Update on COVID

While there might have been some confusion with regards to the events in our region, there is very little confusion with the fact that the pandemic is surging in the Eastern Cape.

We would like to stress that over this period in St Francis that people need to look after their own safety and that of their loved ones. Stick to the protocols of masking, sanitising, distancing, make careful decisions daily, and please don’t be reckless.

At this stage in St Francis, some events are on, and some are off.

On the Garden Route, events have been banned, and facilities are shut. https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-12-01-events-banned-facilities-shut-as-western-capes-covid-19-infections-soar/

Update on Events in Kouga

Kouga Municipality has retracted a notice circulating on social media, banning the hosting of all events in the region due to rising COVID-19 infections.

Executive Mayor, Horatio Hendricks, said the notice had not been intended for the public domain.

He said that while the municipality had cancelled its own events, including the Opening of Season and Countdown to the New Year, all other events approved by the Kouga Local Events Committee were legally allowed to continue.

“Since the municipality cannot legally prevent events that comply with the national regulations, our focus will be on strict law enforcement, especially of the bigger events which have the potential to become super-spreaders,” he said.

Billy’s Beach Is Officially Off

Despite the retraction, the Billy’s Beach organisers have decided to cancel the Billy’ Beach event this year. Billy’s employed around 150 people, for the season, with a large percentage of them being locals.

Seasonal Info From The St Francis Bay Riparian Home Owners Association

Canal Licences and Fees

All the licence and fees prices for the season can be found here – http://stfrancisbaycanals.com/canal-licences-fees-price/

Available from the Canal Harbour Office Tuesday to Saturday from 8am to 4pm.

Contact details Canal Harbour Office 042 294 0079 or 0636964906 or harbour@sfbra.co.za

Kromme River Office 0834275356 or dyerndd@gmail.com

This season’s water safety is of prime importance, as the river mouth has been completely changed. Here is further clarity on the safety measures and rules that will be in place this year.

Actions being taken to improve safety in the area from ski canal to the sea:

  1. Two no-wake speed signs at the river end of ski canal will be installed.
  2. Municipal signage warning of the dangers in this area will be installed.
  3. The KJRC will be installing signage to prevent jet skis from using that section of water from the pink house on the northern side of the river to where the river joins the sea.
  4. Law enforcement officers on the canals and the river to perform more checks on skippers licences and COF’s. The objective is to ensure that all power-driven vessels are operated per SAMSA and Municipal regulations.
  5. During the holiday season the channel from ski canal to the river mouth will be for traverse only at no-wake speed.
  6. No jet skis will be permitted to traverse from the cove to the river mouth.
  7. NSRI will have a rescue craft moored at the canal small boat harbour.
  8. NSRI will move spare Rescue Buoys to the River Mouth for season
  9. NSRI are currently in discussions with the KM Regarding a lifeguard stationed at the mouth
  10. NSRI have a dedicated River Response team for the season who will be on call and will respond (to the sbh) if calls come in.

Norman Dyer Interview

Norman is currently the chairman of the Kromme Joint River Committee. In this video, he chats about the KJRC and the history of the organisation, as well as its workings and how they maintain the river and the safety of the river users.

The river is very badly silted, but Norman and the committee have over 150 buoys in place, amongst other safety measures.