Council and the so-called Aggrieved Group of Residents want an internal investigation into an incident at the municipality in which a councillor is alleged to have verbally attacked Municipal Manager Thabani Biyela.
Mr Biyela told a meeting last Friday that the incident occurred on the morning of October 4, after he had apparently found e-mails on the computer used by Acting Municipal Manager Advocate R Brijraj, who has since been told to take leave by the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA).
Mr Biyela sent a message to Advocate Brijraj, saying that he knew that ‘there is a plot against me (Biyela) to keep me out of my job’, apparently involving two councillors.
Shortly afterwards he received a call from one of the councillors, saying he wanted to meet with Mr Biyela.
When the councillor arrived at the municipal offices Mr Biyela was in a meeting with councillor Ngobese and an official, and the visiting councillor had to wait.
Mr Biyela said the councillor later went into the office, but was again asked to wait.
Some time later Mr Biyela and the councillor did eventually meet, but Mr Biyela said he was ‘sworn at and harassed by the councillor in front of the others’.
However, at the end of the ‘meeting’, Mr Biyela said the councillor kept telling him ‘we must all behave like professionals’.
Later Mr Biyela opened a charge of intimidation against the councillor. Warning statements have been taken and the docket is at the office of the Public Prosecutor, awaiting a decision to prosecute or not.
Last Friday, the Aggrieved Group summoned councillors to a meeting to find out what steps council has taken.
Mayor Thulani Mahaye told the committee that councillors were aware of the matter but they were waiting for a report from Mr Biyela.
He has since sent a report to Speaker Mdluli.
“We want the council to speed up an internal investigation to show the public at large that there is no councillor who is allowed to misuse power,” said members of the committee.
The committee was also disappointed with councillors who did not attend the meeting or even bother to send their apologies. Councillor Bongiwe Mbatha promised the committee that ‘council will monitor the council register’.
She claimed that the Act is clear – ‘if a councillor does not attend three consecutive meetings that particular councillor will be fired.’