The Office of the MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison have been joined by the Head of Ministry, Linda Mashaba effective from 1st of October 2019.
Mashaba (41) joins the Department of Transport following the appointment of MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Bheki Ntuli.
Mashaba hails from KwaHlabisa, Northern KwaZulu-Natal. He matriculated in Bhekuzulu High School, KwaNongoma and holds a Diploma in Nursing from the KwaZulu-Natal College of Nursing previously known as Ngwelezane College.
Mashaba has worked for the Department of Health where he spent 20 years. He worked as Programme Manager: King Cetshwayo District before joining the Office of the MEC. He has held various positions in labour, politics as well as community development projects.
“In my previous 20 years with the Department of Health, I have worked well with various stakeholders (including NGOs) both internally and externally. This I believe will play a major role in my current job, as it is my duty to manage the MEC’s office. I am also responsible for coordinating and aligning the MEC with departmental activities/projects,” said Mashaba.
On changes he intends to implement, he says that it is important for his position to maintain what is good and improve where necessary. “It is vital that the MEC’s office is made accessible to everyone – both the department and the community at large. As we all know, MECs are messengers of our government,” says Mashaba.
Mashaba foresees, as challenges in his environment, the disregard of systems that are already in place (internally and externally). He says people tend not to trust the departmental processes in that they are quick to want to report to the MEC issues that could have been dealt with by respective managers.
Mashaba is looking forward to working well with every staff member in his new portfolio.