Pretoria - Tshwane executive mayor Solly Msimanga has high hopes for the preferred candidate for the position of the capital’s municipal manager, Moeketsi Mosola.
Msimanga told the Pretoria News the inexperience in public service of the communication and marketing expert didn’t worry him at all.
He was adamant that the academic and political activist was the right candidate to implement service delivery projects hatched by the DA-led
administration.
For the first three months, Mosola would be preoccupied with sorting out the communication problem between the municipality and communities, he said.
“We need to get that right, because all the systems are in place,” said Msimanga.
Before the new financial year, Mosola will be expected to make inroads in handling issues regarding title deeds.
He will then have to deal with complaints about unanswered calls at the city’s call centres.
“People are still complaining that whenever they lodge a complaint, it takes time to go through,” Msimanga said.
Other service delivery priorities included the cleaning up of the city and compliance with by-laws.
Metro police chief Steve Ngobeni will partner with Mosola to fight against nyaope abuse and cable theft, Msimanga said.
Land identified for development and allocation to the people would also be prioritised under Mosola’s watch.
He should also begin the process of identifying contractors to work on land earmarked for development, the mayor said.
Mosola emerged as the preferred candidate to take over from Jason Ngobeni - who departed last year after the local government elections - following the interviews, Msimanga said.
He was speaking ahead of today’s council sitting at the Sammy Marks Council Chamber, where Mosola’s nomination will be tabled, and is expected to be approved.
Msimanga is expected to nominate Mosola on behalf of the DA-led coalition in the council, in the hope that the EFF will rubber-stamp the nomination to see Mosola taking over the city
administration.
The council should have finalised the appointment last December, but the process was put on hold after Msimanga requested an extension for panel members to apply their minds.
Mosola beat acting city manager Lindiwe Kwele to the
position as favoured candidate.
Kwele took the reins after Ngobeni resigned and will return to her position as deputy city manager.
While Ngobeni was believed to have been the highest paid public servant in the country, pocketing a yearly salary package of R3million, it is unknown how much Mosola will earn.
Mayoral spokesman Samkelo Mgobozi said the decision on the salary scale was the prerogative of the council.
However, the information in the advertisement for the position showed the annual salary package for a successful candidate would be between R2 301 368 and
R3 524 881.
Kwele had been tipped to be the next city manager, but her alleged involvement in the ill-fated Dinokeng music festival seemed to have scuppered her chances of securing the post.
Msimanga said: “While applying our minds, that information (regarding her involvement in Dinokeng) did come forward.
“We had actually (launched) a forensic investigation around that issue.
“Unfortunately we haven’t received the final confirmation in as far as that is concerned. We will be looking into the matter.”
He said Mosola was preferred over other candidates because of his management style and success.
This was demonstrated at national and international level, and his record of turning organisations around.
“If I could be able to get someone from outside with a fresh perspective, looking into the city’s problems and saying this is how an organisation needs to operate, then there is no reason why I should not give that person a chance if that person is qualified,” Msimanga said.
He said Mosola would be supported by the experienced team of managers and directors who had long been in the public service.
Meanwhile, Msimanga said the city would head back to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, next month to extricate itself from the prepaid electricity Peu smart meter contract, which dates back to 2013.
He reiterated that the DA believed the contract was marred with irregularity and was not affordable for the sustainable provision of electricity.
In addition, the city needed a private-public partnership to foot the bill for free wi-fi because it couldn’t afford it on its own.
“We have begun encouraging the private sector to assist us in this regard in order to make our provision of wi-fi sustainable and competitive,” he said.
Msimanga also warned about a planned protest outside the council chamber on Thursday, saying the disruptions would not deter his administration from delivering services to all the city’s residents.