Executive Mayor

Contact details

Tel:  044 501 3009
Email: plobese@plett.gov.za

Address

Private Bag X 1002,
Plettenberg Bay,
6600

Executive Mayors Forward

As I write this foreword; the new incoming political leadership has been in office for more than two months. It’s been both an exciting and challenging period. As with all change management processes there are those that have been quick to embrace the transition and the opportunities presented; whilst inevitably there are those that are slow on the uptake and others that will as a matter of course oppose change. That is an objective reality that we will need to accept and manage to the best of our ability.

I have personally learnt much from series of open engagements with ordinary staff throughout the municipality. The remaining departments and sections not yet consulted, will be attended to in the next couple of weeks. These sessions were an eye-opener and will be used to refine the strategic objectives and vision of the incoming leadership. All the issues from the engagements will be presented to the management team, to provide responses and these will be taken to report-back engagements.

The issues that deals with rights and/or processes has been referred into the administration for resolution; whilst matters with a governance and policy implication will be dealt with at a political level. Bitou continues to do well: in recent weeks, we’ve won the Govan Mbeki Provincial Award for the Best UISP for the Pinetrees project. As winners, we were also automatically entered for the National Govan Mbeki Award. I call on all departments of the municipality to emulate our colleagues in the Housing Section of the Community Services Department, to always strive for excellence. Thank you, to everyone involved in all aspects of our human settlements programme. To the human settlements team: Your sterling efforts are well appreciated.

Our programme of engagements with civil society and municipal stakeholders will continue. Already to date we’ve had Indaba’s with Gender, Faith-based/religious sectors as well as Youth. A capacity building programme will follow to support the structures that emerged from these engagements. We want to build a platform for social cohesion and moral regeneration all across Bitou. An engaged citizenry forms a critical component of this work.

We are nearing the end of the year. At this time, it is proper to wish our matriculants well for their final exams. May you reap the sweet fruits of success, that comes after good preparations. We wish our matriculants all the best for the future endeavors.

Councillor Peter Lobese

EXECUTIVE MAYOR - BITOU MUNICIPALITY