Our Executive Committee for the 2013/2014 term of office is:
- Mayor: Thomas Ditchfield (Parktown Boys High School)
- Deputy Mayor: Anneline Coetsee (Crawford College Lonehill)
- Chairperson of Management: Naqeeb Emeran (Parktown Boys High
School)
- Public Relations Officer: Sam Musker (Redhill High School)
- Chief Whip: Josh Broomberg (King David Victory Park)
- Secretary: Danielle Grobbelaar (St. Teresa’s Mercy School)
Exec Bio's:
Mayor (Tom Ditchfield):
Deputy Mayor (Annie Coetsee):
I’m a student at Crawford College Lonehill with a passion for youth development. I have a strong love for my sport, fencing, and have competed internationally with the South African team. The most important things to me include my friends, family, music and of course Council. Were it not for school work, you would find me reading a good book in the sun with any number of my pets. My determination, compassion and belief in the capacity of the human race to achieve anything that we set our minds to motivate my work and drive my soul.
As a young South African I feel that it is of utmost importance that we change the circumstances that hold back our potentially great nation. The sense of indifference and apathy that is associated with the youth can soon be eradicated by those who are willing to become the change they want to see – something which the JJC aims to facilitate.
As Deputy Mayor, I strive to motivate and inspire our councillors to become all that they can be by setting up interesting General Meetings that include guest speakers, discussion forums on topical issues and problem-solving exercises wherein we aim to use the creativity of the youth in order to come up with potential solutions to social issues. These GM’s, which are held every second Friday afternoon at Wits, are open to the public. This term I hope to mobilise not only the JJC councillors, but the wider youth of Joburg as well. I wish to ensure that they have the best experience during our term and go on to do even greater things after council, aided by the real-world skills and passion for social activism that all councillors keep long after the end of their terms of office. To do this I work with an amazing Executive and Management, which are made up of democratically elected Grade 11 councillors. However, none of this would be possible without the wonderful group of peers that I call my Council Family.
Chairperson of Management (Naqeeb Emeran):
Public Relations Officer (Sam Musker):
I am a driven and motivated individual who loves
to play sport (especially soccer), act, debate and come up with creative
solutions to important problems. For my whole life I have also been passionate
about social justice and have been committed to activism in order to achieve
that. The JJC has given me the ideal platform to fulfil this passion. I can
blame (or thank) my brother for that – he has been one of my role models in
many ways, and has instilled in me a strong understanding of the need to
constantly strive for a better South Africa. Another of my role models is Elon
Musk (the South African founder of SpaceX, Tesla Motors and PayPals). He dreams
big and has crazy, seemingly impossible ideas. This creativity and audacity is
something which we desperately need in society, and it is something that the
youth bring with our fresh perspectives.
I am a firm believer that no challenge is
insurmountable if we put our minds to it. If we have two man-made spacecraft
that have left the boundaries of our solar system and if we can print a human
organ from scratch, then there is nothing in this world that we can’t do. I believe that the two most important drivers
of social change in the future will be the youth and technology (which,
more often than not, go hand-in-hand). The youth in the Arab Spring proved that
we are capable of toppling dictators, and we can now manufacture computers
designed for use in education that cost just $25, so I think I can legitimately
call myself an optimist for the future despite being critical of the inequality
and injustices of the present.
As the PRO of the JJC, it is my role to
manage all publicity and marketing of our organisation to increase awareness
both of our organisation and the causes that we tackle. I am in charge of liaising
with the press, taking photographs of council events (and yes, the photo I took
from on top of the bus stop was well worth the mission) and managing the Twitter
account, FB page and website. The long term goal of the JJC is to make our
organisation even more representative and involving of the youth of Joburg, and
I feel that increasing awareness of the JJC is vital in order to achieve that.
Chief Whip (Josh Broomberg):
Secretary (Danielle Grobbelaar):
Speaker of House and Chairperson of Management -
Khule Duma, St Davids Marist Inanda
Bio-
"I was born in 1995 as a quiet and confused child, grew up in America and South Africa and after many years of lacking Identity and being terribly homesick in America I confronted the truth. The truth was
- I'm South African and therefore no place offers me joy than this place
- I love Johannesburg and everything about it, I love the mine dumps, Soweto, Sandton, Carlton Centre and even the City Center
- We are defined by our past but we must never allow it to define our future nor let it be an excuse for our failings
- I want to be part of the change for a better South Africa
- I will always be a boy of St David's Marist Inanda
- I secretly want to be Jewish (don't tell Julia).
Upon confronting these truths I moved back to South Africa and happiness started and 2 years later I was given the honour of being part of the Johannesburg Junior Council where I was made the Speaker of House. This is where my life changed forever and where in a space of 7 months I learnt more about myself and the Wonder that is this land than I had known in my 17 years of existence. From this experience I now know who I am and what I want to do with my life, that is to build a better South Africa by being actively involved in politics and Civic awareness. I live my life by one quote by John F. Kennedy and it defies everything that I am: "ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country" "
Duties - Runs management meetings , organises speakers for meetings and events, Oversees all committees and maintains communication within the Council.
Chief Whip - Ukanyo Mabandla, Parktown Boys
Front row, from left to right:
Deputy Mayoress - Julia Chaskalson, King David Victory Park
Public Relations Officer -
Heather Dixon, Northcliff High School
Bio-
"I'm an old lady in a teenagers body. I love cats. I love tea. My day isn't complete without an afternoon nap and what better way to complete an outfit than with a cardigan? One thing that isn't old about me, is the way i see the world. I don't think we should just sit by and complain about things that we have the power to change. Because complaining isn't going to solve anything. I believe we as the youth have the power for revolutionary change and I believe that if we have that desire within us we can invoke that passion for change within others, creating a ripple effect. I believe we can mould our future with our own hands."
Duties - Responsible for all communication and relationships with the public and with other organisations, Ensures publicity for Council, Handles press releases and media liason.
Secretary-
Zinhle Mdluli, Crawford College Sandton
Bio -
"I’m on a mission to figure out how to change the world and become a vegan without giving up chicken. Proudly South African and waiting for this country to spontaneously combust with the greatness and potential we inhibit. If I’m not talking about my cats, I’m probably thinking about a way to bring them up.
"There are two means of refuge from the misery of life - music and cats."
~ Albert Schweitzer
Duties-
Manages the administrative side of Council. Serves as the intermediary between the Executive, the Governing Body and the Council, Keeps the Council Organised