Protector to probe top brass
THE Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (Icosa) says newly appointed Mossel Bay municipal manager Thys Giliomee does not have the required qualifications and experience for the position, and has asked the office of the public protector in George to investigate his appointment.
In 2012, the Bitou Municipality turned down an application from Giliomee for the same post, with then-mayor Memory Booysen saying he did not have the required experience in terms of years in a senior position in a municipality.
Giliomee starts his new position tomorrow.
The post became vacant in May when Michele Gratz resigned as the town’s municipal manager.
He takes over from Mossel Bay municipality spokesperson Harry Hill, who was appointed as acting municipal manager when Gratz resigned.
Legal consultant Susan Campbell has compiled a report in support of Icosa’s complaint.
In her report, she said Giliomee was acting municipal manager in Bitou, but was not employed permanently, due to a lack of municipal experience.
It was also reported that the chairperson of the Plettenberg Bay Ratepayers and Residents Association Christo Vlok had announced the decision, stating: “Thys Giliomee was sent to us by Premier Zille.”
Campbell claimed that Giliomee had also applied for the position of Knysna municipal manager in 2014, but had not been shortlisted.
She said she had made enquiries into the consultants responsible for the appointment (of Giliomee) and had found out that the company was appointed as a service provider.
She said the company was known to her as a service provider for performance evaluation systems.
However, her enquiries had revealed that, until July this year, they were unknowns in the recruitment and selection field. Campbell said the main concern with the appointment was that all references may not have been contacted.
“I am aware that Mr Giliomee did not have a very amicable departure from Huguenot College, where he was previously employed.
“There seems to be a pattern emerging with this company getting very important contracts under suspicious circumstances.
“This could taint the entire employment process and make it subject to review,” she said.
She recommended that the appointment of the consultants responsible for the selection of the municipal manager be investigated.
“The appointment process of the municipal manager should be investigated and peer reviewed by specialist consultants in the field of senior managers’ appointments at municipal level, and that necessary action be taken should any irregularities be found in either process,” she said.
Icosa councillor Dawid Kamfer said he had raised the issue in a council meeting and had questioned how was it possible that Giliomee had got the post when he was not shortlisted two years ago.
Approached for comment, the office of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC, Anton Bredell, said: “This is a municipal matter. Please contact the municipality.”
The municipality said Giliomee had more than the minimum of five years municipal experience required for appointment to the position. “The municipality has not been notified by the public protector that a complaint had been made.”
Giliomee has a B Econ degree, a B Com Honours in Economics, an honours degree in Public Administration, a B Proc, an LLM and Certificate in Labour Relations, cum laude.
He has been certified as competent in all 24 modules in the municipal minimum competency regulations, which is five more than the maximum required for appointment as municipal manager.
“The complaint appears to be case of political expedience and opportunism by a minority party in the Mossel Bay Town Council,” the municipality said.