A Pietermaritzburg businessman hoped that the newly appointed Msunduzi Municipality Manager, Simon Mndebele, would rise to the task of cleaning up the city administration.

Mndebele, who was appointed on Friday, served as municipal manager at Govan Mbeki Local Municipality and director: Corporate Services at Chief Albert Luthuli Municipality, where he successfully managed portfolios spanning administration duties.

Mohammed Saeed said Mndebele has taken the hot seat, which is an extremely challenging one under normal circumstances.

Saeed is hoping that he will rise to the task of creating a new ethos of clean governance and sound administration within our beleaguered city.

“However, given the historical context of systemic dysfunctionality of the Msunduzi Municipality, his task becomes an even more arduous one. We wish him the best in his endeavours to deal with the litany of issues that have plagued the city through a culture of maladministration, corruption, and malfeasance,” Saeed said.

Mzimkhulu Thebolla, mayor of Msunduzi, described Mndebele as a seasoned public servant and local government executive who brings with him extensive experience, sound credentials, and a leadership style rooted in accountability, transformation, and excellence.

“His appointment marks a pivotal moment in our journey to reposition Msunduzi as a municipality that is responsive, financially stable, and people-centred,” Thebolla said.

A resident of Bethal, Mndebele holds a Bachelor of  Administration degree and an Honours in Industrial Relations from the University of Durban-Westville.

He has furthered his expertise through an Advanced Diploma in Labour Law (Rand Afrikaans University) and executive leadership programmes at the University of Pretoria and Wits Business School, with a focus on municipal finance and governance.

Most recently, he served as a technical support expert for Msunduzi Municipality, deployed by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA).

“In this capacity, he led the development of the municipality’s turnaround strategy, conducted diagnostic analyses, and helped establish critical performance oversight structures. His in-depth knowledge of Msunduzi’s operational landscape provides a solid foundation for decisive leadership from day one,” Thebolla said.

He added that with his leadership, Msunduzi aims to fast-track infrastructure development, improve basic services, strengthen financial controls, and restore institutional stability.

“We have made a wise and forward-looking decision that positions us to meet the aspirations of our communities with greater urgency and efficiency. This leadership transition marks the beginning of a new chapter — one defined by discipline, delivery, and dignity for all residents of Msunduzi,” he said.

Thebolla called upon all municipal staff, residents, business partners, and government stakeholders to rally behind Mndebele and support his mission to lead a clean, capable, and service-driven administration.

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za

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