27/10/2026
INKULUMO KA SOMLOMO WOMKHANDLU WASONDONI U CLLR SENZOSENKOSI BUTHELEZI NAMHLANJE KUMHLANGANO WOKUGCINA.
AMakhosi Asendlunkulu, His Worship , the Mayor Sobethu, Her Deputy Mayor Manzini, Chief Whip Shenge, Mpac chairperson Manzini, Members of the Executive and finance Committee, Honourable Councillors, Municipal Manager Zamisa and Senior Management, Officials, Ladies and gentlemen,
Receive my warm and profound greetings
I stand before this august house today with a deep sense of humility and gratitude, as we mark the end of our five-year term of this Council.
Five years ago, we took an oath to serve the people of Ulundi with honesty, dignity and commitment. Today that chapter it’s about close
This sitting is not just an administrative requirement. It is a moment of reflection, of accounting, and of appreciation. As Speaker, my constitutional duty was solely to guard the integrity of this Council, to ensure that robust debate happens with respect, and that the voice of every councillor and every community in Ulundi is heard. In these five years, we have had difficult engagements .
We have not always agreed, and that is how democracy should be. But we remained one Council, united by our love for Ulundi. Together we have strengthened oversight and good governance in Council. Ensured that community voices reach Council through public participation and ward committees despite limited resources and many challenges such as financial constraints, and the effects of COVID-19 during this term. But we continued to serve.
I beg your indulgence hon councillors for allowing me to appreciate this House properly.
On this final occasion of Council term, I have a special duty to express my sincere appreciation as Speaker of Council to Amakhosi aseNdlunkulu, Siyabonga bondabezitha for your wisdom and guidance throughout this term.
Ulundi is not just a municipality, it is the heart of the Zulu Kingdom. You have grounded us. When there were tensions in communities, you intervened. When we needed to consult communities properly nasivulela izandla sangena ezigodini Bondabezitha. The dignity you brought to this Council will never be forgotten. Siyathokoza bondabezitha
His worship the Mayor, Sobethu I wish to express my gratitude to you, Your worship, thank you for leading the Executive with commitment. You carried the heavy responsibility of service delivery for all 24 wards of Ulundi. You represented this municipality in Zululand District and in other intergovernmental forums with pride.
Your worship wena KaMamba we worked well together. Your hard work in serving the community of ulundi , your name will never be forgotten in the hearts of the people of Ulundi, your work is written ward by ward, you have truly served the community of the Ulundi
Let me also congratulate you on being awarded your LLB degree. The way you were working in the community of Ulundi did not show that you were also studying, you were gifted with intelligence, someone else would not have managed this academic milestone, congratulations Sobethu one wonders ubufunda nini Usuku nosuku ubuhlezi usemphakathini uqhuba inkonzo yesizwe you have worked hard, you have done everything, you taught us a lots ,indlela obugcina ngayo isikhathi ukuzithanda kwakho uhlale uyincushe, your leadership is of a very high standard. Hhay yona unayo futhi ngeyesele kodwa engikuthandile nengikufundile ebuholini bakho udinwa manje uxole manje
Thank you Sobethu for respecting the Office of the Speaker and for maintaining a good working relationship between the Executive and Council. Your leadership is well appreciated.
Her worship Deputy Mayor Gwabini , thank you for your unwavering support to the Mayor and Council. You stepped in when needed and you performed your duties with humility and dedication. We have worked very well with you, you have been a mother and a sister, you opened your arms, you gave advice where it due, you visited those who lost their loved ones and comforted them. You have led the Technical Services Department very well, we have seen the development of halls, roads, creches, sport fields, you have always shown leadership. We thank you. Manzini
EXCO Members, You carried specific portfolios - Corporate Services, Technical Service , Community Services, Protection Services ,Finance and Planning Development . You accounted to Council, you worked under immense public pressure. Thank you for not running away from accountability. Your service was well appreciated.
Chairperson of MPAC, Gwabini Thank you for leading the conscience of Council. Municipal Public Accounts Committee is not an easy committee to lead. You led oversight without fear or favour. You helped us to strengthen good governance and to protect public funds. You have strengthened democracy in Ulundi Municipality
Chief Whip of Council and Whips of all Political Parties,
Chief Whip: Shenge you were the engine of this council, you ensured discipline, attendance and that council businesses runs smoothly. Thank you for coordinating all of us, for managing our differences, and for ensuring Council quorates.
Whips of all Parties - IFP, NFP,ANC, EFF, DA and all parties represented: Thank you for putting Ulundi first. We debated as opponents, but we respected each other as colleagues. You ensured that multiparty democracy lives in this chamber.
Hon Councillors, Ward Cllrs and PR Cllrs, This is my most difficult appreciation. For five years we sat in this chamber. We travelled together, we argued, we laughed, we reconciled. Some of us will be returning and some of us the journey ends in couple of days from today.
honourable Councillors whose term of office end Thank you for your sacrifice, for the long hours, for the weekends away from your families, for the criticism you endured while serving. Your contribution to Ulundi will remain in the minutes of this Council and in the communities you served. You came to serve, and you have served. May you never forget that you once served the people of Ulundi with honour I wish you well in your next chapter, whether in public service, in business, or at home. May the doors of Ulundi Municipality remain open to you.
To those who will return as Councillors: The responsibility continues. The people of Ulundi still look to this institution for hope, for water, for electricity, for roads, for dignity. I urge you to carry forward the lessons of this term. Let us be more punctual, more accountable, more present in our wards. Let governance be our culture and service be our language.
To each one of you: Thank you for honouring the oath you took. Thank you for representing your wards, even when resources were limited. Your names are now part of the history of Ulundi Municipality.
Municipal Manager Zamisa, as the Accounting Officer of this institution, you have been the pillar between the political arm and the administration. My brother Zamisa, we have worked well with you, you advised us well in making all decisions lawful. This good work of this municipality is because of your hard work, one would think kade waba uMunicipal Manager uyinkunzi emavava, you have surpassed many who have been managers for years , all its because of your hard work and for the love of the community of Ulundi, the way you have managed the municipality is of a very high standard. I remember when we lost the grader, you thought about it day and night, you put yourself at risk because of those who had taken that grader, all of what you did , you did because you love your work, it is truly of a very high standard. There are very few of Municipal Managers of your caliber, you are a special cornerstone of this municipality, the history of your hard work will forever soar high here in Ulundi, you have made a difference in just a short period of time.
Thank you Zamisa for your professional advice to Council and to my Office as Speaker. For ensuring that Council resolutions are implemented, even under difficult financial and administrative pressures. For your availability at all hours when Council needed guidance, and for protecting the integrity of this municipality. You led the administration with diligence and calmness. On behalf of Council, may your office continue to uphold good governance, clean administration and Batho Pele principles, Siyabonga kakhulu Zamisa
Heads of Departments - Corporate Services and Management, Finance, Technical Services, Community Services, Planning and Development, and all unit managers Thank you for your support to the Council and to Ward Councillors. You responded to oversight questions, you attended long Council and Committee meetings, you went to communities to explain challenges and progress. You were patient with us, even when we were demanding on behalf of our communities. Your work is often not seen by the public, but Council has seen it. We appreciate your professionalism, your reports, and your commitment to service delivery for the people of Ulundi. please keep the institutional memory alive. Support the incoming Council as you supported us.
On behalf of the entire Council of Ulundi Local Municipality, I thank you all. Your service will be recorded in the history of this Council. As my term of office as Speaker is about to come to an end, I cannot leave this podium without appreciating my own Office the Office of the Speaker. Behind every sitting that went well, behind every orderly Council meeting, behind every public participation programme that succeeded, there was a dedicated team that worked silently.
Director cooperate Shenge, Manager in the office of the Speaker , my Personal Assistant, the Public Participation Officers, the Ward Committee Coordinators, Council support units, Drivers, and all support staff, Thank you For waking up early and leaving late to prepare Council agendas, minutes, and programmes. For your patience when I demanded perfection because Council is the highest decision-making body. For protecting the integrity and dignity of the Office of the Speaker, even when under pressure. For serving all hon Councillors equally, regardless of political party. You never took sides - you served the institution.
You are not a politicians, but you served this Council with a political maturity that many can learn from. Some of you endured difficult days with me - difficult Council sittings, community meetings that were tense, and long trips to all corners of Ulundi. You never complained. You were my eyes and ears in communities. You reminded me that the Office of the Speaker belongs to the people, not to an individual. As I am about to leave this Office if the case maybe , I will leave with pride because I was supported by a professional and loyal team. You will continue with the next Speaker, please know this: You have served Ulundi Local Municipality with honour. I will forever be grateful to you.
To the next Hon Speaker, if He or She is among us today You will find a committed team ready to serve you and ready to serve Council.
On behalf of myself It has been my greatest honour to be the Speaker of this council to preside over council with fairness, firmness and respect. Where I have fallen short, I ask for your forgiveness. Where I have offended anyone in the course of my duties, I beg forgiveness from the bottom of my heart, I apologize to those who were affected.
Ngiyathokoza kakhulu.
I now declare this last sitting of this term officially in session. Thank you
