and PressReader to get their fix of The NEWS.ISSUU is an online platform which allows publishers to upload their newspapers or magazines in an e-format for those who like to read online.
To get involved in future Plastic Patrol events, go to www.facebook.com/ plasticpatrolhermanus/
The tally was as follows: (Total weight 379kg) Cigarette butts 1063 Food wrappers 513 Bottle caps metal 480 Grocery bags plastic 282 Bottles plastic 258 Bottles glass 219 Bottle caps plastic 192 Other plastic bags 155 Plastic/foam packaging 134 Straws 132 Tobacco packaging 127 Paper bags 112 Takeaway containers foam 108 Takeaway containers plastic 107
Kim ‘Sharklady’ MacLean with Harbour Master Nomonde Simon after the cleanup.
Beverage cans 107 Construction materials 91 Cigar tips 86 Fishing net & pieces 82 Cups, plates foam 79 Lids plastic 71 Strapping bands 67 Cups, plates paper 61 Cups, plates plastic 57 Forks, knives, spoons 48 Fishing line greater than 1m 47 Rope greater than 1m 43 Other plastic bottles 41 Condoms 38 Diapers 20 Tampons 15
Appliances 12 Fireworks 12 Fishing buoys, pots, traps 10 Lighters 10 Balloons 9 Six-pack holders 8 Syringes 4 Tyres 3 Tiny trash pieces less than 2.5cm: Foam 350 Plastic 318 Glass 274 Other items picked up: Cellphones 4 Jacket; backpack 1 Fishing rod 1
“Auxiliary as a debt collection mechanism has, in compliance with municipal policy, been part of Overstrand Municipality’s debt collection method on accounts in arrears for many years,” it reads. This means that 60% of the purchase amount for electricity is credited to the person’s arrears account, as a method to reduce the outstanding balance that is owed to the municipality.
All you have to do is go to issuu.com, search for The Village News, and click on the cover of this week's newspaper: 29 JULY 2020
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“At the start of lockdown at the end of March 2020, it was decided not to apply the auxiliaries for a period of three months, in order to be lenient to individuals who could not honour the payment of their municipal accounts.” When this information was advertised in the media, the municipality says it requested the public to contact them in order to apply for an extension of payment of accounts, thus allowing households ample time to apply for an arrangement to be made between the parties. According to the municipality, however, there has since this announcement been
an acceleration of unpaid accounts across all areas. “With the announcement of the Level 3 lockdown regulations, the municipality again informed the public that the auxiliary on electricity purchases would be reinstated as of 30 June 2020. If your account was up to date – or arrangements had been made and honoured – the auxiliary would not apply,” says the municipality. According to the municipality, these decisions were made after careful consideration of its finances and sustainability, while acknowledging the financial strain on the public, due
to the Covid-19 pandemic. “The public is once again urged to not just stop paying their accounts, but to contact the municipality in order to make arrangements to settle the arrears. If arrangements are honoured, the auxiliary charge of 60% will not apply.” In applying for a payment arrangement, the municipality says your information could also assist the administration with assessing whether you possibly qualify for indigent support and, if the application is successful, you could receive an indigent subsidy.
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THE VILLAGE
NEWS 2m
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LEFT: The South African restaurant and tourism sector stood in solidarity on Wednesday 22 July to protest the stringent regulations that are decimating the industry and leading to countless job losses.
RIGHT: Cape Whale Coast tourism manager, Frieda Lloyd with the Deputy Mayor of the Overstrand, Elnora Gillion. What began as a peaceful protest in Hermanus soon turned into a heated confrontation as authorities demanded that the roads be cleared. Several restaurant owners such as Petri Hendriksz of Char'd and Pear Tree (pictured here) stood their ground. Read more on P4. To see a video of the events that unfolded at the protest go to issuu.com, search for The Village NEWS, select this edition of the newspaper and click on the photo of Petri.
Budget to beat Covid Writer De Waal Steyn
Auxiliary charges on electricity purchases explained Confusion about the purchase price of electricity has prompted the Overstrand Municipality to issue a statement clarifying their position regarding auxiliaries on overdue accounts.
Apart from being easy to use, ISSUU also allows its creators to add website links, as well as video links to adverts and photos, allowing for an even more exciting read online.
PHOTOS: Taylum Meyer
By Sarah Taylor
T
he Covid-19 pandemic has become a double-edged sword with tough decisions needing to be taken between saving lives and saving livelihoods. While the national infection numbers over the past week have climbed steadily, with between 13 900 and 11 200 new cases recorded daily, in the Western Cape new infections rose by between 550 and 1 500 cases daily over the corresponding period. But, according to figures released by the Western Cape, of the more than 91 100 cases reported thus far, only about 12 600 are active cases. By Monday 2 897 people in the province had succumbed to the illness. A total of 1 062 recoveries had been reported out of the 1 334 cases in the Overstrand. The fight against the pandemic in the province,
which at one time accounted for more than 70% of all reported cases in the country but now stands at 20%, was bolstered last week with the presentation of the province’s special adjustment budget tabled by David Maynier, Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities. According to Maynier, while there are some positive signs that the storm may be subsiding, the province must plan for the worst. “We have a plan and it is this budget that I call ‘A Budget to Beat Covid-19 in the Western Cape’. The budget supports the province’s immediate health, humanitarian, and economic response. We have worked hard to mobilise every cent available and have allocated R3.05 billion to support the fight against the virus,” he said. The adjustment budget makes provision for: • R1.8 billion to the Department of Health for personal protective equipment, temporary field hospitals, testing and screening, and additional bed capacity;
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R400 million to the Department of Transport and Public Works for the hiring of venues and the purchase of services for quarantine and isolation facilities; R310 million to the Department of Education for personal protective equipment, and the sanitisation of schools; R84 million for humanitarian relief.
But while the authorities are doing their utmost, businesses are caught in a life and death struggle for survival. Newly released research by TransUnion shows that 90% of small businesses in South Africa are struggling or temporarily closed because of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Just 9% report that they are operating as normal and less than 1% of businesses say they are thriving. A total of 96% of small business owners reported a decrease in revenue, with 78% saying they have seen a significant decrease. With cash flows being hit so hard, 32% of small
businesses report that they will be able to operate for less than three months at the current rate, and 50% reported extreme concerns with being able to fulfil critical payment obligations. Nearly two thirds (59%) said they will have to cut staff salaries, 44% said they will be unable to pay rent, and 33% said they will have to start downscaling monthly services such as telecommunications and insurance in the next two months. Nonetheless, small business owners remain optimistic about their ability to continue, with 53% indicating that it is likely that they will recover from the impact of the pandemic. Lee Naik, CEO of TransUnion Africa, said the research is designed to help better understand how small businesses have been impacted by the pandemic, the changes they have experienced, and their expectations of how the crisis would affect their operations and subsequent ability to meet their payment obligations. Continues on P 2
And keep and eye out for a "play" icon in the top right corner of adverts and photos that shows there is a video available to watch:
Hover over photos or pictures in the adverts and click play, then enlarge to full screen and enjoy! Go to ISSUU and try it out with the Co.Unity advert and photo of Petri Hendriksz on P1, as well as with the Fine & Country advert on P16, which has three video links. Interactive newspapers not only allow our advertisers to show more of their products that are on offer, but also allow our readers to watch videos taken during events without having to search for them on Facebook. The video links work not only on desktop, but on mobile as well, so no matter what device you are using to get The NEWS, you will be able to watch them.
www.pressreader.com www.issuu.com/dwaal 083 700 3319 theagency@thevillagenews.co.za
