Johannesburg - “I did not have sleepless nights about winning the elections,” says newly elected Mangaung executive mayor Olly Mlamleli.
The ANC, according to Mlamleli, worked hard for their victory. “It was not a victory from the moon,” she says.
Currently MEC for Co-operative Governance and Human Settlements, Mlamleli spoke to The Sunday Independent following one of the few impressive ANC victories in the August 3 municipal elections.
Unlike other ANC-controlled metros, it was plain-sailing for the ANC in Mangaung, where it managed to secure 56 percent of the overall vote compared with the DA's 26 percent. The ANC secured 39 wards out of the 50, and the DA 11.
The EFF secured 8 percent in their debut participation.
“This is a victory for the continuation of the acceleration of the delivery of services to the people,” Mlamleli said.
She said the party would not be starting anything new but would consolidate on the criticism, proposals and advice offered by the voters.
Mlamleli said she would, soon after her taking office as mayor, appoint a team of people to work on service delivery issues for the Mangaung Metro.
“I did not have sleepless nights to win the elections, but have sleepless nights to agitate people to give the ANC a chance to deliver services. I was working day and night with the people of Mangaung. I touched everybody,” she said.
Mlamleli was born in Viljoenskroon in the Free State in 1957. She began her primary schooling there and studied at Mphohadi College, where she obtained her teacher's diploma in 1976. She taught at several schools in Free State and later became a school principal.
She took time off to complete a BA and BEd and later a Master's degree in education specialising in education models of the US and Japan. In 1996, she occupied a managerial position in the Free State Department of Education. She was responsible for the development and management of education, and for gender equity. In 2001, she was appointed director in the Office on the Status of Women, where she was also responsible for the needs of youth and persons with disability.
Her contact with local government issues began when then-premier Beatrice Marshoff appointed her as co-ordinator of the Municipal Infrastructure Grants of all local municipalities.
“This is when I started being directly involved with municipalities, co-ordinating their infrastructural grants especially in the field of water and sanitation. That motivated me to study at the University of the Western Cape for a post-Master’s certificate in civil engineering specialising in water and sanitation,” Mlamleli said. She also holds a post Master’s certificate in project management from the Free State University.
Mlamleli also occupied senior positions in the Ministry of Agriculture in 2007 and moved to roads and transport in 2008 while the incumbent Premier Ace Magashule was the MEC. In February 2012, she was appointed MEC - a position she still holds.
Elections Bureau