3 June 2020
3
www.thevillagenews.co.za
Traffic Department reopens CBD upgrade O
verstrand Municipality’s traffic department reopened on Tuesday, 2 June, in line with Level 3 lockdown regulations.
been postponed to the first available testing opportunity. The new dates will be communicated to the relevant applicants in due course.
Hermanus traffic services, situated on the corner of Short and Mussel Street, will now be open Mondays to Fridays from 08:00 – 18:00 and every Saturday during June and July from 08:00 – 13:00. The traffic offices in Kleinmond and Gansbaai will be open Mondays to Fridays from 08:00 – 15:30, with a lunch break between 13:00 – 13:45.
Grace period for expired licences Residents have a 90-day grace period from 1 June for documents that expired during the lockdown period between 26 March and 31 May. The grace period will be useful in avoiding a rush when traffic services reopen, as residents now have more time to renew their documents. These include: • driver’s and learner’s licences • temporary permits and professional driving permits (PDPs) • roadworthy certificates • registering and licensing of a motor vehicle, as well as annual renewals • Motor trade number licences that expired between 26 March up to and including 31 May 2020, will stay valid for a further grace period of six months from the date of publication of these directions.
The department will work at a 50% staff capacity. Adherence to access control and limited numbers inside the traffic offices will be strictly enforced. Safety measures and protocols governing the observation of social distancing, sanitisation and the wearing of masks will be observed. To address the backlog, the following would be prioritised during June: • renewal of expired and lost driver’s licence cards • roadworthiness • applications for professional driving permits • renewal of motor vehicle licence discs Driver’s and learner’s licences No new appointments for learner’s and driver’s licences will be made initially. Bookings for new appointments will be accepted only from 1 July. This is on instruction of the Provincial Department of Transport so that the backlog of appointments can be dealt with first. Confirmed bookings for those applicants who were affected by the lockdown have
Online renewal of vehicle licence disc The municipality encourages residents to make use of electronic funds transfer (EFT) to make payment, if possible. The correct amount payable can be ascertained by calling 028 313 8175/8031/8166 (Hermanus Traffic), 028 384 8339 (Gansbaai Traffic) or 028 271 8400 (Kleinmond Traffic) before making an EFT payment. Documentation Remember to take your identity document with you when renewing your motor vehicle licence. Proof of address is required when renewing vehicle licences for the first time. A utility bill will be suitable for this purpose, viz. a municipal, telephone or retail store account
which is not older than three months. 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. Roadworthy certificates Only a limited number of vehicles will be allowed per day for roadworthiness tests. We thank dealers who agreed to only send one vehicle per day to be tested. Dealers Motor trade number licences that expired between 26 March up to and including 31 May 2020, will stay valid for a further grace period of six months from the date of publication of these directions. Safety measures • No person will be allowed to enter the traffic facilities without a face mask that covers the nose and mouth • There will be a limit on the number of persons allowed to move through the driving licence testing centre (DLTC) and motor vehicle registration (RA) on any given day • Sanitation measures will be applied for fingerprints and eye test equipment between users • Counters and waiting areas will be cleaned regularly throughout the day • Daily temperature screening will ensure that no members of the public with a fever above 38 degrees Celsius will be allowed to enter the office.
goes ahead
The Overstrand Municipality has announced that the successful contractor, Meyer Beton Siviele & Boukontrakteurs, was officially appointed on 6 May for the construction of stormwater infrastructure for the Hermanus CBD and Industrial Area. This contract includes the upgrading of the stormwater infrastructure in Main Road, Marine Drive and High Street, as well as the revitalisation of High Street. Stormwater upgrades will also be implemented in Mimosa Street and Prelliwitz Street in the Industrial Area. The consultants, Element Consulting Engineers, have in the interim arranged with property and business owners of all the properties directly adjacent to the construction areas to conduct a survey of their buildings, commencing on 26 May. The intention is to conduct a comprehensive internal and external inspection of the properties to document any existing cracks and/or other damage to the buildings. According to the municipality, the preliminary programme submitted by the contractor indicates that they intend to commence with the installation of pipes in June. The stormwater pipes installation is proposed to start in Marine Drive, followed by Main Road and then High Street. The installation of a sewer pipe in High Street will commence at the end of June, while construction in the industrial area is expected to start in mid-July. The delays caused by the national lockdown have resulted in the planned due contractual completion date of December 2020 being moved to February 2021. The contactor is in the process of appointing a local Public Liaison Officer and a Community Liaison Officer, who will manage the communication between the contractor and the public.
