RUSTENBURG - Rustenburg municipality in North West has appointed Sello Victor Makona as the municipal manager with effect from December, the municipality said on Thursday.
Spokesman David Magae said a council meeting on November 1 resolved to appoint Makona as municipal manager on the recommendation of the selection panel.
The post was left vacant when the former municipal manager Nqobile Sithole resigned.
"Subsequent to Ms Sithole’s resignation, council resolved to appoint an acting municipal manager until a successful candidate was appointed. Mr Makona previously served the municipality as a director for technical and infrastructure services, chief operating officer as well as acting municipal manager," Magae said.
"Makona comes with extended local government experience, including other roles at senior management level such as at Thabazimbi local municipality."
The process for the appointment was protracted, as the post had to be re-advertised, following a council resolution, to restart the recruitment process, on the back of the selection panel’s report and performance of the candidates in July.
He said the Auditor-General had in the past raised serious concerns about the filling of this critical vacancy, which affects the functioning of the institution.
The national treasury had formally notified the municipality that the continued absence of the municipal manager stood to rob the municipality of more than R200 million set aside for grant funding received from the national government.