By Musa Mdluli

MBABANE: Mbabane Mayor Thulani Mkhonto says Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gciniwe Fakudze is doing her job by closing illegal bars and bottle stores adding that, she doesn’t need the authorization of the Council to enforce the policies and regulations of the capital city.

Responding to this Swaziland News on Tuesday morning, the Mayor said without interfering with the administrative duties of the CEO, “their duty as elected Councillors is to strike a balance between the interests of the public and the proper administration” of the city.

“What you need to understand is that, the CEO is doing her job and, in as much as this might affect us politically as elected Councillors amid a flood of complaints from voters, that does not mean the CEO is acting outside her administrative role. But what the CEO is doing will demonstrate to others that, your business could be closed if you are violating the rules and regulations of the city. As elected Councillors, we will meet and engage with the CEO to find solutions on how best this could be handled but does not mean what she is doing is wrong, we will be negotiating for leniency on behalf of the people who elected us,” said the Mayor.

On another note, the Mayor stated that as the Council, they can only negotiate for leniency with the Chief Executive Officer but within the legal framework governing the city.

“I would make an example; if a business is not complying, we can only negotiate that, that particular business be given more time to comply but, we cannot stop the Chief Executive Officer from enforcing the regulations if she decides to go ahead because that would amount to interference in her administrative duties. She reports to us as the Council and we must allow her to work of course, we have a duty to ensure that the people who elected us are not frustrated,” he said.