Keeping up with council … awards, billboards and fire hydrants

Empowerment awards

This year’s Top Empowerment Awards saw two of the categories go to the Ekurhuleni metro.

Topco Media hosted Africa’s first virtual Empowerment Awards on July 23, a celebration of the country’s leaders in transformation and empowerment. The event awards companies and individuals for their contribution and commitment to empowerment in South Africa.

The metro won the Public Service category while city manager Topco Media hosted Africa took the Public Sector Leader category. Implementation of strategic B-BBEE policies, annual revenue, implementation of effective internal B-BBEE measurement mechanics and other areas of business were all taken into consideration in the selection of the winners for each category.

Billboards

Owners of billboards are urged to monitor and maintain these.

According to the metro’s Billboards and Display of Advertisements by-laws, it is the responsibility of the owner of the billboard to maintain the structure and its immediate surroundings. Advertising signs, as permitted by the by-laws, must at all times be maintained in good and safe condition to the satisfaction of the metro.

Spokesperson Themba Gadebe said the owner of the land on which the structure is erected is equally liable for the maintenance and cleaning of the billboard and the land around it.

“It is the responsibility of the owner to make sure that the chemicals used to clean the billboard have no negative impact on the environment or the surrounding community. The metro has the right to remove any part of the billboard, or the whole billboard, if it poses a danger. In such an instance the metro shall serve a notice to the owner to fix or remove it, failing which it will be removed at the owner’s cost,” he said.

Legal action may also be taken against the owner if the metro’s by-laws are not met.

To report any damaged or dangerous billboards, call the City’s city planning offices: Northern region on 011 999 3667, Southern region on 011 999 0974/77 or Eastern region on 011 999 6331.

Read: Dumping, recycling at designated Ekurhuleni landfill sites helps the planet

Fire hydrants 

Members of the community are reminded that fire hydrants remain the property of the Ekurhuleni metro and must be protected from vandalism.

Fire hydrants can only be used by emergency personnel to connect to in order to access water needed to douse a burning structure or to refill a water tanker.

Gadebe explained that fire hydrants are strategically placed across the metro and used to help fire fighters access water needed during firefighting.

“The hydrants are used to refill the water tankers on fire engines as needed while fire fighters work at putting out a fire. When residents vandalise fire hydrants, fire fighters struggle to deal with fire strikes in our homes, cars, valuables, and lives. If the hydrants cannot be used fires can destroy property as well as lives.”

How to protect hydrants:

• Do not block a fire hydrant by parking vehicles next to it.
• Do not fence them inside your yard; it is the property of the metro.
• Do not pave on top of underground fire hydrants.
• Do not dispose of any form of debris or garbage in the valve box of the hydrant.
• Do not attempt to open or activate hydrants with any home-made device, as this may damage the mechanism used to operate the hydrant.
• Ensure that all the hydrants in need of repairs (leaking, broken, malfunctioning) are reported to the metro.
• Ensure that hydrants are not defaced by removing parts or by making changes to their original colour.
• Ensure that they are used for firefighting purposes only, not for the likes of a car wash.
• Don’t paint them.
• Report suspicious-looking activity and any illegal activity to the police on 10111.

Have a story?

Contact the newsroom by emailing: Thelma Koorts  (editor) brakpanherald@caxton.co.za

or Stacy Slatter (news editor) stacys@caxton.co.za

 or Miné Fourie (journalist) minev@caxton.co.za

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