DEAR Editor,-
Letters to the editor in the Herald is frequently replete with complaints about Ugu’s poor service delivery in terms of water and sanitation, as well as governance. Last week’s headlines were ‘Why do we tolerate such incompetence’ and ‘Ugu is failing miserably’.
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In the classified section of the very same paper, we find an advertisement for a qualified and experienced Chief Executive Officer for Ugu’s better entity called South Coast Tourism – at the substantial remuneration of R1.2 million, plus performance bonus.
This is a particularly well-run organisation managed by Joy Crutchfield and Justin Mackrory, specialising in clean audits from the Auditor-General.
Two of the requirements for the position are that the applicants must have a recognised degree in tourism or marketing with a minimum of five years’ experience at senior management level in tourism and leisure; and, be compliant with National Treasury’s minimum competency requirements of at least NQF level 7 qualification in his or her chosen field (four-year degree).
Turning to Ugu District Council itself, the Amended Municipal Systems Act in Section 56 goes even further and specifies that all officials who report directly to the municipal manager must have the relevant skills, expertise, competence and qualifications as prescribed.
In January, Ugu District Council appointed a new financial officer who has, according to the mayor Councillor Mondli Chiliza, a track record which bears testimony to his skills and who will spearhead the charge to a clean audit.
No CV was provided, nor mention made of his qualifications.
Section 83 of the Municipal Finance Management Act specifies that competency levels of professional financial officials MUST meet the prescribed financial management competency levels.
Turning to the regulations of the Act, the Chief Financial Officer must have at least NQF level 7 qualifications in fields of accounting, finance or economics, or be a chartered accountant.
As far as engineering is concerned Ugu spokesperson France Zama last year informed the public that Ugu had five qualified engineers. I believe that there is not one registered professional engineer in the service of the municipality.
All this begs the question of whether Ugu’s governance and dubious ‘going concern’ status is bedevilled by a lack of properly qualified people at the top, combined with cadre deployment at councillor level?
After all, the sole requirements for councillors are that they are not certifiable idiots and enjoy South African citizenship. This does not necessarily equip them to exercise oversight over the executive committee.
DAVE SNASHALL
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