In a landmark achievement for the Senqu Local Municipality, its municipal manager Mxolisi Yawa has been appointed as Buffalo City’s city manager.

Under his helm at the Senqu Local Municipality, Yawa was in the enviable position of leading a local municipality that has achieved a clean audit for eight consecutive years, one of only a handful municipalities to achieve such an accolade.

Senqu Local Municipality is a semi-rural municipality in the Joe Gqabi District of the Eastern Cape, which includes Rossouw, Rhodes, Barkly East, Sterkspruit and Lady Grey.

The municipality, which made the announcement today, says: "It is with a heavy heart that our municipal manager, Mr Yawa, has resigned. “

Yawa took leave of the municipality on 8 February 2023.

The Buffalo City appointment follows a formidable career for Yawa, who started as the Dordrecht town clerk. In 1998, as the Emalahleni Municipality interim municipal manager, Yawa managed the Indwe, Dodrecht, and Lady Frere towns. 

Three years later, he was appointed as Senqu Local Municipality's municipal manager, a post he held for close on 22 years.

The municipality says in addition to this legacy, he leaves a municipality with a significant asset base, is acknowledged for outstanding performance in certain areas, is politically, administratively, and financially stable and maintains good rankings on Afrika Ratings.

Senqu Local Municipality mayor, Cllr Velile Stokhwe, acknowledged Yawa’s role: “His sterling leadership has produced a financially sound municipality. Only a few people like you are committed to good governance and ensure that state resources are used for intended programmes. His move is a big loss to the municipality.”

Stokhwe says: “Yawa has shown himself to be a leader with exceptional qualities who deserves our recognition and gratitude. A true gentleman with an open-door policy. He never wavered in serving his community with a sense of duty and dedication.

“Through the enhancement of good governance, the municipality has enjoyed the confidence of stakeholders such as political parties, media, community members, and other interested parties,” he explains.

Mrs Nokulunga Nyezi, the municipality’s community service director, has been appointed the acting municipality manager.