Congress honours former Ngwathe councillor

The Free State Democratic Alliance (DA) provincial Congress recently honoured former Ngwathe councillor Shirley Vermaak for her “lifetime contribution to democracy in the Free State.”
She served Ngwathe as a DA councillor for three terms until she retired in 2021.
“Shirley devoted much of her life to democracy, personal freedom and equality,” said Ms Mariette Pittaway MPL in proposing the honour.

Shirley was born in the Eastern Cape. She was a journalist for anti-apartheid English newspapers, including the EP Herald, the Diamond Field Advertiser, and The Friend in Bloemfontein.
She also reported for the SABC and Radio Oranje (now OFM).
As a true liberal and an early supporter of the then Progressive Party, the Free State leader of the Democratic Party (DP) recrui- ted Shirley.
She served as the personal assistant to the leader of the DP (now the DA) in the Free State Legislature from 1999 to 2004.
After moving to Parys, she became a DA local councillor in 2006.
“Shirley served with great passion, dealing hands-on with everyday service delivery issues,” said Ms Pittaway.
“Shirley hates injustice, but she also hates a lack of punctuality and poor use of language. She displayed high values on the many committees she served on as a DA councillor,” was said.