Tertuis Simmers
Tertuis Alfred Simmers (born 23 March 1983) is a South African politician who is currently serving as the Western Cape Provincial Minister of Human Settlements and a Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament. He is a member of the Democratic Alliance.[1]
Tertuis Simmers | |
|---|---|
| Western Cape Provincial Minister of Human Settlements | |
| Assumed office 23 May 2019 | |
| Premier | Alan Winde |
| Preceded by | Bonginkosi Madikizela |
| Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament | |
| Assumed office 12 June 2017 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 March 1983 Nelspruit, South Africa |
| Nationality | South African |
| Political party | Democratic Alliance |
| Spouse(s) | Monique Simmers |
| Occupation | Politician |
Life and career
Simmers was born in Nelspruit on 23 March 1983. He is married to Monique Simmers. They have four children together.[2]
Before being sworn in as a Member of the Provincial Parliament, Simmers was involved in the politics of the Eden District Municipality, from 2011 to 2017. He served as a Member of the Mayoral Committee and Speaker of the municipality. He also held leadership positions in the George Local Municipality.[3]
Additionally, he served on the Western Cape Bargaining Council Division of the South African Local Government Association. He qualified as a Skills Development Facilitator in 2015.[2]
Simmers took office as a Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament on 12 June 2017.[2]
Following the Democratic Alliance's victory in the Western Cape in May 2019, newly elected Premier Alan Winde named Simmers as the new Provincial Minister of Human Settlements.[4][5][6]
Controversy
In August 2019, the Good Party representative in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, Brett Herron, accused Simmers of electricity theft while he served as a councillor and a Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) of the George Local Municipality. Herron claimed, that in 2015, George municipal officials had found evidence of Simmers' electricity meter malfunctioning. In response, Simmers refuted Herron's claims and said that the case was fully investigated in 2016 and found to be bogus.[7][8]
References
- Tertuis Simmers. Retrieved on 27 March 2019.
- Ministry of Human Settlements: Overview. Retrieved on 27 May 2019.
- New Speaker for Eden. Retrieved on 27 May 2019.
- Winde names new Western Cape cabinet. Retrieved on 27 May 2019.
- Western Cape Premier Alan Winde announces new Cabinet. Retrieved on 27 May 2019.
- Western Cape premier Alan Winde's cabinet a mix of old and new. Retrieved on 27 May 2019.
- Daniels, Nicola (1 August 2019). "Good party accuses Western Cape MEC of 'stealing' electricity in George". IOL. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- Van Diemen, Ethan (16 August 2019). "'I will be seeking legal advice' - Western Cape MEC Tertius Simmers responds to electricity theft claims". News24. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
