Mayor reshuffles committee

EXECUTIVE Mayor Parks Tau has restructured his mayoral committee, but has kept the same faces, albeit in different desks, in a move aimed at expediting service delivery. The reshuffle was announced this morning.

Ruby Mathang, who used to head the department of development planning and urban management, has been moved to economic development. Development planning and urban management has been separated into two departments, and Ros Greeff who previously headed environment and infrastructure services, will now take over development planning.

Matshidiso Mfikoe, who was responsible for public safety, has been moved to environment and infrastructure services, and Sello Lemao was transferred from economic development to the department of public safety.

It has been exactly a year since Tau was appointed executive mayor following last year’s local government elections. At the time he announced a mayoral committee taking gender, geographic spread, youth and political experience into account. The team was composed of five women and five men.

At the time he merged portfolios, like infrastructure and services and environment, headed by Greeff, who previously headed the department of development planning and urban management. Greeff has now been moved back to development planning.

Other portfolios are finance, headed by Geoffrey Makhubo, economic development now held by seasoned councillor and planner by profession Mathang, community development led by Chris Vondo, and corporate and shared services headed by Mally Mokoena.

The department of housing will still be headed by Dan Bovu, while Nonceba Molwele will remain in health and social development.

The former mayoral committee member for environment, Mfikoe, who took over the portfolio of public safety over a year ago, overseeing the emergency management services and the metro police, returns to environment, which has been amalgamated with infrastructure and services.

The portfolios of infrastructure and services, housing, and community development will put more emphasis on improving service delivery, targeting the poor and previously disadvantaged.

Rehana Moosajee retains her portfolio of transport, where she has been in charge for a number of years. Her department includes Rea Vaya, the Johannesburg Roads Agency and Metrobus.

The mayor will take over the department of planning and urban management.