Statement by the Executive Mayor of Cape Town,
Alderman Patricia de Lille
Mayor announces Mayco reshuffle
4 February 2013
I have decided to use the opportunity presented by the resignation of Cllr
Shehaam Sims to reshuffle some of the portfolios in the Mayoral
Committee. Given that we are almost two years into the term of office,
this also presented an ideal opportunity to refocus the Mayco’s energy
and to further strengthen its functioning.
The changes that I am announcing today promote excellence and serve as
a way of consolidating our strengths and positioning ourselves for
enhancing service delivery in the City of Cape Town.
Shehaam Sims has officially resigned as a councillor and after an open
and competitive process has taken up a position in the administration.
Her seat on the Mayco has been filled by Cllr Garreth Bloor, who has been
promoted to the position as Mayco member Economic, Environmental and
Spatial Planning (EESP).
Cllr. Bloor has been an outstanding chairperson of the EESP portfolio
committee, in which capacity he has truly distinguished himself. He has
taken the lead in not only driving major projects of economic growth
initiatives through his committee but has undertaken extensive
engagements with external stakeholders, both domestic and abroad,
especially in the business community. He has acted as a leader not only
amongst fellow caucus leaders but amongst his fellow portfolio committee
chairpersons.
Alderman Belinda Walker has been appointed to the Community Services
portfolio, as well as the leading of certain priority projects. Ald. Walker
has been an invaluable member of the senior leadership of the City for a
number of years.
Given her unique understanding of the City, and of how to unlock
blockages and reform areas that have been identified for change, Ald.
Walker is the perfect candidate for infusing a new, strategic approach to
Community Services.
That is, using her understanding of economic policy and Public/Private
partnerships to drive the new methodology of sourcing, building and
sponsoring community facilities and amenities as identified in our
strategic planning.
Such a reform project requires a deep understanding of the City’s
processes and structures, knowledge which Ald. Walker has acquired in
her years of service. In addition, such reform also requires extensive
experience in working with officials and with the kind of large budgets
that community services has.
In addition, we would like to add to this role an inclusion of a more
expansive way of thinking about community services as it pertains to
special projects for area revival, such as our efforts to revive Atlantis.
Such projects need to be driven from a community-based perspective that
can utilise the levers needed for reinvigorating and rebuilding existing
communities.
Cllr. Gqada has been appointed to the portfolio of Human Settlements. As
a new Mayco member, she has truly earned her place as an important
member of the Mayco team.
Cllr. Gqada has demonstrated a real passion for creating vibrant, dynamic
communities, showing a special skill in understanding what components
are needed to build these types of communities. She has displayed a clear
commitment to redress. Such understanding is vital in addressing the
legacy of apartheid in our cities.
Recently, the focus in housing policy has shifted away from building
blocks of simple structures to building communities, or human
settlements. This then means more than just houses but community
facilities, amenities and infrastructure as well.
Given Cllr. Gqada’s experience in building these types of communities,
she is the ideal person to drive this new policy direction in the Human
Settlements directorate and affect the kind of shift in approach that we
need in our approach to public housing.
Finally, Cllr Sonnenberg has been appointed as the Mayco member for
Utilities. Cllr. Sonnenberg has shown himself to be an excellent leader in
this Council and the previous one, leading, most recently, the Human
Settlements directorate.
One of the constant challenges that the city has faced as more people
have moved to Cape Town has been the provision of certain types of bulk
infrastructure. This has been a special challenge, especially in the area of
public housing.
Given Cllr. Sonnenberg’s work in the Human Settlement’s directorate, he
is particularly well-placed to understand these challenges. Furthermore,
he understands the types of interventions needed to ensure that we
successfully roll-out infrastructure to all communities, not only as a basic
service, but as social and economic services as well.
In addition, his knowledge of capacity constraints in the city from his work
in public housing roll-outs give him a unique perspective of the kinds of
areas where we need to direct our infrastructure growth management
strategies.
His experience also makes him ideally placed to oversee the directorate
with the largest budget in the city and the large service-related staff
component.
I am confident that these changes will further strengthen the Mayco and
ensure that we can help make a great city, even greater.