Zille shifts Plato into Western Cape cabinet

Former Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato will take up the position of provincial minister for community safety in the Western Cape government, premier Helen Zille said on Monday.

“I am confident that he will make a major contribution, not only to the community safety portfolio, but to the provincial cabinet as a whole,” Zille said.

“His specific skills in building partnerships will be extremely valuable as we implement our new approach to extending community safety.”

Zille announced the new appointments, made necessary by the appointment of Patricia de Lille, the former provincial minister for social development, as Cape Town’s new mayor.

Former community safety provincial minister Albert Fritz will replace De Lille in social development, and Plato replaces Fritz.

“I am confident that these changes will make our cabinet an even stronger team and I look forward to continue working with all the [provincial ministers] in serving the citizens of the Western Cape,” Zille said.

During his tenure as Cape Town mayor, Plato was at the centre of the storm over open toilets built in Makhaza, Khayelitsha.—Sapa