Mayor, city manager in jobs-for-pals allegations
MANGAUNG mayor Gregory Nthatisi and the municipal manager Sello More are accused of facilitating a “jobs for friends” syndicate in Mangaung.
This following an expose by community activist Zwelakhe Msabe who took to social media to lambaste the mayor and city manager over irregular appointments and bloating staff as favours for political associates.
These allegations have now prompted an investigation into ghost workers and the jobs-for-friends syndicate.
The Hawks are particularly investigating More. He is not new to controversy.
In a judgment handed down on 15 December 2021, Judge AJ van Rhyn found that More’s appointment as the man in charge of the Metro, was null and void since October 30, 2021, because the municipality failed to act in accordance with legal prescripts when appointing him.
More, despite the judgment, had remained the acting city manager and had entered into numerous contracts on behalf of the municipality.
The then Municipal Council ordered More to vacate his position and report to his previous position as the HOD of its fleet and waste management division.
The court also found that More had no mandate to institute the proceedings that served before Judge van Rhyn and in an unprecedented step, ordered More to file an affidavit to show good cause why he shouldn’t be ordered to pay costs in his personal capacity.
In a strange turn of events, More returned as municipal manager.
According to documents seen by The Star senior HR officer, Adri Grobler wrote against the positions requested by the Speaker of Council that could not be implemented as the proposed positions do not occur on the staff establishment anymore.
The Office of the Executive Mayor (OEM) was then bloated with positions. The OEM has a chief of staff, senior admin officer, PA to EM and 6 VIP bodyguards.
The mayor and the municipal manager were still not available for comment at the time of publication.