Ombud’s call for probe referred to SIU

President Jacob Zuma has referred to the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) the request by Johannesburg ombudsman S’du Gumede to establish a commission of inquiry into alleged maladministration and irregularities in the City of Johannesburg.

Gumede was suspended on May 9. The Labour Court declared his suspension unlawful and overturned it. The city was denied leave to appeal against the judgment.

In a letter to Gumede, Cassius Lubisi, the director-general in the Presidency, said the issues Gumede raised could be best dealt with by the SIU.

The city ombudsman investigates complaints of maladministration and allegations of abuse of human rights by the municipality and its officials on behalf of the public and ratepayers.

In a letter to the Presidency, calling for a commission of inquiry, Gumede said the municipality had failed to comply with and to account for the operation of the office of the ombudsman in terms of its budget, remuneration, staffing, office infrastructure and equipment, and conditions of appointment.

He accused the council of blocking his attempts to raise these issues, adding that the ombudsman’s quarterly report had been doctored. He said there was intimidation and wrongful attempts to oblige the ombudsman to vacate his position prior to completion of “his researches into the said maladministration and irregularities”.

The city terminated the mandate of Werksmans Attorneys, which represented the city on the matter and wrote a legal opinion that there were no grounds to suspend Gumede.

Gumede’s disciplinary hearing has not yet taken place.

In a letter sent to his attorneys last week, Bowmans Attorneys, which now acts for the city, indicated that the disciplinary hearing would take place from December 11 to 13.