He is widely acclaimed and respected for his vision and accomplishments, highly qualified and an unbiased “inkommer” to the West Coast whose proposed appointment as Municipal Manager is based on competence and not political influences.
Dr Pierre Voges may just be the answer to the avalanche of environmental, socio-economical and political threats that are increasingly endangering life and natural resources along the pristine West Coast.
Dr Voges’ official appointment is hopefully just a speedy stamp of approval away from provincial minister of local government, Anton Bredell, following the messy, costly and controversial departure of the former SBM municipal manager Dr Louis Scheepers who has, incidentally, since landed a cushy position at the Cape Town Municipality.
Dr Scheepers was finally sacked in October last year after receiving two golden handshakes and following aborted legal actions and a lengthy arbitration process. His position has never been filled since due to various factors, leaving the SBM with only temporary acting municipal managers for almost a year. (See article at the bottom)
According to an article in the Weslander, the council unanimously approved Voges as the best candidate out of three at a special council meeting. “Municipal spokesperson Ethne Julius this week confirmed that council followed the prescribed evaluation and selection process after which a candidate was presented to council. Council now awaits the formal approval by Anton Bredell, the Western Cape Minister of Local Government to finalise the appointment of Voges.” (Article attached underneath)
Voges is, amongst other achievements, highly respected for his contribution to turn around previously degraded or neglected areas in Nelson Mandela Bay. His visionary leadership and ethical business conduct despite overwhelming political corruption can only be a great asset to the SBM and the beleaguered West Coast region during a time when the area is struggling to survive the worst drought in more than a century and mammoth industrial developments.
- The Saldanha Bay area made headlines in the national and international media over the past few years regarding environmental pollution and industrial/mining developments that pose critical threats to the unique biosphere, marine life and protected conservation areas – especially the Langebaan Lagoon. Apart from the decades long and seemingly futile fights against the iron ore/red dust pollution in Saldanha, the latest pending court cases and media exposure relate to irregularities in mining activities that threaten the region (Tormin mine and Elandsfontein/KROPZ mine) as well as a proposed aqua-culture development of 884 ha around the Saldanha harbour. (Video attached – click on the highlighted heading or copy and paste url into your browser)
https://carteblanche.dstv.com/langebaan-lagoon/
VOGES’ VISIONARY LEADERSHIP MADE BAY A GREAT PLACE TO WORK IN: NELSON MANDELA BAY BUSINESS CHAMBER
The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber on Friday praised the outgoing Chief Executive Officer of the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA), Dr Pierre Voges, for his visionary leadership in making Nelson Mandela Bay a competitive city to live and work in.
This is after the MBDA board met on Thursday for a special board meeting that accepted Voges’ resignation. He had been at the helm of the agency for the past 12 years and will be replaced by the MBDA’s Chief Financial Officer, Ashwin Daya, as the Acting Chief Executive Officer, effective from February until a new CEO has been recruited.
“Dr Voges is well-respected by the city’s business community for his contribution to turn around previously degraded or neglected areas in Nelson Mandela Bay,” described Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber President, Ian Nicholls.
“He has served the city with excellence over the years and we are grateful for the catalytic projects in Nelson Mandela Bay which were initiated under his leadership.”
Nicholls urged the MBDA to continue on its course of creating an enabling environment for investment in the city.
“Thank you to Dr Voges for the contribution he has made as a Business Chamber Board member during his tenure at the MBDA, in particular serving as the Metro Collaboration Task Team Board Lead,” he said.
“We wish Dr Voges well in his future endeavours.”
Image: Pierre Voges. Flckr
http://www.rnews.co.za/article/12527/voges-visionary-leadership-made-bay-a-great-place-to-work-in-nelson-mandela-bay-business-chamber
‘Driving force’ selected as new MM for SBM
Heléne Meissenheimer
The man said to be the driving force behind successful multimillion rand projects in Nelson Mandela Bay, is favoured to start as Saldanha Bay Municipality’s new municipal manager on 24 July. The council unanimously approved Dr Pierre Voges as the best candidate out of three at a special council meeting on 29 July. Municipal spokesperson Ethne Julius this week confirmed that council followed the prescribed evaluation and selection process after which a candidate was presented to council. Council now awaits the formal approval by Anton Bredell, the Western Cape Minister of Local Government to finalise the appointment of Voges.
After 13 years Voges announced his resignation in January as Chief Executive Officer of the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA), the company seen as the driving force behind urban regeneration in the Eastern Cape port city. Voges had led the MBDA since 2004, one year after the special purpose development company was established by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality with the support of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), an agency similar to Western Cape’s Wesgro. According to local media, Voges is accredited with the agency’s “megamillion rand projects such as the upgrade of Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage city centres, the iconic Tramways building, Kings Beach and turning Richmond Hill from a derelict suburb into a thriving restaurant hub”. (HeraldLIVE, 11 February 2017) Ian Nicholls, then president of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, said on their web page about Voges that he is “well-respected by the city’s business community for his contribution to turn around previously degraded and neglected areas in Nelson Mandela Bay”. In May this year the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber appointed Voges to head up a research project “that will chart the direction and future operational strategy” of the chamber, one of the largest business associations in the Eastern Cape with a membership of about 700 businesses. (HeraldLIVE, 12 May 2017) Locally, Mayco members have expressed how impressed they were with Voges, said “to be the first man in the office and the last to leave”, and added that they were excited about the contribution he could make in Saldanha Bay, especially regarding urban renewal projects and dealing with challenges presented by big developments such as the new industrial development zone. According to the HeraldLIVE the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality had wanted to extend Voges’ contract the previous year, but members of the MBDA board wanted the position advertised. Voges’ five year contract as CEO of the agency had been renewed in 2009 and then again extended for two years till March 2016. Earlier this year HeraldLIVE reported that Voges allegedly received a R1 million golden handshake late last year from both the MBDA and Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, but said both entitities were “tightlipped” about it. After Voges’ resignation, the MBDA hired him as a consultant on a short term contract to manage the city’s R2 billion Nelson Mandela Stadium. Voges has a masters degree in economics from Stellenbosch University and a doctorate in regional and town planning from the University of Pretoria. His work experience includes the Foreign Service, three years as advisor in the office of former President Nelson Mandela, Chief Director, Economic Affairs and Tourism (in cooperation with Wesgro), Cape Town, director: Grant Thornton International Business Advisors, Cape Town. (Weslander 13 Julie 2017)
Saldanhabaai-munisipaliteit (SBM) se aanstelling van ’n nuwe munisipale bestuurder ervaar reeds sy eerste haakplek.
By ’n spesiale raadsvergadering wat Woensdag 16 November gehou is, het dit aan die lig gekom dat die maksimum salaris wat die nuwe munisipale bestuurder kan verdien, volgens die munisipale kategorie waaronder SBM val, R1 475 180 per jaar is. Dié bedrag sluit ’n toelaag van 10% in wat deur die raad goedgekeur is.
Die probleem wat SBM se raad egter nou in die gesig staar is dat die voormalige munisipale bestuurder, dr. Louis Scheepers, R1 800 582,94 per jaar verdien het. Daarbenewens verdien SBM se hoof finansiële beampte R1 507 500,67 per jaar, terwyl die ander drie direkteure salarisse van tussen R1 315 810,61 en R1 244 039,32 per jaar verdien.
Dus het ’n situasie ontstaan waar SBM se nuwe munisipale bestuurder minder as sy direkteure kan verdien. Altesaam agt senior bestuurders by SBM verdien ook gemiddeld R1 160 476,15 per jaar.
Scheepers het op 24 Oktober die trekpas gekry weens die gebrek aan ’n minimum kwalifikasie waaraan alle munisipale finansiële amptenare moet voldoen.
By vandeesweek se spesiale raadsvergadering is die raad egter aanbeveel om by die Wes-Kaapse minister van plaaslike regering, Anton Bredell, aansoek te doen vir ’n kwytskelding van die voorgeskrewe salarispakket vir die nuwe munisipale bestuurder. Munisipaliteite word in buitengewone omstandighede toegelaat om vir die kwytskelding aansoek te doen.
Jaco Kotze, SIA-raadslid, was die enigste raadslid wat die aansoek teengestaan het.
Joubert Skei, ANC-hoofsweep, en Thulani Khulu, EFF-raadslid, was dit eens dat ’n geskikte kandidaat nie gekry sal word as die persoon moet weet dat hy of sy minder verdien as sy of haar direkteure nie.
Salarisse van senior munisipale amptenary word bereken volgens die TASK-graderingstelsel. SBM as ’n B-munisipaliteit val in kategorie 4.
Volgens Joggie Scholtz, munisipale bestuurder van Swartland-munisipaliteit, ook ’n B-munisipaliteit, verdien twee van hul senior bestuurders ook in die miljoene.
Marius Koen, uitvoerende burgemeester, het by die raadsvergadering ’n keurkomitee aangewys om die aanstelling van die nuwe munisipale bestuurder te behartig. Die komitee bestaan uit: Koen, Venty Vaughan (onderburgemeester), Skei, DA-raadsheer Elize Steyn en ’n eksterne munisipale bestuurder.
Woensdag se raadsvergadering het gevolg ná ’n kworum nie by Vrydag 11 November se spesiale raadsvergadering bereik kon word nie, waar dieselfde item in komitee bespreek sou word. Die ANC het voor Vrydag se vergadering vir Weslander besoek en verduidelik hulle kan nie raadsvergaderings bywoon as hulle op te kort kennisgewing eers die agendas ontvang nie, en dat die item ter sprake, ook nie in komitee kan wees nie omdat dit in openbare belang is.
Khulu, wat ook nie Vrydag se vergadering bygewoon het nie, en Kotze, wat wel het, het die ANC se misnoeë gedeel. Volgens inligting het raadslede die agendas vir Vrydag se vergadering eers Donderdag om 16:00 ontvang, met die opposisiepartye wat aanvoer die agenda moet 72 uur voor die tyd aangestuur word.
Daniels het Dinsdag ’n navraag van Weslander oor dié aangeleentheid beantwoord en gesê die “kennisgewing van die vergadering was binne reëls” en dat die item “konfidensiële inligting bevat het”, waaroor sy haar oordeel moes gebruik.