Pretoria – The Presidency has announced the appointment of Lakela Kaunda as the Chief Operations Officer (COO) with effect from 1 November.
“We look forward to working with Ms Kaunda in this new portfolio,” Director-General in The Presidency, Dr Cassius Lubisi, said on Thursday.
Kuanda is a seasoned executive with more than 20 years’ experience in government and the mainstream media.
Her career in the mainstream media included serving as editor of the Evening Post in Port Elizabeth and as assistant editor, deputy news editor and political reporter for the Natal Witness and Echo newspapers in Pietermaritzburg.
In government, she served as the spokesperson of the Deputy President of the Republic, as head of communications and later special advisor on communications to the Minister of Social Development, as director of communications for the Department of Communications and as public relations officer to the MEC for Economic Affairs and Tourism in KwaZulu-Natal.
She has served as the Deputy Director-General and Head of the Private Office of The President since 2009.
“She has done very well as head of the President’s Office and has ensured efficiency and effectiveness in the performance of the office.
“We are convinced that she will acquit herself equally well in heading the administration in the much bigger Presidency establishment,” Lubisi said.
Presidency spokesperson Mac Maharaj said the post was established to free the Director-General to concentrate on other key responsibilities including political support to the President and Deputy President, as well as his responsibilities as Secretary of Cabinet, Chancellor of National Orders and chairperson of the Forum of South African Directors-General.
“Ms Kaunda holds a Master’s degree in South African Politics and Political Economy from the University of Port Elizabeth, a BA Honours in Politics from Unisa, a Bachelor of Journalism and Media Studies from Rhodes University and a Post-Graduate Diploma in World Politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science,” Maharaj said.
Kaunda is a former chairperson of the South African National Editors Forum (SANEF).
Source:SAnews.gov.za