“2024 is the year of going back to our people and servicing them according to their needs.”

I would like to take this opportunity and greet you all in the name of service delivery and the betterment of livelihood of the people of Mandeni. It is a great pleasure to once again come before you the people of Mandeni.

2024 promises to be a great year for both this council and our citizens as we look to strengthen our communication modalities, platforms and accountability.

We will continue to align our day-to-day activities with our vision of being a reliable, people centered economic hub by 2030, we will roll out numerous programs, invite investors, unsure peace and stability for all our people to succeed in their fields. We are also committing to improving the livelihood of our people by providing nonbiased leadership and making decisions for the greater good of Mandeni.

As the speaker of this thriving economic hub, my duties have largely involved but not limited to presiding over meetings of the council, ensuring that the council meets at least quarterly and most importantly ensure compliance in the council and committees with the code of conduct for councilors as set out in schedule 1 of the municipal system act. These I will do according to the book of laws and putting our people at the summit of everything that we do. Our failure and success will be judged by the number of lives we manage to change among other things that I hope to achieve is to encourage participation of communities and community organization in the decision- making process of the municipality as well as develop mechanisms to ensure and monitor participation of communities in decision-making process communities in put in everything we do will be top of my agenda.

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate the words of apartheid stalwart, Walter Sisulu, “The people are our strength. In their Service we shall face and conquer those who live on the back of the people.” We are therefore compelled as this council to fight for our people and ensure that they enjoy the benefits of having elected us to lead them.

Thank you!

The Speaker :  CLLR. Phindile Sishi