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In the latest Blue Flag awards for the 2024/2025 season, Kouga Municipality has once again achieved top honours, with Dolphin Beach in Jeffreys Bay and Cape St Francis Beach awarded full Blue Flag status. This prestigious designation highlights the municipality’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of environmental management, safety, and accessibility.
The Centerton Sports Field in Hankey underwent a R1 million upgrade, with the revamped facility officially opened on 16 October 2024. The transformation of this crucial community facility has been made possible through a successful partnership between Kouga Municipality and the Amandla Omoya Trust, marking a significant investment in the region’s socio-economic development.
No controlled burns will be permitted in the Kouga region from next month. Kouga Executive Mayor, Hattingh Bornman, announced that the annual fire prohibition period for the region would commence on 1 November 2024 and continue until 28 February 2025.
The electrical substation in Boskloof, Humansdorp is set to be upgraded at a cost of R22 million – enhancing the electricity supply to KwaNomzamo. The project will see the installation of an additional 15MW transformer, along with associated equipment, increasing the substation’s capacity from 7 Mega Volt Amps (MVA) to 22MVA. This increase will significantly enhance the electrical supply in the region, equivalent to powering over 366 000 sixty-watt light bulbs.
On 20 August 2024, Kouga Executive Mayor, Hattingh Bornmann wrote to the National Electricity Regulation of South Africa (NERSA) objecting to the proposed 40% electricity tariff increase in 2025. Today, 7 October 2024, Bornman launched a petition. He encourages all residents of the Eastern Cape to sign the petition, which will be delivered to Parliament.
Kouga Municipality, in collaboration with local businesses, has established the Panorama Nursery in Humansdorp earlier this year – growing more than just vegetables, it is cultivating community care and environmental change. With every plant, this initiative nourishes local soup kitchens and helps green the region.
Kouga Municipality, in collaboration with Woodlands Dairy, has recently planted over 100 indigenous trees and shrubs at the Humansdorp Landfill Site using the innovative Miyawaki afforestation method – a first of its kind for the region. This specific method, designed to rapidly create dense forests on degraded land, involves the close planting of indigenous species to stimulate faster growth. In just a short span of time, these mini-forests are capable of capturing more carbon, improving soil quality, and promoting a rich biodiversity.
Following the adoption of the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and Budget Process Plan by the Kouga Municipality Council, the municipality has now embarked on the third review of its five-year IDP for 2022/2027 and the Medium-Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework (MTREF) Budget. As part of this process, the municipality is required to engage with stakeholders to review the IDP for 2025/2026 and the MTREF budget allocations for the 2025/2026 to 2027/2028 period.
