Outcome of probe into officials soon

EIGHT months after he was ordered to probe serious allegations against two senior managers, Nelson Mandela Bay city manager Mpilo Mbambisa is yet to table his findings.

The investigations centred on Mod Ndoyana and Mhleli Tshamase.

This week, deputy mayor Bicks Ndoni said it was expected that Mbambisa would report back to the new leadership next week regarding his findings.

Ndoyana, who leads the municipality’s corporate services department, admitted to making “errors” in his CV.

Tshamase, who heads up the city’s troubled bus system, allegedly did not disclose his criminal record for possession of stolen goods when he was first hired by the municipality.

In October last year, former mayor Ben Fihla asked Mbambisa to investigate allegations against both.

In an interview, Ndoni said a report on it from Mbambisa was expected next week.

He said the investigations were staff matters which he did not want to deal with in the media.

But, Ndoni said, measures should be put in place “to make sure we do not find ourselves in this position again”.

Tshamase was arrested in 2002 in the Free State, near the border of Lesotho, driving a stolen car.

He was convicted of being in possession of stolen goods and jailed for five years, but served two years and four months before being released on parole in 2005.

Tshamase has denied having a criminal record and maintains that his identity document was stolen in 2001 and a stranger was convicted under his name.

Last year, Mbambisa said Ndoyana had admitted to making a mistake about his managerial experience and other errors on his CV, but did not say what they were.

Municipal spokesman Roland Williams said the metro was still probing the matter but would not say when it would be finalised.

Reference checks were conducted with respect to Tshamase’s employment history, he said.

“All checks that were required in accordance with our HR processes were completed.”

Williams said the municipality was not aware of Tshamase’s criminal record. “We are currently checking this allegation with the Department of Justice.”

On Ndoyana, Williams said the executive director had corrected the error on his CV, but the investigation would go on “and we will conclude [it] as soon as possible following due process”.