Virgill Gericke
South African politician
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Virgill Gericke is a South African politician who has been a Permanent Delegate to the National Council of Provinces representing the Western Cape as a member of the Economic Freedom Fighters. Prior to serving in the NCOP, he was a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly. Gericke previously served as the founding president of the Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners, a minor political party in the Garden Route District Municipality, from 2011 until 2023.
affiliations
Virgill Gericke | |
|---|---|
| Permanent Delegate to the National Council of Provinces | |
| Assumed office 15 June 2024 | |
| Member of the National Assembly of South Africa | |
| In office 20 October 2023 – 28 May 2024 | |
| President of the Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners | |
| In office 2011 – 19 October 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Party created |
| Succeeded by | Roselien Titus (acting)[1] |
| Personal details | |
| Party | Economic Freedom Fighters (2023–present) |
Other political affiliations | Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners (2011–2023) |
Political career
Gericke founded the Plaaslike Besorgde Inwoners (English: Local Concerned Residents) in 2011.[2] The party won one seat in the council of the George Local Municipality in the 2011 municipal elections, and Gericke was elected to take up the party's sole council seat.[3] Gericke was re-elected to council in 2016. Following the election, he was elected to serve on the council of the Garden Route District Municipality.[4] Gericke was re-elected to a third term on the George municipal council in 2021. Afterwards, he was re-elected to the Garden Route district council. He was fielded as a mayoral candidate, but lost to incumbent Memory Booysen of the Democratic Alliance, winning only 15 votes to Booysen's 18 out of 33 votes.[5]
On 18 October 2023, Gericke resigned from the George municipal council and the Garden Route district council.[6] He resigned from the PBI and joined the Economic Freedom Fighters party the following day.[7] He was sworn in as a member of the National Assembly on 20 October.[8] Gericke was appointed to the National Council of Provinces following the 2024 general election.[9]