Dikgape Makobe new MM for Polokwane
The newly-appointed Municipal Manager (MM) boasts an array of qualifications which made him an ideally suited candidate for the position.
POLOKWANE – Polokwane Mayor, Thembi Nkadimeng, welcomed the newly-appointed Municipal Manager (MM), Dikgape Makobe, on Tuesday when he assumed office.
He matriculated at Phiri-Kolobe High School in 1988, enrolled for a bachelor of education degree at Fort Hare University, and then for a bachelor of arts degree at Rhodes University.
Makobe further enrolled for a course, obtaining a management and development certificate specialising in municipal finance from the Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Witwatersrand.
Other short courses under his cap include public policy analysis, public personnel management, public policy management, records management and other courses acquired through National Parliament while serving on various committees and parliamentary processes.
He was MM of Mogalakwena Local Municipality from 2001 to 2008, where he worked closely with the Council, the public and managing the operations of the municipality professionally.
He further cut his teeth in the local government sphere at Madibeng Local Municipality as the Chief Operations Officer responsible for the operations of the municipality focusing on service delivery implementation. Part of his duties entailed managing the Performance Management System, Integrated Development Planning, Project Management Unit, Internal Audit Section, and the Communications and Marketing section directorates from 2008 until 2012.
Makobe is not new to governance and local government itself. He worked at Parliament as a content advisor on the portfolio of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs at the National Assembly, also assisting the committee in monitoring the performance of municipalities from 2015 until his resignation.
He acquired legislation skills and knowledge through working in the South African Local Government Association (Salga) as a manager in Policy Development and Advocacy at Pretoria.
He provided management of directorates and provision of research, policy analysis and development for Salga representatives within the Intergovernmental forum, National Council of Provinces, Financial and Fiscal Commission, and Salga Political Working Groups. He acquired an in-depth knowledge about policy issues affecting local government which will assist Polokwane
Municipality to review its policies in line with the national framework and legislation.
Makobe has acquired extensive knowledge of Municipal Intergovernmental Relations, an important key to forging strong relations with all stakeholders including sector departments, labour unions, civil society organisations, and tribal leaders. He also worked for Limpopo Legislature as the Head of Legislative Research Unit and the National Defence Force as researcher in the Documentation Service Directorate.
“Polokwane Municipality believes Makobe will transform the municipality to be one of the best in the country based on his knowledge and experience acquired in local government and we will give him all the necessary support to fulfill the vision and mission of the Council,” Matshidiso Mothapo, Polokwane Municipality’s newly appointed Communications and Marketing Manager, said.
