In the latest edition of the Municipal Edge, Busani Ndlovu (CEO) discusses how Inzalo EMS brings something fresh to the municipal sector.
Inzalo EMS has recently launched in the market. We spoke to their CEO, Busani Ndlovu, who sagely discussed how their bespoke products and services will bring something fresh to the municipal sector. This is what he had to say.
What is Inzalo’s approach to addressing the challenges in local government?
Coming from local government, we fully understand the innerworkings. Thus, in developing our solutions, we do so with an intimate understanding of municipal challenges and we adapt our approach to help our clients navigate around those challenges. Take our EMS solution, for example. During our extensive development journey, there was a steep learning curve. We quickly understood how highly intricate the EMS system is and how complications can arise when protocol is not properly followed through. Therefore, we don’t take shortcuts. We don’t do mapping. Also, when we think of the architecture and investment that has gone into developing our EMS solution, it would be an injustice not to dominate in the public sector space.
How will you address the state of municipal finance?
Government alone cannot deal with the skills gap in municipal finance and it is unfair of us, as private sector, to expect them to do so. We feel obligated to meet them halfway. That is where our training hub comes in. Since 2015, we have inducted SAIPA, SAICA and CIMA trainees into our training programme. We mentor these aspiring individuals, provide them with requisite material and exposure, and conduct frequent field training with them at various municipalities. By the time they complete their training, they are ready to fill the role of CFO. This high calibre of accounting professionals come with fresh eyes and a new way of thinking. They are what government needs to close the municipal finance skills gap.
“We don’t need to refer to what was done in the past. It no longer applies. Adapt. Pivot. And look ahead”
How can we curb municipalities heavy reliance on national government’s equitable share?
We have raised this with our SAIPA and SAICA trainees to challenge their creative thinking. We know that South Africans owe billions of Rands to municipalities for services rendered – an amount that is accumulating at a disproportionate rate. We cannot keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. So, we encourage our trainees to be creative and think outside the box to find ways that municipalities can generate their own revenue and be less dependent on national government.
In closing, his way forward was simple: “We don’t need to refer to what was done in the past. It no longer applies. Adapt. Pivot. And look ahead”.
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