- Following Katherine Christie’s sudden resignation to join the National Assembly, Ward 58 prepares for an upcoming by-election.
- Christie, who cited national challenges like load shedding and rail failures, emphasised the need for national oversight in addressing local issues.
- Her departure leaves the ward anticipating new leadership to address ongoing service delivery challenges.
The winds of change brought on by the recent National Election is blowing through Ward 58 following the sudden resignation of Katherine Christie as she was sworn in to serve in the National Assembly.
Early on Friday 14 June, Christie announced her resignation to Claremont and Rondebosch residents, saying: “I received correspondence only this week that a seat in the National Assembly had opened up. I had to resign very suddenly yesterday (13 June) and I am going to be sworn into Parliament at 10:00 today.”
JP Smith, the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Deputy Federal chairperson, confirmed this, adding that Christie applied through a stringent six-stage process, including an exam, before having been selected.
Sworn in
“Christie made it through this process and was sworn in on Friday 14 June. The by-election for Ward 58 should commence in the following month or so,” Smith shared with People’s Post.
During her two-and-a-half years in the Cape Town City Council, added Christie, she and her colleagues “have battled to resolve service delivery issues in three main areas: energy, logistics and crime”.
“Because Eskom, railways and ports, and then of course the police are governed at a national level, there was little or nothing we as councillors could do to mitigate or resolve these problems at a local government level.”
Speaking about the challenges posed in the ward, she said continuous load shedding wreaked havoc with electricity infrastructure.
“The complete failure of Prasa (Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa) to secure the metro south east railway line (Khayelitsha to Mitchell’s Plain to the CBDs) has caused up to 800 000 commuters to have to switch from affordable and safe rail transport to the more expensive taxis.”
In attending CPF meetings, she also found the four police stations “quite demoralised, understaffed and under resourced”.
Bending over backwards
Speaking on behalf of local councillors, she said that they found themselves bending over backwards to try and help locals, without the mandate or budget to find solutions.
“Hence my decision to throw my hat into the ring to serve in our National Assembly where I could be part of a team holding our national government accountable.
“I have met with our ten ward committee members. They are all really excited and happy for me, although it is bitter-sweet for us all – we had such a great working relationship.”
Christie promised to walk alongside the ward’s committee members until the by-election, with Ward 18 proportional councillor Paddy Chapple and ward clerk Juline Peters acting in her absence for service delivery.
“I will be sure to mentor and support my successor both before and after the by-election. Lots of love to all of you. It has been a real privilege to serve you in local government. I am doing this for you.
“We had an exceptionally high voter turnout and I’m going in there to represent you and to try to make our beloved South Africa a better place for everyone – particularly the poor and unemployed.”
“I want to make South Africa a country no one wants to leave, and a country that everyone wants to move back to.”
Residents are urged to log all service delivery issues directly with the City, and if service is not received within a reasonable amount of time, an email can be sent to Peters with the reference number at Juline.Peters@CapeTown.gov.za or Chapple at Patrick.Chapple@capetown.gov.za or phone 083 530 0265.
