The Oudtshoorn Municipality is ready to host the influx of thousands of festival goers that will descend in Oudtshoorn to enjoy the 18th ABSA Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK) that commences this forthcoming weekend.
The Honourable Executive Mayor of the Greater Oudtshoorn, Alderman Gordon April will officially open this year’s festival tomorrow, 30 March 2012.
The Executive Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Speaker will on Friday, 30th March 2012 be welcoming all festival goers at road blocks in all three entrances to Oudtshoorn. They will also help distribute safety kits containing safety and health information to festival goers. This is a joint venture between the Oudtshoorn Municipal Traffic, Western Cape Provincial Traffic, Department of Health, Department of Road Safety and Intercape.
Contingency Plan
A contingency plan that incorporates the Protection Services, Technical Services and Community Services directorate of the Oudtshoorn Municipality, ABSA KKNK, the South African Police Service (SAPS), Western Cape Provincial Traffic, medical services, Eden District Municipality’s environmental officers and security companies, is already in place.
A Joint Operational Centre has been established and operates at the Oudtshoorn SAPS. The contingency plan makes provision for three already established Venue Operational Centres (VOC’s) which are situated at the CJ Langenhoven Library, Huisgenoot evening stage and at Jamstreet.
Municipal manpower on disaster management which includes fire services has been beefed up with personnel from theEdenDistrictMunicipalityand South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and they are currently conducting fire safety inspections.
Municipal Services during the Absa KKNK
The Municipal Cleansing Services manpower will be bolstered with 80 extra temporary personnel for the duration of the ABSA KKNK, to ensure that the town is kept clean at all times. Garbage removal will be done everyday at restaurants and hotels during the festival as opposed to three times a week during the year – public holidays and weekends included.
Maintenance of infrastructure for parks, water works, electricity, roads and storm water have already that began about three weeks ago, are now nearing completion to ensure that the town is ready to host the festival goers. There are no electricity shutdowns planed during the festival, emergency plans are in place and personnel are on standby. The municipal Technical Services Directorate indicated that Eskom does not foresee any problems, but when and if an emergency arises, Telkom will consider the ABSA KKNK. The town’s main source of water, the Koos Raubenheimer dam is 70 % full, we would; however request that the water be sparingly used. Municipal Services as well as standby services will continue as normal in the entire Greater Oudtshoorn.
Municipal venues fully utilised
All municipal halls are being utilised by the ABSA KKNK. The Toekomsrus Community hall has been used prior to the beginning of the festival for building certain pieces used in art productions.
The Banquet hall is again being used as the VIP Kannaland Lounge for VIP’s of the festival including the Council. Some actors and singers perform there at night for some first class entertainment.
The Theatre (known as the Burgersentrum) during the ABSA KKNK is used for the biggest shows, for there are approximately 700 seats available. Maintenance to all municipal halls has been attended to.
Traffic Services
Traffic Services from both the Oudtshoorn Municipality and the Western Cape Provincial Traffic will help with the general flow of traffic. More parking spaces have been identified festival goers are therefore advised to use the parking spaces of the schools in the ABSA KKNK area as at the driving range situated invan der Riet Street.
Road closures will be in effect as from Thursday, 29 March 2012 till 10th April 2012. The following streets and roads in the vicinity of the festival will be closed:
• Baron van Rhede (a portion between Voortrekker and St.Johns Streets),
• St. Johns Street (a portion between Baron van Rhede and Jan Van Riebeeck Streets)
• Church Street (a portion between Baron van Rhede and Jan van Riebeeck Streets) and
• Langehoven Road (a portion Between Voortrekker and Vrede Streets).
However, as from the 8th of April road closures will be scaled down as the number of festival goes will be leaving. Festival goers are encouraged to make use of taxis to Jamstreet to assist lower volumes of traffic while the Oval track road will be regulated for easy accessibility to the venue. Parking meters in town will still work as normal and at a normal rate.
Sporadic road blocks will be conducted to regulate and enforce law against motorists who would be contravening the National Road Traffic Act by particularly committing among other the following offences:
• Talking on Cellphones while driving
• not wearing their safety belts
• drunken driving
• reckless and negligent driving
Passenger busses that normally drop and pick up passengers at the Queens Mall parking will stop atVoortrekker Roadin front of the same parking area. Traffic lights will be regulated by traffic officials.
