First Thursday: Thank You Hermanus

At last night’s First Thursday on 6 July 2023, Overstrand Executive Mayor, Dr Annelie Rabie, welcomed the ‘new kid on the block’, on the Mayoral Committee, Councillor Stephen Williams, who took over the Portfolio of Finance.

An additional change is that Councillor Clinton Lerm will take on the Portfolio of Tourism in addition to the Portfolio of Infrastructure and Investment until the new organizational structure is finalised.

Mayor Rabie said the reason for the changes are because it is very difficult to report to herself. She explained that the purpose of the MMC and portfolio committees is to advise the Mayor on matters they believe she should deal with - especially from a political perspective. The Mayor in turn engages with the Municipal Manager as Accounting Officer on issues on operational level that need attention. 

In her welcoming address, the Mayor also thanked the ‘usual watchdogs’ for following up on old issues and raise new questions they have encountered in their neighbourhoods. 

She encouraged residents to make time to attend the First Thursdays initiative, because it is an ideal opportunity to deal with any matter - “You tell it how it is and we will tell you how it is on the other side”.

Some points raised were:

• Reasoning behind the discount differentiation offered on number of lettable rooms
• How to control usage on conventional electricity meters to not exceed x amount of units? 
• Baboon-proof bins 
• Useful suggestions to address at the Tourism Indaba in September
• The need for more community outreach programmes 
• Accidents at Kidbrooke traffic lights