News that the hearing would proceed this week has been widely welcomed by organised business and many ELM employees said staff cheered when confirmation was received.
Known for anger management issues, Dyakala also has a reputation for extreme abuse of both subordinates and superiors, once subjecting acting Executive Mayor Khetiwe Ntombela to extreme gender insults during an online meeting.
Ntombela was forced to obtain a court protection order against Dyakala as no successful steps were then taken against Dyakala.
Dyakala was known within ELM as part of the “Gang of Two” mafia which conducted a reign of terror and abuse within the municipality without regard for regulations or the Law, and destroying jobs and businesses by only paying a favoured clique of service providers on time.
Dyakala is also alleged to have conducted smear campaigns against leading media and business figures as well as his own superiors, including Municipal Manager Lucky Leseane.
Leseane is also in his personal capacity instituting legal proceedings against Dyakala for alleged defamatory remarks made in public after his formal suspension several weeks ago.
The controversial official – who is well-connected within the ruling ANC and has manipulated councillors in the past to avoid consequences – also lost an urgent application in the Labour Court in Johannesburg recently applying for his suspension to be lifted.
The hearing is scheduled for Friday 3 June and will be held virtually, an ELM spokesperson has confirmed. The hearing is not open to the public.
According to ELM, all functions in the hearing will be performed by independent attorneys in the interests of impartiality.
Two separate legal firms are involved with the Prosecutor provided by Raphela Attorneys and the Presiding Officer being Mr Majavu from Majavu Inc, said ELM.
The process would be regulated by the Regulation for Senior Managers, said ELM.
The Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC) which has demanded Dyakala’s firing for years, said that if the disciplinary hearing proceeded, it would indicate progress in creating a culture of consequence management now sorely lacking at ELM.
“Dyakala must only be seen as the first in a long line of senior management at ELM who have destroyed the institution through extreme incompetence and allowing a rampant culture of corruption to take hold at every level,” said GTCoC President Klippies Kritzinger.
