Former Pinetown mayor dies

CHARLES Keet Van Eck, mayor of Pinetown for three years and on council for seven years, died on 26 March after a long illness bravely borne.

He was a hardworking mayor who improved the living conditions of many in the area with the numerous projects he tackled.

Charles started a career in the building industry trade as a carpenter.

He was founder and chairman of Inland Construction (Natal), a major Durban Construction company which operated for 25 years.

It was there that he pioneered the Tilt- Up method of construction in South Africa. Over the years he was also an owner and director of a number of construction and development companies

He found the time to perform many other functions.

He was a past member of the Council of Edgewood College of Education, was a member of the Board of Pinetown Technicon and was lay preacher and teacher at Christ Church, Waterfall. He also presented seminars on marriage, family life and leadership development.

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Charles stood for Parliament in the 1987 General Election and obtained the unique distinction of being elected to council and elected as mayor of Pinetown simultaneously, as a total novice.

As mayor of Pinetown, Charles initiated for the borough to take over control and responsibility of vast, traditionally areas of black communities, of Pinetown south from the Natal Provincial Administration, on an agency basis.

He chaired the greater Pinetown steering committee, consisting of no less than 14 communities of Pinetown South, regarding the establishment and reconstruction of delicate socio economic issues.

He also negotiated with the House of Delegates and the House of Representatives and included the respective communities for the Borough of Pinetown to take control on an agency basis.

Charles initiated a forum of mayors and town clerks consisting of all mayor boroughs in the highway region to discuss and debate issues of common interest.

He acted as chairperson in the taxi dispute between warring factions of the Pinetown Taxi Association and the Umphumalanga Taxi  Association Board.

He was a member of the Cato Manor development association company and board; was chairman of the Provincial Housing Board of KZN and a member of the Natal Housing Board among many others.

Beloved husband of 60 years to Dawn, he was father of two: a daughter, Heather Dawn and a son, Charles Jnr and was a doting oupa to four precious grandchildren (Glen Funga, Janice, Tristan van Eck and Janais van Eck). Charles will be sadly missed by his devoted wife, Dawn and loving family and many friends and former colleagues.

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