eThekwini plans to re-employ retired engineers to improve service delivery

File picture: Archives.

File picture: Archives.

Published Aug 21, 2019

Share

Durban - A decision by eThekwini metro’s water and sanitation department to hire retired engineers has been applauded, and is hoped to help with service delivery and address the scarcity of registered engineers.

In an advert in yesterday’s Mercury, the city called for applications from retired engineers and technologists in the civil, mechanical, electrical, chemical, control scada (supervisory control and data acquisition) and instrumentation fields.

Applications close on August30.

The city is looking at two categories of experts: to offer their knowledge to provide input into strategic initiatives and projects, or within the engineering-

mentorship programme.

The head of the metro’s water and sanitation department, Ednick Msweli, said calling on retired engineers and technologists was a resolution taken by the council a while ago, and this was due to the scarcity of registered engineers.

He said the call was not just to those who had been previously employed by the city.

“The mentorship part of this programme is to make it sustainable. It will be unsustainable if there is no mentorship for young engineers who would be getting personal attention from a person who has the experience.”

Msweli said the programme would also help with the city’s service delivery of water and sanitation.

IFP caucus leader Mdu Nkosi applauded the city for its decision, and said it was an issue that had been raised previously at executive council meetings.

“Implementing this mentorship will eliminate the city having to use consultants all the time. I’ve raised this before, saying that the city has engineers of its own. Consultants come and do what they’re paid to and go; they leave no experience behind, and they don’t groom anyone,” he said.

Nkosi said he believed that getting retired engineers back on board could be the solution to their dire challenges.

Daily News

Related Topics: