Specifically, newly-elected ELM Executive Mayor Sipho Radebe must immediately remove illegally-appointed acting Municipal Manager Andile Dyakala forthwith, just as Gauteng Province axed the highly-divisive official from presiding illegally over recent council elections.
Two major Vaal business organisations this week made the call to restore control over ELM executives and its illegally-appointed acting Municipal Manager – the Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC) and the Vereeniging Business Cooperation (VBC).
Mayor Radebe should also clarify persistent rumours that ELM salary payments were delayed by a day to 26 November due to Dyakala’s alleged intention to pay himself and employees year-end bonuses in possibly the country’s worst-performing municipality.
“It is vital that Mayor Radebe intervene and stamp his authority on these rogue officials who are again not thinking ahead to preventing possible extended power blackouts over the Festive Season which will leave the entire region in darkness once again,” said GTCoC CEO Klippies Kritzinger.
VBC MD Kevin Jackson also called for the removal of Dyakala and for Mayor Radebe to investigate incompetent management by Dyakala and other top ELM officials since Dyakala was appointed on October 15.
“Over recent weeks due to the elections and following weeks the VBC has noted a distinct deterioration of an already catastrophic ELM management process and this must be addressed before business and residents are again punished by municipal incompetence during the Festive Season,” said Jackson.
Dyakala also took the hostile and unprecedented step of issuing an internal statement – also leaked to media – criticising and blaming ELM Financial Administrator Rianda Kruger for the delay in ELM November salary payments.
However, several sources close to Dyakala informed Vaalweekblad that Administrator Kruger correctly refused to approve the bonus payments when confronted at the last minute before the regular salary run.
But an ELM spokesperson this week ignored and refused to comment directly on the bonus issue and denied outright that salary payments were delayed despite Dyakala’s signed and circulated internal memo in Vaalweekblad’s possession. Lead Administrator Gilberto Martins could not be reached for comment.
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