Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department has appointed Avril Williamson as the new Director-General with effect from May 01.
Avril Williamson, who boasts more than 20 years of experience as a public servant in senior and strategic positions, brings to the department requisite skills to turn-around local government and fix ‘incompetent and corrupt’ municipalities.
COGTA Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said in the medium-term Williamson will assist the department in the management and administration of all efforts by local government aimed at fighting COVID-19.
“Ms Williamson is an experienced senior public servant with more than 20 years of experience, straddling both the public service and private sector,” Dlamini-Zuma said.
“We are confident that the department will benefit from her leadership in its pursuit for service excellence and improved accountability.”
The Portfolio
Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has also welcomed
the appointment of Williamson.
In a media statement, the parliamentary committee said Williamson
filled the post of DG that was vacated in December 2019.
The committee’s chairperson, Faith Muthambi, said the Auditor-General has found adverse effects on performance in some departments where Directors-Generals posts remain unfilled for a long time.
“This appointment therefore brings stability to the department. The norm of appointing an acting director-general does not necessarily assist departments in the long term, as the acting DG has double the work load. The Committee commends the Department for adhering to gender representivity call in government for appointing women in senior management posts,” said Muthambi.
Muthambi said the committee looks forward to engaging with the new Director-General at its next meeting, which is scheduled for next week.
Cabinet has also approved the appointment of Williamson as the Director-General of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
(Compiled by Charles Molele)
