PIETER JACOUBUS RAATH – 150 word Councillor Relevant Resume

Pieter Jacobus Raath is a seasoned municipal operations leader with 40 years of experience across environmental health, building control, housing, property valuation, water and sanitation, emergency services, and civil protection. He has served as Head of Health, Building & Housing; Assistant Head of Health Services; and Acting Municipal Manager. Raath has extensive labour-relations expertise, including 30 years of union leadership, 20 years as municipal branch chairperson, and 12 years as IMATU Employee Representative for all Southern Cape municipalities. He is a qualified CCMA Commissioner and operates his own labour consultancy. His qualifications span environmental health, property development, valuation, disaster management, project management, and occupational training. Raath's deep municipal knowledge, operational leadership, and community-level experience make him exceptionally well-suited for ward representation and PR oversight roles requiring governance, service-delivery insight, and institutional stability.

Contact Details:
E-mail: pieter.r@irasa.org.za
Mobile: 076 396 7799

ADRIAAN (RIAAN) VAN JAARSVELD – 150 word Councillor Relevant Resume

Adriaan van Jaarsveld is a Chartered Accountant (SA) with extensive international financial leadership experience across Africa and the UK. His career includes CFO, Financial Director, and senior risk control roles in JSE listed and multinational organisations. He brings strong governance capability, deep IFRS/US GAAP expertise, treasury management, statutory reporting, and SOX aligned risk oversight — all critical for municipal financial integrity. His achievements include listing PLG on the JSE, repatriating multimillion dollar funds from African jurisdictions, resolving major audit and pension liabilities, and leading financial operations across 9+ countries. He has served on multiple Boards, demonstrating fiduciary discipline, strategic planning competence, and stakeholder accountability. His background aligns strongly with GR FIRST's requirements for ethical leadership, transparent financial management, and evidence based decision making. His experience in governance, compliance, budgeting, and risk control positions him as a technically strong, independent councillor candidate capable of safeguarding public finances and strengthening oversight in line with IEC and municipal governance standards.

Contact Details:
E-mail: riaanvanj@irasa.org.za
Mobile: 082 782 2484

JH (HENK) CLOETE - 150 WORD RÉSUMÉ

JH (Henk) Cloete is a highly accomplished executive, operations leader, and governance specialist with more than 30 years of experience across policing, public safety, organisational leadership, HR management, and institutional compliance. A former SAPS Detective Captain and Commanding Officer, he has led high risk operations, crime intelligence initiatives, public order management, and multi agency safety deployments. His career includes serving as CEO of multiple organisations, where he implemented governance frameworks, quality management systems, risk based operational strategies, and large scale HR audits involving more than 17,000 employee records. Henk has extensive experience working with municipalities, SETAs, emergency services, and public private partnerships, including serving as Operations Manager of the Mossel Bay Joint Operations Centre (JOC). He is recognised for his disciplined, systems driven leadership style, strong ethical grounding, and ability to stabilise and transform complex operational environments. His governance, compliance, safety, and institutional capacity expertise make him an exceptional candidate for PR councillor responsibilities.

Contact Details:
E-mail: henk.c@irasa.org.za
Mobile: 074 662 6190

Brigit Maritz:

Brigit Maritz is a self‑employed professional with extensive experience across administration, sales, construction, and community activism. Educated at Ferrum High in Newcastle (matriculated 1979), she began her career at Iscor's typing and tracing pool, later working in sales and as a typist/PA for consulting engineers. She has founded and managed several businesses, including Rudroy Plant Hire, a construction company, and Gazebos by Sharon, which produced 160 gazebos for local and international clients. She qualified as an estate agent in 2003 and ran Precision Building Solutions until 2022. Since 2007, Brigit has been deeply involved in environmental activism, leading efforts to clean the estuary and pursuing a Supreme Court class action for rehabilitation. She regularly attends IDP and PPP meetings, supporting her community at ground level. Fluent in English and Afrikaans, with basic Portuguese, she recently completed a MindMill assessment of her abilities and personality qualities.

Contact Details:
E-mail: brigit.m@irasa.org.za
Mobile: 082 829 4962

JASON AFRIKANER - 150-WORD COUNCILLOR-RELEVANT RÉSUMÉ

Jason Afrikaner is a highly respected small-scale commercial farmer and community leader
from Herbertsdale, known for his independence, innovation, and commitment to rural
upliftment. Since 2015, he has developed a diversified agricultural enterprise on Erf 24 without
state support, expanding from pig farming into wood processing, brickmaking, and pioneering
Black Soldier Fly aquaculture to create sustainable, low-cost protein. Jason is deeply rooted in
his community and is widely recognised for defending the rights of indigenous and small-scale
farmers against bureaucratic overreach. He provides employment to unemployed residents in a
poverty-stricken rural area, demonstrating a strong commitment to local economic
empowerment. His leadership style is practical, resilient, and community-centred, grounded in
lived experience rather than theory. Jason brings the qualities essential for a rural ward
councillor: integrity, initiative, fairness, and the ability to champion equitable development,
protect vulnerable communities and ensure accountable municipal governance.

Contact Details:
E-mail: jason.a@irasa.org.za
Mobile: 063 787 6683

Z.A. (GYS) VAN STADEN – 150 word Councillor Relevant Resume

Gys van Staden is a highly experienced former Senior Officer in the South African Air Force, serving 27+ years in operations, SHERQ management, disaster risk management, and occupational health and safety. As a Major and Base SHERQ Manager, he oversaw compliance for 950+ personnel and a residential area of 2,000 residents, including water purification and sanitation systems — directly relevant to municipal service delivery oversight. He is a registered Facilitator, Assessor, and Moderator with MERSETA, QCTO, TETA, and NOSA, with extensive experience training communities, military units, and civilian organisations in safety, risk, and emergency response. His background includes project management, media liaison, IT oversight, event safety, and community level emergency planning. Gys embodies GR FIRST's values of discipline, integrity, and community stewardship. His operational leadership, regulatory compliance expertise, and risk management capability make him a strong candidate for councillor roles requiring oversight of safety, infrastructure, environmental compliance, and community resilience.

Contact Details:
E-mail: gys.vs@irasa.org.za
Mobile: 082 928 6142

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In The Republic (347c–d), Plato famously asserts that "one of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors."

The Penalty of Apathy Plato's Republic and the IRASA Model for South African Municipalities.pdf

English Report:

Theuns Smith decided to take a look at the DA's ministers. Date 2026-05-18.pdf

Afrikaanse Verslag:

Theuns Smith besluit om na die DA se ministers te kyk. Datum 2026-05-18.docx

Contact Details:
Mobile: 0813777517
Email:  julianachristelle@hotmail.com

JULIANA CHRISTELLE COETZEE – 150 word Relevant Resume
Juliana Christelle Coetzee is an experienced professional with a background in physiotherapy, disability services, community support, and administrative management. With a BSc in Physiotherapy and 25 years of service at Paarl School for the Disabled, she has extensive experience working with vulnerable groups, managing departmental administration, and supporting multidisciplinary teams. Her work in sport for the disabled and community based programmes reflects strong commitment to inclusivity, social development, and resident wellbeing — key GR FIRST values. Since relocating to the Garden Route, she has managed a small business and currently performs administrative and digital marketing work, demonstrating adaptability, organisational capability, and community engagement. Her strengths include empathy, communication, administrative accuracy, and service oriented problem solving. Juliana's background aligns with councillor responsibilities involving social development, community support, disability advocacy, and resident engagement. She meets IEC eligibility requirements and brings a compassionate, community centred approach to independent local governance.