Teacher’s desperation lands him councillor position
ALEXANDRA - Teacher becomes councillor to solve children's problems.
A teacher’s desperate need for a solution to social challenges impeding children’s education has landed him a seat as the newly elected Alex Ward 91 councillor.
After 20 years in the teaching profession, Jeffrey Pietersen, now a Democratic Alliance councillor, hopes the position will help him save children from poor backgrounds from falling by the wayside in their education.
A self-described hands-on person, Pietersen said he was persuaded to go into politics after showing his concern about education at public meetings. He wants to use his position to improve the school and home conditions of children in his ward which stretches from Sandton past Wynberg up to 3rd and 4th avenues between Florence Mophosho and Vincent Tshabalala avenues.
He plans to engage in short-, medium- and long-term programmes and projects in consultation with residents, City officials, government, the private sector and churches to resolve the ward’s challenges.
“Government and its top-down development approach, alone, will be inadequate to deal with the overwhelming multi-faceted socio-economic problems that require full consultation and the involvement of the community facilitated by the councillor,” Pietersen said.
He wants to see a reduction in overcrowding in classrooms, the introduction of innovative methods to improve and make school conditions conducive to better teaching and learning, and the improved dignity of children. Pietersen wants teachers’ working conditions improved to enable them to concentrate on their work rather than spending unnecessary time disciplining pupils.
He wants to address the problems of poverty, joblessness and bad living conditions in the ward by exposing residents and youth to work opportunities and provide them with decent housing. Pietersen added that solving these problems would help tackle discontent, anger, crime, substance abuse and parents’ lack of commitment to their children, as they struggle to make ends meet.
His plans also include:
- Replacing shacks with high-rise buildings rather than single houses that benefited just a few.
- Exposing the youth to training and mentorship opportunities.
- Encouraging dialogue to resolve disputes to many problems that end in conflict.
- Ensuring ward committees treat residents fairly and encourage their active participation in drafting the ward’s integrated development plans.
- Improving electricity supply and re-tarring key roads.
- Replacing the dehumanising bucket toilets with improved water and ablution systems necessary for better health, dignity and privacy for residents.
Pietersen will also motivate for the eradication of rodents in the township, increased operating hours of all ward and city clinics, and the repair of sewage and water leaks.
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