Riot Hlatshwayo

Riot Hlatshwayo

The only woman municipal manager in Mpumalanga has had her contract renewed for another five years to continue managing Umjindi municipality.

Sibongile Mnisi, who studied local governance in Britain, said she was happy to be given another chance to serve her community.

Her contract expired in June and, said Umjindi executive mayor Richard Lukhele, the municipality extended her contract for three months to allow for broader consultations with stakeholders before filling the post.

"After consultations and assessment the council resolved on August 23 to extend Mnisi's contract until June 2012," said Lukhele yesterday.

"I feel good because it shows the council has confidence in me, and also shows I have performed as required," Mnisi said.

She said a municipality was a complex sphere of government that needed special dedication.

Mnisi thanked the community for making her work simpler by providing inputs as well as giving support to the municipality.

"I have made commitments to the council that will address challenges relating to performance.

"We are already putting in place a performance system for our managers," Mnisi said.

Umjindi municipal speaker Monica Zulu congratulated Mnisi on her new contract and said she was a hard worker.

"Umjindi municipality is fortunate to have Mnisi as its manager - the only woman to hold this position in the province," said Zulu.

"She made us all proud when she returned from abroad where she studied local governance and it would have been a mistake to let her go," said Zulu.