Gauteng
5 September 2007
Gauteng Local Government MEC, Qedani Dorothy Mahlangu, has awarded three
women in local government with awards and bursaries to further their
studies.
At a glittering Women in Local Government Awards ceremony at Gallagher
Estate on Tuesday, 4 September 2007, Mahlangu awarded the Speaker of
Ekurhuleni, Ntombi Mekgwe, Grace Molopa, a Community Development Worker (CDW),
and Duduzile Maseko, the Managing Director of the City of Johannesburg's Roads
Agency, received accolades as a token of appreciation for their work in
communities when they were named as winners in the annual Women in Local
Government Awards.
The trio were awarded trophies and a R30 000 bursary each to further their
studies through the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority
(LGSETA).
Also awarded at the ceremony was Metsweding District Municipality Mayor
Agnes Mlondobozi who walked away with the MEC's Discretionary Award and
councillor Faith Kgaditse for being outstanding in her duties. They were both
awarded a R30 000 bursary to further their studies.
The Women in Local Government Awards were conceived in 2005, a year after
Mahlangu assumed office as MEC for Local Government in Gauteng, to honour and
celebrate the sterling work done by women in local government in bringing
services to communities.
Mahlangu said the awards were started because she believes in the power of
women and is passionate about their development.
"It has always been my dream to offer women in local government an
opportunity to showcase their achievements and share best practices in their
respective fields," said Mahlangu.
She added that: "With these awards, I am hoping to motivate more women to go
an extra mile in their respective fields. It is important that we prioritise
women in ensuring that they are developed, academically and otherwise and also
to motivate other women who were not nominated. We must also ensure that we
make positive changes in the various communities we work and live in."
"All women should be agents for change. We must become leaders and show our
femininity and passion for our communities, be it as a community development
worker, a councillor or anything else. We should not let titles tell us what we
should be doing, we should do what we can to make a difference in people's
lives," said Mahlangu.
Maseko started her career in 1989 as a student council representative for
the Equal Opportunities Council. She moved from a Careers Officer to a
Placement Officer. In 1994 she was appointed as Deputy Director: Human Resource
by the Independent Media Commission. She was served as Chief State Officer and
Deputy Director HR for GPSC as well as the Department of Housing and Local
Government respectively.
In 2006 she was appointed Deputy President of the Institution for Local
Government Management of South Africa. She is currently the managing Director
in the Johannesburg Roads Agency which is an entity of the City of Johannesburg
Metropolitan Council. She was nominated for the project 'June 16 Trail' as part
of the Women in Construction project.
Mekgwe is currently serving as a chairperson to the following committees:
Rules Committee, Public Participation and Petition Committee, Gender Committee,
Chairperson of the Compliance subcommittee (MFMA issues) and is a member of the
Multiparty Women's Caucus Steering Committee. She also sits in the South
African Cities Network as a board member and represents the municipality on the
South African Local Government Association (Salga) Gauteng Intergovernmental
Forum as well as Gauteng Premiers Co-ordinating Forum.
She is also involved in various projects and campaigns which includes
amongst others, the OR Tambo celebrations Mayoral Road Shows (as per public
participation policy) and 16 Days of Activism against Women and Child Abuse
(awareness campaign of the domestic violence act).
Molopa initiated various projects. She initiated the development of two
creches, 2 development centres, a mini market and food garden projects. Through
the establishment of these projects, 15 people are employed and receiving a
salary.
She has also empowered community members to start initiating community
projects by mentoring them and assisting them to access funding. She has
developed a schedule of meetings and dates with the Department of Home Affairs
to register birth certificates and identity documents for the community which
she serves.
She has initiated a sewing project to sew school uniforms for orphans. These
uniforms were distributed at no cost to the orphans and the project was funded
by the Department of Social Development and Non Governmental Organisations
(NGOs) in the area. She has shown remarkable networking skills and promotes
inter-governmental relations in her ward.
For more information contact:
Themba Sepotokele
Tel: 011 355 5111
Cell: 082 490 9869
Issued by: Department of Local Government, Gauteng Provincial
Government
5 September 2007
