Byline: Nonjabuliso Nhlambo

06 September 2022

South African Local Government Association (SALGA) District Commissioner Ms Noliqwa Nhlapo conducted the multi-party women’s caucus launch at Govern Mbeki Municipal Chambers on Monday, 05 September 2022.

The purpose of the multi-party women’s caucus is aimed at bringing women councilors from all political parties to empower them and make room for their voice to be heard in addressing issues affecting women.

“When launching the multi-party women caucus, we see no color nor political party but women and as women, we need to unite and do things together.

The caucus will be dealing with issues affecting women.

In most instances women in leadership are battling because we do not talk about issues concerning women, and as women we do not support one another.

As women caucus, we advocate for women to be a majority both in political spheres and administration,” said Ms Noliqwa Nhlapo outlining the purpose of the multi-party women’s caucus.

Cllr Sibongile Mathebula was the first to be nominated to be the chairperson of the women’s caucus committee followed by Cllr Rose Nkambinde.

The nominations were followed by votes where the councillors voted by show of hands.

Cllr Nkabinde won the chairperson seat by eleven (11) votes over seven (7) votes to Cllr Sbongile Mathebula.

The commissioner declared Cllr Nkabinde the new Chairpersonof the women’s caucus.

Cllr Nthabeleng Mtahane was nominated Secretary of the committee and declared was certified and declared as such by the commissioner after no other nominations were raised.

Three (3) additional members were nominated, Cllr Julia Mthombeni was nominated first followed by Cllr Thabisile Mazibuko leading to the third position being contested by Cll Magareth Phungwayo and Cllr Erasmus, which lead to the votes where Cllr Phungwayo outnumbered Cllr Desree Erasmas by eleven (11) votes over Five (5) votes, which gave Cllr Phungwayo the Third seat on the additional members of the committee.

Upon wrapping up the votes, Cllr Erasmus asked the commissioner if the DA and VF plus members could be excused from the meeting as they felt like this was only political since only the ANC and EFF received seats in the committee.

The commissioner in closing stated that she tried to be as impartial as possible with the votes and could not be part of the political dynamics of Govan Mbeki Municipality.

Cllr Anita Mkwebane of the DA expressed her feelings outside the chambers after they excused themselves.

”We are not happy that only the ANC and EFF were selected.

In the previous years, we were given additional members but this year is a half party women’s caucus therefore we do not recognize this new selected committee as not all the parties are selected,” said Cllr Anita Mkwebane of the Democratic Alliance.