Speaker announces retirement
29 April 2021
City Speaker, Alderman Dirk Smit today, 29 April 2021, during a full Council meeting, announced his retirement as Speaker and councillor after 45 years in public serviceCity Speaker, Alderman Dirk Smit today, 29 April 2021, during a full Council meeting, announced his retirement as Speaker and councillor after 45 years in public service.
As it is, the Speaker reports to Council; and as some of you may be aware, today is my last time chairing a Council Meeting as Speaker and as a councillor for the City of Cape Town; and I will be retiring effective from 30 April 2021 (tomorrow) after 45 years in public service.
It has been my great honour and privilege to serve as a councillor and Speaker of the City of Cape Town since 15 March 2006, and as Chairperson of Salga’s Speaker’s Forum of the Western Cape, since May 2011 up until now.
It has also been my honour to visit many different municipalities across South Africa and to assist them - and particularly their respective speakers - with processes and procedures.
I would like to express my sincerest thanks, gratitude and appreciation to each and every councillor for your cooperation and inputs over the years. Even though we may have had our differences or disagreements, they were never so great that we could not overcome them.
In terms of the process going forward, in respect of my successor, I herewith call that a Special Council meeting be held on 21 May 2021 at 10:00, to be chaired by the City Manager, whereby a new Speaker will be elected.
All parties will be given the opportunity to put their preferred candidate nominations forward and the matter will be put to a vote accordingly.
I wish you and the City all the best with your future endeavours and with whatever challenges may lie ahead over the coming months.
Caption: Speaker Alderman Dirk Smit with his wife, Elna Smit
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office