After five years, Mackay has gone from being the Democratic Alliance cutie to being the man many residents trust to get things done.
Number 16 on the DA Gauteng list of candidates chosen to head to parliament after the general elections, Mackay officially made it into the house after the opposition party hit the 600 000 mark in the province on 8 May.
In an interview with the Gazette, Mackay recalled, “After having left to go study in the UK, I remember coming back to Johannesburg and realising how a lot had changed.
“With everyone moaning about the deteriorating state of the city, I remember thinking that something had to be done.”
It was that pivotal moment that saw the now-seasoned ward councillor officially enter the world of politics.
“After being elected as ward councillor, I remember how members of the Craighall Residents Association (CRA) would tease me and say I resembled a head boy making a presentation when I’d speak to them,” recalled the 32-year-old.
Years later, Mackay has proved to all, even the residents’ association that he can put any action into any plan.
Mackay has achieved a great deal during his five years serving but said that to this day, the highlight of his councillor career came when he managed to get the Joburg Roads Agency to resurface a road only seven months after being elected.
Mackay said, as a member of parliament, his focus would be on sanitation issues.
“No mother or child should have to worry about their security or health when going to use their toilet – well at least not in the 21st century,” said Mackay.
Although his promotion came as no surprise to many, especially to the CRA, the news has also saddened those he worked closely with.
Mackay’s last gift to his community as a ward councillor was the re-launch of the Craighall Bowling Club.
This came after he spearheaded a two-year battle between the Craighall Residents’ Association and the former bowling club tenant who had allegedly turned the property into a venue for suspicious activities.
An investigation into the running of the club was carried out by the Johannesburg Property Company in 2013.
On 10 May 2014, Mackay attended the re-launch of the bowls club hours before he was announced as a member of parliament.
Speaking at the Craighall Bowling Club, spokesperson of the residents’ association Wendy McAllister praised Mackay’s commitment.
“Being a ward councillor is not easy and we can only hope that the incoming councillor will also be as open to working with the residents association as Gordon was,” she said.
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