Middelburg – In the beginning of October, Mandla Lucas Mahlangu assumed a new position as municipal manager for the Nkangala District Municipality. But who is he?
Mahlangu was born in Winterveldt, Gauteng, and later grew up in Vlaklaagte No. 2 near KwaMhlanga.
He pursued an LLB at the University of the Witwatersrand and his legal career started at Ramushu Morare Attorneys in 2003 as a candidate attorney and an attorney in 2005.
He later became the senior litigation attorney at Ramushu Mashile Twala Inc in Johannesburg. Between 2008 and 2013, he went to help establish two other firms – Mahlangu, Maimela & Sekgote Attorneys and Mahlangu Mnguni Attorneys.
In 2013, he joined Thembisile Hani Local Municipality as a Legal Officer. Three years later, he moved to Nkangala District Municipality as a Senior Legal Adviser, rising to General Manager for Corporate Services in 2022 before assuming his current role.
Beyond his LLB qualification, Mahlangu holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Drafting and Interpretation of Contracts from the University of Johannesburg and a Master’s degree in Labour Law. He recently completed a mediation and arbitration course with distinction through the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa.
Asked what inspired him to join the public sector, Mahlangu said his early experience handling municipal cases revealed the lack of knowledge within some municipalities. “When the opportunity arose to assist the public sector and reduce litigation, I grabbed it with both hands,” he said.
Nkangala’s key priorities
Nkangala’s key priorities include delivering bulk services such as water and main roads to local municipalities.
Municipalities like Thembisile Hani and Victor Khanye rely on water from other sources and the district is trying to address this through a major water pipeline project from Loskop Dam to Thembisile Hani.
The district is also confronting persistent challenges such as infrastructure theft, illegal connections and maintenance backlogs.
Road repairs, he said, remain constrained due to limited resources with the municipality currently using a donated Jetpatcher and shared equipment from local municipalities to patch potholes across the district.
Transparency and community participation from the cornerstone of his vision for Nkangala. The municipality will continue to host Mayoral Imbizos and expand engagement through digital surveys, social media, radio broadcasts and open budget consultations, added Mahlangu.
Performance agreements for senior managers, including the Municipal Manager, are also published to ensure transparency and public accountability.
Nkangala has maintained nine consecutive clean audits. “Our aim is to extend good governance to all local municipalities, assist with financial turnaround and promote accountability,” he said.
To achieve this, Nkangala will expand its Municipal Support Unit to assist municipalities such as Emalahleni, Steve Tshwete and Emakhazeni. The District Development Model (DDM) will also continue to centralise planning to prevent duplication and promote efficient use of resources.
To maintain its clean audit record the municipality will strengthen documentation processes, contract management and adherence to procurement plans. Mahlangu stressed the importance of proper record-keeping, contract quality and timely project completion.
Community programmes
The municipality runs several community programmes, including GBVF awareness campaigns, moral regeneration initiatives and financial and non-financial support for SMMEs and emerging farmers. It has also partnered with Sector Education Training Authorities to provide internships and learnerships that help graduates secure employment.
Mahlangu announced plans to launch a municipal media studio that will produce bi-weekly podcasts live-streamed on social media and accessible via toll-free lines.
Local municipalities will share waste collection schedules, water updates and other essential notices through this platform. A partnership with Mpumalanga Radio Hub will extend information access to residents without internet or media coverage.
Ecofriendly programmes on the pipeline
Mahlangu said Nkangala will grow its climate change unit, strengthen disaster management for floods and storms, and establish partnerships with the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs. A collaborative relationship is being developed with a Chinese county to share expertise on energy transition, climate adaptation and biodiversity programmes.
Upcoming infrastructure and economic growth projects include repurposing Komati Power Station for renewable energy, developing solar plant farms, establishing a brick plant in Emakhazeni and a chemical water purification plant in Thembisile Hani.
There are also plans to develop the Moloto railway corridor and through the Mpumalanga Parks and Tourism Agency to establish a Big Five conservation park linking Loskop and Zithabiseni.
