Karibib Town Council’s newly appointed CEO Tangeni Enkono shares his mandate, early priorities and long-term vision for the town. In this engagement with New Era’s senior sport journalist Limba Mupetami (LM), Tangeni Enkono(TE) highlights service delivery, financial sustainability, governance reforms and community engagement as key pillars of his administration.
LM: What was the key mandate given to you upon your appointment as CEO of Karibib Town Council, and how do you personally define success in this role?
TE: As the chief administrator of the town of Karibib, I am tasked with ensuring that the organisation continues to render quality community services to the town’s populace. At the same time, I am tasked with initiating and overseeing infrastructure and economic development projects that will improve the livelihoods of the town’s residents. All this is to be achieved by advising the Council to pass resolutions in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.
LM: In your first 100 days as CEO, what are the most urgent governance or service delivery issues you intend to address in Karibib?
TE: To operate effectively, the organisation needs direction. As a Council, we intend to develop and implement a strategic plan with realistic, achievable goals that align with national and regional development policies. Housing, sanitation, roads and the creation of industries to support increasing mining activities in the surrounding areas are some of the high priority areas.
LM: How would you describe your leadership style, and how do you plan to motivate and align staff towards improved performance and accountability?
TE: I mostly adopt the participative leadership style. I do not micro-manage but empower staff members to make critical decisions while encouraging collaboration and open communication. In addition, staff members should be clear about the expectations outlined in their individual performance contracts, ensuring accountability.
LM: Strengthening governance is a central part of your appointment. What specific governance reforms or systems are you planning to introduce or reinforce?
EN: As a Council, we have started reviewing all existing policies to ensure that they meet the demands of the ever-changing socio-economic factors, regulations and technological trends that significantly influence our operations.
LM: With your background in municipal finance, how do you plan to improve financial sustainability, revenue collection and budget discipline at the Town Council?
TE: Installing prepaid water metres will guarantee a healthy cash position. Applying aggressive debt collection methods to businesses and institutions that account for a significant portion of our revenue is vital to ensuring a healthy financial standing. Our operational expenditure will be highly dependent on that. I would also ensure that strict budget controls are implemented, and no authorisation is granted to expenditure not budgeted for.
LM: Are there any flagship service delivery programmes or projects you want to introduce to directly improve the quality of life for Karibib residents?
TE: The Council is currently busy de-congesting and upgrading informal settlements. The construction of sewer and water reticulation systems is underway. We also intend to roll out prepaid water metres to ensure all residents have access to water.
LM: How has your experience as a Finance Manager in Arandis and as an Acting CEO in Otavi shaped your approach to managing a local authority like Karibib?
TE:My experience in the said roles has equipped me with in-depth knowledge of municipal governance, financial management, service delivery challenges and stakeholder dynamics. I am familiar with the legislative framework and have successfully led teams to achieve set objectives under similar environments. I have also met and developed professional relationships with key stakeholders in local authority governance, including industry regulators, ministers, officials from the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, and bulk service suppliers, just to name a few.
LM: How important is community engagement in your administration, and what mechanisms will you use to ensure residents’ voices are heard?
TE:With the mandate of serving the community, it is important to keep up to date with the needs of the community. Frequent community engagements through customer surveys and public meetings will serve as a platform for the Council and residents to address service delivery shortfalls and devise strategies to improve service delivery. Having a community-informed approach also demonstrates accountability and creates community confidence in the Council’s operations.
LM: What plans do you have to build institutional capacity and upskill staff to ensure long-term efficiency and continuity within the Town Council?
TE:I would implement a performance management system aligned to the council’s strategic goals. Training needs assessments would be conducted, followed by targeted capacity-building programmes.
LM: Looking five years ahead, what kind of town do you envision Karibib becoming under your leadership, and what key milestones should residents expect along the way?
TE: My vision is to transform Karibib into a financially stable, well-managed and service-oriented town. I also see Karibib as an industrial and logistics hub for mineral processing. The milestones that can be expected are overall small-town regeneration by improving service infrastructure, local economic growth, a competent and motivated KTC workforce, improved governance, compliance and financial audit reports.
