■ Friend and mentor, Gisela Jespersen, passed away after a long illness on Monday September 25, a day before what would have been her 78th birthday. Colleagues say Gisela was a public representative in the truest sense of the word, who dedicated her life to helping people and uplifting the community during her term as a councillor in the former Helderberg municipal council, and in the two terms she served, between 2000 and 2011, in the City of Cape Town council. Her dedication to ensuring an orderly and well structured urban environment was regularly acknowledged, while she chaired the planning portfolio committee, both in the Helderberg and City of Cape Town Councils. She was always available to assist residents throughout the Helderberg and her strong ethical, principled approach to public service left a marked impression on those councillors who have followed her and has set a very high standard for them to emulate in her honour. The memorial service for Ms Jespersen will take place on Saturday October 21, at the Helderberg Village Clubhouse, at 1pm. Her family have requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Helderberg Animal Welfare.