Umuziwabantu Municipality in Harding has finally appointed a new municipal manager.
West Thamsanqa Gumede who is no stranger to the municipality and the Harding community got the nod from council last Friday.
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The appointment comes after a meticulous selection process by the department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs.
The contract is on a five-year fixed term basis in terms of Section 54A of the Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000, and is performance-based.
Mr Gumede comes with vast experience in senior positions, including positions within the municipality.
For more than 10 years, Mr Gumede has rolled up his sleeves and served the community, first as youth development manager, then strategic planning manager before being appointed community services director and now municipal manager.
His plans include the filling of senior management positions as a priority.
Four senior posts at the municipality are yet to be filled, including that of chief financial officer, corporate services director, development planning director and community services director.
“The filling of these positions will enable me to focus on driving the strategic issues while senior managers and middle-level managers assist with operational matters. This will allow the municipality to deliver basic services thus placing an administrative role on the accounting officer to achieve the vision and mission of the municipality through the use of a legislative provision that guides local government,” he stated.
Mr Gumede has also vowed to ensure improvement in the spending of the municipal infrastructure grant, which he said will improve the total outlook of infrastructure in the entire municipality.
He added that he wished to create relationships with the business fraternity and ratepayers in order to allow room for engagement as well as ensuring that the municipality puts budgeting and prudent spending as a top priority during his tenure.
“I would also like to see the council adopt a strategy with clear, specific economic development goals, which address the high levels of poverty and encourages the support of small businesses.”
Mr Gumede concluded by saying that he wished to maintain the municipality’s record of clean audit reports.
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