Municipal manager’s suspension ‘factional, illegal’
Outrage and disbelief have erupted over the “suspension” of the Emfuleni local municipality (ELM) municipal manager by council last week – allegedly to prevent discussion on sensitive reports on corruption – and have sparked a fightback campaign.
The suspension was voted for at last Thursday’s virtual council meeting presided over by speaker Maipato “Chu Chu Shoes” Tsokolibane – who recently boasted in a video about her wealth and R30 000 footwear – in what participants said was an “extremely rowdy, unruly and chaotic process”.
The move – the latest in a long list of council manipulations to protect allegedly incompetent senior officials implicated in corrupt and irregular practices at ELM – has been dismissed as “factional”. But it has sparked a vicious social media war and intense political reaction within the governing ANC structures.
Manager Lucky Leseane, who only started in the job late February, has not been formally suspended in terms of due process, nor has he received any formal communication relating to suspension, sources said.
Many jumped to Leseane’s defence on social media and severely criticised councillors for stopping his clean-up operations against years of alleged maladministration by his predecessor and the chief financial officer – widely known as the “Gang of Two” by insiders.
Leseane, who participated in the Zoom council meeting, declined to comment when approached this week. Mayoral spokesperson Lebo Mofokeng and council spokesperson Stanley Gaba also did not respond to requests for comment.
But organised business criticised the council vote, saying that despite being illegal, it had brought governance and anticorruption efforts by Leseane to a halt as he was to have submitted reports to council last Thursday.
Legally, council cannot suspend or discipline any ELM official, but can pass a resolution requesting the mayor to initiate legal processes.
Observers said the suspension by council could be regarded as illegal and null and void as there was no basis to initiate disciplinary action in the first place.
The Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce dismissed the council vote as “motivated by factions” and the desire to keep details of corruption under wraps to protect patronage networks still in place from the time of former acting municipal manager Oupa Nkoane.
“The ELM council is selective in its suspensions of senior officials. For example, council meetings were delayed until the last minute to avoid disciplinary steps against Nkoane,” said chamber chief executive Klippies Kritzinger.
“The council was not interested in the maladministration that destroyed the smart meter programme through ... gross negligence.”