Additional staff could see salary bill skyrocket by millions of rands

BUFFALO City Metro’s salary bill is expected to balloon by millions of rands if ANC councillors succeed in their push to hire additional staff to provide greater oversight and more accountability from its leaders.

The creation of these new posts is a move to implement a “separation of functions and powers” plan in the metro next year. This model was introduced in the O R Tambo District Municipality in Mthatha in the 201415 financial year and has been sold to the BCM council as a model to improve accountability from the executive leadership and ensure effective oversight within the council.

O R Tambo spokesman Ayongezwa Lungisa said the model had assisted in keeping the executive on its toes.

Speaking to the Daily Dispatch on Wednesday, BCM mayor Xola Pakati said they wanted council to operate in the same fashion as parliament.

“This is a standing resolution taken by the ANC in Mangaung [2012]. The plan was implemented in Ekurhuleni Metro and O R Tambo as a pilot and it seeks to increase accountability from the executive being the mayor and the mayoral committee and to make sure there is effective oversight.”

“As things stand, there is no oversight as members of oversight committees also preside over accountability committees – portfolio heads are heading these committees. The executive powers and legislative powers