Founding Lion takes the reins
If you are keen to become a Lion, contact Jaco on 082-824-8523.
One of the founding members of eThekweni South Lions Club, Jaco Pienaar, was re-elected as president for a second term at the club’s induction dinner on Saturday, 27 June.
Jaco, who started the club with Andy Nilsen and Wilem van Dalen five years ago, served as president of the club in 2011.
He became a member in 1997 after he was invited to the Amanzimtoti Lions Club. In 2000 he became the youngest ever Lion’s president at the age of 40, and he was elected as zonal chairman in 2003.
“The average age in the club then was 58-years-old,” he said. “Eighteen years later I’m still a Lion. It’s been fulfilling and we have helped thousands of disadvantaged and people in need.
The Lions is a fantastic organisation. It is the biggest in the world, with 1.2 million Lions in 46,000 clubs across 220 countries.”
Jaco was born in the small farming town of Reitz in the Free State. In 1986 he moved to Gauteng to study at Pretoria Technikon,and started teaching in Middelburg before requesting a transfer to KZN. He was a senior lecturer, head of the drafting department at Durban Tech, before getting into politics in 1998. He is currently the PR councillor at Isipingo.
He has been a board member of Amanzimtoti Child Welfare for 15 years and served as the CPF chairman for three years.
Jaco was a keen rugby player in his day first as a flanker, then a hooker. He has played for and coached at Toti Rugby Club, becoming team manager and club chairman, before hanging up his boots at the age of 48. One of his greatest on field achievements was being selected for the Pumas team. This year he was re-elected to the rugby club’s committee.
He is the chairman of the eThekweni town planning committee and sits on the city’s economic development committee.
“When Andy and I started the eThekweni South Lions Club in 2010, there were 28 members,” said Jaco. “Now there are 10. My wish is to increase that to at least 20 before the end of my term. If there are more people involved in Lions, the more work can be done to help others.”
If you are keen to become a Lion, and to serve your community contact Jaco on 082-824-8523.
