THE future of Ekurhuleni’s embattled city manager will be decided by a court.
Khaya Ngema will be at work until the court process has been concluded, Themba Gadebe, metro spokesman, said in a statement released on Wednesday.
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“Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality received a letter dated October 16, 2015 from the Gauteng Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC. In the letter, the MEC advised Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality to ‘comply with the provisions of section 54A of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000′.
“We then sought clarity on the contents of the letter. Such clarity was received today (November 4).
“It is to the effect that the MEC will go to court, not to ask court for an order that we comply with section 54A of MSA, but on whether the current employment of the city manager is valid or not. The matter will thus be dealt with in court,” Gadebe said.
The latest development in this ongoing saga that Ngema is currently employed illegally, came when the DA and Independent Ratepayers’ Association (IRASA) issued a joint statement, calling for a special council meeting to resolve the issue. They call for Ngema to be dismissed immediately.
Izak Berg, national chairman of IRASA, earlier said the city manager’s appointment was currently null and void and all documents signed by him were not valid. His argument is based on the fact that Ngema’s contract, according to him, has expired.
The DA also claimed it was in possession of documents which revealed a “web of corruption” surrounding Ekurhuleni’s city manager.
