The newly appointed speaker of council, Dorah Mlambo, plans to restore discipline, strengthen oversight and prioritise service delivery during the remaining eight months of the current term.

Born and bred in KwaThema and still living in the same community, Mlambo said serving her community is her passion.

The journey of the newly elected speaker is rooted in lived experience, resilience and community trust. Her political awakening began not in council chambers but in the workplace, where she served as a shop steward and later as a gender coordinator. She also attributes her political journey to her husband.

“My husband is very political, and he has played a huge role in getting me into politics because he has a political background. He has been supportive throughout my journey,” said Mlambo.

Elected first as a ward councillor in Ward 47, now Ward 8, she never left her community behind.

Her home became an informal office, open at all hours to residents seeking help. “Once people trust you, that responsibility never ends. Residents still come to my house to this day. And my door is always open,” said Mlambo.

She said she is ready to step into her new role, one which has faced scrutiny amid council disruptions and political tensions.

Her leadership philosophy is clear: rules must be respected, discipline restored, and service delivery prioritised. Mlambo is realistic yet determined, given the short time left in this term of office.

She said refresher workshops on council rules, strengthened oversight committees, revived stakeholder dialogues and a renewed focus on service delivery form the core of her agenda. Above all, she believes stability and cooperation, particularly in coalition politics, are essential.

“The Rules of Council are our Bible; we must respect them. Also, stability matters, especially near the end of a term. Council needs to prioritise service delivery because it’s key. Everything else must support that,” said Mlambo.

ALSO READ: Ekurhuleni Speaker of council survives motion of no confidence

She also said parties need to work together. “Coalitions can work if leaders put communities first. When leaders fight, communities suffer. Our job is to serve, not to destabilise,” said the speaker.

One of the things the speaker would love to revive and speak about is women’s dialogue, which is close to her heart.

“I would like to revive platforms such as women’s dialogues and profiling oversight committees to improve transparency,” said the speaker.

Service delivery remains at the top of councillors’ lists. The speaker said she plans to engage ward councillors, ward committees and customer care centres, while raising community concerns with the executive mayor and chief whip.

In Ekurhuleni, the newly elected speaker of the council is committed to restoring discipline in the council and to focusing on restoring hope in residents through her office.