Siphelele Nketo
AFTER resigning from the mayorship portfolio of the Matatiele Local Municipality in April last year, Sonwabile Mngenela has this week returned to a new municipal portfolio.
The municipality announced him as portfolio head for Budget and Treasury. He was previously an executive committee member without a portfolio in the municipality. During his tenure as mayor, he appeared in the media following accusations of misusing municipal funds to attend an ANC event in 2022.
It was claimed that he was authorised to attend a meeting with the National Association of People Living with HIV and AIDS (NAPWA) in East London in May 2022 but instead attended the ANC event.
A criminal charge was laid against him, but later withdrawn.
His return to the portfolio of municipal head of Budget and Treasury was welcomed by DA Councillor Wonga Potwana who said that he deserves a chance to prove himself for the portfolio.
Mngenela was elected mayor after the 2021 local government elections. In a special council sitting on Tuesday, April 14, the municipality approved the reconfiguration of the executive committee and the appointment of chairpersons to strengthen governance and accelerate service delivery.
In a statement, the municipality said the reconfiguration followed the existence of vacancies within key portfolios.
Municipal mayor Patrick Stuurman noted that these resolutions reaffirm the municipality’s commitment to good governance, accountability and transparency, while positioning the institution to accelerate service delivery in communities.
The new appointments are as follows: former Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) chairperson Councillor Susan Mokhesi was given the role of portfolio head for Economic Development and Planning; former mayor Mngenela was tasked with the responsibility of portfolio head of Budget and Treasury; Ward 17 Councillor Sindile Mbulawa was given the role of chairperson of the Public Participation and Petitions Committee; and Ward 23 Councillor Sicelo Maphasa was appointed as the chairperson of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC).
The municipality also announced the extension of the appointment of Acting Municipal Manager Nokhanyo Zembe for a further three months, pending the finalisation of recruitment processes for the position of municipal manager. Zembe has been in the post after the resignation of former municipal manager Lizo Matiwane in January.
