Moerane still waits on directorate post

FORMER social development MEC Neo Moerane may have to wait a while longer to find out if she has secured her top directorate position at Buffalo City Municipality.

Grahamstown High Court Judge Murray Lowe yesterday reserved judgment in Moerane’s case in which she is seeking a court order to force BCM to heed a February 2016 resolution that she be appointed as head of the municipal services directorate.

Despite the resolution, she was appointed in only an acting capacity.

According to court papers, her permanent appointment was thwarted by cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) MEC Fikile Xasa.

Xasa had ordered the termination of her acting appointment in December last year and, effectively demoted her to a lesser acting position.

Moerane wants the Grahamstow High Court to declare last year’s February BCM council resolution appointing her as valid and binding and that it be immediately implemented.

BCM claims there were irregularities in the makeup of the selection panel and that Moerane had also failed a competency assessment – which had never been communicated to council before it resolved to appoint her.

But Moerane’s counsel, Richard Buchanan SC, said that municipal managers had no authority to simply ignore or seek to set aside council resolutions.

The resolution stood, unless rescinded by council in line with the standing rules of council. This had never happened.

Lowe reserved judgment.