Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Ex-Bok always ready to scrum down to serve his community as councillor
FORMER Springbok rugby player Eddie Andrews has served his country on the sportsfield, but perhaps less known is that he is also a ward councillor.
For the past few years Andrews has been working on his first five-year term as ward councillor in Mitchells Plain, where he grew up.
While the DA member said being a ward councillor is a never-ending task, he plans to serve for another five years if re- elected in the August 3 municipal election.
“Being a ward councillor is officially deemed as being parttime, but it is full time. Over and above attending to people’s concerns in your office, you are always on standby to play a coordinating role,” he said.
“The first point of call in a community is always the ward councillor. Your phone should be on from the early hours of the morning and you attend meetings until late at night.”
Andrews said while ward councillors received a salary, they were also “allowed to seek other employment as long as it does not deter us from fulfilling our role”.
“You need to respond to any concerns from residents and the city.
“You need to have a deeprooted desire for community development. You have to care for the community. That’s the basis for any councillor, whatever party you are from.”
A ward councillor’s role is primarily one of oversight, Andrews said.
“We work for the City of Cape Town. We have to ensure what the city says is delivered to the community.
“We are primarily facilitators in assisting the community to hold the city accountable. We need to make sure that services are available to the community.”
This required ward councillors to be proactive, he said.
“We look at policies that need to change. We need to empower people.”
He said becoming a ward councillor did not require any academic qualification, but it helped to have good communication and public speaking skills.
“You will always need to talk to the public.”
Being able to manage your time and making sure you say no when something cannot be done was part of the job.
“I always tell myself when I step into my office that today I am able to help somebody and today I am not able to help somebody.
“The need (for help) is great. You will not always be able to help someone.”
Andrews sees himself as a “decision- maker” who serves the community that shaped his formative years. And even though he was on TV in his rugby days, he is aware not every one of the 40 000 people in his ward know him.
In fact, he is aware of the question that many people often ask: “Who is my ward councillor?”
“I always ask myself if there is anybody meeting me for the first time. There are people who say they are not communicated with,” Andrews said.
“We use local media and communicate about our public meetings and who we are. There are still people who don’t know who we are. I’m never going to be able to meet each one individually.”
yazeed.kamaldien@inl.co.za