Mayor has people close to her heart
‘ Those in wheelchairs suffer as there are no ramps
MORE than a month after becoming Kouga’s new mayor Daphne Kettledas is not yet used to her “expensive but very uncomfortable chair.”
Deeply religious Kettledas, who took over from former mayor Booi Koerat, confesses she has been using chairs from the boardroom.
As if to prove her point, she leans forward in the chair looking most uncomfortable.
With the chair issue settled, Kettledas moves to another topic that at times makes politicians uncomfortable – deployment.
The new mayor, however, is happy to forget terms like deployment – she firmly believes she was placed in her position by God.
So strong is her belief she has hung a little wooden cross on her door to “protect” her.
“I got this cross from my reverend and his wife on the day of my inauguration as the mayor.
“I decided to place it on the door for protection and as a reminder that even though I was deployed by my party to be mayor, God wanted me to be here,” she says.
Earlier this week, while being interviewed, her attire was far more dressed down than the stilettos and cocktail dress she was wearing at her inauguration.
Looking at Kettledas in running shoes, it is difficult to imagine she turns 60 next year.
Especially as she sped around the township visiting disabled residents living in Tokyo Sexwale and Oceanview townships.
Her appearance is that of an ordinary retired teacher, something she is, who is trying to make her mark in the community by giving to those less fortunate and encouraging people to be positive despite their circumstances.
When walking the streets, Kettledas was flanked by speaker Magdalene Dlomo and ANC chief whip Virginia CamealioBenjamin.
A self-proclaimed “people’s person” Kettledas is determined to make sure her office’s special programmes unit is visible to the communities of Kouga.
One of the disabled people she visited in Oceanview was Otto Xele who struggles to move around his RDP home.
“The houses are built the same and those in wheelchairs suffer as there are no ramps in front and it is difficult to move around as every room is small,” says Kettledas.
She brought a food parcel for Xele, which she paid for herself.
Kettledas comes across as a very positive person at first glance but she is a woman who has dealt with more than her fair share of pain and adversity.
Her son Ervine passed away in January 2013 and her daughter Melanie followed in December of the same year.