Fish Hoek ward councillor resigns

Fish Hoek ward councillor Aimee Kuhl has resigned and will relocate to the Midlands in KwaZulu-Natal with her family.

Her last day in office will be Thursday February 29.

Ms Kuhl, who was elected as Ward 64 councillor in 2016, said she had been fortunate to work with many “wonderful people”.

“The last seven years have left a deep impression on me, and I am grateful for the incredible experience of being a public representative, but now it is time for my family and I to start a new adventure in far rural KZN,” she said.

She also served as the Sub-council 19 chairperson for several years before resigning from that position at the end of last year. Ward councillor Simon Liell-Cock was elected as the new sub-council chairperson on Monday January 15.

Ms Kuhl said a highlight in her career included working with the City’s Law Enforcement auxiliary programme, a volunteer programme that carries no financial reward or remuneration.

“These men are husbands and fathers, and yet they volunteered their time to keep us safe. They put their lives on the line for us,” she said, adding that some of the volunteers had helped to arrest a suspect after a shooting on Boyes Drive in December.

Auxiliary officer Wayne Turner thanked Ms Kuhl for her support, which included her using some of her ward budget to buy two patrol vehicles.

Ms Kuhl said the arrival of a new weed harvester at Zandvlei in November had been another highlight.

“It was much needed, and I’m grateful to the ward committee members and Sub-council 19 who helped to drive this.”

She said a large part of her ward budget over the years had gone towards the Zandvlei Estuary development and she was grateful to Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve manager Kyran Wright for his hard work.

“Zandvlei is a very special place. To have a water body that size with all that wildlife is amazing,” she said.

She said she had also enjoyed working with Craig Foster, from The Sea Change Project, at Miller’s Point, where student postgraduate research projects had been done, and she praised the Friends of the Silvermine Nature Reserve (Fosna) for its efforts to protect the environment.

Mr Foster said Ms Kuhl had a “strong understanding and love for the natural world”, and he wished her well for the future, and Fosna chairman Dave Balfour said it had been a pleasure working with Ms Kuhl on the Lower Silvermine Wetlands.

“As a public representative, she understood her role of navigating that difficult space between the operational side of a city and consulting with and building relations with local citizens and advancing their needs.”

Ms Kuhl said the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) would have to call a by-election within 90 days of her resignation.

She said her office would remain open, and her ward assistant, Izabel Sherry, would respond to queries until a new councillor was elected.

“Don’t give up hope. See the beauty of the people and this ward and find the joy,” she said.