Jobs for relatives at SDM?
"The children and relatives have been moved to work in Heidelberg for 'obvious reasons'."
VEREENIGING. – A trail of segregation and self-serving public representatives in the Sedibeng District Municipality (SDM) and Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) remains a pandemic that must be rooted out.
These are the words of Build One South Africa (BOSA) Sedibeng Chairperson, Butiki Nkopane.
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster Nkopane revealed that recently, two senior members in the SDM, both of them being Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMC), have offered their children and relatives jobs as traffic officers without the posts being advertised.
Nkopane further alleges that the children and relatives have been moved to work in Heidelberg for “obvious reasons”.
Heidelberg falls under the Lesedi Local Municipality (LLM), which together with the Midvaal Local Municipality (MLM) and the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) fall under the SDM.
“The undeserving family members of these public representatives secured jobs as Sedibeng Municipal Traffic Officers recently, and that has spark(ed) the attention of concerned counterparts who are questioning (the) criteria and advertisements of similar posts in order for them to also apply,” said Nkopane.
He added that while qualified unemployed youth in Sedibeng are moving up and down with CVs, others are allegedly advanced because their fathers and uncles are in the municipality paving the way for them to be employed.
“It is painful and a huge betrayal to the people of Sedibeng that the very they elected to curb the scourge of corruption, are now the ones alleged to excel in it. The alleged recent appointment of the daughter of one of the MMC in Sedibeng Municipality and the other MMC, who also connected his relatives as well, is a clear phrase that says ‘if you can’t beat them join them’,” said Nkopane.
In response to the allegations, the SDM said:
“Sedibeng District Municipality has no function undertaken by Traffic Officers. The Municipality always complies with Human Resources policies and processes when filling all vacant posts. Thus, all posts are advertised, shortlisting panel set up, interviews held, and where necessary vetting is undertaken.”
Nkopane further said that the allegations are a disgrace on the side of the leading party (ANC), which absorbed weak independent public representatives, and used them to continue fulfilling their “selfish plans”.
“This time around, these directionless leaders are allegedly rewarded by employing their family members to compensate for the stances they took to betray their constituencies. As Build One South Africa (BOSA), we are strongly opposed to any form of nepotism and we believe our youth should be given equal chances to participate in opportunities that are available here in Sedibeng.”
