Drakenstein mayor gives up MPL slot

DRAKENSTEIN mayor Gesie van Deventer has given up her slot for deployment to the Western Cape provincial legislature, deciding instead to continue leading the province’s second biggest municipality.

Van Deventer was to have joined her counterpart from Breede Valley municipality, mayor Basil Kivedo, as newly elected representatives of the DA to the provincial legislature.

The municipality aid in a statement: “After talks with her political leaders a joint decision was taken that she would for now remain on as mayor in the Drakenstein, and not be deployed as a member of the provincial parliament.”

Van Deventer said that after the DA took over the Drakenstein municipality in 2011 the party developed a new vision for the municipality as a “place of excellence”, having raked in 70 awards from both national and provincial governments.

“Currently Drakenstein has an excellent mayoral committee, an efficient management team and councillors. “I look forward with enthusiasm to continue to be part of this team that will lead Drakenstein to even greater heights.”

DA councillor Letta Matlhodi Maseko from Cederberg Municipality, who is 27th on the DA’s provincial list, will move up one slot to fill the MPL position. – Warda Meyer