André wants to rewrite environmental policies

Du Plessis lives in Bedfordview and retained his position as the Ward 23 councillor.

BCT: You do not stay in Benoni, but what makes the old mining town special to you?

ADP: My parents, Andries and Marie du Plessis, moved to Northmead from Boksburg in 1959, when I was four years old.

In 1961 I attended Tom Newby School, and then Benoni High School, where I matriculated in 1972.

I married in 1980 and remained in Benoni, living in Brentwood Park until 2008, when I got divorced.

I remained in Benoni for another two years and then moved to Bedfordview in 2010, to live with my partner, Angela Mugnaioni, whom I met a year after my divorce.

BCT: You lived in Benoni for several years, what fond memories do you have here?

ADP: We could play in the streets and ride our bicycles to neighbouring suburbs to play with our school pals in the parks, as long as we were home when the street lights came on (they all worked in those days).

We had movie houses, the Savoy, the Lido, even the Rex, and we had good restaurants visited by residents from neighbouring towns.

Being an environmentalist, I am intrigued by the diversity of Benoni’s ecosystems with all the lakes and dams, golf courses and many public open spaces.

BCT: Tell us more about your personal life?

ADP: I have one daughter, Megan-Leigh Smith. Angela has a son Claudio Mugnaioni, daughter Katia Murdoch and two grandchildren, Selena (4) and Maxwell (2) Murdoch.

BCT: Apart from being a ward councillor, do you have any hobbies?

ADP: My hobbies are photography, birding and I have collected gramophones for the past 40 years.

I also enjoy the bushveld which is the only place that effectively charges my batteries.

BCT: You are 61 years old, tell us about your goals?

ADP: Being an environmental zealot my goals are firstly to rewrite the environmental policies within Ekurhuleni, to place more emphasis on green building practices to address global warming. Furthermore to preserve our public open spaces within our towns and to protect our lakes, dams, rivers and wetlands from further sewer pollution and contamination.

Also, to launch viable and sustainable recycling projects to residential as well as commercial sectors of society, for all recyclable commodities.

Then, last but by no means least, to give guidance to as many willing people as possible on the importance of preserving our ecosystems and natural water resources.

Also read: Sewer problems annoy residents

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