News

OPEN REPORT

TO CEDERBERG RESIDENTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE MAYOR

KANTOOR VAN DIE UITVOERENDE BURGEMEESTER

IOFISI KA SODOLOPHU

29 November 2024

SPAZA SHOP CRISIS AND OTHER MATTERS

Cederberg is under control

Dear Residents of Cederberg

Yesterday, 28 November 2024, the Cederberg Municipal Council held its last council meeting for this year.  With this message I wish to update you on the matters under discussion and review with an emphasis on our response to the national state of disaster as declared by President Ramaphosa regarding Spaza Shops and the food poisoning matter.

SPAZA SHOP CRISIS

The Mayor delivered a speech to council in which he summarised the achievements of council and the administration for the past year. (Mayor’s speech can be downloaded from the municipality website).

The mayor responded to President Ramaphosa’s declaration of a national state of disaster regarding spaza shops and the over 900 report incidents and 22 children deaths linked to food purchased from spaza shops.

The mayor reported that the Cederberg  region has no reported incidents of food-poisoning linked to the around 170 spaza shops in the Cederberg.  The Cederberg municipality has been conducting regular inspections of the spaza shops through the Health Inspector of the District Municipality, assisted by the South African Police Services.  The most recent inspection was conducted in August 2024.  In light of the national disaster, the police and all relevant stakeholders are currently conducting inspections.

The Cederberg municipality is currently assisting spaza shop owners to get registered  in order for them to meet the 21 day deadline set by the President. 

GENERAL MATTERS

The agenda of the council meeting of 28 November 2024  dealt with various matters including:

• POLICIES:  Approval of various policy documents (Climate Change, Air Quality, Development Charges, Language, Customer Relations Management).
• MINUTES:  Approval of Minutes of Mayoral Committee together with Mayoral portfolio reports.
• FINANCES:  Taking note of financial reports such as the Quarterly Budget Statement, Virements Report, and the Supply Chain Management Report.
• LAND:  Consideration of various ground transactions including possible collaboration between the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and the Municipality to make land available for housing of DWS staff and the upgrading of the Clanwilliam Dam project.
• RESORTS:  Council reconfirmed that it remains the owner of the Clanwilliam Resort.
• EVICTION OF TENANTS:  Approved the eviction of non-paying tenants occupying municipal property.
• ACTING MUNICIPAL MANAGER:  Approval of the extension of the period for Mr de Ridder in the position as acting Municipal Manager while the MM, is recovery from recent back surgery.
• CODE OF CONDUCT AND DECLARATION OF INTEREST OF COUNCILLORS:  Adoption of the revised template guiding the Declaration of Interests of councillors.
• RECESS:  Approval of recess for council (13 December 2024 to 13 January 2025).

HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS

The municipal offices will only be closed for the period 24th December 2024 to 2nd January 2025.  There will be a team on 24-hour standby in the event of emergencies.

WELL WISHES

In his speech, the mayor remarked that inspite of the tremendous progress and improvements over the past year, there remains much work to be done to properly fix the municipality.  The mayor remind everyone that “Rome was not built in a day”,  and requested everyone to Vasbyt.  The mayor thanked everyone for their hard work.

Issued by

Communication and Customer Care Department

Anthony Vusumzi Mlata

Telephone number: +27 482 8000

Email address: media@cederbergraad.co.za