The Makhado Municipality is striving for improved service delivery during 2008 with the appointment of two new managers, well qualified within their specific departments.

The managers appointed to the two vacant positions at the municipality are the Chief Financial Manager, Mr Risimati Hitler Maluleke, and the Manager of Protection Services, Mr Johannes Molantlelo Kanwendo.

Mr Maluleke was the first to be introduced to the media during a press conference held on Tuesday, January 8. He obtained his Bcom degree at the University of Limpopo, formerly known as the University of the North, in Polokwane in 1985. From 1991 until 1993, Mr Maluleke worked under the department of the Chief Minister of Gazankulu as a business economist. Following that, he worked in the office of the Premier, where he was appointed assistant director of procurement, stores and transport. In 1997, he obtained a diploma in personal computing and a certificate in Pastel accounting through the Damelin School of Management.

From 2000 until 2002, Mr Maluleke worked at Bushbuckridge Water, where he handled procurement and provisioning, better known as supply chain management. During this time, he continued his studies and completed a course in basic finance through the Johannesburg School of Business and Finance. He also did a course in logistics and supply management through the University of Johannesburg.

Mr Maluleke was later appointed as the acting chief financial officer at Bushbuckridge Water until 2006 before becoming a part-time trainer at Human Capital Management Services in Johannesburg.

Mr Maluleke told the media that he likes his new appointment and said that, as a young man, he never would have thought of one day working in Louis Trichardt. His goal for the municipality is for it to become financially sound, which will lead to better service delivery.

Mr Kanwendo indicated that traffic control is nothing new to him and that he has both the qualifications and know-how to ensure service delivery as manager of Protection Services. He started of as an air traffic controller at the PR Mphephu Airport, after which he worked as a licensing officer at the Sibasa traffic station, before becoming a traffic inspector in 1990.

In 1992, Mr Kanwendo received a traffic diploma, after completing a course at the Boekenhoutskloof Traffic College. He worked as a senior traffic officer before being promoted to chief traffic officer in 2003. In 2004, Mr Kanwendo completed another diploma, this time in traffic safety management, which he did through the Tswane University of Technology. In 2007, he was acting deputy manager of Capricorn District´s traffic control, and also received a D.Admin degree in local government administration through the University of Limpopo.

The message from both these newly appointed managers is clear - improved service delivery and better control of the municipality’s resources.

According to Kanwendo, with him in office, residents won’t be seeing anymore traffic vehicles parked in disabled zones or committing any other offences. If it does happen, members of the public must report any negligent behaviour to the municipality so that proper action can be taken.