Retiring Ward 104 councillor Mike Wood has thanked residents for working with him during his tenure, before handing the baton on to DA colleague Emi Koekemoer.
Wood served Fontainebleau, Malanshof, Ferndale and surrounding areas for two terms.
“I would like to thank residents for giving me the privilege and honour to serve them for the last 10 years,” he said.
“I would appeal to them to get involved in residents’ associations, street groups, and policing forums. We need active citizens if we are going to fix this fine city of ours.”
He said he enjoyed building relationships with residents and officials and being able to serve the community in different ways.
“To assist the community in a very direct way when we had flooding in the ward and now recently with assisting feeding schemes during the recent pandemic [were very special],” Wood said.
Challenges he had to deal with primarily had to do with the ageing and poor state of infrastructure, and ‘at times the inability of the City to deliver basic services.
He encouraged residents’ associations to take charge of their areas by organising clean-ups, repairing fences and maintaining substations.
His advice to new ward councillors was to maintain their passion to serve the community. This, because while it was demanding, it was a rewarding job.
“Always remember you are there to serve all the people, those who voted for you, those who did not and those who chose to stay at home and not vote. Treat all with utmost respect,” he advised the new councillors.
Wood plans to stay involved in the residents’ associations.
“I have a love for old military aircraft, so you will find me when time allows at the South African Air Force Museum at Swartkop – my happy place.”
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