TASNEEM HASSAN
Political parties are fielding old stalwarts and new faces in the Goodwood and Monte Vista areas for the local government elections, for which 3 million Western Cape voters have registered, 1.9 million of them from the metro.
In Ward 1 (Glenwood, Tygerdal, Monte Vista, Plattekloof Glen, Welgelegen, Kleinbosch, Plattekloof) veteran politician Sakkie Pretorius is bowing out. Mr Pretorius is a former New National Party (NNP) member of Pparliament who defected to the DA in 2003.
In his place, the DA will field newcomer Cheryl Visser. She will go up against the ANC’s Ntomboxolo Kopman and the Freedom Front Plus’s Hendrik Pistorius. Other candidates include Mogamad Ebrahim Hendricks, from Al Jama-ah; Demetrius Dudley, from the ACDP, who is currently a proportional representative councillor
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in Sub-council 21 in Kuils River. The EFF is contesting municipal elections for the first time and their Ward 1 candidate is Sipokazi Ketani.
Monte Vista residents commented on social media about the EFF marking their suburb red. One resident asked, “Where is the DA posters, don’t see any in Monte Vista?” To which another replied: “I know, I am worried. Don’t like the EFF posters up in Monte Vista.”
Another waded in asking: “Is a poster really going to help you decide on who to vote for?”
Even the little-known Independent Sport Party will field candidate Frederick Strauss in Ward 1. Another minnow, the Independent People’s Party, has one candidate, Michelle Calitz as its only candidate in a long list of wards, including Ward 1.
In Ward 27, DA councillor Cecile Janse van Rensburg will stand for a second term. The ward includes Goodwood, Richmond Estate, Townsend Estate, Vasco and Elsies River Industrial.
She goes up against the ANC’s Sibusiso Thwala; Pieter Jansen van Vuuren, from the FF +; Ayanda Mali, from the EFF; Henry Arendse, from the ACDP, and Moegamat Faried Achmat, from Al Jama-ah.
“I respect the fact that I am first and foremost a public servant in this role as councillor and will continue to be accessible to those I serve,” said Ms Janse van Rensburg .
She said major issues in her ward are the large number of street people and illegal dumping.
“I will continue to work with all role-players to manage these issues,” she said.