Overstrand Municipality has appealed to all residents to be on the look out for the destructive shot hole borer beetle, which has spread to Somerset West, Stellenbosch and is now also in the southern suburbs of Cape Town and spreading at an alarming rate.

By Friday, 24 February 2023, a total of 168 sightings of the pest were reported in Newlands, Rondebosch, Mowbray, Claremont, Kenilworth, and in Observatory along the Liesbeek River. In the Helderberg area, 3 900 infested trees have been sighted since 2019 to date.

In an attempt to keep this infestation in check, Overstrand Municipality appeals to all residents to be on the lookout for it and to check trees for signs.

The Municipality has been keeping a watchful eye on the trees and has responded to many calls from the public to investigate. To date, the shot hole borer has not been spotted in the Overstrand.

The top five most vulnerable trees include:

1. Box elder maple (Acer negundo),
2. London Plane (Platanus acerifolia),
3. English Oak (Quercus robur),
4. Liquid Amber (Liquidamber styraciflua) and
5. Coral trees (Erythrina sp).

These species are all reproductive hosts of PSHB; in other words, trees in which PSHB can successfully reproduce, and which eventually die due to the infestations.

Please take note that the Indigent Support Subsidy granted to all registered indigent households expires on 31 May 2023.

Indigent households must urgently register and/or re-apply for subsidies.

Overstrand Municipality will be assisting residents in need with the application process on the indigent database on certain Saturday mornings at community halls across the Overstrand. Support will also be available during the week at any of the municipal offices.

Overstrand Municipality has intensified its drive against illegal dumping and improper disposal of waste.

Rubbish bags and wheelie bins that are left outside the gate on the sidewalks by weekenders and holiday visitors on days when refuse is not removed, are a huge problem everywhere.

Anyone caught leaving waste on the sidewalks on the night before scheduled removal days, will be reported to Law Enforcement to assist with the enforcement of the Integrated Waste Management By-law.

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS), in collaboration with Overstrand Libraries, are once again looking to appoint young people to assist and support libraries with various outreach programmes in their communities.

The YearBeyond Libraries Programme offers two streams of work: Youth can work as a ‘Reading Champion’ or ‘ICT Champion’.

If you want to help learners develop reading skills or if you are a tech savvy individual wanting to promote ICT in your community this programme could be for you!