Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to call in helping hands to process all job applications

A lack of adequate office space and data capturers to process job applications is hampering the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality’s recruitment process.

As the metro attempts to fill 136 critical municipal vacancies, it is battling to process the applications with only nine human resources practitioners.

In a report to the corporate services portfolio committee on Friday, acting executive director Vuyo Zitumane said the practitioners were also responsible for a workforce of 7 000 employees.

The municipality was on a recruitment drive to fill all posts deemed critical, Zitumane said.

Her department was processing applications for 136 jobs that were advertised between April and last month.

In her report, Zitumane wrote: “The capturing, shortlisting, interviewing and appointment processes are being administered on an ongoing basis.

“However, a lack of resources and inadequate office space are hampering especially the recruitment-capturing aspect.”

The portfolio committee approved her recommendation that four additional data capturers and five HR practitioners be added onto the municipality’s new organogram to fast-track the recruitment process.

Zitumane said as additional office space was needed, moving staff temporarily to other premises was being considered.