It was a prestigious moment as the new Saldanha Bay Municipality (SBM) Youth Council was inaugurated on Friday 14 June at the Multipurpose Centre, for the 2024-’25 term.
As the senior council of SBM does, the Youth Council serves as the voice of the youth in SBM territory. At the ceremony, Thabo Rhongo, the very first junior mayor of SBM, shared sage advice with the council.
The new Junior Mayor, Palesa Theletsane, who was also Junior Deputy Speaker in the previous term, said she was thankful her peers trusted her to represent them again. “I feel honoured to know they have faith in me and I will definitely not disappoint them.”
In her role as Junior Mayor Palesa said she was looking forward to shaping the youth. “My aim is not just for us to do tasks where we are seen by our community out in the open. My aim is for the council to implement projects in their schools. My goal is for the council to be constantly working on a project, big or small, but I want us to focus on making many small changes in our areas, one big task at a time.”
Willmore Darries, elected Junior Speaker for the new term, said he had also served as Junior Speaker in the previous term. “Being re-elected as Junior Speaker is an extraordinary honour and a testament to the trust and confidence my peers have in me. It feels incredibly rewarding to see my previous efforts recognised and to have the opportunity to continue representing their voices.”
Willmore said as he stepped into the role for the second time he looked forward to continuing the progress made and driving new initiatives that will benefit the community. My goals include fostering greater collaboration among members, enhancing communication channels and implementing innovative ideas that address our collective needs.”
The new Junior Deputy Mayor, Shikil Sahadew, can’t wait to make a positive impact by contributing to initiatives and projects that improve the lives of the youth. He looked forward to being engaged in the community by interacting with the youth, listening to their concerns and addressing their needs.
“Growing and learning as a leader and gaining valuable experience, being a good mentor by guiding and supporting our youth are achievements I am striving towards, to empower our youth in their skills development and to engage them in the communities.”
In his role as Junior Deputy Speaker Ethan Mahoney wants to advocate the concerns of his peers on a broader platform. “Furthermore, the deep-rooted passion for promoting positive change and commitment to serving others motivates my drive to amplify the voices of young people,” he said. “In addition, with a diverse background and experience I am equipped with the necessary skills to communicate, collaborate and mobilise others towards a common goal of championing the needs of our youth.”
In his keynote address André Truter, Executive Mayor of SBM, encouraged the council and believes they can achieve great things.
