GRAAFF-REINET NEWS — On Friday, September 1, the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality welcomed three new senior employees on its top management structure.
Dr Edward M Rankwana assumed the duties of that of Municipal Manager while Heleen Nagel and Sizwe Mvunelwa were appointed as the Chief Financial Officer and Director of Community Services respectively.
Dr Edward Rankwana takes the helm
Dr Rankwana was born in the Eastern Cape and commenced tertiary education at the University of the Western Cape. He worked in the education sector during his early years before moving on to local government, where he worked for various municipalities.
He later became the first black town clerk, post-apartheid in South Africa when he was appointed at the then Boksburg municipality.
He returned to education and lectured at Universities of Johannesburg and Free State. It was during his time at the latter that he also completed his PhD in Public Management. As local government is in his blood, he accepted an offer as Director: Corporate Services at Joe Gqabi District Municipality.
He was later appointed as Municipal Manager of Kouga Local Municipality and thereafter Director Corporate Services of George Municipality. Dr. Rankwana is married and his wife is an education specialist employed at the Department of Education.
New CFO
Heleen Nagel, who currently holds the position of Chief Financial Officer of the municipality, is no stranger to this area. She held the same position at the former Baviaans Local Municipality from 2013 to 2015 whereafter she was appointed as Technical Advisor at the Government Technical Advisory Centre where she assisted in contributing towards financial viability and sustainability of municipalities.
She has also been Chief Financial Officer of Sundays River Valley Local Municipality. She completed her studies at the University of South Africa. She is engaged to be married soon.
New Director of Community Services
Sizwe Mvunelwa has vast experience in the environment and occupational health field.
He is a qualified Environmental Health Practitioner, having studied in Durban and later at the former Port Elizabeth Technikon. He has worked at the former Port Elizabeth Municipality and Knysna Municipality.
Having moved up the professional hierarchy, he was previously Director of Community Protection Services at Ndlambe Local Municipality and up until recently, he was the Director of Community Services at Blue Crane Route Municipality.
His field of expertise includes waste management, environmental management and performance management.
Ushering the newly appointed MM and Directors to their position, the Mayor, Cllr Deon de Vos, said, “On behalf of the DBNLM Council, I wish to extend a warm welcome to the MM and Directors and wish you well in your new positions. As Council, we assure you of our continued support in ensuring that you make this municipality the best in the District, Province and the country.”
Jama Vumazonke, who acted as interim Municipal Manager, will now resume his duties as Director of Corporate Services and Simthembile Mbotya will resume his duties as Assistant Manager: Reporting.
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