Ben Rheeder honoured as an Alderman

Mayor Elza van Lingen with Ben Rheeder

The Kouga council bestowed the honour of Alderman on Ben Rheeder who has been the councillor for Ward 12 (St Francis Bay & Cape St Francis) it would seem since the lighthouse was built, for certainly he has become as much an institution it would seem as the lighthouse.

Bestowing the honour on “Alderman Rheeder”, Speaker Councillor Hendricks pointed out that it is not an honour voted for, or awarded for a good deed but rather an honour earned through a minimum of 20 years’ service to the municipality and the community

In a brief ceremony on stage during before Kouga Executive Mayor Elza van Lingen presented the ‘State of the Municipality’ address, the Mayor conferred the title along with various medals to Alderman Rheeder.

Congratulations Ben from SFT and we are sure all residents of Ward 12 if not the entire Kouga district.

Looking for a definition of ‘Alderman’ on the internet came up with the following off Wikipedia

An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council member elected by voters.[1]

The title is derived from the Old English title of ealdorman, literally meaning “elder man”, and was used by the chief nobles presiding over shires