Inspired by the residents in his ward who have worked alongside the Kouga Municipality to make a difference, Councillor Reinhardt Foley hopes to continue the good relationship with the community by providing a good service and open communication.
Before joining the local municipality in November last year, for at least eight years, Foley was a member of Global Challenge, a non-profit organisation focused on leadership development in Jeffreys Bay while the establishment of Global Leadership Academy and the #Imagine Youth Conference were some of the projects he was involved in.
After noticing that many people in Jeffreys Bay had a huge need for basic services, Foley became convinced that one of the best ways to help others was to get involved in politics.
“I believe in the value of servant leadership and have seen how it can impact communities,” said Foley.
He said joining the local municipality as a councillor had given him the opportunity to understand how the municipality functioned and how to engage with the processes of the municipality to the benefit of the people.
He therefore believes that the Kouga Municipality had more to offer to the community than people realised.
Since joining the municipality four months ago, he has seen many residents volunteer to help improve their areas which has left him feeling inspired to further develop his ward.
“I always applaud residents who come alongside the municipality to make a difference. Dorp van Drome and One Village are two examples of ordinary people doing extraordinary things,” said Foley.
He said the biggest challenge his community is faced with is water security.
“Day Zero is getting closer and we are continuously urging our residents to use water sparingly, as well as sitting with various parties to find creative and innovative solutions to the problem,” said Foley.
Furthermore, to ensure residents have a say about the area they live in, he is currently engaging with the community to take part in the integrated development plan.
Residents can engage with the IDP by visiting the municipal website at www.kouga.gov.za.
For this year his plan is to increase the overall safety in his ward, and he has also placed recycling as a priority on his list of future projects.
“I hope to see that my ward is a place where families can feel safe and that it will be an example of good service delivery and open communication to other municipalities,” said Foley.
The ward committee was elected in January and consists of Jakkie Pieters (youth, women, the elderly, and people living with disabilities), Lourens Erasmus (education and religion), Denise Moyles (health and welfare), Steve Wilkinson (agriculture and farmworkers), James Andrews (environmental), Terry Venter (community safety and security), Linda Tinley (sports), Jan van Dyk (business, informal traders, and formal traders’ association) Corine van Dyk (tourism and culture) and Vincent McCarthy (tax payers and civic associations).
