The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Ekurhuleni has opposed the return to work of Ekurhuleni City Manager Kagiso Lerutla, calling for his immediate precautionary suspension while his legal case remains before the courts.

Speaking on Monday morning, DA Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate Khathutshelo Rasilingwane confirmed that the party will re-submit a motion to the Speaker of Council seeking Lerutla’s suspension. The party is also pushing for an urgent council meeting to address the matter.

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The DA further criticised Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza for what it described as a failure to act decisively during the previous council sitting.

According to the party, the mayor missed an opportunity to prioritise accountability and transparency by delaying action and requesting additional legal opinion, despite allegedly having sufficient time to obtain clarity on the matter beforehand.The DA argues that Lerutla’s return to office while facing serious allegations, including fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice, undermines public confidence in the City of Ekurhuleni’s leadership and governance standards.

The party maintains that placing the city manager on precautionary suspension would protect the integrity of municipal processes while legal proceedings continue.