Mabunda still CEO of Ezemvelo Kwazulu-Natal Wildlife: MEC

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development‚ Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) says that Dr David Mabunda is still the CEO of Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife.

Noting reports suggesting that the board of Ezemvelo and Mabunda had reached an agreement for him to step down from his position‚ the department said on Wednesday that it wished to “state categorically that EDTEA MEC Sihle Zikalala‚ as the representative of the shareholder‚ has not endorsed the agreement to release the CEO”.

“The MEC has‚ in fact‚ received the submission where the CEO and the board are proposing the CEO’s departure from the entity. The MEC is still applying his mind on the submission and he is engaging with all the parties involved‚ the department said in a statement.

Commenting on the submission he has received from the Board and the CEO‚ Zikalala said: “Foremost in our minds is to ensure that Ezemvelo’s capacity to deliver on its mandate is maintained and‚ as such‚ whatever decision we reach on this matter will be informed by what will be in the best interests of Ezemvelo. In the meantime‚ Dr Mabunda remains the CEO of the entity and we would like to assure the people of KwaZulu-Natal and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife stakeholders that the entity is stable and is currently seized with executing its mandate.”

Mabunda announced his resignation on Tuesday‚ saying his departure was amicable. The announcement came barely three years after his predecessor bowed out with a golden handshake following a damning report on organisational turmoil at the provincial conservation agency.

It also comes amid apparent plans to merge the cash-strapped nature conservation agency with the KZN Sharks Board.

At a staff farewell on Tuesday‚ Mabunda likened his appointment to a “rescue mission” to pull the organisation out of quagmire.

“We were hit by a tsunami in the form of the moratorium on the filling of vacant posts and the debilitating budget cuts ... While the fiscal consolidation is common across government departments and state entities‚ Ezemvelo suffered heavily because of its long history of under-funding and the inability to spend. It’s been an uphill struggle to find sufficient funds to run the organisation optimally.

“I must declare upfront that the parting is amicable and mutual. I have not misappropriated or stolen the organisation’s money. The media’s allegations of a power struggle between the board and management is incorrect and mischievous‚” he stated.

“In the next year or two‚ who knows‚ there may as well be no Ezemvelo in its present form but a new entity with a new leadership from board to management if the current rationalisation of public entities is anything to go by.”

- With additional reporting by Tony Carnie.

- TimesLIVE