'Age is no barrier to making a difference,' says Cape Town's new junior mayor
Michael-Daniel Bam, a Grade 10 learner at Cedar House High School in Kenilworth, will lead a group of youngsters who will serve on the junior city council, alongside him.
Michael-Daniel Bam has been elected as Cape Town's junior mayor. Picture: City of Cape Town
CAPE TOWN - A 16-year-old making moves to change his community has been elected as Cape Town's junior mayor.
Michael-Daniel Bam, a Grade 10 learner at Cedar House High School in Kenilworth, will lead a group of youngsters who will serve on the junior city council alongside him.
During his one year as the junior executive mayor, he said he hoped to inspire young people in his community.
"To be honest, it feels amazing. It's really an absolute honour to have been elected in a position like this and I'm really privileged to be able to serve the people of the city. I don't take this responsibility lightly, I feel the weight of it but I'm incredibly proud to carry it and I'm ready to give it my all."
Bam said that he was first exposed to this opportunity after seeing a social media post about the opportunity.
"So, one of my key goals is to formally establish the second phase of my foundation's homeless reintegration programme that will include working with partners to help individuals obtain their ID documents, which I believe is really essential to accessing job opportunities, healthcare and housing and then I also want to continue to empower young people, leading through action, and really showing them that age is no barrier to making a difference."