KZN wildlife CE calls it a day

Barely three years after his predecessor bowed out with a golden handshake following a damning report on turmoil at the provincial conservation agency, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife boss David Mabunda has resigned.

Mabunda ’s departure comes at a time when the KZN government plans to merge the cash-strapped nature conservation agency with the KZN Sharks Board to form a new organisation and outsource several ecotourism operations to the private sector.

Announcing his resignation yesterday, Mabunda said his departure was “amicable”, but insiders claim he was under pressure to leave after the recent appointment of a newEzemvelo board by Sihle Zikalala, provincial MEC for Economic Affairs, Tourism and Environmental Affairs.

Mabunda was brought in as acting chief executive to restore stability at Ezemveloafter previous CEO Bandile Mkhize was suspended at the end of 2014. A governmenttask team report exposed inflated salary increases for top executives and allegationsof “jobs for pals”.

Late in 2015 Mabunda’s acting appointment was extended into a three-year contract, due to end next year. It is not known whether he will receive a settlement.

A new board was appointed early this year that has a tenure of just one year.Zikalala ’s office has declined to explain the reasons for the short tenure, though theMEC announced plans last month to merge Ezemvelo and the KZN Sharks Board beforeDecember 2018 as part of a rationalisation plan for provincial public entities.Mabunda likened his appointment to a “rescue mission” to pull the organisation outof quagmire.

“We were hit by a tsunami in the form of the moratorium on the filling of vacant postsand debilitating budget cuts . . . While the fiscal consolidation is common across government departments and state entities, Ezemvelo suffered heavily because of its history of underfunding and inability to spend.

“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 isincorrect and mischievous,” he stated.

Sthabiso Chiliza, who joined Ezemvelo in 2006 and holds a BA and a master’s degree incommerce , has been appointed as interim chief executive.