LIMPOPO – The post has been vacant since 2014 when the term of the then Municipal Manager, Isaac Masingi came to an end.
Since then the municipality has not been able to find a suitable candidate to fill the post, an issue that has sparked fury in the opposition benches, with some saying it created room for lack of accountability by both officials and councillors.
Several acting municipal managers were employed along the way; however, none of them had brought much difference until the current Acting Municipal Manager, Christopher Chaamano was brought in through the intervention of the provincial ANC structures.
Since his arrival in late 2015, the municipality has shown some progress.
Opposition parties in the meanwhile have become impatient that it has taken close to two years for a permanent municipal manager to be appointed,” said DA councillor, Richard Shibambu.
Shibambu also wanted to be assured by the municipality that the recent advertisement for the post will be the final one; and that due course would not simply be to appoint another acting municipal manager.
“We had enough of acting managers who could not do the job, this time we want surety that the process will go all the way and a suitable candidate will fill the post,” he said.
In response, Abraham Manganyi, the new Head of Finance Portfolio in the municipality, said they had no problem providing the details of the costs incurred during the process of searching for a municipal manager, but could not do so immediately since he did not have the figures with him.
“While we understand that the issue of appointing a permanent municipal manager is long overdue and we’re equally concerned about it, we would like to assure honourable councillors in the house that it will be dealt with as quickly as possible,” Manganyi said.
