And we drink coffee with Logie
Women take the reins of eThekwini Municipality
THERE IS a change of guard at the eThekwini Municipality’s executive council in which women will feature prominently.
Zandile Gumede is tipped to take over as mayor of the metro – the only one in KwaZulu-Natal – when the inaugural council sitting takes place on Wednesday.
Fawzia Peer is likely to be voted in as her deputy, while Nelisiwe Nyanisa is tipped to take over as chief whip of the ruling party.
The speaker, though, is likely to be a man, Lekgoa Mapena.
Gumede, who was the health, safety and social services committee chairwoman, will be the first female mayor to lead the city since the country became a democracy. She will also control a budget of close to R42 billion.
Peer comes with experience spanning more than 20 years in the municipality. She was the deputy mayor of Inner West City between 1996 and 2001 before the regions were merged to form one metro, eThekwini Municipality.
In the last term she served as the chairwoman of the finance and procurement committee.
Gumede emerged victorious after a tussle with outgoing mayor James Nxumalo. A few weeks ago there was talk that Nomsa DubeNcube, could be appointed mayor.
She is the treasurer of the ANC in the province and serves as MEC for Corporate Governance and Traditional Affairs. However, Gumede seems to have triumphed.
Gumede recently told the Sunday Tribune that at the centre of her task would be women’s issues, and shack-dwellers.
Peer survived a last-ditch attempt to unseat her when a small group of businessmen lobbied against her this week.
Former eThekwini councillor Visvin Reddy said the businessmen were trying to seek an audience with the ANC leadership claiming that the Indian community was not happy with her representing them.
He said Peer was a fighter and above petty politics.
“I have known these two women (Gumede and Peer) all my political life. They are both hard working and very actively involved in structures of the ANC.
“I am certain that they will do an exceptional job in the positions they are deployed to.”
Logie Naidoo, outgoing speaker and former deputy mayor, will bow out of the executive council after he failed to make the cut. Nxumalo, who served as mayor for one term, is also going.
Reacting to her nomination, Peer said: “I appreciate the faith and confidence placed in me by our leadership. I will continue to commit myself to serving our great city and to uplift the quality of life of all our people, especially the poor and the disadvantaged”.
She said the new council inherited a city with a strong and stable financial base.
“Our clean audit report investment grade credit rating, and the best collection rates in the country, bear testimony to this. We would love the finances to remain this way,” she said.
“Our job is for us to service the people of eThekwini,” she said.
Also making the cut was former ethics committee chairman Lekgoa Mapena who replaces Naidoo as speaker.
It appeared that the ANC had heeded the call made within and outside the party for more women to be given leadership positions.
But party provincial secretary, Super Zuma wouldn’t be drawn on this, saying, “For now, these are proposals.”