Petuna meeting with city bosses over allegations
SUSPENDED Nelson Mandela Bay human settlements boss Lindile Petuna has appeared before the city’s disciplinary committee to answer to allegations of misconduct.
Petuna, who parted ways with his lawyer Sidney Spilkin last week, confirmed he had met city bosses on Monday.
The hearing would continue for two weeks, he said yesterday.
“We are meeting this whole week, but I cannot go into details right now. I will let you know when the time is right,” he said.
Petuna said he had parted ways with Spilkin but could not go into details.
Spilkin confirmed that he no longer represented Petuna.
He is one of several municipal bosses that have been suspended by mayor Danny Jordaan in what is seen as a major clean-up of the administration.
Municipal spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki failed to respond to questions.
The allegations against Petuna range from unduly influencing a town planner to approve a rezoning application to gross insubordination for allegedly ignoring in- structions from then city manager Mpilo Mbambisa on matters pertaining to rezoning applications and building plans.
He is also accused of misleading or attempting to mislead the council on 133 occasions. Municipal spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki could not confirm whether the city had met with Petuna.
“The municipality treats these processes with confidentiality – it is an employee and employer issue,” he said.
“We plead with the media to give the municipality space to deal with this process without interference.”