Executive Mayor Colan Sylvester is the mayor of the Heart of the Little Karoo. Oudtshoorn has for the past few years been overwhelmed with political instability, mismanagement, and corruption, which has seen the town being subjected to Provincial Intervention in terms of section 139 of the Constitution.
The 52-year-old Oudtshoorn-born former school principal is now facing the daunting task of turning Oudtshoorn around. Colan dreams of restoring the ‘jewel of the Klein Karoo’ to its former glory by delivering much-needed services to its 100 000-odd inhabitants.
Colan’s political calling dates back to the mid-’80s when he got involved with the United Democratic Front (UDF), Azanian People’s Organisation (AZAPO), the African National Congress (ANC) and volunteered at Saamstaan newspaper which was the voice of the people during the political struggle pre-1994.
Today, Colan wants to be part of the change that will improve the lives of the people of South Africa and, particularly, of greater Oudtshoorn. He joined the DA in 2013 in response to the mismanagement that plagued Oudtshoorn Municipality.
Armed with an Honours Degree in Education from the University of Pretoria and a Teacher’s Diploma from the Southern Cape Teachers College in Oudtshoorn, Colan is determined to invest in Oudtshoorn with his educational background and the vast experience he acquired teaching over the years, most recently as principal of PJ Badenhorst’ Primary School in Dysselsdorp.
Colan is an enthusiastic sportsman who has been playing rugby for over 20 years and is a member of the South African Rugby Union (SACOS).
Colan and his wife, Amy, have four children. Two are pursuing their university studies while the other two children are still in primary school.
“If you believe you can achieve,” goes Colan’s motto. He believes that Oudtshoorn will be a town to “play, learn, work and prosper,” just as its vision states.