An anonymous supporter has thrown Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille's hat into the ring for the world's best mayor award and she has been shortlisted.
Zille was nominated as one of 820 top mayors from across the world and has now made it onto the shortlist as one of the 50 finalists.
The World Mayor Project pays tribute to those men and women who have used their role to serve communities with courage, and who have made significant contributions to their cities.
Zille's spokesperson, Robert McDonald, said the outspoken politician only found out about the nomination a few weeks ago and has no clue who put her name forward.
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'Votes can then be cast on the website' The World Mayor website said there were large discrepancies in vote counts; some nominated in the early stages garnered thousands, while others received "only a handful".
A mayor is entered into the awards after a citizen of a city submits a motivation as to why their mayor stands out above the rest. Votes can then be cast on the website, and voting closes on June 30. The winner is announced in September.
For the selection of the winner, the panel looks at the motivations behind each mayor. Comments are posted on the website.
Zille is nominated along with three other mayors from Africa, including Amos Masondo of Johannesburg.
The initiative is organised by City Mayors, an international network aiming to promote good governance in cities across the world. The awards kicked off in 2006, and a mayor from Africa has yet to win the award.
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This article was originally published on page 5 of Cape Argus on May 11, 2008
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