After a protracted selection process plagued by numerous problems, the City of Johannesburg has appointed a CIO.
Patrick Mayaba - formerly GM of information systems at City Power, and acting CIO for the city since the former CIO Heather Fuller resigned in November last year - was selected from a pool of 140 applicants.
City spokesman Virgil James says Mayaba`s five-year fixed-term contract effectively began yesterday.
Complications
In April, another applicant was selected for the position, but declined the post. The position was then re-advertised.
Mayaba did not apply for the position originally; he explains that during the first round of applications, the position was for an IT director, and the title of CIO only came into play during the second round of applications.
"He`s been acting CIO since Heather [Fuller] left, and he has the knowledge and experience to ensure the city applies best practice and latest technologies to improve service delivery," says James.
He adds that Mayaba was selected by a panel of senior officials in council, and an independent recruiting agency.
Details to come
Mayaba holds a Master`s of Business Leadership, a Bachelor of Science in computer science and mathematical statistics, and several diplomas in business management and project management.
"I`m looking forward to the challenge," he says.
He plans to reveal more about his strategy at the helm of the city`s IT department in due course, but says at the moment he is hesitant to discuss such issues.
James says: "We believe we`re a leader and innovator among municipalities - and we are confident that Patrick Mayaba will be able to meet the challenges of the job."
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