By Nangamso Mabindla

Say the words "madam speaker" and people think of Parliamentary Speaker Frene Ginwala. But there is also a "madam speaker" in the Buffalo City Council - and in the hot seat is Mdantsane-born councillor, Zukisa Faku-Hobana.

"The Speaker's role is new in local government. It only started in 2000 when Mayor Sindisile Maclean took office," she says. "People have yet to grasp its importance."

Faku-Hobana seems very relaxed as she sits at her desk in her office in the Trust Centre, on the corner of Union and Oxford Street in East London. But appearances are deceptive: Faku-Hobana is hard at work, preparing for the next city council meeting.

People often do not realise what being the Speaker of the council entails, she says.

Apart from chairing the council meetings, the role of the Speaker is to look after the councillors' needs. "I am the custodian of the Councillors' Code of Conduct. I make sure councillors adhere to that code." Some of the stipulations in the Code of Conduct, which aims to guard against corruption, include councillors having to disclose their business interests.

Buffalo City has 89 councillors and, says Faku-Hobana, it is not always an easy task to maintain a firm hand in council meetings.

She describes herself as a down-to-earth person who is always willing to help people when they knock at her door. Her practical nature stands her in good stead as "Madam Speaker".

Like her counterpart in Parliament, Faku-Hobana acts as the moral conscience of the council. "If the councillors fail to adhere to the code, then I must establish a committee to investigate that particular councillor. Following that, if found guilty, I then decide what steps must be taken against the councillor."

Maintaining her impartiality is sometimes very difficult, particularly when she has to make a ruling against an African National Congress councillor. "I'm affiliated to the ANC, therefore ANC councillors expect me to be lenient towards them." But maintaining her impartiality goes with the territory. "I have to be tough to keep the respect of my colleagues."

Despite her tough public persona, the councillor has a soft spot for her family and neighbours. At home, she is a wife and mother of two. "My husband (Mzingisi Hobana) is a police superintendent at the Mdantsane NU 1 police station and I have a deep respect for him. I'm not Madam Speaker at home, I'm Zukisa, wife and mother," she says.

Even though she commutes to work in East London, Faku-Hobana still lives in Mdantsane.
"I love East London, but I love Mdantsane because my roots are here and I want to be closer to my people."

She does not feel she is missing out on city life by staying in the township. "I can still go to the beach or any game reserve to enjoy the beauty of the city."

Faku-Hobana says that one of the most important things she has managed to achieve is the establishment of a pension plan for councillors.

"There's nothing more painful than for councillors to return to poverty once they leave council. They are respected by their communities, and we don't want them to lose that respect. They need something to fall back on when they're not in council," she says.

It is vital that councillors who do not have employment when they leave office are properly looked after, she adds.

The next local government elections will be in 2005 and Faku-Hobana hopes to have "done enough to retain the hot seat". Before then, she plans to continue being efficient in her two jobs - "I need to be the best Speaker I can be while also being the best mother possible".