Whatshot

2025
2024
June
April
2023
March
2022
2021
2020
March
February
2019
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
2018
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
2017
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2016
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2015
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2014
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2013
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2012
December
November
October
September
August
July

Dear Ed, RE: ETHEKWINI CITY MANAGER

Dear Ed, RE: ETHEKWINI CITY MANAGER

Author: Simon Timothy Dehal
Date: 2022-03-23

Dear Ed,


RE: ETHEKWINI CITY MANAGER


Following the invitation of applications by public advertisement EThekwini Municipality is in the process of appointing a new City Manager on fixed term contract .S. Nzuza (Mshazi)was the last incumbent and had the" luxury" of being on full paid leave for about 2 years having been suspended as he is accused of gross fraud and corruption re the multi­million Rand waste removal tenders.


It is hoped that the City Council will now be able to appoint an outstanding, extraordinary, innovative person with a proven track record regarding executive management and significant achievements, coupled with multifarious skills and out of the box thinking capability. The City can do with such a high caliber person especially as it has recently sunk to shocking low levels in executing its primary constitutional obligation of effective and timeous service delivery. Yet despite the latter scourge, the gloating still persists!
The City can ill afford a tepid and mediocre appointee, political lackey/crony

or a yes man /puppet. It is believed that the City Manager, as in the past, will earn a salary in excess of the country's President . Is this not preposterous and reminiscent of the gimmicks and tomfoolery in the mega bucks wrestling world?


In my umpteen years of working at the old and current Metro (Durban) I fully understand and know what the City really needs having worked at EThekwini under various Town Clerks/City Managers such as G Haygarth, E Morton, F Dlamini (Sibalikhulu), M Sutcliffe (Sokhela), S Sithole (Jobe)and S Nzuza, all of the foregoing were top employees, save S Nzuza who was tepid. I also worked at the City under Mayors O Mlaba (Ximba) , J Nxumalo (Zwide)and Z Gumede (Qwabe).The former 2 were sterling first citizens while the 3 rd one is a co­conspirator and partner in crime , fraud and corruption, together with S Nzuza and other delinquent officials and past and present councillors. I also worked under various Acting City Managers and Mayors over different periods. Re the latter, I firmly believe that it would be retrogressive to appoint the current Acting City Manager ( M Mbhele) or his predecessor (S Cele- Ndosi) as both are simply ordinary. I had worked with them too.


Durban (EThekwini) is one of only a handful of Metros in the country and the only one in KZN and the sole entity with a non-Executive Mayor. It now needs to be rightfully propelled into the international arena, hopefully with the new City Manager tasked to bring this to fruition.