Ian Neilson
Encyclopedia
Ian Douglas Neilson is the Executive Deputy Mayor of the City of Cape Town
, South Africa
. He is also the Mayoral Committee
member for Finance.
He is a civil engineer and practised as a consulting engineer in the field of water engineering for 20 years, before entering full time politics.
In 2001, when he held the post of Executive Councillor for Safety & Health, he was responsible for the establishment of the Cape Town City Police Service.
. He matriculated from Boksburg High School in 1971. He obtained a B.Sc. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Cape Town
in 1975 and a M.Sc. degree in Engineering in 1984.
. It the latter part of his career he established himself as an expert in pipeline design and pipe network planning.
where he was involved in opposition to the apartheid government of the day.
His first campaign towards elective office was in the South African general election, 1987
, when he was a candidate for the Progressive Federal Party
(PFP) in the constituency of Pretoria Central. This constituency was a National Party
stronghold and he came forth in the election behind the Conservative Party
and the Herstigte Nasionale Party
.
He moved back to Cape Town
in 1990 and in 1996 was a candidate for the Democratic Party
(DP) (a successor of the PFP) in the first local government elections in a new democratic South Africa
. He was elected as a Proportional List Councillor to the Council of the Blaauwberg Municipality as the DP's sole representative. He served as a member of the Council's Executive Committee and on the Planning Committee.
In 1999 he was appointed by the Western Cape Minister of Local Government to serve on the Unicity Commission that was set up to prepare the consolidation of seven local governments into the unicity of Cape Town.
Soon before the 5 December 2000 local government election
that established the new City of Cape Town, the DP amalgamated with the New National Party (NNP) to form the Democratic Alliance (DA). Ian was elected as a DA councillor for Ward 3, an area extending from the wealthy area of Bloubergstrand to the low-cost housing town of Dunoon. The DA won a majority in that election in Cape Town. Ian was elected by the DA caucus to serve in the city executive as the Executive Councillor for Safety & Health, a position he held until 2002. It was during this period that he established the Cape Town City Police Service.
In October 2002 a number of former NNP members left the DA to reestablish their former party. As a result the DA lost its majority in the Cape Town Council. Ian was shortly thereafter elected as deputy leader of the DA in the council, a position he held for the remainder of the council term.
At the local government election
of March 2006, Ian was elected as the Ward Councillor for Ward 23
, a newly delimited ward that extends from Melkbosstrand to Bloubergstrand and parts of Table View. The DA was returned as the largest party in the City of Cape Town
. It formed a multiparty government under the leadership of Executive Mayor Helen Zille
. Mayor Zille appointed Ian as the Mayoral committee
member for Finance. His term in this post has been characterized by a cleanup of the city's formerly corrupt procurement system, an improved city credit rating and unqualified reports from the Auditor General. He has overseen a significant growth in expenditure on infrastructure, both in terms of new capital works (rising from R1 billion per year to R5 billion per year) and in repairs and maintenance (increasing from R800 million to R1,7 billion per year). The city has also successfully launched three bond loan issues on the Bond Exchange of South Africa
, totaling R4,2 billion.
Ian initiated a reform of the city's budgeting process, opening up the budget drafting process to greater political and public scrutiny. On 30 March 2009 he tabled a city budget of R23,8 billion for the 2009/10 Financial Year.
Another responsibility that Ian held during the 2006 to 2010 period was as chairperson of the Mayoral Committee subcommittee on the 2010 FIFA World Cup
. He oversaw the construction of the new 68 000 seat Cape Town Stadium and the operational preparations for the tournament.
He is also the city's observer on the board of the Cape Town International Convention Centre
.
was elected as Premier of the Western Cape Province and ceased to be the Executive Mayor of Cape Town. In the aftermath of these changes, Dan Plato
was elected by the Council as the new Executive Mayor and the composition of the city's multiparty government was changed.
Ian Neilson was elected by the Council as Executive Deputy Mayor on 27 May 2009. He retained the Finance portfolio and chairmanship of the city's 2010 FIFA World Cup
committee.
The 2011 Local Government Election saw the Democratic Alliance returned to office with an improved vote. It won 61% of the total vote. Ian was returned as a Proportional List Councillor. The new Mayor, Patricia de Lille, nominated him to retain the posts of Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Finance.
City of Cape Town
The City of Cape Town is the metropolitan municipality which governs the city of Cape Town, South Africa and its suburbs and exurbs. As of 2007, it had a population of 3,497,097....
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. He is also the Mayoral Committee
Mayoral Committee of the City of Cape Town
-Mayoral Committee System :In terms of the Municipal Structures Act of 1998, the City of Cape Town has opted for the mayoral committee system also known as the Mayco system whereby executive authority is vested in the executive mayor, who in turn chooses an 11-member mayoral committee, which is...
member for Finance.
He is a civil engineer and practised as a consulting engineer in the field of water engineering for 20 years, before entering full time politics.
In 2001, when he held the post of Executive Councillor for Safety & Health, he was responsible for the establishment of the Cape Town City Police Service.
Early life
Ian was born in Boksburg, South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. He matriculated from Boksburg High School in 1971. He obtained a B.Sc. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
in 1975 and a M.Sc. degree in Engineering in 1984.
Professional career
He worked across South Africa on various engineering projects. Key water supply projects that he worked on were a detailed basin study of the Luvuvhu River Basin (a tributary of the Limpopo River) and the Orange-Vaal Rivers Weir project (an envisaged alternative to the Lesotho Highlands Water Supply System). He also worked on a number of flood and storm water projects, most notable of which was the design of the canal system at Century City, Cape TownCape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. It the latter part of his career he established himself as an expert in pipeline design and pipe network planning.
Political career
Ian was involved in politics from his student days at the University of Cape TownUniversity of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
where he was involved in opposition to the apartheid government of the day.
His first campaign towards elective office was in the South African general election, 1987
South African general election, 1987
The 1987 South African general election was held on 6 May 1987. The State of Emergency existing in South Africa at that time cast a cloud over the elections. It was once again won by the National Party under the leadership of P. W...
, when he was a candidate for the Progressive Federal Party
Progressive Federal Party
The Progressive Federal Party was a South African political party formed in 1977. It advocated power-sharing in South Africa through a federal constitution, in place of apartheid...
(PFP) in the constituency of Pretoria Central. This constituency was a National Party
National Party (South Africa)
The National Party is a former political party in South Africa. Founded in 1914, it was the governing party of the country from 4 June 1948 until 9 May 1994. Members of the National Party were sometimes known as Nationalists or Nats. Its policies included apartheid, the establishment of a...
stronghold and he came forth in the election behind the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (South Africa)
The Conservative Party of South Africa was a conservative party formed in 1982 as a breakaway from the ruling National Party...
and the Herstigte Nasionale Party
Herstigte Nasionale Party
The Herstigte Nasionale Party van Suid-Afrika was formed as a right-wing splinter group of the South African National Party.-Formation:...
.
He moved back to Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
in 1990 and in 1996 was a candidate for the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (South Africa)
The Democratic Party was the name of the South African political party now called the Democratic Alliance . Although the Democratic Party name dates from 1989, the party existed under other labels throughout the Apartheid years, when it was the Parliamentary opposition to the ruling National...
(DP) (a successor of the PFP) in the first local government elections in a new democratic South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. He was elected as a Proportional List Councillor to the Council of the Blaauwberg Municipality as the DP's sole representative. He served as a member of the Council's Executive Committee and on the Planning Committee.
In 1999 he was appointed by the Western Cape Minister of Local Government to serve on the Unicity Commission that was set up to prepare the consolidation of seven local governments into the unicity of Cape Town.
Soon before the 5 December 2000 local government election
South African municipal election, 2000
Municipal elections were held in South Africa on 5 December 2000 to elect members to the local governing councils in the municipalities of South Africa.-Results:...
that established the new City of Cape Town, the DP amalgamated with the New National Party (NNP) to form the Democratic Alliance (DA). Ian was elected as a DA councillor for Ward 3, an area extending from the wealthy area of Bloubergstrand to the low-cost housing town of Dunoon. The DA won a majority in that election in Cape Town. Ian was elected by the DA caucus to serve in the city executive as the Executive Councillor for Safety & Health, a position he held until 2002. It was during this period that he established the Cape Town City Police Service.
In October 2002 a number of former NNP members left the DA to reestablish their former party. As a result the DA lost its majority in the Cape Town Council. Ian was shortly thereafter elected as deputy leader of the DA in the council, a position he held for the remainder of the council term.
At the local government election
South African municipal election, 2006
Municipal elections were held in South Africa on 1 March 2006, to elect members to the local governing councils in the municipalities of South Africa...
of March 2006, Ian was elected as the Ward Councillor for Ward 23
Electoral wards of the City of Cape Town
This is a list of 105 electoral wards of the City of Cape Town, with the councillor and corresponding geographies listed.-Wards:...
, a newly delimited ward that extends from Melkbosstrand to Bloubergstrand and parts of Table View. The DA was returned as the largest party in the City of Cape Town
City of Cape Town
The City of Cape Town is the metropolitan municipality which governs the city of Cape Town, South Africa and its suburbs and exurbs. As of 2007, it had a population of 3,497,097....
. It formed a multiparty government under the leadership of Executive Mayor Helen Zille
Helen Zille
Helen Zille is the Premier of the Western Cape, a member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, leader of South Africa's opposition Democratic Alliance political party, and a former Mayor of Cape Town.Zille is a former journalist and anti-apartheid activist, and famously exposed the truth...
. Mayor Zille appointed Ian as the Mayoral committee
Mayoral Committee of the City of Cape Town
-Mayoral Committee System :In terms of the Municipal Structures Act of 1998, the City of Cape Town has opted for the mayoral committee system also known as the Mayco system whereby executive authority is vested in the executive mayor, who in turn chooses an 11-member mayoral committee, which is...
member for Finance. His term in this post has been characterized by a cleanup of the city's formerly corrupt procurement system, an improved city credit rating and unqualified reports from the Auditor General. He has overseen a significant growth in expenditure on infrastructure, both in terms of new capital works (rising from R1 billion per year to R5 billion per year) and in repairs and maintenance (increasing from R800 million to R1,7 billion per year). The city has also successfully launched three bond loan issues on the Bond Exchange of South Africa
Bond Exchange of South Africa
The Bond Exchange of South Africa Limited is an independent, licensed exchange, constituted as a public company, and responsible for operating and regulating the debt securities and interest rate derivatives markets in South Africa.-History:...
, totaling R4,2 billion.
Ian initiated a reform of the city's budgeting process, opening up the budget drafting process to greater political and public scrutiny. On 30 March 2009 he tabled a city budget of R23,8 billion for the 2009/10 Financial Year.
Another responsibility that Ian held during the 2006 to 2010 period was as chairperson of the Mayoral Committee subcommittee on the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
. He oversaw the construction of the new 68 000 seat Cape Town Stadium and the operational preparations for the tournament.
He is also the city's observer on the board of the Cape Town International Convention Centre
Cape Town International Convention Centre
The Cape Town International Convention Centre is a convention centre in Cape Town, South Africa. The centre opened in June 2003. It hosted the Final Draw of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa...
.
Election as Executive Deputy Mayor
At the national and provincial elections on 22 April 2009, the DA won a majority in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament. Helen ZilleHelen Zille
Helen Zille is the Premier of the Western Cape, a member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, leader of South Africa's opposition Democratic Alliance political party, and a former Mayor of Cape Town.Zille is a former journalist and anti-apartheid activist, and famously exposed the truth...
was elected as Premier of the Western Cape Province and ceased to be the Executive Mayor of Cape Town. In the aftermath of these changes, Dan Plato
Dan Plato
Daniel "Dan" Plato is the Minister for Community Safety in the Western Cape and the former Executive Mayor of Cape Town, South Africa.-References:...
was elected by the Council as the new Executive Mayor and the composition of the city's multiparty government was changed.
Ian Neilson was elected by the Council as Executive Deputy Mayor on 27 May 2009. He retained the Finance portfolio and chairmanship of the city's 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
committee.
The 2011 Local Government Election saw the Democratic Alliance returned to office with an improved vote. It won 61% of the total vote. Ian was returned as a Proportional List Councillor. The new Mayor, Patricia de Lille, nominated him to retain the posts of Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Finance.