Grocott's Mail reporter Avuyile Mngxitama-Diko asked Makana Executive Mayor Zamuxolo Peter about the achievements of his Council since he took over the reins of Makana Municipality in June 2011.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Time is flying – there is a lot that happened in that year-and-a-half.
Grocott's Mail reporter Avuyile Mngxitama-Diko asked Makana Executive Mayor Zamuxolo Peter about the achievements of his Council since he took over the reins of Makana Municipality in June 2011.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Time is flying – there is a lot that happened in that year-and-a-half.
You would remember that when we came in most of the contract of the Section 57 employees (directors) were coming to an end. I had to deal with that as I was just coming into the office – to make sure there was stability within the administration and also to get people who are hands-on in service delivery, in the form of directors. We have managed to do that, although it was a daunting task.
To fill one position [is an involved procedure], and we have made a commitment that we want good quality, people who are going to do the work. We are not going to employ friends or people who are viewed as very close to us. If the people have qualities or the required ability and skills to occupy the position, then they will be appointed.
ADMINISTRATION
We made a commitment that we are going to work hard to improve the administration – we made it very clear that it wouldn’t be business as usual. We had to make sure that we also looked at what was raised by the Auditor General’s office in previous years.
One of the biggest challenges is the fact that action plans were developed to attend to the AG’s queries – but there had never been a change. We felt that we had a challenge of leadership in the administration in a form of the accounting officer; hence our unpopular decision to suspend the then municipal manager.
We wanted to mean what we said that we want a clean administration that is firm, administration that responds to the AG’s opinion and the action plan that they [proposed].
I think that is one achievement. Because we wanted to improve the situation in the administration, we had to take that decision.
It backfired in a way because it left the institution without a champion in the administration: it is only now that we are trying to make sure that at least we recruit a new manager.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
We have improved interaction with the community through the mayoral imbizos. We started by having walkabouts just to have a feel before you start the meetings as to what are the issues on the ground. By the time you go to that public meeting you have a feel of what is taking place in that ward.
There was a cry from the religious fraternity that the institution is not really visible to them as the church leaders, that we only remember them during elections.
I think we have improved that immensely because I even had mayoral visits to different churches. There we created a platform during the church service, where members of the church asked the Mayor and the Speaker questions, raising issues that are frustrating them in their respective areas.
AUDITOR GENERAL
We haven’t received yet the final report, but if you look at the draft audit report which was presented in our mayoral lekgotla last month, from the 250 issues raised by the AG in the 2010/11 report we have made a lot of progress. For the 2011/12 financial year there are 140 issues raised.
I know that I have made a commitment that we are going to move from a disclaimer. From the draft report it was clear that though we have made a lot of progress, we have not managed to move from the disclaimer and I still have to engage on the management report which will deal with the details as to why we are still stuck on the disclaimer. I am happy that at least as far as that is concerned we have made a lot of progress – from 250 issues to 140.
MEDIA RELATIONS
We have improved our relationship with the media. I know it has been a daunting task as well, because it was not easy to get into the office of the Mayor: one had to struggle to talk to the Mayor.
Sometimes I feel that the media is part of us because you are here almost every day. I see you in our corridors. That alone [creates]a relationship between ourselves and the media so that you keep us on our toes, and keep us accountable on behalf of the community. That to me is a great achievement on its own.
LEADERSHIP AND LABOUR UNIONS
When we came in as the new leadership there was a sense that there are tensions between the employer and the employees. We felt [we should]create a better relationship between the leadership and the unions as one of our stakeholders.
I think we have tried our level best to create labour peace within Makana municipality. Some people feel that we are too lenient to labour, or the union is telling us what to do most of the time.
Of course when you are a leader you must be able to take such criticism – but I think our approach is just to create a platform where we engage with each other so that you don’t get unnecessary tensions within the work environment.
CRIME
I was at the forefront of the Men’s march and I was leading that because it is my strong belief that we must create a new man. A man that does not rape, a man that does not abuse the rights of women and children and we should condemn in the strongest terms what has taken place in Cape Town. In fact it’s not the first time.
How I wish all of us, from local government level up to national, would really focus on making sure we combat crime at all costs. Government will not be able to do it alone – communities must get involved. Local structures like Community Policing Forums and the political parties must not try and use that to score cheap political points. This is about the lives of people. The sooner we focus on that the better. In Makana, that is what we are going to preach.
PLANS
We want to visit every department to listen to the workers and management. This will not be limited within the institution but will be taken to the communities outside. We will engage other stakeholders so that we understand their programmes and see how we can help as the institution to bring peace, a better environment and a crime-free area in Makana. Ward councillors, community development workers and ward committees must be involved and play their role in making sure that there is peace in Makana.
LEADERSHIP
As a leader, when I was appointed or elected to occupy that seat I knew it was a hot seat. I knew that at times as a leader I am expected to unpopular decisions that will make those who like me at a personal level judge me otherwise when it comes to the work that I am doing. It is part of my work.
Mine is just to make sure that I stand for what I was elected to do – that is, to provide strategic leadership within the institution; to ensure that there is institutional transformation; to ensure there is service delivery that goes to the communities in terms of infrastructure sanitation and water and human settlements; and of course create a better environment for job opportunities.
You are aware that it is not our core mandate to provide jobs, but we must create a environment conducive for small businesses. As a leader and as a human being, from time to time I must not be arrogant. When people are raising issues about your leadership you must go back to the mirror and look at what you are doing – and that is what we have been doing since we came into office.
We need to see what the challenges are, what the weaknesses and failures are and look at that and see what needs to be done. What I am trying to say is, if people are constructive in their approach they would say, "We think you are not doing well in this area…". To me that is constructive criticism and as a leader you must accept that so you can improve.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
There is a sense that some people are losing trust, because as the institution there is no sense of urgency. You report something today – you have to come back the next day to report the same thing. Hence the mayoral walkabouts. Part of that is to listen to the workforce to understand what takes them so long when responding to the complaints of the public. What is the challenge? Is there a problem that you need assistance with? We will be visiting all projects again as part of gaining that trust – all projects that are funded by us through Municipal Infrastructure Grant. The objective of these walkabouts is to ensure monitoring so that we don’t compromise quality when it comes to the work done by contractors.
GOOD GOVERNANCE
When we received the [Auditor General's] draft report at the Fish River Sun, we made a commitment on the spot that surely there is a need to set aside three days to workshop that report. That session must be attended by internal auditors, the AG’s office, all section 57 employees [directors]and mayoral committee members must be part of that. The danger is that many people think the AG’s opinion arises from finances only – yet it is not true. Everyone must be involved and play a role.
From that session we must come up with a workable plan that is going to be implemented.
Portfolio committees must play an oversight role in making sure that all issues raised by the AG are being attended to. We haven’t yet received the final document and the management report.
It is a pity – we have tried and we have worked very hard. Some had sleepless nights during the audit process trying to improve the situation.
It is just that Rome was not build overnight. Remember that this report you are referring to does not really talk to our term. We came only in June 2011.
I mean I am here as the leadership and I am taking that full responsibility and commit that indeed we are going to try and turn things around.
