MOSSEL BAY NEWS - After dedicating 15 years to the Mossel Bay Municipality, including 10 years as a councillor before serving as Mossel Bay's deputy mayor for the past five years, Cliffie Bayman is ready to hang up his civic robes and spend more time with his family.
Bayman, who will retire at the end of his current municipal term, says his decision to enter local politics was shaped by his childhood and his experiences growing up in Tannery Kloof, Great Brak River.
"Growing up in a poor area like Tannery Kloof, I experienced how extremely difficult it was for our parents to provide for us," Bayman told Mossel Bay Advertiser.
"Seeing people struggle to access services like Sassa and the Department of Labour inspired me to get more involved in community work to see how we can improve services."
He also credits former mayor Harry Levendal for inspiring him, particularly through his work in rural communities. "He was always willing to walk the extra mile for the community, and that's where I get my inspiration from."
Bayman has fond memories of his childhood in Tannery Kloof, where he says residents looked out for one another.
"At the time, we had a big orchard and large pieces of land where we grew food gardens. We also went swimming in the dams nearby," he says.
During his 15 years in local government, Bayman served as Ward 14 councillor for three terms and as chairperson of the municipality's Department of Planning and Economic Development.
He says his duties left little time for himself.
"In my duty as deputy mayor, I had to fulfil some community work. Whenever I was not in the office, I was busy in the community. But when there was time for myself, I am a very keen beach angler," he says.
One of the biggest frustrations of the job, he says, was being unable to help residents because of policies and regulations.
Despite the challenges, Bayman highlights stepping in for Mayor Dirk Kotzé and the relationships he built with his fellow councillors and municipal officials among the highlights of his career.
He says he will particularly miss working with Carel Venter, the current director of planning and economic development. "We were a very close team for all these years. In fact, I had very close relationships with all the directors of the various portfolios," says Bayman.
Communications officer to the mayor, Aydn Parrott, prepares to hang the deputy mayor chain around Cliffie Bayman’s neck for the municipality’s last council meeting of the year in September. Photo source: Mossel Bay Municipality/Facebook
Family comes first
Retirement, however, will bring a welcome change of pace. "From now on, my family comes first," he says, adding that he looks forward to making up for the time he missed with them.
His advice to the next deputy mayor is simple: stay humble, be a team player and maintain an open-door policy.
Bayman also thanked the community for allowing him to serve as their councillor for three terms and encouraged residents to approach their ward councillor with questions or concerns. "That councillor is in the best position to address your issues and needs."
He also thanked the Democratic Alliance for having given him the opportunity to grow within the party since 2011 and to end his municipal career as deputy mayor.
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