MAFIKENG MAIL -SETLAGOLE: Deafening ululations were eloquent evidence by staff members, political leadership including the Mayoral Ececutive Committee (MECs) and councillors as they welcomed Dr Auchalie Mothupi as Bojanala Platinum District Municipality Acting Municipal Managers (MM).
Executive Mayor Magdeline Nondzaba welcomed Dr Mothupi during a special introductory meeting and outlined that the acting MM was deployed in terms of Sec 54A of The Local Government Municipal Systems Act no. 32 of 2000 as amended.
Dr Mothupi carries the responsibility of an Accounting Officer, as prescribed in Section 55 and section 81 of the Municipal System Act 32 of 2000 and Municipal Financial Management Act of 2004 respectively, over and above, to ensure the sustainability of the municipality.
Nondzaba said Dr Mothupi’s intervention followed the District Municipality Council’s resolution to sought the Secondment from Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Nono Maloyi, to deploy the acting MM.
“I call on all of you to work together in making the task of Dr Mothupi easy for him to execute his mandate with harmony to put our municipality in a better position.
“I wish him well in all his endeavours to improve governance in our municipality and also pledge my support for him to achieve the best we deserve to gain trust from the people and our government,” said the Executive Mayor.
Dr Mothupi, an expert in Governance, is no stranger to Local Government including Municipalities and brings along an array of knowledge in Municipal governance both administratively, politically and academically.
In response, Dr Mothupi had this to say: “The municipality is moving into the right direction and much work needs to be done in changing the lives of our people. I am here and implore all of you to align yourselves with the ethical and credible work I am doing to achieve a clean administration”.
Pregnant with academic qualifications including Masters in Business Administration (MBA) topped with a Phd, Dr Auchalie Mothupi is at the helm to stop the rot characterised by maladministration, corruption and a myriad of irregularities to turn around the municipality into a gigantic service delivery machine like he did at Ratlou Local Municipality under Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality where in only three months, he ended years of hell and frustrations and ushered the dawn of hope and stability.
This triggered delight and changed the negative narrative in Ratlou’s workers unions, staff, council and Mayor, Matlhomola Jafta himself.
Scores of residents, trade unions and councillors, could not means their words as they paid homage to Dr Mothupi for ringing changes which escalated service delivery patterns in surrounding villages to the delight of the once distraught communities.
Former Ratlou Speaker, Andries Agisanang Ramosidi, could not hide his feelings reflecting on the positive inter-personal relations prevailing between workers and the leadership, among other things. Ratlou ANC’s Daniel Sejamoholo said: “I thank Dr Mothupi for the mountain he has climbed in bringing stability to this municipality. Go through the exit report from Dr Mothupi and take note of the amount of incredible work he has done. He worked so hard that sometimes he would leave his office around 9pm.
“We’ve had a mammoth task and now the municipality (Ratlou) has a substantive municipal manager. National Treasury demanded R17 million back as unused funds but because they realised the turning around of the municipality, Treasury then opted to deviate from its decision,” Dr Mothupi explained.
