Stepping into the shoes of Jozias van Aartsen, Mayor of The Hague, Cape Town’s Patricia de Lille has been named the new Chairwoman of the Steering Committee of the Global Parliament of Mayors.
Well, would you look at that. Cape Town’s very own Patricia de Lille has been appointed to the Global Parliament of Mayors (GPM), an organisation set up with the aim of effecting change on a local scale, by solving problems brought about by global challenges.
De Lille joins the ranks of mayors from Brussels, Cologne, Kuala Lumpur, Los Angeles, Kampala City, Melbourne and Seoul, to name just few. She’ll be serving as acting Chair until Van Aartsen’s position can be filled later this year.
“It is with great pride that I take over the Chair of the Global Parliament of Mayors (GPM) from Mayor Jozias van Aartsen,” De Lille said.
“The GPM has the potential to grow more in the coming years and fulfil a progressive role in the global governance system. Cities are the drivers of change. We are the centres of innovation, tackling climate change and building inclusive economies. All of these issues are integral to economic and social development which is the oxygen of our cities,” our Mother City’s mayor said, adding that, on a global scale, there are a few key issues she’d like to focus on.
“In the southeast of Turkey elected mayors are replaced by state officials and in the US the so called sanctuary cities risk federal budget cuts because of their immigration policy. These cities deserve our solidarity. Let us be aware that the self-government of cities is a cornerstone for development and democracy.”
Back home De Lille — who’s recently stepped down as Western cape DA leader — has been facing some strong competition from within the Alliance; but if SA’s favourite mayor’s current trajectory is anything to go by there’s still a lot this gal’s going to change.
The opposition’s made a point of recruiting world class women into its ranks and it sure is paying off.