KZN municipality defends advertising senior managerial positions with lowered requirements

Picture: Emadlangeni Municipality/Facebook

Picture: Emadlangeni Municipality/Facebook

Published Nov 3, 2022

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Durban – Despite an outcry over the decision by the IFP-run eMadlangeni Local Municipality to advertise a senior position with lowered minimum academic requirements, the administrative leadership there is standing by the decision.

On Wednesday the municipality in Utrecht was criticised for the requirements stated in an internal advert for the position of the manager of IGR (intergovernmental relations) and communications.

Among the requirements were a Grade 12 certificate and NQF level 5 qualification or seven years of experience in the local government environment.

The advert which caused an outcry.

The duties of the successful candidate, among others, would include speaking on behalf of the municipality and advising the mayor, Mzwakhe Buthelezi, on communications and IGR matters.

Some critics from within the municipality slammed the requirements, saying the position was very senior to have such low academic requirements.

One source within the municipality alleged that the position was specifically tailored for a former ANC man who now works from the municipality, but on the side of the IFP.

“That position already has someone earmarked for it. It’s a reward for someone who helped the IFP to dethrone the ANC from power.

“Unfortunately, that person only has matric. So to cover for that, they inserted the requirement of seven years within the local government sphere.

“That would work well for the man as he is a former councillor. So that is the seven years they are referring to,” the source said.

Unfazed by the accusation, municipal manager Grace Mavundla insisted that they had not lowered the requirements.

“The municipality’s council approved a selection and recruitment policy that empowers the municipal manager to oversee all recruitment and selection processes in line with Section 66 and 67 of the Municipal Systems Act.

“The post was advertised internally to open an opportunity for staff within the municipality with an understanding of the vision and mission of the municipality to be promoted.

“The requirements were not lowered but these are minimum requirements which open an opportunity to a pool of candidates which will be sifted through a shortlisting process with the best and most capable candidates being selected,” she said.

Mavundla also denied that the position has been tailored around a former politician from the ANC.

“It is disappointing that out of a pool of employees in Emadlangeni who meet the requirements of this post, a negative perception is being created to redirect the intended opportunity for staff of Emadlangeni.”

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