Cape Town - Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has unveiled his proposed new-look mayoral committee (Mayco) which has continuity in the safety, human settlements, transport and economic growth portfolios but introduces new faces to run health, spatial planning, finance and energy.
Announcing his selection, which on Saturday received the nod from the DA’s federal executive, Hill-Lewis said the Mayco members were chosen for their combination of experience, skills, fresh energy and thinking.
Deputy mayor and Mayco member for spatial planning and environment Eddie Andrews replaces Marian Nieuwoudt, who previously chaired the City’s spatial planning environment portfolio committee.
Mayco member for corporate services Theresa Uys, the former chairperson of the City’s corporate services portfolio committee, takes over from Sharon Cottle.
Patricia van der Ross, the councillor for ward 65, which covers Lotus River and part of Grassy Park, is Mayco member for community services and health. Van der Ross was first elected a ward councillor in 2016.
Mayco member for finance is Siseko Mbandezi, who was at one time ANC ward councillor until 2015 when he joined the DA. Mbandezi previously chaired the finance portfolio committee.
Beverley van Reenen, who was first elected to represent ward 25 in a by-election in 2014, is Mayco member for energy and will be in charge of Hill-Lewis’s plan to end load shedding in Cape Town over time.
For community services and health, Mayco member Dr Zahid Badroodien will take over water and waste from Xanthea Limberg.
Mayco member for transport Roberto Quintas was first appointed to the portfolio earlier this year to replace Felicity Purchase, who now occupies the speaker seat.
Quintas’s mandate is to restore the N2 Express and Mitchells Plain link on the MyCiTi bus system.
Those who have kept their portfolios are JP Smith (safety and security), Grant Twigg (urban management), Malusi Booi (human settlements) and James Vos (economic opportunities and asset management).
Hill-Lewis said: “The mayoral committee team is announced based on the current structure of directorates. We will take proposals for changes to this structure to the council soon, and these portfolios will then change accordingly.”
Political parties in the City Council have, however, given mixed reviews to his Mayco.
The full mayco can be seen below:
