MBOMBELA – The new executive mayor didn’t make any sweeping changes to the members of his mayoral committee (MMC) when he announced it on Wednesday. He did, however, change the committees to better match the departments in higher tiers of government by creating a water committee.
Cllr Sibusiso Mathonsi temporarily reappointed each member of the MMC of his predecessor Ms Cathy Dlamini upon his election on May 26. Last week he announced only one new MMC, Mr Moses Mayinga, who essentially fills the gap left by Mathonsi’s own promotion. Mayinga was sworn in as MMC for financial services, while Mr Morris Mazibane moves from social development to take over corporate services from Mathonsi.
He also announced the establishment of a mayoral coordinating forum which would meet on a quarterly basis to increase the performance of the Mbombela Local Municipality (MLM).
“We are targeting a 75 per cent achievement rate. It is a very ambitious target but we believe it is achievable.”
Mbombela now has a water and sanitation committee, headed by Mr PA Mathe who moves from community services.
Mr Malaku Magagula moves from budget and treasury to the newly formed waste services, parks and cemetery committee.
Ms BN Mdluli moves from transversal services to human settlements, rural and urban development, Ms C Maseko moves from human settlements to the new infrastructure development committee, and Mr Zaid Boroko leaves technical services for the new sport and recreation committee.
Mr FP Nkala remains at public safety, transport, health and emergency services and Mr Bheki Zulu at economic development, tourism and trade.
The DA said it trusted that Mathonsi’s election would be a turning point in the municipality. Mr Werner le Grange, DA chief whip said they expected the mayor to provide much-needed leadership and direction.
“We also hope he will demonstrate the political will, so severely lacking in his predecessor, to address the many serious service-delivery challenges faced by residents.”
He said the mayor should insist upon the regular convening of oversight committees, enhance the municipality’s revenue base, exercise proper oversight over service-delivery projects, beef up internal capacity, and capacitate the project-management unit.
