Newly appointed councillors took their seats and pledged to serve Mitchell’s Plain residents, at the Sub-council 12 and 23 meetings held at the Lentegeur chambers on Tuesday November 15.
Top of the agenda for both sub-councils was to adopt the sub-council by-law amending the boundaries of sub-councils and to create 24 sub-councils.
Sub-council 23 lost Ward 88, which is now in Sub-council 13, which serves the greater Philippi area; but gained Ward 33, from the same sub-council and Ward 43 (which previously formed part of Sub-council 19).
Newly demarcated Ward 116 falls within Sub-council 9, which includes portions of Khayelitsha, Macassar and Somerset West.
Sub-council 12 has remained the same, comprising Wards 78, 79, 81 and 82, but is in the process of having its name changed to Wolfgat Sub-council, which will be finalised in the new year.
Elton Jansen, DA councillor for Ward 43, was nominated as chairperson for Sub-council 23 by party colleague Goawa Timm, councillor for Ward 76, and seconded by Joan Woodman, councillor for Ward 75.
Sithembiso Mzobe, ANC councillor for Ward 33, nominated his sole political party colleague Ernest Theron, proportional representative (PR) councillor, who could not second his own nomination.
Mr Jansen was voted sub-council chair and during his inaugural chairperson’s speech, quoted from the book of Mark in the Bible: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
“I therefore commit myself to serve Mitchell’s Plain to the best of my ability and always have the community’s interest at heart,” he said.
In his emotionally charged speech, he thanked his wife Charlyn Jansen for her continued support and dedication to him and their children.
“Ever since I became a councillor in 2014, life in the Jansen household changed drastically and I want to honour and thank you for taking care of the kids and for creating a home for us – a safe place where I can come to after a long day’s work.
“I don’t take it for granted and I want you to know that I appreciate you.
“In the last two years I dropped you at many family functions while I had to go and attend to community issues. “There were many late nights and not once did you moan when I had to go sort out something.
“I appreciate you and I love you with all my heart,” he said.
Mr Jansen also thanked his mother, in her absence and pledged to contribute to the eradication of poverty and work towards creating opportunities for youth.
“Our people have suffered for many years and today, 22 years since the dawn of democracy we still have a lot to do to narrow the gap that was caused by the apartheid regime,” he said.
Mr Theron, former Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU) president, congratulated Mr Jansen but said the opposition party would be holding him and the DA accountable.
Both sub-councils had to establish and determine the composition of ward committees, comprising elected individuals from community organisations registered on the sub-council database. Rules for the Election and Establishment of ward committees for the City of Cape Town were adopted by council on Wednesday October 26. However, the ANC representatives in Sub-council 23 last week requested an extension.
Sub-council 12, on the other hand, is represented only by DA councillors and does not have any opposition. It includes newly elected sub-council chairperson Sheval Arendse, councillor for Ward 82, Solomon Philander, councillor for Ward 79; Danny Christians, councillor for Ward 81; and Eddie Andrews, the Ward 78 councillor and mayoral committee member for tourism, events and economic development; as well as DA PR councillors Thulani Dasa, Annelize van Zyl, Charl Marais and Willem Doman (“Sheval is new sub-council chairman,” Plainsman, November 16).