SECUNDA – Opposition parties accused the Govan Mbeki Municipality’s executive mayor, Mr Nhlakanipho Zuma, and his mayoral committee, of dictatorship in council.
The opposition parties voiced their dismay on Thursday, 4 March, during the first council meeting that was held in the council chambers this year.
Due to the new Covid-19 variant, the country was taken back to lockdown alert Level 3 in December and all types of gatherings were forbidden.
Govan Mbeki Municipality then held visual council meetings to avoid social contact as to adhere to Lockdown regulations.
During the council meeting, Sapromo president, Mr Sibusiso Hlolweni, staged a walkout.
He decided to walk out when the reviewing of the municipality’s organisational structure was discussed.
According to the new structure, regional manager positions are scaled down from level 2 to level 3.
“We believe the intension of these posts down-scaling is not a good one because two ANC members from eMbalenhle and Bethal are already being prepared for these posts.
“They are pretending to be saving money, but if our municipality was serious about saving money, why did they employ about fifty people last year after the section 106 report was tabled to the council?
“The investigation findings were that many were illegally employed as processes were not followed, including the chief financial officer who worked for two years without a contract.
“We are saying they must go and regain the money that was paid to that CFO,” said Mr Hlolweni.
Sapromo asked why the municipality does not want to employ qualified people, because the names of the two who they want to re-employ as regional managers, appeared in different investigations that were conducted before the Section 106 investigation even began.
“We are reviewing the municipal organogram but their names have already been discussed.”
Mr Hlolweni said the council was supposed to have opened a case against the suspended CFO after the disappearance of R3-m from municipal coffers.
He suggested that the municipality solve its financial and corruption burdens by reducing the mayoral committee members.
Mr Hlolweni said he could not stay in the council meeting while the ANC uses its majority vote to push through more bad decisions.
The EFF said they want a special meeting that will deal with the Section 106 investigation report.
“We have a role to play and will not be bullied by the executive mayor and his mayoral committee,” said Mr Thabiso Mofokeng, leader of the EFF.
“We are facing a situation of an arrogant mayoral committee and our executive mayor wants to be a dictator.
“Now the municipality has employed a director who is not qualified in water and sanitation because the mayoral committee is gunning for support from unions. We are going to nullify this appointment.
“We find that the mayoral committee wants to eliminate the Section 106 report, but the executive mayor is telling the council that he is almost finished addressing the report and recommendations,” concluded Mr Mofokeng.
Ms Ciska Jordaan of the DA said the matter was part of a closed meeting and although the DA joined in the walkout, they are not yet at liberty to discuss the matter.
The acting head of communication, Mr Donald Green, said the meeting was a closed session and they cannot comment on the item that was discussed.
Mpumalanga premier, Ms Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane, during her State of the Province address said that in line with their responsibility to fight corruption and maladministration in municipalities, they have completed investigations in terms of section 106 of the Municipal Systems Act in Dr JS Moroka, Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme and Govan Mbeki local municipalities, with the recommendations provided to municipalities for implementation.
Ms Tsipane also said they have further supported these three municipalities to develop action plans to implement Section 106 recommendations.
