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GARDEN ROUTE DISTRICT NEWS & VIDEO - A brand new DA councillor of the Garden Route District Municipality has been elected as the new speaker of council.
Eleanore Bouw-Spies, who served as a DA councillor in Knysna, was appointed as speaker minutes after she was inaugurated at the Garden Route Council this morning.
She received 15 votes and the ANC candidate, Doris Xego, 9 votes.
Only 24 councillors on a council of 35 are attending the special council meeting today. It is the last meeting of the year before Council goes into recess.
Bouw-Spies was congratulated by the DA and ANC. ANC Chief Whip Piet van der Hoven said Bouw-Spies will strengthen the DA with her capabilities, but he questioned the fact that the new speaker's husband also serves in Council as a DA councillor.
"The DA is converting this into a family business, " he said.
Van der Hoven also questioned the legality of having an acting speaker, Barend Groenewald, for a duration of seven months.
ANC Councillor Clodia Lichaba said more women are needed in politics and leadership.
Bouw-Spies commited to accommodating every councillor in council. She said that she will be strict, but allow healthy debate.
She thanked councillors for their well wishes during a setback in her health, from which she is still recovering.
Watch a video below.
ANC candidate for the position of Speaker, Doris Xego. Photo: Michelle Pienaar
Read a previous article: Speaker to be elected today
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