Is this the man who will turn AbaQulusi Municipality around?

Cogta (Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs) appointed administrator, Mandla Nkosi, has 17 years of experience as a municipal manager and achieved a clean audit at a municipality he managed for five consecutive years.

Will he be the man to see the finances at AbaQulusi Municipality out of the red and into the black? If so, many residents may finally enjoy the level of service delivery they have become weary of asking for.

Mr Nkosi is currently administrator at three difference municipalities: Umzinyathi District Municipality, Endumeni Local Municipality and AbaQulusi Local Municipality.

Asked if he may have too much on his plate, he reassures us that his work at Umzinyathi and Endumeni is nearly completed and then AbaQulusi will have his full attention.

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Despite being inundated with concerns, complaints and queries, telephonically and in person, since he took on the position of administrator on March 4, Mr Nkosi accommodated the Vryheid Herald with a brief ‘meet and greet’ this week. While he has promised us a more in-depth interview for the next edition, Mr Nkosi gave us an idea of what he hopes to achieve at AbaQulusi Municipality and divulged one firm decision he will implementing right away in order to save money.

“This municipality does not have the money to all the things it needs to do,” begins Mr Nkosi from the outset.

“During my time here I want to assist the municipality to recover. I want to turn around the municipality and in doing so I want to turn around the entire financial system, focussing on what the municipality is being owed so that the municipality can be liquid. I want to sort out the water agreement between the district and the local municipalities.  I will be investigating issues of nepotism, fraud and maladministration. I will be assisting with service delivery mechanisms in the town and in the outlying area, and I want to resolve any outstanding cases between the municipality and the community, as well as with its service providers, that are hindering development.”

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In order to save money, Mr Nkosi has decided not to replace senior staff who have left the employment of the municipality. This means that the position of director of Community Service, vacated by Archie Khumalo after it was discovered that he did not have a matric certificate, and the position of director of Technical Services, which has been vacant since Sihlangu Masuku resigned after receiving death threats, will not be filled, saving the municipality more than R2 million a year.

“The municipality has no money. We cannot afford expensive positions. We need to do more with less,” concluded Mr Nkosi.

Mr Nkosi has agreed to address all community complaints, concerns and questions that brought to him during his next interview with the Vryheid Herald. If there is a municipal issue you want answers to send an email to estella@caxton.co.za or whatsapp 079 256 7570 before 10am on Monday morning. Responses from the administrator will be published in next week’s edition of the Vryheid Herald.

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Got news? Email estella@caxton.co.za or Whatsapp 0792567570.