New municipality – a name with no ‘face’
Three years later, there is still no brand for the new municipality.
DESPITE the recent inauguration taking place – where office bearers of the new municipality were announced and celebrated – Ray Nkonyeni Municipality remains ‘brandless’.
Talks about the merger of Hibiscus Coast and Ezinqoleni municipalities started as early as 2012. Yet, three years later, the new municipality still doesn’t have an official logo.
The name Ray Nkonyeni is now official after the August 3 elections.
In 2014 the Herald reported that the demarcations board had approved the merger. However, at that time the new name had not been decided yet.
New committees were formed to deal with the transformation and phases of the disestablishment. The committees included both change management and political change committees.
Communities were consulted through IDP road shows and invitations to make submissions for the new name were advertised in various print media.
According to information on the municipality’s website, after following new name submission processes, both municipalities received submission as follows:
Ray Nkonyeni Municipality – 1 851;
Esayidi Municipality – 1 026;
Hibiscus Coast Municipality – 70;
Wandile Mkhize Municipality – 02;
In January 2016, the name was put on hold for further consultation with the public.
MEC for Cooporative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nomusa Dube-Ncube then stressed that there needed to be wider consultation, that the name should bring unity and create opportunities economically, attracting investors.
In June, the Ray Nkonyeni was back and officially announced.
Four weeks ago, mayor Cynthia Mqwebu, flanked by municipal manager, Max Mbili and spokesman Simon April, unveiled new logo colours, after council had approved them, but later withdrew the statement, saying it was premature.
Hence, the large municipality consisting of 36 wards and 71 councillors still has no official ‘branding’.
Spokesman Simon April said the matter was still being finalised, hopefully to be concluded at the end of this month.
* Reynold Nkonyeni was born in Murchison.
* He was a human rights activist who is said to have fought for liberation.
* He was also school principal at Olwandle High School in Gamalakhe.
* Married to former MEC for Education Mrs Peggy Nkonyeni, he died of natural causes.
* Those who met him described him as a ‘powerful, committed, influential and very stubborn’, but humble leader.
“He was a person of not many words, but very decisive. We loved him, we respected him,” said a former Olwandle High pupil.
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