The Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) has unveiled Dutywa-born Ayanda Wakaba as its new full-time chief executive officer (CEO) effective July 1.
Wakaba’s appointment follows the departure of former CEO, Ndzondelelo Dlulane, who had served the ECDC for the past 11 years.
ECDDC board chairperson, Vuyani Jarana, said the newly appointed Wakaba joined the entity armed with vast experience in economic development.
“Wakaba comes armed with a depth of experience in the economic development landscape, having served as the founding CEO of the Ntinga OR Tambo Development Agency, as well as chief operating officer (COO) of the Independent Development Trust (IDT) among many senior positions he has occupied,” said Jarana during a hybrid press conference to formally introduce Wakaba.
“He joins the ECDC at the most challenging of times, when the corporation embarks on a journey of transformation, so it is able to play its rightful role as a lead economic development agency for the Eastern Cape.
“The demand for support by our SMMEs has never been this high and that requires a fit for purpose and responsive ECDC,” said Jarana.
He further wished Wakaba success in his new position.
Wakaba has an accounting, auditing, finance, and business management educational background, having acquired a Bachelor of Commerce Accounting, Honours, Bachelor of Accounting Sciences, an Advanced Diploma in Accounting Sciences and Master of Business Management and Administration (MBA).
“The assurance I want to give is that the candidate that the ECDC board has selected is committed to getting the job done.
“I’ve had an opportunity of working in this province for a number of years and am very familiar with the lives, hopes, aspirations and challenges that the Eastern Cape is faced with,” Wakaba said.
“Over the last 14 years, my work has been in development management and three of those years I’ve worked mostly in strategy, risk and institutional performance.
“If anything, these years have taught me that to succeed in any venture we need a common vision,” Wakaba concluded.
