The structure was launched with the aim of formalising youth issues, developing leadership capabilities and educating learners about municipal structures and governance matters.
This year’s council held its passing out parade held at the Germiston Civic Centre on December 1, providing an opportunity for the young councillors to reflect on the challenges and successes and share some of the highlights of their term of office.
In her closing address, junior speaker of council Sikhanyisiwe Pondwa emphasised the two-tier mandate of the council.
“To act as a preliminary governance structure for the Ekurhuleni metro, and secondly, for the junior councillors to assume the role of community ambassadors by collating youth issues and addressing them through formal council processes.
“It has been an amazing journey of growing in the knowledge of government, and to the outgoing councillors, remember you remain leaders and ambassadors,” Pondwa said.
Taking the podium, junior executive mayor Cecile Matabaro opened her farewell speech in thought provoking fashion.
“The end is not the end if one has created a sustainable path for the next generation,” Matabaro said. “During our term, we learned the importance of understanding the legacy of OR Tambo and the principles that guided him.”
Keynote speaker Kennedy Sefadi, an author and helicopter pilot, inspired the young councillors to adopt the mindset of conscious leaders.
“It is either you are conscious or you live in other people’s consciousness,” Sefadi said. “You are either working towards building your dreams or using your potential to build someone else’s.”
Speaker of council, Alderman Patricia Kumalo, bid farewell to the young leaders, thanking them for serving their communities well and representing the municipality with diligence and a spirit of servitude.
The Ekurhuleni Junior Council will elect the new junior administration in 2018.
