“WE WON’T build toilets before houses or houses without toilets!”
This is what the new Nelson Mandela Bay mayor, Athol Trollip, said when he announced his 11-member cabinet at the Uitenhage Town Hall yesterday.
He said the DA-led coalition in Nelson Mandela Bay would bring about enormous changes.
“This team I believe will be able to take on its responsibilities to bring change to people’s lives. They not only represent the community but also have to understand the challenges of the community,” he said.
Former MP Nqaba Bhanga was chosen to take over the human settlements department.
He said: “We are going to be very firm and not rope in businesses that build shoddy houses.
“We will build once-off RDPs and not houses that need to be rectified later.
“We are not going to tolerate corruption. Even if we are threatened, we are not scared.
“Now is the end of fake houses. We will reward those who are working hard but not the lazy.”
The youngest member of Trollip’s cabinet is 25-year-old Siyasanga Sijadu, who was appointed head of the sports, recreation, arts and culture department.
She said: “Talent from the kasis will be nurtured and you won’t have to go to Joburg to shine.”
Members of the mayoral committee are:
- Former MP Nqaba Bhanga was chosen to take over the human settlements department.
- Siyasanga Sijadu appointed head of the sports, recreation, arts and culture department.
- Retief Odendaal for budget and treasury;
- Mongameli Bobani for public health;
- Annette Lovemore for infrastructure and engineering;
- Rano Kayser for roads and transport;
- Andrew Whitfield for economic development, tourism and agriculture;
- Dean Biddulph for corporate services;
- Shirley Sauls for constituency services;
- John Best for safety and security;
- Lance Grootboom for municipal public accounts.
