Ald Enid Plaatjies serves as the ANC’s Chief Whip at Weskus Distrik, but her primary role is as a councillor. After gaining a Certificate in Local Government, she obtained a National Diploma in Public Management. A degree in Project Management from Stellenbosch University followed. She currently serves on the Finance Portfolio and MPAC.
Ms Plaatjies has been Weskus Distrik’s ANC Chief Whip for the past four years, and has served as a councillor for 12 years. She was also a member of SALGA’s Provincial Executive as the head of HR, and Deputy Chair of Local Government SETA in the Western Cape.
She still performs council duties.
The Road to Weskus Distrik.
Ms Plaatjies decision to become a politician was shaped at school, with boycotts for a better learning environment.
She became shop steward of the Food and Allied workers Union (FAWU) at SEA HARVEST, bargaining for a better wage.
COSATU and NEDLAC were next stops in her career, and she contributed to drafting workers legislation. Examples of this are the LRA, BCEA, EEA, SDA and SLA.
Ms Plaatjies became the first black women councillor in the Saldanha Bay Municipality.
Tolerance of diverse views, and addressing community challenges.
“As a councillor you must stay in touch with your communities. Apart from seeing to basic services, there is a variety of work that a councillor should attend to. A councillor assists in all social issues. Our communities have many challenges. Crime is one issue, but the community faces many challenges such as the complexity of winding up an estate through the Master’s Court, healthcare which includes our clinics, SAPS and ambulance challenges, and the list goes on.”
“We must respect and support all groups. Sometimes people feel uncomfortable to air their views, but we are obliged to debate constructively as we cannot shy away from the reality of the backlog that we inherited from the past. It is important to present diverse views as enshrined in South Africa’s constitution”.
Ms Enid Plaatjies
Serving as a Alderman
ANC Chief Whip
Weskus Distrik.
