A South African mayor is catching serious heat for hiring a guy from Zimbabwe to fix the water system. Polokwane Mayor John Mpe defended the appointment of Kennedy Chihota as the new Director of Water and Sanitation, saying the choice was purely about qualifications, not politics. He pointed out Chihota's extensive resume, which includes a civil engineering degree and four separate master's degrees, plus years of experience at major municipalities like Johannesburg Water and the City of Cape Town.
Opposition parties like the Economic Freedom Fighters and ActionSA are furious, arguing such a critical job should go to a local citizen, especially with ongoing water shortages plaguing areas like Seshego. The controversy has also exposed deeper internal fighting within the municipal government over hiring practices and financial management. Mayor Mpe insists the move is about finally delivering reliable services, not conducting experiments, but the debate highlights the tension between merit-based appointments and public pressure for local employment amid service delivery failures.
Opposition parties like the Economic Freedom Fighters and ActionSA are furious, arguing such a critical job should go to a local citizen, especially with ongoing water shortages plaguing areas like Seshego. The controversy has also exposed deeper internal fighting within the municipal government over hiring practices and financial management. Mayor Mpe insists the move is about finally delivering reliable services, not conducting experiments, but the debate highlights the tension between merit-based appointments and public pressure for local employment amid service delivery failures.
