Alarm raised over huge leave payment to municipal manager

AN EASTERN Cape municipality has paid close to R400 000 in leave gratuity to a municipal manager who allegedly took only one day of leave during his five years in office.

The Cofimvaba-based Intsika Yethu Municipality paid R387 494 for 119 days of leave that municipal manager Zamxolo Shasha apparently did not take over the five-year period.

This is despite claims by various municipal officials, who asked to remain anonymous fearing victimisation, that he had taken leave at various intervals in the five years he had been in the municipality’s employ.

The sources claimed Shasha had in fact abused the leave system over the period by not logging days he had taken.

Shasha was entitled to 120 leave days in the five-year period, or 24 days per year. He was paid R3 256 for every leave day he did not take.

However, despite leave gratuity being paid when a person leaves a post, Shasha – whose contract expired last June – is still working for the council, albeit now in an acting capacity.

The Daily Dispatch has seen a letter signed by mayor Jongumzi Cengani on December 12 ordering senior municipal officials to pay Shasha by December 31 for the 119 leave days he had not taken.

This is despite a council resolution taken in a special council meeting on December 6, stating that Shasha’s extended contract should lapse on January 31 2017.

Documents in possession of the Dispatch show that the payment was made to Shasha on December 13, just a day after Cengani had written the letter to the municipality’s finance and corporate services bosses.

Shasha yesterday confirmed receiving the payment in December, but refused to comment on whether he had taken leave or not in the period. “I know about the payment, but I cannot comment more on this as it was raised by faceless people.

“However, if you care to know, the municipality has its own leave system where it is recorded every time a person takes days off.

“As the municipal manager I had nothing to do with the payment or how many days was I paid for. That was done by corporate services from records they have. They are the ones that decide how many days you are paid for, from information they have on their records.”

Asked if he only took one day’s leave in five years, Shasha said: “I cannot comment on that because I do not even know the faceless people that you are talking to in the municipality.”

Cengani also refused to comment on “issues raised by faceless people”. “I am aware of this matter and I can say these are serious allegations. However, I do not have a response for you on issues raised by faceless people,” said Cengani.

Cengani confirmed the municipality was visited last week by Hawks officers, who seized documents from the finance department. However, he said, he was not aware what they were investigating.

Attempts to reach Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi at the time of writing were unsuccessful.