New GRDM mayor to implement financial 'diet approach'

GEORGE NEWS - Newly inaugurated Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Mayor Andrew Stroebel (DA) believes in strong financial discipline and he wants to implement "diet approach" in the district.

Stroebel was inaugurated on Friday 5 July at a special council meeting at the GRDM council chambers.

In his acceptance speech he said he is planning a refocus on the financial sustainability and liquidity of the municipality.

Improvement of infrastructure and service delivery will also get attention. "There will be no witch hunt on any employee as long as you have the relevant skills and qualification for your job, have done nothing seriously wrong and you are completely honest, diligent and hard-working.

"We are paid to be here and to deliver services to a standard that the public expects from us," he said.

Sustainable economic development and job creation will also get attention. He promised a transparent government and to build trust between the municipality, the community and the seven local municipalities.

Stroebel said the members of his mayoral committee were selected not by loyalty, but by performance. "I will reconsider my mayco each quarter solely based on performance. The message can't be clearer, shape up or sit out."

In May, before the national elections, Stroebel was promoted from Democratic Alliance (DA) constituency chairperson for Hessequa to election manager for the greater eastern region for 2024, which includes various constituencies.

Suid-Kaap Forum editor Hugo Redelinghuys reported that he chaired the Hessequa constituency for the past 11 years. He has played various roles in the DA since 2009 and the party has praised him for the excellent manner in which he fulfilled his task.

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Deputy mayor and whip

Vlancio Donson (Icosa) is the new deputy mayor and Monique Simmers (DA) was elected as chief whip.

The seat of the deputy mayor was left vacant after the recall of Adv Gert van Niekerk (Freedom Front Plus) by the George Council following the DA dissolving their coalition agreement in George with the VF Plus. Van Niekerk told George Herald last week that he officially finished on Thursday 4 July.

Simmers, wife of Western Cape DA leader Tertuis Simmers, is in the place of former chief whip B van Noordwyk who was recalled to Hessequa Municipality.

The new mayco members are:

Finance - Dave Swart
Planning and Economics - Rosina Ruiters
Community Services - Jobieth Hoogbaard
Corporate Services - Sumeia Ndayi
Properties and Assets - Hilton Stroebel
Roads and Transport - Stag Cronjé

From left: Council Whip Monique Simmers, Deputy Mayor Vlancio Donson and Mayor Andrew Stroebel.

There to witness the Garden Route mayoral inauguration, from left: Kannaland Deputy Mayor Werner Meshoa, DA Western Cape leader Tertuis Simmers and George Deputy Mayor Raybin Figland.