Makana acting manager appointment welcomed
AFTER a process stretching over months, the municipal manager for the Sarah Baartman District Municipality took up the reins as acting municipal manager for the Makana Municipality yesterday.
Political parties, businesses and residents have welcomed Ted Pillay, who has been seconded to the embattled municipality for three months.
Municipal spokeswoman Yoliswa Ramakolo said Pillay’s appointment followed numerous attempts to bring in a seconded candidate provided by the Department of Corporate Governance and Traditional Affairs.
She said Pillay would be expected to assist the municipality with various tasks, including the appointment of a permanent municipal manager, the improvement of the municipality’s revenue collection and service delivery, and a reduction in excessive overtime.
Pillay was welcomed during a council meeting on Wednesday, where the council also discussed the municipality’s qualified audit from the auditor-general.
Grahamstown Residents’ Association chairman Philip Machanick said he had heard good things about Pillay.
“We’re a bit concerned because we were cut out of the decisionmaking process, but he seems like a person who will get stuck in and understand the problems quickly, and that is the kind of person we’ve been lobbying for,” he said.
Richard Gaybba, of the Grahamstown Business Forum, was also optimistic.
“We’ve been asking that some intervention take place and we’ve been told he is a very competent manager,” Gaybba said.
“This is the best news we’ve had in Grahamstown in a while.”
The DA caucus leader in Makana, Mlindi Nhanha, commended the decision to send Pillay to intervene.
“The DA is of the opinion that [he] is the best man for the job.
“We are, however, concerned that three months may not be sufficient for him to turn the municipality around, and a permanent municipal manager must be appointed sooner rather than later.”