Mashaba plans to axe finance chief

Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba plans to axe his finance mayoral committee member Rabelani Dagada. Rumours have been doing the rounds for some time that Dagada’s head was on the block amid claims by opposition parties that the city’s finances are in a dire state.

Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba plans to axe finance mayoral committee member (MMC) Rabelani Dagada.

Rumours have been doing the rounds for some time that Dagada’s head is on the block amid claims by opposition parties that the city’s finances are in a dire state.

The city is battling to fulfil promises that it would fix the billing crisis it has inherited from the ANC-led council.

Business Day was told that one of the reasons that billing has remained a thorn in the flesh for the city fathers was that meter reading for both Joburg Water and City Power had not been transferred to the finance department of the city.

This meant that the finance department could not control what was billed to residents. It had to rely on other entities to give it readings, which were mostly flawed.

The opposition ANC has said Dagada is being made a sacrificial lamb as Mashaba has “messed up the system”.

It is understood that the relationship between the mayor and the MMC has deteriorated since the rumours first emerged that he was to be axed.

Dagada was essentially demoted before the rumours erupted in August, as he was removed as head of executive business in the council. At the time, the city said this was done so that he could focus on his portfolio as MMC for finance.

Talk in DA circles is that potential replacements for Dagada include Victor Penning, chairman of the council’s finance committee, David Porter and Lufuno Mashau, said to be the mayor’s financial adviser.

Dagada referred queries to the mayor’s office.