04 Jul AGM REPORT – 29 June 2023
HEROES OF KILLARNEY HONOURED AT WPMC AGM

“The Western Province Motor Club had a very successful 2022,” said Chairman Tim Reddell at a well-attended Annual General Meeting on Thursday 29 June 2023. “We obtained a new lease for 30 years and now that the future of Killarney is secure, we have already begun investing in repairs and improvements, resurfacing parts of the track, repairing and repainting buildings and ‘greening’ the facility by planting hundreds of indigenous trees and plants.”
“The 2022 Killarney Motor Show was also the low point of the year, however, as we had lost our off-site parking and the roadworks on the Plattekloof Road bridge over the N7 made access to Killarney from the northern suburbs problematic.”
“The Club is on a sound financial footing,” said Executive Manager Des Easom, presenting the financial report, “with a clean audit and money in the bank.”
Nevertheless, the Clubhouse continued to operate at a deficit during 2022, he reported, which was a cause for concern.
The two-year term of office of Tim Reddell as Chairman and Mark Ridgway had expired, and it was necessary to elect new officers. There he was the only nominee for the post of Chairman of the WPMC, Tim Reddell graciously agreed to steer the Club for another two years, while motorcycle racer Lance Jonas was elected as Vice-Chairman.
The highlight of the evening, however, was the presentation of special awards and honours to five members who had distinguished themselves by exceptional service to the Club, especially in the long and arduous negotiations that finally came to fruition in 2022 with the signing of the new lease.
SPECIAL AWARD: JOHN VAN NIEKERK
Some members of the Killarney family are so steadfast in their support that we tend to take them for granted. This man is one of the most steadfast.
Born into a motorsport family, John van Niekerk has supported the Western Province Motor Club his whole life. He stood by us through the Covid lockdown when so many others fell by the wayside and for the past 10 years he has been one of Killarney’s most important sponsors, supporting regional, national and international events.
But he has given so much more to Killarney than money; he has imbued his family with his passion for motorsport, he has given of his time, ideas and effort to make things happen, and in the process, he has become universally respected for putting motorsport first and himself second.
He is more than a sponsor and an outstanding member of the Killarney family, he is a friend to Killarney in every way.
As a token of respect and appreciation for a decade of sponsorship and support, the WPMC bestowed a Special Award on John van Niekerk.
John was unable to be present at the AGM so the award was accepted by his daughter Ciara.
SPECIAL AWARD: TIM REDDELL, DES EASOM & PIETER CRONJE
Over period of 10 years these three men led our efforts to secure a new lease for Killarney and thus the future of motorsport in the Western Cape.
They had to change the perception that Killarney was an ‘old boys club’ used by a white elite, counter the proposals that it could be moved to another venue and show the City of Cape Town the value of motorsport.
They built relationships with City officials and politicians through years of negotiations and quiet diplomacy, brought them out to Killarney and showed them the value of motorsport to the City in terms of job creation in the automotive sector and the visitors we bring to Cape Town, as well as the value of Killarney as the most used sports facility in the Western Cape.
They made them aware of Killarney’s more than 70 year heritage and of the infrastructure that the Club has put in place over the years without government funding.
They forged a working relationship with the City’s Events department through road safety initiatives such as Robot Racing, and when the lease was approved in principle by the City they put in countless hours of behind-the-scenes work to make the terms acceptable to the WPMC.
For their efforts in securing a new lease for Killarney, the Western Province Motor Club bestows Special Awards on Tim Reddell, Des Easom and Pieter Cronje.
EDGAR HOAL TROPHY: Dr GREG MILLS
Since his inauguration as Club President in 2019 Dr Mills has used his connections with City officials and politicians to open doors and reach influential people.
Together with the Brenthurst Foundation and Tim Harris, the then CEO of Wesgro, the Western Cape’s trade promotion agency, he put together the key strategy document “Cape Town’s Gateway to Global Motorsport”, that literally put Killarney on the political map.
He brought City officials and politicians, including DA National Leader John Steenhuizen, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde and Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis out to the circuit, showed them first-hand the value of Killarney to the City, put them in his Team Africa Le Mans endurance racing cars and took them on hot laps around the circuit – he even got John Steenhuizen to act as Lollipop Man for the team at the 2022 Cape 9 Hour!
He and Tim Reddell funded the participation of international star drivers in Team Africa Le Mans in the Cape 9 Hour, in which they also competed.
For his exceptional service to the Western Province in securing the new lease for Killarney the Western Province Motor Club bestows the Edgar Hoal Memorial Trophy on Dr Greg Mills.
HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIP: GAVIN CERFF
Gavin has been an active member of the Western Province Motor Club for many years. He raced Clubmans and also tried his hand in Supercars, and was Chairman of the Clubmans Section when he was asked to make himself available as Vice-Chairman of the WPMC in 2011.
When the then chairman Brian Smith suddenly passed away later that year, he stepped up and led the Club as acting Chairman until he was formally elected as Chairman in 2012 – for which he was awarded the Edgar Hoal Memorial Trophy for Exceptional Service to the WPMC.
He continued to serve as Chairman until 2021, steering the Club through the process of implementing the new Constitution in 2015, and was closely involved in the negotiations that brought World Rallycross to Killarney in 2017. He travelled to two World Rallycross events in Europe at his own expense to learn what was required so that the Club could host the amazing event in 2017.
He also played a part in building our relationship with the City of Cape Town at Mayoral and Mayoral Committee level and with City officials in the Club obtaining a new lease.
When the Club went into a cash flow deficit, he put his hand in his own pocket to loan money to the Club, not once but twice.
For his years of service as Chairman and an invaluable and committed member, the WPMC bestows Honorary Life Membership on Gavin Cerff. The Killarney family salutes these six men as true heroes of Killarney.