MBDA board secures veteran administrator Anele Qaba as new CEO

Board members introducing new MBDA CEO to staff. From Left: Vuyani Dyantyi, Anele Qaba (CEO), Glenda Perumal (Board Chair), Pinky Kondlo and Mxolisi Moolman.

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Thursday, 22 June 2023, the board of the Mandela Bay Development Agency is pleased to announce the conclusion of a recruitment process for the post that became available in June 2022. Since then, the board appointed MBDA Executive Mpho Mokonyama in a caretaker role while the recruitment process got under way.

Board Chairperson, Glenda Perumal, acknowledged that the recruitment process took longer than anticipated. Explaining the challenge, she says: “The MBDA has evolved over the past 20 years and in that time the entity continued to make a significant contribution to the development of Nelson Mandela Bay, so finding a candidate that could leverage that legacy, and at the same time demonstrating insight into the future, was no easy task. In the end, the board found a candidate in Mr Anele Qaba; he possesses all the necessary requirements and he is ready to hit the ground running.

From left: Chairperson G Perumal and CEO A Qaba.

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“Today we can confirm that Mr Qaba has accepted the offer as the MBDA’s new CEO, effective from 22 June 2023, for a period of five years,” concluded Perumal.

Chairperson of the MBDA Corporate Services Committee, Vuyani Dyantyi, comments on Qaba’s experience. He says: “The new CEO comes with a wealth of knowledge of the sector, having started his career with the Eastern Cape (Parks) Tourism Agency in the early 2000s and later joining the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality as Director for Trade and Investment, before assuming the role of Executive Director for Economic Development, Tourism and Agriculture, a role that managed the integration of the MBDA to the city.”

Chairperson of the MBDA’s Risk and Finance Committee, Pinky Kondlo, who also formed part of the recruitment panel, says: “We are confident that Qaba understands where the MBDA is, and where it needs to go. He understands the operating and legislative environment in which the MBDA operates and has a full grasp of the job ahead."

On his appointment, Qaba says: “I look forward to continuing my role with the MBDA, albeit under a different mandate and role. I have worked very closely with the entity, and I was also involved in several city initiatives that gave rise to the work of the MBDA, so I know the institution well. I also look forward to working with the city, board, management and all staff in pursuing the newly approved five-year strategy.”

On 30 May, the MBDA approved a new five-year strategy that will see the entity refocused and becoming more agile and adaptive. Core to the strategy is a focus on 'Total Precinct Management', providing project management services to a base of clients and pursuing game-changing catalytic programmes that will change the city landscape and boost the economy.

Qaba starts his day with a 'meet and reacquaint' with staff from all three offices of the MBDA, the Tramways, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and the Nelson Mandela Bay Science and Technology Centre.