New mayor lays out big plans for Bitou
A mayoral sports festival, land available for farming, an investment conference, electrifying shacks in Qolweni and forging partnerships with international stakeholders to address food security concerns.
These are some of the ambitious plans for Bitou mayor Claude Terblanche in his first 100 days in office.
He made the announcement yesterday in the council chambers.
Terblanche, a former speaker and Plett Democratic Congress (PDC) councillor, was elected mayor on February 2.
He replaced DA councillor Dave Swart.
Terblanche said the municipality would foster strategic partnerships with international stakeholders aimed at enhancing food security in Plettenberg Bay.
This initiative would entail facilitating job opportunities for locals and making municipal land accessible for agricultural purposes.
The installation of electricity would be implemented to mitigate the increase of fires in the Qolweni informal settlements.
He outlined 21 projects to be implemented within specified time frames.
They include a mayoral sports festival, conducting a thorough business review of the infrastructure, planning and environmental services department, as well as engagements between the town’s tourism sector and various stakeholders.
“To the greater public the 100-day plan is not only a plan that we will be reading here today,” he said.
“This plan will be continuously evaluated by the chief whip of council to ensure it is implemented.”
After the briefing, Terblanche handed over houses to 13 beneficiaries in Ebenezer.
One of the beneficiaries was his mother, Catherine Maxim, 73, who is disabled. Maxim cried when she entered her house for the first time.
She is one of four disabled people to benefit from the 154 Ebenezer housing project.
So far, 31 houses have been handed over to beneficiaries.