Two Beacon Valley high school pupils hold top positions in the City of Cape Town’s Junior City Council (JCC), as jujior deputy mayor and junior chief whip.
They were elected to be on the executive committee of the JCC, which comprises a junior mayor, junior deputy mayor, junior speaker and junior chief whip.
The committee will play a leading role on behalf of the 150 pupils in the JCC, who will act as ambassadors for the City and facilitate discussions with youth groups.
The junior mayor and executive committee will steer the initiatives and programmes set out for their two-year term.
Close co-operation between the JCC and the council will pave the way for engagement with the community and pupils as they initiate projects that will create a better understanding of the municipality’s work and the importance of partnerships with community sectoral groups.
Grade 9 Beacon Hill High School pupil Alessio Marcus was elected to be junior deputy mayor.
He is involved in the Inspired Stages group, through which youth are empowered and given a platform to show their talents in song, dance and drama; and is a member of the Cape Town Children’s Choir.
Alessio is the vice-chairperson of his school’s representative council of learners (RCL), is a confident public speaker and dreams of becoming a politician.
Junior chief whip Sibongiseni Sigodi, a Grade 10 pupil, at Oval North High School, also in Beacon Valley, is responsible for overseeing the rules that members must adhere to.
She was born and raised in Khayelitsha, where she became interested in politics as she saw how councillors make decisions that help the residents in their communities.
Sibongiseni is deputy chairperson of her school’s RCL, a member of the Cape Argus quiz and is involved in various community projects.
The most recent project had her organise a sports fun day at Bongolethu Primary School for disadvantaged children in Philippi.
