A panel set up to recommend a new municipal manager for an Eastern Cape district council has hit a deadlock as it is divided on who should take up the top position.
As the five-year contract of Amathole district’s municipal manager, Chris Magwangqana, comes to an end, the selection panel which interviewed candidates for his job cannot decide who should get the job between him and candidate Thandekile Mnyimba, who scored more points.
The seven-member panel, with only four authorised to score on the matter, is divided on who to recommend to council as their preferred candidate.
The panel consisted of mayor Nomfusi Nxawe chairing, ANC councillor Sithembele Zuka, acting Buffalo City Metro manager Bob Naidoo and Cogta representative Phelisile Kondile.
This is contained in a confidential council report Nxawe is scheduled to present to council later this month and which has been seen by Daily Dispatch.
In the report Nxawe urges
her council to “note the lack of consensus in the appointment process”.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Nxawe said it was a confidential matter which she could only openly discuss after it was tabled before council on May 26.
The R1.7-million-a-year job was advertised in February in preparation for the ending of Magwangqana’s contract later this year.
Eighteen people applied, with six of them later shortlisted for interviews.
The score sheet shows that Mnyimba came out tops with 174 points while Magwangqana came second with 171 points.
However, despite such a difference in scores obtained by the two top applicants, the Nxawe-led panel seems deadlocked on who they should recommend.
In her report Nxawe recommends that Magwangqana’s disability, which he is said to have declared, be the deciding factor in tilting the scales.
She wants council to “utilise the disability question as a deadlock breaking mechanism to the lack of consensus”.
Nxawe has also forwarded the report to the provincial ANC.
In a letter dated April 25 and addressed to ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane, Nxawe wrote: “Please find attached report on the recruitment processes relating to the filling of the vacant position of ADM Municipal Manager. Hoping you will find this in order.”
However, Mabuyane said he had not yet seen such correspondence.
“As the party we have nothing to do with who gets appointed as a municipal manager.
“That decision lies with their council,” said Mabuyane.
Cogta MEC Fikile Xasa yesterday said his office was not aware of such a deadlock.
“It is for them to resolve that. They will only inform me once their council has decided on who to appoint.
“Mine is only to check if all the necessary processes have been followed,” said Xasa.
Mnyimba’s main qualifications include a bachelor of commerce degree and honours degree in business management from Vista University.
He also holds a certificate in advanced business programme from the University of Port Elizabeth, a certificate in a municipal management development programme from Stellenbosch University and a certificate in municipal finance management from the University of Fort Hare.
Magwangqana holds a public administration masters degree from the Nelson Mandela
Metro University, an honours degree in administration from Fort Hare, local government management certificate from the University of Birmingham, and a certificate in municipal finance management from the Kgolo Institute. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
Deadlock in appointing municipal manager
As the five-year contract of Amathole district’s municipal manager, Chris Magwangqana, comes to an end, the selection panel which interviewed candidates for his job cannot decide who should get the job between him and candidate Thandekile Mnyimba, who scored more points.
The seven-member panel, with only four authorised to score on the matter, is divided on who to recommend to council as their preferred candidate.
The panel consisted of mayor Nomfusi Nxawe chairing, ANC councillor Sithembele Zuka, acting Buffalo City Metro manager Bob Naidoo and Cogta representative Phelisile Kondile.
This is contained in a confidential council report Nxawe is scheduled to present to council later this month and which has been seen by Daily Dispatch.
In the report Nxawe urges
her council to “note the lack of consensus in the appointment process”.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Nxawe said it was a confidential matter which she could only openly discuss after it was tabled before council on May 26.
The R1.7-million-a-year job was advertised in February in preparation for the ending of Magwangqana’s contract later this year.
Eighteen people applied, with six of them later shortlisted for interviews.
The score sheet shows that Mnyimba came out tops with 174 points while Magwangqana came second with 171 points.
However, despite such a difference in scores obtained by the two top applicants, the Nxawe-led panel seems deadlocked on who they should recommend.
In her report Nxawe recommends that Magwangqana’s disability, which he is said to have declared, be the deciding factor in tilting the scales.
She wants council to “utilise the disability question as a deadlock breaking mechanism to the lack of consensus”.
Nxawe has also forwarded the report to the provincial ANC.
In a letter dated April 25 and addressed to ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane, Nxawe wrote: “Please find attached report on the recruitment processes relating to the filling of the vacant position of ADM Municipal Manager. Hoping you will find this in order.”
However, Mabuyane said he had not yet seen such correspondence.
“As the party we have nothing to do with who gets appointed as a municipal manager.
“That decision lies with their council,” said Mabuyane.
Cogta MEC Fikile Xasa yesterday said his office was not aware of such a deadlock.
“It is for them to resolve that. They will only inform me once their council has decided on who to appoint.
“Mine is only to check if all the necessary processes have been followed,” said Xasa.
Mnyimba’s main qualifications include a bachelor of commerce degree and honours degree in business management from Vista University.
He also holds a certificate in advanced business programme from the University of Port Elizabeth, a certificate in a municipal management development programme from Stellenbosch University and a certificate in municipal finance management from the University of Fort Hare.
Magwangqana holds a public administration masters degree from the Nelson Mandela
Metro University, an honours degree in administration from Fort Hare, local government management certificate from the University of Birmingham, and a certificate in municipal finance management from the Kgolo Institute. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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