Council has just closed a marathon special sitting during which Cooperative Governance MEC, Mandla Ndlovu, recommend the appointment of an interim Acting Municipal Manager, Ms Minah Maredi, to deal with ongoing labour disputes with an independent eye.

The DA, EFF, FF+ and MHRF all expressed concern over the short term appointment, agreeing that a permanent appointment should be made from the shortlisted candidates already interviewed and vetted for the position.

The ANC supported the interim appointment in an effort to avoid the municipality being placed under administration, as alluded to by the MEC in case council fails this time around to end the ongoing strikes.

MEC Ndlovu lambasted the administration for unilaterally suspending negotiations with employee representatives, most of whom have been suspended for their roles in instigating unrest.

He conceded that the provincial delegation failed to put “a horse among fighting cows,” illustrating his point with another metaphor, saying while council had the right of way on the treacherous road ahead, council still has the obligation to stop for a speeding truck.

According to Cogta, on the 2021/2022 budget, a grade upgrade to level 5 would have required an additional R179 million on the municipality’s wage bill of R698 million.

The municipality has R450 million in reserves, with the exclusion of R60 million paid to Eskom.

He urged the administration to revive the Local Labour Forum which has collapsed with the administration’s refusal to engage with employee representatives.

The MEC said he would launch an independent forensic investigation into allegations of maladministration, as alleged by employees.

He also urged council to get rid of the armed security contractors, while urging a clear safety and security policy to be implemented, not only for the sake of managers and councillors, but to also provide security to employees, including strikers, under attack.

The DA accused the MEC and Cogta of stoking the unrest by reinstating 400 fired employees, and ordering striking municipal employees to be paid.

“This only taught them there’s no consequences for their illegal actions,” the DA’s Palesa Mobango said.

The MEC insisted that the no-work-no-pay policy must be implemented since last September, but fairly on the basis of undeniable proof of absence without leave.

The MEC said that trust had reached such a low point between employees and management, that a secondment had to be considered.

The DA, however, submitted an amendment to the MEC’s proposal, stating that a report must first be compiled and tabled before council, with the outcome of the interviews already conducted.

The DA said that an existing, vetted candidate, can be appointed by the end of August, without brining in outsiders, which the employees also don’t want.

The DA’s amendment passed with 29 votes against the ANC’s 18.

A council sitting will be held on Tuesday during which council will scrutinise the interviewed candidates for Municipal Manager.

“We did not conduct interviews and vetting for nothing, if Cogta wasn’t satisfied with the eight shortlisted candidates, the department should have said so, there’s therefore no ned to bring in someone who will ask where’s Kanonkop,” the MHRF’s Ben Mokoena agreed.

The MEC issued a stern warning saying he would not hesitate to invoke his legal powers to place the municipality under administration, if council fails to resolve the issue soon.

Ms Maredi has experience in municipal administration and finances as Municipal Manager for both Elias Motsoaledi Municipality and Victor Khanye.

“Those municipalities are bankrupt,” Cllr Mobango countered.

A majority of councillors also agreed that the municipality has other capable executive directors that can take over from Ms Thokozile Zulu, whose contract expires in September, if a permanent appointment is not made sooner.