Municipal officials in the spotlight
Just how qualified are your municipal officials?
Some discrepancies in qualifications and the employment of certain individuals in political office at the municipality have been brought to the Herald‘s attention.
According to Randfontein DA caucus whip Alwyn van Tonder, “The Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) has investigated the Randfontein Local Municipality’s expenditure and found unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure.”
MPAC reports indicate the total expenditure amounted to more than R128 000 000 of which R13 562 677 was identified by the Auditor General as irregular expenditure towards the salaries of 26 people appointed in the municipal political office.
No evidence could be produced that the individuals who were appointed met the minimum requirements for the positions as advertised. The Auditor General found they were non-compliant with recruitment, selection and appointment policies,” Van Tonder said.
The Randfontein Local Municipality has denied the claims and subsequently provided evidence disproving/ contradicting the claims to a certain extent.
The discrepancies arise when annexures in the MPAC report do not correspond with the candidates’ supporting documents.
The municipality supplied certified copies of the qualifications of 23 of the 26 people, all of whom seemed to have met the minimum requirement of the position.
The qualifications of the remaining three people are yet to be disclosed to the Herald.
Tshidiso Tlharipe, spokesperson for the Randfontein executive mayor also supplied advertisements for the position which state, “Unless the incumbent has demonstrated that he or she has developed the necessary competencies through experience, he or she should have at least an NQF level 5 or a relevant diploma.”
Tlharipe explained, “NQF level 5 or a diploma serves as a required qualification in case you could not through acquired experience demonstrate that you have developed the necessary competencies.”
With this, the municipality insists that the 26 people employed in political office have met the requirements of the positions and that employment procedures were followed and labour law requirements were adhered to.
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Also read:
Municipality’s expenditure questioned
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