GRDM Council remembers Cllr Nomhiki Jacobs as passionate public representative

It is with great sadness that the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) was informed about the passing of Councillor Nomhiki Jacob on 18 March 2020.

Councillor Jacob was an African National Congress (ANC) Councillor at Bitou Municipality. She also served on the GRDM Council since 2016 and as a member of the GRDM Strategic Services Portfolio Committee during this time.

While describing her as a humble human being and team player, the Council of GRDM have to say goodbye to a team player who made an impactful contribution in making a difference in the lives of many.

Speaker of GRDM, Cllr Barnie Groenewald (Democratic Alliance) said he will remember her as the sweetest, kindest and warm person. He further described her as a “disciplined councillor who always presented herself in a professional and neat manner – always stylishly dressed”. Speaker Groenewald continued:  “I will, and we as Council, will surely miss her and her presence in our Council meetings.  Cllr Virgill Gericke (Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners) referred to the late Councillor as a person with a humble spirit. He said: “It was indeed a pleasure to work with her and to be in the presence of such a humble human being.  I remember her as team player who always did her part to ensure that the work got done”.  Cllr Teresa Fortuin (Indepent Civic Organisation of South Africa) expressed her sincere sadness for the loss of her ‘neighbour’. “Her place was next to me in Council. I never heard her complain about anything. Only in the last few months I could see she was unwell to a point when she told me that she was not well”.  She added: “Through all these years up until the last few months she gave her all and worked hard to serve the community she loved so dearly”.

When talking about Cllr Jacob as people’s person, Cllr Piet Van der Hoven (ANC) said:  “She was a committed councillor, however in the last six months she faced some health challenges, but she continued to do what was expected from her and did it with the utmost passion.   Although we were not fully aware what she went through, in retrospect, her contribution and efforts were even more appreciated and valued.”

Executive Mayor of GRDM, Cllr Memory Booysen, specifically remembers her love for the communities she served, especially the Kwanokuthula community. “I knew the late Councillor Jacob long before we became public representatives”.  He added:  “We were together in community politics and she took me as a brother during that period. We would frequently discuss community issues at her house.  When we both started to serve as Councillors we still maintained a good working relationship”. When describing the time they both started to serve on the Council of GRDM, Mayor Booysen stated:  “Although our ideology changed politically along the way, we continued with our good and professional working relationship. We never allowed our different ideologies to stand in our way.

In conclusion Mayor Booysen said:  “Councillor Jacobs’ passing is a great loss to her family, as well as to GRDM, Bitou and the community of Kwanokuthula which she passionately served”.

The GRDM Council, Municipal Manager, Mr Monde Stratu and the employees of GRDM hereby wish to extend their heartfelt condolences to the Jacobs family and friends of Cllr Nomhiki Jacob. “We wish them sufficient strength to get through this difficult period in their lives – may her soul rest in peace.”