Mayor John Mpe has strongly defended the appointment of Kennedy Chihota, a Zimbabwean national, as the new Director of Water and Sanitation for the Polokwane Municipality, stating that the municipality remains committed to hiring “highly skilled professionals based on merit, not nationality or politics.”
The appointment, recently approved by the Polokwane municipal council following a formal recommendation by the Mayor and councillors, has sparked public debate with some questioning the hiring of a non-South African to a critical public service post.
Responding to the concerns, Mayor Mpe emphasized that Mr. Chihota’s selection followed a rigorous recruitment process and was based solely on his expertise and track record in water systems management..
“Our primary focus is service delivery and finding the best-qualified individuals to lead departments that directly affect people’s lives,” Mpe said. “This decision is not about politics or borders it is about capacity and results.”
