Peter de Villiers in WC Parliament
Written by KC_Admin on 29 May 2023
On Monday the GOOD Party announced that Peter de Villiers will take the party’s vacant seat in the Western Cape Parliament.
After a long career as a teacher, before moving full-time into rugby, De Villiers spent the last two years serving his community as a GOOD councillor and caucus leader in the Drakenstein Municipality.
The former Springbok coach was selected to fill the Western Cape position by GOOD’s National Management Committee following interviews conducted over the weekend. The vacancy arose after the party’s expulsion of Shaun August.
GOOD’s Secretary-General, MP Brett Herron, describes De Villiers as a leader of calibre and integrity “whose presence will positively impact the work of the provincial legislature.”
“Coach”, as De Villiers is known in his community, led GOOD’s campaign in the 2021 local government elections in Drakenstein, in which it obtained four seats in the council.
He is also best known for his successful stint as Springbok rugby coach, the first one of colour.
“Though he struggled to gain acceptance from rugby officials, writers and fans, his results against all the top teams in the world, including the All Blacks in New Zealand, spoke for themselves.”
Last year De Villiers was appointed coach of the Deaf Springbok 7s rugby team, which he described as the most exciting part of his career.
Before rugby De Villiers had a 20-year career as a teacher. He rose through the ranks to serve as a head of department, deputy principal and acting principal.
“Those were difficult times in South Africa,” Herron pointed out. “The youngsters he taught and mentored today attest to the role he played, beyond teaching, in their development as human beings.”
According to De Villiers it had been a great honour to serve his beloved Drakenstein community as a councillor.
“Now I have the opportunity to serve the wider Western Cape community. I will use the same tools that have served me for many years: listening to others, considering what they say, and being constructive in response.”
Herron also describes De Villiers as a “humble and honest leader, with no interest in tenders or political games. He is going to Wale Street because he wants to contribute to developing a province that is fairer with a place in the sun for all its people.”
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