GRDM: Seven honoured with 'Alder' title

Gallery Video

GARDEN ROUTE DISTRICT NEWS & VIDEO - Municipal honours in the form of Alderman/Alderlady status were bestowed on seven Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) councillors yesterday, Tuesday 30 June.

The conferment of this title to councillors has not happened at GRDM for the past 10 years, which makes the ceremony a highlight for the current term (2016/2021) of Council.

The councillors who are now officially recognised as Alderman or Alderlady are Memory Booysen (Executive Mayor), Barend Groenewald (Speaker), Rosina Ruiters (Deputy Executive Mayor), Stephen de Vries, Georlene Wolmarans, Virgill Gericke and Piet van der Hoven.

These councillors have met the minimum criteria and the decision to bestow this honour on them was approved by Council on 27 May.

The conferment ceremony took place yesterday at a council meeting in view of the GRDM Council – some at the council chambers and others via Zoom.

Photo gallery: Municipal honours bestowed

The bestowment of Alderman or Alderlady status occurs upon the commencement of a councillor’s term as Executive Mayor, Executive Deputy Mayor or Speaker.

Furthermore, any councillor who obtains a minimum of 10 points on the following scale, also qualifies for the conferment: one point for every year of service as a councillor at one or more municipalities (it need not be continuous); and one additional point for every year of service as a member of the mayoral committee.

Aldermen/Alderladies also receive the following privileges:

provision of a special parking space in the municipal parking area on prior arrangement;
provision of agendas even after retirement in electronic format if so required;
Alderman/Alderlady is kept on municipal invitation lists;
The reserving of special seats at council meetings should a member so wish.

View and listen to the meeting here: