By Nangamso Mabindla
29 September 2006

BUFFALO City has appointed former Buffalo City Development Agency head, Gaster Sharpley, as its municipal manager.

The City's executive mayor Zintle Peter said Sharpley's appointment, announced at a council meeting on Tuesday, 26 September, came through a process of recruitment that included national advertising of the post.

"After 70 applications had been received, interviews were conducted and we short-listed candidates during the month of September," said Peter.

Peter said that to ensure that the interviewing process was transparent; representatives had been enlisted from the national department of provincial and local government, the South African Cities Network and independent auditing firm KPMG.

"We are pleased with our choice and Mr Sharpley will start work as the municipal manager with effect from November 1 and will work with the municipality for a period of five years," said Peter.

She said Sharpley, who has a masters degree in public administration from Rand Afrikaans University, and extensive experience in the private sector, came to the municipality with a wealth of experience in both local government and business in the Eastern Cape.

"Mr Sharpley has earned the respect of the Buffalo City business community and other municipal stakeholders through his passionate commitment to the development and growth of the broader city and its people."

She said her office looked forward to working with the new municipal manager and the City's senior management team to building a productive and effective City administration, capable of delivering on the commitment of government to create a better life for all its citizens.

At the same council meeting, the council resolved to renew the employment contract of its chief financial officer, Brian Shepherd, for a further period of five years.

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