Themba Gadebe, metro spokesman, issued this statement late Friday afternoon:
“The municipality wishes to emphasise that the matter is being dealt with by the MEC as directed by the court. We also reiterate that the court at no stage declared the city manager’s contract invalid.”
Original article:
THE most senior members of the ruling party in Ekurhuleni are playing games with the council and residents by lying and withholding vital information in order to protect the city manager, Khaya Ngema.
This is according to Clr Tania Campbell, DA Ekurhuleni chairperson, and Clr Fortune Mahano, DA Ekurhuleni caucus leader.
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In a statement released on Tuesday, they said: “What’s worse, the grouping of the speaker, executive mayor, chief whip of council and Ngema himself, seemingly make up a gang, which literally and consistently laughs in the face of opposition and all calls for accountability.
“It has become the norm for speaker Patricia Kumalo, mayor Mondli Gungubele and chief whip Robert Mashego to make a mockery of democracy by giggling during important debates and council procedures.
“Kumalo appears to have deliberately misled council at the last monthly meeting on August 27 when she denied having seen the Gauteng South High Court order around the R2.3-million per annum city manager position held illegally by Khaya Ngema. This is evident from an official letter to the DA on September 3, in which the speaker admits that the municipality “obtained the final signed court order on August 21.”
The speaker was responding to a letter, personally delivered, last week Wednesday, by the DA’s caucus leadership to her office. In the same response she also refused the DA’s request for an urgent motion the following day.
“The ANC is undoubtedly facing a crisis, judging by the length of the caucus it held during this meeting. The council meeting was lengthened by at least four hours while the they undoubtedly battled to explain to its ordinary members why such bad and illegal decisions had been taken.
“The grins on the faces of this gang will turn to anxiety soon enough when the High Court judge insists that his instructions in the court order are followed to the letter. While the DA is vindicated on the matter of Ngema’s appointment, we are convinced that the matter has split the ruling party even further and that the majority of the ANC caucus are unaware of the true facts of the matter.
“During the course of the debate between the DA and the ruling party, Kumalo, with the backing of Mashego, refused to instruct Ngema to leave the council meeting in light of the court order which found that Ngema’s appointment warranted investigation. It was then that Kumalo lied to council when she categorically stated that no final court order had been received, as her reason for allowing Ngema to stay.”
In an attempt to silence the opposition and to force the proceedings of the day to continue, Kumalo made several promises that she would call a special council meeting to discuss the appointment of the city manager. Her refusal to call this meeting is evidence that neither she, nor the rest of the executive had any intention of doing so, the statement read.
“Another indication that the powerful few are losing their grip is that an official-looking media release, patting the municipality on the back for winning the case in the High Court, was dismissed by the ANC as being a bogus document and not one authorised by the ANC. Once again, we maintain that the ANC is playing its own members in council. The lack of leadership and accountability in Ekurhuleni is one of the main reasons why this metro continues to fail its residents.
“The DA will not leave this serious misconduct on the part of Kumalo, Mashego and Gungubele to pass and will demand answers from higher spheres of government, including both the MEC and Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.”
