MBOMBELA – The government agency tasked with the province’s economic growth has appointed a new permanent board.
The Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) has become better known for controversies than successes in rolling out infrastructure.
In the past year MEGA’s board was disbanded, the former CEO left, and it lost the mandate to continue implementing bulk water infrastructure.
A step in the right direction, the MEC for economic development overseeing the parastatal, Mr Sikhumbuzo Eric Kholwane, announced a new permanent board to replace the interim one, on Monday of last week. The members will serve for four years until May 31, 2019. Mr Davies Mculu stays on as board chairman.
He is joined by Mr Fana Mlombo, Mr Mallele Petje, Mr Sandile Khumalo, Ms Moipone Malumane, Ms Gaylene Deiner, Ms Tshepiso Masenya, Dr Paul Lombard and Ms Sijabulile Makhatini. Kholwane explained that nine appointments were made out of a possible 11 due to a shortage of suitable candidates with the required skills “to be able to assist in the delivery on MEGA’s mandate”.
New nominations for the remaining two seats are to be called for soon. MEGA’s CEO Mr Xola Sithole also took some time to explain what the recently announced agreement with Italy’s Export Credit Agency entailed. Confusion set in when the premier, Mr David Mabuza, indicated upon his return from Italy that the investment in social infrastructure would be repaid over time.
“There is no loan,” Sithole said. As an economic investment the support, which could take the form of expertise or funds and the like, would increase the province’s capacity to roll out infrastructure.
“There is a lack of capital and expertise in Mpumalanga. I consider the memorandum of understanding to be a very positive thing and something we should celebrate.”
