MEC slams council for removing municipal manager

EASTERN Cape department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs MEC, Fikile Xasa has called on the Mnquma local municipality council to rescind its decision to remove acting municipal manager Themba Hani, saying the decision was “humiliating”.

The Mnquma Hani 11 days ago.

Hani had been seconded to run Mnquma by Xasa in May, while the embattled local authority sought a permanent municipal manager.

He took over from Zonwabele Plata council removed and was given until the end of June to facilitate, among other things, the interviewing and identifying of the new municipal manager.

This did not happen and last week Hani was abruptly removed from his position, with members of the council, supported by speaker Zibuthe Mnqwazi reappointing Plata as acting municipal manager.

This, according to sources, was not welcomed by mayor Thobeka Bikitsha and her mayoral committee, including Ndyebo Skelenge. The disgruntled group called on Xasa to intervene.

The Dispatch has seen a letter signed by Xasa and addressed to Bikitsha saying Hani was extremely humiliated by the decision to remove him.

“Hani was extremely humiliated. Council has failed to advise the MEC of its intended action, instead [it] unilaterally terminated the secondment and ordered Hani to leave the municipality,” said Xasa.

He said the municipality, as an organ of state, had not observed the principles of cooperative governance as stipulated in the Constitution and by the Intergovernmental Relations Act.

“It is against the principles of cooperative governance that the municipality request the MEC to second a suitable, qualified person and later decide to abruptly terminate [the arrangement],” said Xasa.

Xasa said the letter of secondment clearly stipulated that Hani’s secondment would be terminated on August 17 or at such a time when a permanent appointment was made.

Xasa told the municipality to rescind its resolution of July 7 relating to the termination of Hani’s secondment, and also to rescind its appointment of Plata manager.

“The municipal council is no longer authorised by legislation to make any further acting appointments for a municipal manager with immediate effect,” said Xasa.

On Friday, Xasa’s spokesman, Mamnkeli Ngam said any decision taken needed to be guided by law.

“The mayor wrote to the MEC as they wanted an acting person for the as acting municipal municipal manager position.

“Stability is needed in that municipality until a fulltime manager is employed, and Hani is the person appointed to see that through.

“The speaker is called on to convene a special meeting and reverse the decision taken on July 7,” said Ngam.

Mayor Bikitsha confirmed receiving the letter from Xasa.

“We can confirm that we’ve received the letter from the MEC and we will comply,” she said.

Plata is expected to go back to his community services manager position within the municipality.