Dept to probe ‘unqualified’ MM
THE DEPUTY Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs has been requested to take steps against the Northern Cape MEC for Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta), Bentley Vass, as well as the Karoo Hoogland mayor and municipal manager, before the end of the week.
This follows after it was discovered that the municipal manager, Jan Fortuin, is still employed in the same position, about a year and a half after Vass informed the mayor that he did not possess the requisite qualifications or experience for the job.
During this time the municipal manager apparently received an additional payment of R17 000. The municipal accountant had raised concern with Fortuin over a claim to process a trip to attend a national Tuberculosis Awareness Month event in Williston in March this year.
The accountant pointed out that it was common knowledge that the ANC manifesto launch was taking place in Nababeep over the same weekend.
“Are municipal funds again being misused to attend political
THE CITY will experience a total water shutdown from Thursday in order to connect a main water pipeline from Riverton, with residents being advised to ensure that they have adequate water supplies.
The water supply is expected to be restored at full capacity on Saturday, if there are no hiccups.
During the operation the main water supply from Riverton will be closed to drain the pump lines (DN600 and DN900) rallies. This is while the president is trying to curb large-scale corruption and restore the name of the ANC, or am I chasing ghosts? All these (political) gatherings are posted on Facebook.”
According to a letter dated April 19, 2018, Vass had instructed the mayor, Veruschka Wentzel, to re-advertise the position of municipal manager.
“The municipal manager must have five years’ relevant experience at a senior management level. Unfortunately, the experience as a councillor and mayor is not recognised as senior manager experience, nor the experience as school manager. Only the experience as district manager can be recognised, but it is only two years and eight months, not the required five years.”
The municipality had also requested the mayor to reimburse council funds for a claim that was made during the time of the ANC elective conference in Colesberg in 2017, in respect of travel expenses to the amount of R5 947 and accommodation of R1 600 at a guest house at Gariepdam.
Facebook posts were made on May 11, 2017 in Colesberg showing the mayor posing with her accreditation tag and how she was “ready for conference”.
The money was deducted from and connect it to the new highlift pump station.
Sol Plaatje Municipality spokesperson Sello Matsie said that the electrical switchover of the second transformer and all other electrical feeders would be completed during the shutdown.
Matsie explained that the electrical switchover and related her salary in February 2018.
According to the particulars of the travel and subsistence claim, Wentzel was invited to attend a workshop that was arranged by the Department of Social Development on social relief, that coincided with the same dates of the ANC elective conference.
She had filled in an affidavit at the police station in May 2017 to indicate that she had attended a work function in Colesberg from May 9 to 14.
During a parliamentary session last week, it was pointed out that the MEC for Coghtsa and the mayor, as well as the council of Karoo Hoogland Municipality, had failed to remove the municipal manager and that this amounted to malpractice.
The DA urged the deputy minister for Cogta to remove both the municipal manager, whose contract had been declared “null and void”, as well as the “errant ANC mayor”.
The DA head for the Namakwaland constituency, Dr Isak Fritz, said that the public protector had interviewed officials in the Hantam, Calvinia, Namakwa and Karoo Hoogland municipal districts last week, regarding the use of municipal funds to pay for their accommodation and travel to attend the ANC elective conference
work were scheduled for completion by Friday, at around 5pm.
“The tie-in of the new highlift pump station is scheduled for completion by 1pm on Saturday. “It is foreseen that the water supply will be at full capacity by Saturday afternoon.”
Matsie added that all relevant departments would be on standby during the water shutdown to ensure that the work was completed in the shortest possible time. in Colesberg in 2017.
“It appears as if the invitation for the workshop hosted by the MEC for the Department of Social Development was sent to a number of municipalities. The chief of staff and HOD at the Department of Social Development had handed in affidavits to the public protector, dispelling the authenticity of the invitation as well as the social relief workshop in Colesberg. We are hoping to receive recommendations from the public protector in the next two weeks whether these officials should be criminally charged for submitting fraudulent claims.”
Fritz added that the MEC for Coghsta should also face action for failing to ensure that his own instructions were carried out, where the contract of the municipal manager of Karoo Hoogland Municipality should have been declared null and void a year and a half ago.
“It was explicitly stated that the municipal manager does not meet the competency requirements. It appears as if the MEC’S letter to the mayor was hidden all this time while the municipal manager benefited from salary increases.”
Fritz stated that in terms of the parliamentary rules, the minister of Cogta had to provide feedback regarding action that would be taken against the MEC for Coghsta, the Karoo Hoogland Municipality mayor and municipal manager by the end of the week.
Wentzel pointed out that she had never received any instruction from the MEC for Coghsta to re-advertise the municipal manager’s post. “I only become aware of it last week.”
She stated that the municipal manager (Fortuin) was appointed after going through all the shortlisting processes. “He was also found competent for the job in the competency assessment test.”
Wentzel indicated that Fortuin had completed the Municipal Finance Management Programme.
“He will submit his last three portfolios of evidence before the end of the month. During the screening process he was never found guilty of any offence in any court of law.”
She explained that the R17000 that was paid to Fortuin was in line with the backpay that he was entitled to in terms of the implementation of the upper limits for municipal managers.
She pointed out that the matter involving the travel and accommodation claims to Colesberg was currently being investigated by the public protector. “Therefore the matter is sub judice.”
The Department of Coghsta did not respond to media enquiries.