Kouga mayor loses battle with cancer

A strong, competent and capable mayor who will be difficult to replace. This is how those close to Kouga Municipality mayor Elza van Lingen, who died yesterday, described her. DA Tsitsikamma-Kouga constituency leader Malcom Figg said the party had lost one of its strongest members.

“Even through ill health, she still performed her mayoral duties,” he said.

Van Lingen, 68, died at her Cape St Francis home surrounded by family.

She officially went on leave on Monday.

She was diagnosed with cancer in 2009 but went into remission. But she had to start treatment again from 2016.

She became the Kouga Municipality mayor after the 2016 local government elections.

Kouga Municipality council speaker Horatio Hendricks, who is now the acting mayor, said everyone was still in shock.

Hendricks said even though Van Lingen was on chemotherapy, she never missed a day of work.

She would rather adjust her schedule around her chemotherapy treatments.

“Last week, she attended the Koukamma municipality byelections in the Joubertina area and she was at voting stations handing out flyers even though she was sick.

“She was fighting for her propoor budget, trying to eradicate bucket toilets in the municipality last Tuesday.
“She was an iron lady, the glue that kept us together, a mentor that inspired me to get into politics and be a public servant,” he said.

He said Van Lingen had sacrificed her own health for the advancement of the Kouga Municipality.

Sarah Baartman regional secretary Scara Njadayi said the ANC would postpone a planned protest for Monday in Koukamma. The ANC had planned the protest to call for Van Lingen’s resignation.

“We are sad and we share our sympathies with the family of Van Lingen as well as the leadership of the DA and the council of Kouga,” Njadayi said.

“I understand there are difficulties in the municipality where people are unhappy about service delivery but we’re a moral organisation.”

Njadayi said ANC Kouga chief whip Malibongwe Dayimani would contact his DA counterpart, Daniel Benson, to offer any assistance with funeral arrangements.

Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Athol Trollip said the party would always remember Van Lingen’s visionary leadership and her dedication to the community.

“The lives of the citizens of Kouga have been greatly improved through Elza’s passion and tireless efforts,” he said.

“She was a great friend and formidable leader who refused to let her battle with cancer stop her from soldiering on and working hard for the people of Kouga.”

Van Lingen, who was a member of parliament from 2009 to 2016, is survived by her husband, Michael, and their four children.

In 2002, she was approached to join the DA and was elected as a councillor in the then Cacadu District Municipality (now the Sarah Baartman District Municipality).

She served as district councillor for six years before being elected by the DA to serve in the National Council of Provinces during the 2009 general elections.