BuaNews (Tshwane)
14 October 2008
Cape Town — Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille has been selected as the world's number one mayor by City Mayors, a global local government think-tank.
Ms Zille came out tops out of a group of 820 mayors from around the world in the competition which has spanned 18 months.
A shortlist of 50 was selected from the 820 public nominations, which was later reduced to 11, and then to five.
Commenting on the announcement, Ms Zille said: "It is a great honour to have been awarded the World Mayor award. It is a tribute to the teams, in the mayor's office, the city officials, my caucus colleagues, the team in Parliament and my family who work tirelessly to support me in everything I do.
"It is a great incentive for us to keep working to build democracy in South Africa with opportunities for all."
An outstanding mayor is described as someone who possessed qualities of greatness, leadership and vision, has good management abilities, is socially and economically aware and has the ability to provide security and to protect the environment.
An excellent mayor also possesses the skill to foster good relations between communities from different cultural, racial and social backgrounds.
Commentators who supported her nomination said that in a country devoid of present-day role models, Ms Zille was making a difference and giving people hope.
Editor of City Mayors, Tann vom Hove, said the Cape Town mayor was the judging panel's unanimous choice for the 2008 World Mayor Prize.
"The Mayor of Cape Town has dedicated all her professional life to further the well-being of all sections of South African society. She has done so with courage, tenacity and, above all, a deep-felt love for Cape Town, her country and its people," Mr vom Hove added.
The top 10 mayors of World Mayor 2008 are:
1) Helen Zille, Mayor Cape Town, South Africa
2) Elmar Ledergerber, Mayor of Zurich, Switzerland
3) Leopoldo Eduardo López, Mayor of Chacao, Venezuela
4) Phil Gordon, Mayor of Phoenix, USA
5) Ulrich Maly, Mayor of Nuremberg, Germany
6) Jaime Nebot, Mayor of Guayaquil, Ecuador
7) Marides Fernando, Mayor of Marikina City, Philippines
8) Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, Mayor of Tehran, Iran
9) Göran Johansson, Mayor of Gothenburg, Sweden
10) Salvador Gandara, Mayor of Villa Nueva, Guatemala
The World Mayor competition has been running since its inception in 2004.
It aims to raise the profile of mayors worldwide as well as to honour those who have made lasting contributions to their communities and are committed to the well-being of cities nationally and internationally.
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