My work for Greater Tzaneen
“I have always wanted to make a difference for my community. Because the local government is closest to and interacts directly with the people, it is there that my input is most visible and worthy. I do this in the role of Assistant-Advisor Legal Affairs.”
“Greater Tzaneen is famous for its beautiful surroundings. We have also won a prize for the cleanest municipality. What I do experience in my work, however, is a level of bureaucracy. Many affairs can be dealt with much more efficiently than currently. When challenged with bureaucracy, I try to comply with authority at all times, while at the same time never giving up submitting my own input and remaining committed to my work. This way I hope to become Municipal Manager in the future.”
“Talent for Governance provides me with a good opportunity to learn how other municipalities and other countries deal with challenges similar to ours. I also hope to share personal experiences and practical advice with other young professionals in the network.”
“How important are municipalities in South Africa? Very important. Strong local governments make sure that services like education and health care are delivered to the people who are most in need of them, which improves the lives of the poor. And is battling poverty not the first Millennium Development Goal of the United Nations?’”
Short update in 2012
“Since the programme, Thulani Twala has been working for the Greater Tzaneen municipality ever since. He has been promoted and now acts as “Acting Director: Corporate Services & Manager: Communications and Marketing.”