Young politician is making his mark
Northvilla resident councillor Jordan Craig Lotriet (19) is the youngest Proportional Representation (PR) councillor in Ekurhuleni.
The former Benoni High School learner represents the DA in Alberton.
Apart from being a PR councillor, Lotriet is studying towards a degree in business management and finance.
What got you interested in politics?
From a young age I had an interest in politics and South Africa’s political history in general.
I started as a political activist early on in high school after contacting my local DA structures in Benoni.
I volunteered most weekends and in my spare time, assisting the DA and local councillors wherever needed.
I helped at information tables, petition drives and in the national election of 2014.
What are some of your duties?
As a councillor for the city we are tasked with legislative duties that fall under council and are tasked with the important role of oversight.
I serve on the sports, heritage, recreation, arts and culture oversight committee.
I am also tasked with the responsibility of assisting residents in terms of service delivery (potholes, streetlights, sewage, etc.)
What challenges do you face?
You need to know how to deal with varying and complex issues as and when they arrive.
It can be daunting when having to apply your mind creatively to find solutions to problems and working alongside different departments and structures to obtain an end result.
How do you handle people who doubt your abilities as a young councillor?
I ask people to judge me on my performance and not my age.
If I am uncertain about things, I do not hesitate to ask for assistance from my fellow councillors.
Do your future plans include becoming a ward councillor?
I am here at the discretion of my party and will be happy to serve wherever and at what level they see fit.
At the end of the day, I am happy to be serving residents wherever they may be throughout the city.
What are your thoughts on the city and how it’s being run?
I believe the current administration needs to focus on getting the basics right.
There are huge infrastructure and service delivery backlogs within Ekurhuleni which need to be addressed as a matter of urgency to allow the metro to prosper.
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