EFF blames Mabuyane for Matatiele turmoil

Premier denies meddling after uproar over vote to appoint senior municipal official

After a council meeting expected to rubber stamp the appointment of a senior municipal official was plunged into turmoil, the EFF accused premier Oscar Mabuyane of meddling in council affairs.

As the Matatiele local municipality prepared to fill a critical post, Mabuyane is alleged to have ordered a candidate, who had aced an interview, to withdraw, in an apparent move to pave the way for an Ancbacked candidate, who had secured the second spot in the interview.

But the premier flatly denied the allegation.

A war of words broke out between Matatiele mayor Sonwabile Mngenela and council speaker Nonzwakazi Ngwanya after a debate on the appointment of a general manager for community services hit a brick wall on Thursday.

Mngenela reportedly pushed for the appointment of his cousin Siyabulela Mbedla, who is believed to be the ANC’S preferred candidate.

Mbedla is the brother of the former mayor Momelezi Mbedla.

The EFF in Alfred Nzo accused Mngenela of trying to overlook Abongile Ganya, the candidate who recorded the highest score during interviews.

The party said the majority of councillors had voted in favour of hiring Ganya, but the mayor allegedly threw a spanner in the works.

According to a confidential report, seen by the Dispatch, Ganya scored 72% while Mbedla recorded 69.3% during interviews.

The third candidate, M Mtalo, obtained 50.6%

The report said the council should consider making an offer to Ganya.

It said Mbedla and Mtalo would be considered if Ganya turned down the offer or the post became vacant three months after Ganya’s assumption of duty.

However, the meeting turned ugly after it seemed that Ganya did not have the blessings of the mayor.

A video clip, seen by the Dispatch, shows what appeared to be a heated exchange between the mayor and Ngwanya during Thursday’s council meeting.

The EFF in Alfred Nzo said the meeting degenerated into chaos after some ANC councillors abstained from voting.

“The mayor tabled a report from the executive in which there was a report of the panel that processed recruitment of a general manager for community services,” EFF regional secretary Simthembile Madikizela told the Dispatch on Saturday.

“The report went to the council for the third time but the council said it had to be held over for consultations.

“Then at this council sitting, councillors recommended it be adopted and the employment offer be made to the top-performing candidate.”

The speaker took the matter to the vote.

Madikizela said 21 councillors had voted for the recommendation that the council should employ Ganya.

“Seventeen councillors, including the mayor, voted against it,” he said.

“Upon realising the outcome of the votes, the mayor called for a recount. The speaker then read the standing rules, which do not allow for a recount.

“The mayor got angry and threatened the speaker, saying ‘You’ll pay for this’.the chief whip recommended an adjournment.”

After the adjournment, the mayor reportedly read the riot act to the ANC caucus.

“It is said he [the mayor] called Lulama Ngcukayitobi [ANC provincial secretary] and Mabuyane and put the phone on loud speaker.

“Councillors were threatened with consequences.

“The speaker reconvened the voting and 21 councillors voted with the mayor, 15 against and others abstained,” Madikizela said.

“But the exercise was regarded as illegal as it’s not part of standing [rules] to vote twice on the same matter.”

Madikizela described the alleged confrontation between the mayor and the speaker as gender-based violence.

The EFF claimed Mabuyane had contacted Ganya and ordered her to withdraw.

“This thuggish behaviour is encouraged by a bully called Mabuyane,” Madikizela alleged.

Mabuyane said he had nothing to do with the council.

“How do I become involved in appointments of municipal managers?” he said.

Mabuyane referred the Dispatch to Mngenela.

The mayor denied that he had an altercation with Ngwanya and distanced Mabuyane from the appointment process.

Though Mngenela appeared to be shouting in the video, he insisted he was merely trying to be recognised by the speaker.

“I wanted to raise issues,” he said.

Mngenela said the South African Municipal Workers Union was unhappy with the interviews.

The panel also said there were glaring issues, he said.

To map a way forward, Mngenela said he had sought advice from the co-operative governance and traditional affairs MEC.

The MEC advised him to bring the matter before the council.

“The council has a prerogative to appoint or not to appoint,” he said.

“We have to deal with the issues to avoid litigation. We need to consult our lawyers.”

He maintained that neither he nor the ANC had supported any of the candidates.

The appointment of the general manager is expected to be discussed again at a meeting on Wednesday.