MANZINI – United States’ Lancaster City Manager, Opal Mauldin-Jones, enjoyed an afternoon tour of Manzini following the official media launch of the International City Management Association (ICMA) Global Exchange Programme that was held at the Manzini City Council on Friday morning.
Mauldin-Jones, African American by race, and some of her delegates were accompanied by Manzini Mayor Wesley Dlamini and the council’s Information and Communications Manager, Phumlani Matse, during the tour sightseeing some of the places that keep the city abuzz.
Among the places visited was the bustling Manzini Bus Rank. Mauldin-Jones would occasionally interact with the public, posed for photos with street vendors and locked in talks with public transport operators. They seemed fascinated by her accent.
Mauldin-Jones showing servicehood took a couple of selfies with the people and strengthened bonds with the Municipal Council of Manzini.
Back home, she made history in 2023 when she became the first African American woman as the President for the Texas City Management Association after 97 years of its existence.
Her first visit in the Southern African country, the Kingdom of Eswatini, formed part of strengthening ties between Manzini and its sister city, Lancaster in the United States, as the two cities prepare for the upcoming exchange programme.
About 40 city managers, Chief Executive Officers (CEO) US, Australia as well as our neighbours South Africa are part of the ICMA global exchange movement.
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