Times Of Swaziland: NOZIPHO GAMEDZE NEW MANZINI MAYOR

NOZIPHO GAMEDZE NEW MANZINI MAYOR
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Stanley Khumalo on 21/07/2023 08:36:00


MANZINI – Nozipho Gamedze is the new Mayor of the hub of the country -
Manzini.
Gamedze, who represents Ward 11 (Extension 7 (Wilmer Park), Manzini, light
industrial area and Mkhosi Township, was the only nominee for the position of
mayor. She was elected mayor after accepting the nomination from the councillors
yesterday afternoon. In order to ascertain if there would be any other nominee
for the position, the Chairperson of the meeting, who is also the Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of the Municipal Council of Manzini, Lungile Dlamini,
informed the councillors that they would wait two minutes as per their
constitution.
Position
Subsequent to the two minutes, Gamedze ascended to her new position. It was the
same case with her deputy, who is Ward Six (Woodmasters, the area below the
Central Distributor road and around Leites Motors) Councillor, Wesley Dlamini.
He was also the only nominee for the position of deputy and the same applied as
there was a two-minute wait to establish if any other nominee would come to the
fore. However, during the two-minute wait, the Councillor for Ward 7
(Sterkstroom, Mangwaneni and the area around Manzini Central High School)
Khanyisile Mamba raised her hand, seeking to address the meeting in the
Municipal Council of Manzini Chamber.
As the other councillors suspected that she had an objection to the nomination,
Mamba requested that the airconditioner be switched off as it was affecting her.
This drew laughter from the other councillors and the people in the gallery, who
were mostly from the various media houses. Leading to this, Mamba had prayed for
unity among them even if she lost the election of being mayor of the city. This
had also drawn murmurs and laughter as some of the councillors claimed that the
prayer was personal.
On the other hand, Wesley, after the lapse of the two minutes, also assumed the
position of deputy mayor and set next to Gamedze at the head of the table,
wherein the mayor had been seated aside the CEO. Subsequently, the councillors
voted for the chairperson of the finance commitee and his deputy. Just like the
position of the mayor and deputy mayor, these two positions of the committee had
one nominee apiece. Ward 4 Councillor (Ngwane Park Township, Ngwane Park
Extension, Sihlahleni, Ndumbu, Ticancweni) Xolani Masuku was elected the
chairperson of the committee while Ward 9 (Moneni, Masekweni, Inyoni Park)
Mzwandile Nkambule was elected his deputy.
On the other hand, the mayor, in his speech, appreciated the trust the
councillors had in her to lead them. She emphasised the need for unity and
working as a collective given that the tasks at hand needed the expertise of the
management of the Municipal Council of Manzini, the councillors and the
residents of the city.