The new manager of Govan Mbeki Municipality, Elliot Maseko, was formally introduced to the council at an extraordinary council meeting held at the municipal council chamber on Tuesday, June 14.
Maseko is not new to the municipality.
He served as a director of Cooperative Services in the municipality some years ago.
The executive mayor, Nhlakanipho Zuma, said Maseko was supposed to begin work on June 1 but he was serving notice at another municipality where he was deployed by the National Treasury.
Maseko will take up his duties in GMM on Monday, June 20.
An argument erupted when the mayor recommended the council not accept apologies of absence from councillors of the DA and the Freedom Front Plus.
The DA councillors, James Masango and Encee van Huyssteen and FF+ councillor, Aranda Nel Buitendag stated in their leave of absence letters that they were attending to the DA court case to unseat the municipality speaker, Fikile Magagamela at Middleburg High Court.
Zuma argued that the case proceeding was held virtually and he was following it while attending the council meeting.
This angered some councillors who asked Zuma how he could be in two meetings at the same time.
Zuma said it is unacceptable to forward an apology to the council and claim that you are somewhere else. He implied that councillors could tell the council they will be at church, but then actually be in the shebeen.
Zuma told councillors that the DA matter was struck off the court roll by the Middleburg High Court with costs and said the council is back with its full operation as normal.
“Magagamela remains our council speaker and until the certain parties follow the right processes, there is not a motion of no confidence.
“We are having a normal council meeting that is proceeding with its activities,” said Zuma.
The dismissed municipal manager, Felani Mndebele’s case is at the Commission for Reconciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
The case was supposed to sit at the CCMA on Monday, June 6, but was postponed to July 11 to 15 for his senior counsel to be available for the arbitration.
The DA said it is taking the matter of the municipality speaker, Magagamela back to the Middleburg High Court on Tuesday, June 21, because there were minor technical errors that led to the high court decision.
James Masango said those technicalities have since been rectified.
