April 4, 2006
By Anish Abraham and Lucky Sindane
MAVELA Dlamini has been named city manager, to take over the hotseat from Pascal Moloi for the next five years. Moloi's contract ends at the end of the month.
The announcement was made by Executive Mayor Amos Masondo at a press briefing following the official opening of the City council on 3 April. Dlamini, 53, was previously the managing director of the Johannesburg Roads Agency.
"I believe [Dlamini's] vast experience in local government and proven record of service delivery will make him an effective manager of the City," Masondo said.
Johannesburg executive mayor Amos Masondo announces the appointment of Mavela Dlamini as the City's new manager
One of his major achievements at the helm of the roads agency was the widening and tarring of roads in Soweto, accomplished in record time. As part of that project, several local residents were trained and employed by the agency.
Minister of Provincial and Local Government Sydney Mufamadi also deployed Dlamini to the Matjhabeng Local Council in Welkom, in the Free State, as a facilitator for service delivery. This was part of the national government's programme, Project Consolidate, to ensure better working municipalities.
Dlamini said the recent mayoral lekgotla gave a clear set of outcomes expected from the core administration and the City's companies over the next five years.
"A culture of working for a better Joburg at all levels beyond the culture of simply looking after ourselves is important," he said. "Employees should commit to working harder for the earnings offered by the City. As a collective, we are likely to raise the bar in respect of performance of our companies after the initial good performance of the past five years.
"The workshop's framework creates an ideal entry point in contributing to a better focused programme to work for the City," Dlamini added.
"While I cannot set specific targets until I assume office, it is likely that I will have to focus on good administration and well-managed public resources to satisfy the auditor-general."
Dlamini paid tribute to his predecessor, Moloi, for having laid a sound foundation on which he could build. "One is faced with the prospect of being a member of a well-focused and skilled team of men and women. The mayor, mayoral committee and senior managers mapped out what should be key in running the City business."
Masondo echoed the good words for the outgoing city manager. "After coming on top of many challenges local government faced, one can confidently say [Moloi] will be a success in whatever career path he follows. We were privileged to have worked with a man of his calibre."
Moloi said the position of city manager was advertised in print media and 98 applications were received. "[Of these] 55 did not meet the minimum requirements and 22 applicants had some experience within the local government, [but] not necessarily at the required level."
In total 82 applicants were historically disadvantaged South Africans, and 19 were women - 12 historically disadvantaged.
Of all the applicants, Moloi said 10 met the requirements for the job and six were serious contenders.
Mavela Dlamini
Dlamini, born in Manzini, in Swaziland, studied physics and mathematics at universities in Swaziland and Botswana, before moving to Leeds University in the United Kingdom, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree in civil engineering.
He has over 21 years of local government experience, having started his career as an engineer in Swaziland. In 1983 he was appointed town engineer of the Swazi capital, Mbabane.
His years in Johannesburg began when the Soweto Council appointed him city engineer in 1990; from there he was promoted to deputy director of strategic planning in the City of Johannesburg in 1993. In 1995, he was appointed director of roads engineering.
Between 1990 and 1993, he was involved in the design and construction of major Soweto roads, a water reservoir and upgrading of water reticulation. As chief executive and accounting officer during the transformation of the city between 1999 and 2000, Dlamini helped to set up the Johannesburg Roads Agency, Johannesburg Water, City Power, Pikitup and City Parks.
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