ETHEKWINI Mayor Councillor James Nxumalo officially introduced the new City Manager Mr Sibusiso Sithole to the media at a news conference held at City Hall on 10 January 2012.
Sithole’s appointment was announced in December shortly after the Council took a unanimous decision that he should take over the baton from his predecessor, Dr Mike Sutcliffe. But this morning he was meeting the media for the first time where he outlined his vision and plans that would take the City forward.
After briefing senior managers at a breakfast meeting also held at the City Hall, Sithole then delivered a similar message to the media- of shaping things up in the Municipality, saying that he was under no illusion that his acceptance of the mammoth responsibility carries with it a plethora of challenges.
‘We are keenly aware that the hopes and dreams of millions of people of our City, especially the poorest of the poor and indeed throughout the province and the country as a whole stand either to be realised or deferred through this appointment. Secondly we are not oblivious to the reality that the environment within and outside the Municipality, within which we shall be operating is characterised by volatility and high velocity of changes, which carry with them many paradoxes of opportunities for development and risks that must be managed at the same time,’ Sithole said.
He also acknowledged the role played by his predecessor, Sutcliffe for allowing a smooth transition. Sithole admitted that he was inheriting a City that is stable and sound financially and that has set a record for spending on capital and operating budgets, saying that he was also promising to build on the foundation laid by Sutcliffe.
He mentioned 13 issues that are urgent and need to be prioritised and those issues were:
To facilitate participation around the Integrated Development Plan and the Medium-Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework, including Tariffs Model and all Budget Policies
To develop Project Management Framework for accelerating the implementation of sustainable service delivery and human settlement solutions
To embark on a process of reviewing the status of the economy of the City and development proposal s to improve the City’s National and Global competitiveness; and institutional models for investment attraction and retention and branding
To develop a concept of a City Region with sister municipalities of KwaDukuza, Msunduzi and Hibiscus Coast in particular with a view to facilitating corridor development along the N2 and N3 gateway
To define the City’s role in the expansion of the port
To table the 2010/2011 Annual Report, which includes the Auditor-General’s report and to facilitating an oversight report around it
To finalise the implementation of the Revenue Management System
To act swiftly around the recommendations of the report of Manase and Associates into allegations of supply chain irregularities once the MEC of Cogta, Ms Nomusa Dube, has released its findings
To review supply chain management processes with a view to find a sustainable broad based black empowerment model
To finalise issues pertaining to Durban Transport within the framework of integrated transport system
To conclude decisions about AFD loan application
To respond to all pending legal issues and contingent liabilities; and
To work with the Auditor General and the City’s Audit Committee to strengthen internal controls and the strategic and operational risk management process, towards a clean audit outcomes.
Sithole also promised unity in all the people of the City across racial, religious, political formations.
Introducing Sithole to the media, Nxumalo said he is a man with many accolades in Local Government. ‘As most of you would know, Mr Sithole is not a new comer to eThekwini, and in the Local Government administration. He worked as the Deputy City Manager between 2001 and 2002, and he spent part of that experience as Acting City Manager for eThekwini following the untimely death of Mr Felix Dlamini,’ said Nxumalo.
Sithole joins eThekwini Municipality from the Msunduzi Municipality where he was deployed by the Provincial Cabinet as an Administrator; and he has held similar posts at Indaka and uMhlabuyalingana Municipalities.
His local government experience goes as far back as 1996 when he was Deputy CEO and later CEO of the North and South Central Local Council. Between 2003 and 2008 he did consulting work for both public and private sector; including general consulting on Local Government. He has also worked as General Manager: Corporate Services at Umgeni Water.
Amongst the educational qualifications, he holds a Master of Business Leadership (MBL): 2009 (UNISA School of Business Leadership); Master of Education (Policy & Planning): 1996 (Manchester University, UK), Post-Graduate Diploma Industrial Relations: 1993 (Natal University, Durban), B.PROC. (Law) 1991 (Natal University, Durban).
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