Cllr Zukiswa Ndevu was born at Phepheni Village, EmaXesibeni, where she also did her Matric at Rode Senior Secondary School in 1993. She then later obtained her National Diploma in Human Resources Management at the University of South Africa (UNISA).

In 2024, she enrolled for Leadership in Municipal Governance Programme at the Witwatersrand University.

During the period of 2008, she further capacitated herself with leadership qualities and participated in the National Leadership Development Programme. Between her political tenures in 2013, she pursued her studies at the Wits business school in Johannesburg, where she obtained a certificate programme in management development for Municipal Finance (CPMD).

Elected in 2021 the Mayor boasts with 20 years of experience in Local Government, where within 15 years she conducted an oversight role as a PR Councillor at Umzimvubu Local Municipality. She was an Assistant Manager for Public Participation Unit from 1 May 2016, until she was elected as the Mayor in 2021). Between 2011 and 2016, she served the Municipality as the Portfolio Head for Budget and Treasury (BTO). She was then later deployed to serve as the Portfolio Head for Human Resources in Administration.

From 1999 to 2005 she served as the ANCYL Branch Secretary and was later elected as the ANC Branch Secretary from 2013 to 2020. During this period, she was also elected to serve as an ANC Sub Regional Deputy Secretary in 2016. Cllr Ndevu emerged as the ANC Women’s League Chairperson between the period of 2019 to 2021. She was an LET Manager during the 2021 Local Government Elections.

During this period, she was also elected to serve as a Sub – Regional LED Coordinator for Umzimvubu and was later elected as the ANC Sub-Regional Deputy Secretary in 2016. Cllr Ndevu emerged as the ANC Women’s League Chairperson between the period of 2019 – 2021 and was an LET Coordinator during the 2021 Local Government Elections (reputation). She was the regional Treasury in 2021. She has recently been elected as the Alfred Nzo Region Deputy Secretary of the ANC.

ABOUT THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

The Mayor of a Municipality with a collective executive system has the following statutory powers and functions in terms of the Municipal Structures Act:

(a) Presides at meetings of the executive committee.

(b) Performs the duties, including any ceremonial functions, and exercises the powers delegated to her/him by the municipal council or the executive committee and

(c) Determine the date, time and venue of ordinary and special executive committee meetings.

The powers and duties assigned to the Mayor in the MFMA, may be delegated by the Council of the Municipality to another member of the executive committee. The responsibilities of the Mayor are as follows:

1. Provide guidance over the fiscal and financial affairs of the Municipality.

2. To oversee the preparation of the Annual Budget.

3. Provide political guidance over the budget process and the priorities that must guide the budget.

4. Monitor and oversee the chief financial officer and the municipal manager in the exercising of their responsibilities in terms of the Municipal Finance Management Act as provided for in the Act.

5. Ensure that the municipality performs it statutory functions in the S 52 ( c) Guideline Document on the Roles and Responsibilities of Councillors and Officials 26 limits of the approved budget.

6. Submit quarterly reports to Council on the implementation of the budget and the financial status of the municipality.

7. To coordinate the annual revision of the IDP and preparation of the annual budget.

8. To take reasonable steps to ensure that: a. municipality approves its annual budget before the start of the financial year, b. that the budget and services delivery implementation plan is finalized within 28 days after the approval of the budget, c. performance agreements are in line with legislation and are linked to measurable performance objectives.

9. Allow the public access to the service delivery and budget implementation plans of the municipality, by making it available no later than 14 days after the approval of these plans.

10. Table the draft budget before the Council.

11. Ensure that the reports to the council will adequately facilitate the council’s oversight functions.

Identification of financial problems

1. To receive monthly budget report submitted by the Municipal Manager and to: a. consider them, b. check whether budget is implemented in accordance with budget and service delivery agreement, c. give instruction to the municipal manager to ensure that budget is implemented in terms of the budget implementation plan and service delivery plan and that spending of funds and revenue collection proceed in accordance with the budget.

2. Initiate any remedial or corrective action when the Municipality Guideline Document on the Roles and Responsibilities of Councillors and Officials 27 face financial problems.