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Gesie van Deventer

Bio

Advocate Gesie van Deventer has been the Executive Mayor of Stellenbosch Municipality since 2016, following five years as the Executive Mayor at Drakenstein Municipality. She is also the first Mayor in Stellenbosch to be elected for a second term.

She became an Admitted Advocate of the Supreme Court of South Africa in 1982 after obtaining her LLB Degree from Stellenbosch University in 1981.

She also has a Diploma in Viticulture and Botany from Elsenburg College of Agriculture (Cum Laude, 1991) and a Diploma as Cellar Master and Winemaker from the Elsenburg Wine Institute (1992).

Her successes in law, winemaking and politics have seen her become one of the first female Public Prosecutors in the country, Farmer of the Year in the Western Cape (2003) as well as top exporter in the province (2003 and 2010).

She has received the PMR Africa Diamond Award for the Most Pro-active Mayor and, during her tenure as Mayor or Drakenstein, she successfully implemented a turn-around strategy for that municipality taking it from near bankruptcy in 2011 to financially viable and stable by 2016.

Back in 1977, at the young age of 22, Mayor van Deventer was fortunate enough to call Stellenbosch home while completing her Law Degree.

Culturally diverse, full of energy, the way the oak trees created the perfect ambiance during any season and the bright colours of the flowers in full bloom – these are just some of the things about Stellenbosch that she still appreciates.

While the breath-taking beauty of mother nature in places like Victoria Street brings back so many amazing memories of the past, it also gives Mayor van Deventer the assurance that Stellenbosch is and will forever be the foundation and stepping stone for so many future leaders, doctors, teachers, engineers, artists, winemakers, writers and so many more.

This is something that’s only possible through a clean, accountable and sustainable government, and one of which we can be very proud.