The Council consists of 17 Councillors, of whom 9 are Ward Councillors and 8 Proportional Representative Councillors. The members of the Mayoral Committee also form part of the Council.

The Hessequa Municipal Council makes decisions in terms of legislation, such as by-laws and policies, as well as in terms of executive functions such as operations, projects and finance matters. The executive function within this municipality has been delegated to the Executive Mayor and the Executive Mayoral Committee.

Executive Mayor

Grant Riddles is the Executive Mayor and political leader of Hessequa Municipality.

Functions and powers of the Executive Mayor

An executive mayor is entitled to receive reports from committees of the council referred to in section 80, and to forward these reports together with a recommendation to the council when the matter cannot be disposed of by the executive mayor in terms of the executive mayor’s delegated powers.

The executive mayor must-

• identify the needs of the municipality;
• review and evaluate those needs in order of priority;
• recommend to the municipal council strategies, programmes and services to address priority needs through the integrated development plan, and the estimates of revenue and expenditure, taking into account any applicable national and provincial development plans; and
• recommend or determine the best way, including partnership and other approaches, to deliver those strategies, programmes and services to the maximum benefit of the community.

The executive mayor in performing the duties of office, must-

• identify and develop criteria in terms of which progress in the implementation of the strategies, programmes and services referred to in subsection (2) (c) can be evaluated, including key performance indicators which are specific to the municipality and common to local government in general;
• evaluate progress against the key performance indicators;
• review the performance of the municipality in order to improve-
  • the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of the municipality;
  • the efficiency of credit control and revenue and debt collection services; and
  • the implementation of the municipality’s by-laws;
• monitor the management of the municipality’s administration in accordance with the directions of the municipal council;
• oversee the provision of services to communities in the municipality in a sustainable manner;
• perform such duties and exercise such powers as the council may delegate to the executive mayor in terms of section 59 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Act 32 of 2000);
• annually report on the involvement of communities and community organisations in the affairs of the municipality; and
• ensure that regard is given to public views and report on the effect of consultation on the decisions of the council.

An executive mayor must perform a ceremonial role as the municipal council may determine.

An executive mayor must report to the municipal council on all decisions taken by the executive mayor.

Executive  Deputy Mayor

Gerald Boezak is the Executive Deputy Mayor of Hessequa Municipality.

Functions and powers of the Deputy Executive Mayor

• The deputy executive mayor of a municipality exercises the powers and performs the duties of the executive mayor if the executive mayor is absent or not available or if the office of the executive mayor is vacant.
• If the executive mayor is absent or not available and the municipality does not have a deputy executive mayor, or the deputy executive mayor is also absent or not available, the council must designate a councillor to act as executive mayor.

Speaker

Tinus van den Berg is the Speaker of Hessequa Municipality.

Functions of the Speaker

The speaker of a municipal council-

• presides at meetings of the council;
• performs the duties and exercises the powers delegated to the speaker in terms of section 59 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Act 32 of 2000);
• must ensure that the council meets at least quarterly;
• must maintain order during meetings;
• must ensure compliance in the council and council committees with the Code of Conduct;
• must ensure that council meetings are conducted in accordance with the rules and orders of the council;
• must ensure that the legislative authority of the municipality functions effectively;
• is responsible for the effective oversight over the executive authority of the municipality;
• must ensure the effectiveness of the committees of the municipal council established in terms of section 79;
• is responsible for the ethics and accountability of the municipal council; and
• must ensure the effectiveness and functionality of ward committees and the public participation processes.

Councillors

The Hessequa Municipal Council is the political sphere of service delivery and final decision-making entity.

Ward Councillors

Proportional Representative Councillors

ANC
Msindo Elias Dayimani
Lisby Pieterse
Lilian Corne February

DA
Grant Riddles
Jobieth Hoogbaard
Ben Smith

VF+
Johannes Hartnick

PA
Ivan Mangalsio