New WCPPP Committee Chairpersons Appointed

The DA in the Western Cape has welcomed the elections of several new chairpersons to various Standing Committees at the Western Cape Provincial Parliament (WCPP) over the last week. Each of the chairpersons bring with them a wealth of experience and skill to ensure accountable, clean and effective governance in the Western Cape. As the Sixth Parliament is half way through its term and with a new member, Honourable Dan Plato, this was an opportunity to refresh and refocus the work of the Provincial Parliament to best represent the interests of residents across the province.

A brief summary of the newly elected chairpersons can be found below:

Derrick America

Last week, MPP America was elected the new Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Transport and Public Works. He has been a member of the committee since 2019, when he first joined the Provincial Parliament. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree with Honours as well as a Masters of Business Administration in Strategic Management. Having served as a former City of Cape Town councillor and as the DA’s Shadow Deputy Minister of Labour at the National Assembly, he has served and worked across spheres of government. This experience will assist him in bringing together different stakeholders and offers a unique insight into the transport challenges facing the people of the Western Cape.

Lorraine Botha

MPP Botha has been a member of the WCPP since May 2014 and has been the chair of several portfolios including Social Development, Health and Education. She will, for the second time, chair the Standing Committee on Premier and Constitutional Matters which she previously held between 2014 and 2016. Additionally, MPP Botha has been elected to serve as the Chairperson for Local Government, the first woman to be in this position since the Democratic Alliance took office in 2009. MPP Botha looks forward to working with local municipalities and the provincial government to ensure clean governance and effective service delivery across the Western Cape.

Dan Plato

As the newly elected Chairperson for Social Development, MPP Plato will continue to support the most vulnerable in our society by focusing on gender-based violence and social support measures. Importantly, he has also been elected as the Chairperson of the Petitions Committee at the WCPP. MPP Plato has served as the mayor of the City of Cape Town as well as the provincial Minister of Community Safety. He has also served as a member of the Provincial Parliament previously, MPP Plato is well acquainted with the working of the institution.

Deidré Baartman

MPP Baartman obtained an LLB from the University of Stellenbosch and was admitted as an advocate of the Western Cape High Court in 2017. Taking office as the youngest elected member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament to date – elected at the age of 28. Baartman chaired the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Opportunities and is also currently the Chairperson of the Budget Committee which oversees the provincial budget of more than R72 billion. She is also currently the Deputy Chief Whip of the Provincial Parliament. As the new Chairperson on Education, her focus will be to ensure quality education for every learner in the province, the creation of safe learning environments and infrastructure at Western Cape schools.

Gillion Bosman

MPP Bosman holds a Bachelors in Social Science in Politics, Public Administration and Sociology from the University of Cape Town. He is a Mandela Washington Fellow and has completed a Certificate in Public Management from Florida International University. Professionally he has worked in the private sector working in international development and as a publisher. Between 2016 and 2019, he served as a councillor in the City of Cape Town, acting as the Deputy Chairperson for the Portfolio on the Economy and the Environment. MPP Bosman is hoping to continue the good work of the committee on focusing on job creation and energy security.

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