- The new logo of the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Local Municipality in Mbizana will feature the face of the struggle icon.
- The Mbizana Local Municipality was renamed the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Local Municipality by Cogta MEC Xolile Nqatha.
- A special ceremony will be held at the end of the month to relaunch the renamed municipality.
The newly renamed Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Local Municipality in Mbizana will unveil its new logo featuring the face of the struggle icon at the end of the month.
Mayor Daniswa Mafumbatha said the logo, now doing rounds on social media, will officially be unveiled at a special ceremony to relaunch the newly renamed municipality.
The ceremony will be held at the Mbizana City Hall on 31 March.
The guest list will include members of the Madikizela and Mandela families, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, Sports, Arts and Culture MEC Fezeka Nkomonye, and Cogta MEC Xolile Nqatha.
Mbizana-born Public Works MEC Babalo Madikizela is also expected to grace the event, said Mafumbatha.
Madikizela, who was born in Mbhongweni in Mbizana, is related to Madikizela-Mandela.
"Their grandfathers are brothers," confirmed Mafumbatha.
Mafumbatha said the logo is an old design used by Mbizana Local Municipality, but now has a fresh touch, with the face of Madikizela-Mandela.
The approved name change was detailed in the Government Gazette published on Thursday 4 March, as directed by Cogta MEC Xolile Nqatha.
Eastern Cape Department of Arts and Culture MEC Fezeka Nkomonye has previously said the move immortalises Madikizela-Mandela for her selfless and massive contribution to the attainment of freedom and democracy in South Africa.
Winnie Nomzamo Madikizela Mandela was born at Mbhongweni in Mbizana on 26 September 1936.
She married the late former president Nelson Mandela at Ludeke Mission at Ludeke Village in Mbizana on 14 June 1958.
Mafumbatha had previously said the decision to rename the municipality after Madikizela-Mandela is to honour her for her role in fighting apartheid and the resilience she demonstrated as a freedom fighter and as a mother.
She said the proposal for the name started in 2018.
Eastern Cape provincial department of cooperative government and traditional affairs revealed that the municipality’s new name was signed off by Nqatha after it was proposed by Mbizana Municipality following consultation processes.
The municipality, situated along the Wild Coast, in the former Transkei, has 31 wards.
The council is made up of 62 councillors and 12 traditional leaders.