An advert by the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs department on Sunday, for various specialists with local government experience, contained an unfortunate error when it called for people with an "impeachable record".



"The DCoG invites former municipal managers and other professionals with technical and specialist skills in local government with an impeachable [sic] record of honest and integrity, to register on the database," the advertisement states.



Departmental spokesman Legadima Leso told News24 that the use of the word "impeachable" in the advertisement was a typo. The correct word was meant to be "impeccable", he explained.



Leso confirmed that the establishment of a database was part of Minister Zweli Mkhize's drive to improve the leadership in municipalities.

Last month, Fin24 reported that the department had appointed 81 new engineers and town planners.

Mkhize said at the time that the department’s support would go a long way to assist municipalities struggling to maintain and refurbish ageing or deteriorating infrastructure.

"Earlier this year I indicated that the performance of the majority of municipalities remained below expectations. I said only seven percent of the country’s municipalities are classified as well-functioning, with 31% being reasonably functional, 31% almost dysfunctional while the remaining 31% is dysfunctional."

He said a support programme for municipalities would run until April 2021.



