Office of the Municipal Manager

All departments report directly to the municipal manager, Mr. Mabaso, who deals with strategic initiatives and liaises directly with politicians and departmental heads.

The Sisonke District Municipality, as one of the 3 newly demarcated district municipalities in the Province, was established, immediately prior to the Local Government elections of 2000 through a demarcation process which heralded the final stage of the transformation of the system of Local Government, bringing to fruition the concept enshrined in the Constitution.

The municipality actually came into existence upon the date of the 1st meeting of the newly elected Councillors, held immediately after the finalization of the election process.  For the 1st two years of its existence the municipality functioned under the auspices of a caretaker administration, comprising in the main, of a consortium of private sector service providers, who in close consultation with Council and in particular the Executive Committee, developed and put in place the municipal administrative systems, required by legislation, that we operate, maintain and enhance to this day.

My Executive Directors and I, who collectively form the administrative management echelon of this municipality, were appointed by the Executive Committee and took up office from October 2002 and from that time we have been involved and instrumental in the development of a staff structure which now accommodates some 204 employees all of whom who are dedicated to the ideals of community development and emancipation, which is the vision of Council and the ultimate gaol of the municipality.

During my term of office I have endeavoured, wherever possible, to live up to the ideals of my Council, who have collectively committed themselves to improving the lives of the people who comprise their
constituents within the area of the municipal jurisdiction. Further than this, we as management must be obligated to comply, primarily, with the provisions made by Section 12(1) of the Constitution which mandates Council, and therefore ourselves, to;

• Provide for a democratic and accountable government for the local communities which it serves.
• Ensure the provision of sustainable services
• Promote social and economic development
• Promote a healthy and safe environment
• Encourage the involvement and participation of the people and their community representative
• structures in all matters pertinent to Local Government

Therefore I have modelled the administration to adhere to this mandate and to give effect to these principles, in a manner consistent with the ideology of the Batho Pele Principles. This fledgling District Municipality like a young bird leaving its mothers nest, has been beset with difficulties  and obstacles not the least of which being the constant inadequacy of funding  in proportion to the needs and expectations of the communities, who rely on the municipality for development and poverty alleviation. In this respect one is faced, on a daily basis, with these needs and it becomes ever more difficult to bureaucratically apply the principal of priority and to turn away from the humanistic ideal.  In order to merely take the first step on an infinite journey  towards community development, total equality and eventual fulfilment,

THE VISION OF THE ADMINISTRATION by the M/Manager, Mr.N.M.Mabaso a number of challenges confront us, as the traveller, not the least of which being the "assembly" of a "vehicle" with which to attempt the journey. In this case this "vehicle" must be an economically efficient, but yet fully effective, totally transparent and accountable administration, which must be maintained and sustained beyond my insignificant term as its "driver" and even beyond that of my predecessors who will take this seat.

Another obvious step on this journey to take is to in fact to "house" this structure in order that it may meet these ideals and certainly the lack of adequate, and singular accommodation, has posed a serious obstacle to an effective and efficient management.

Accordingly the municipality, in accordance with the system of priorities, embarked upon a course of action to acquire funding from both the other 2 spheres of government and the private sector, through, "Love, Charity and Extortion" in order to house itself and therefore it gives me enormous pleasure and satisfaction to be a part of the formal commemoration of our new office complex, which in addition means that I no longer have to walk around the village of Ixopo to meet with my Executive Directors and staff.

Profile of Our Municipal Manager: Mr. N.M. Mabaso

Mr. Mabaso was born on 27 May 1960 in Pietermaritzburg, he completed his elementary education at Mehlokazulu in 1979 and went on to acquire a BA : Administration from the University of the North in 1984 and a BA(Hons): Administration from the University of South Africa in 1989. These qualifications led him into a career in the Public Sector and in particular the municipal field, where he served with the former Department of Development Aid, the erstwhile Natalia Development Board, the erstwhile Natal Provincial Administration and immediately prior to his appointment at Sisonke District Municipality, with the current Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, where he served during the initial transformation of local government.  During this period Mr.Mabaso was deeply involved in the establishment and development of the original Transitional municipalities.