Possible reappointment of Amathole’s municipal manager divides ANC

The possible reappointment of Amathole district municipal manager Thandekile Mnyimba has divided ANC provincial and regional leaders amid concerns about the party meddling in council administration appointments.

Despite efforts by the ANC’s regional structure to distance itself from the process of hiring a council boss, the provincial leadership has requested a meeting with the ADM’s troika, scheduled to take place in East London today.

A letter dated May 14, from provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi to the party’s regional secretary, Teris Ntuthu, and ADM chief whip Nonceba Mfecane said the meeting would also be attended by the ANC regional executive and provincial executive officials.

Insiders said the potential reappointment of Mnyimba would be at the top of the agenda.

Ngcukayitobi would neither confirm nor deny this, or say what was on the agenda.

However, the provincial ANC is understood to be against Mnyimba’s possible reappointment.

ADM spokesperson Nonceba Madikizela-Vuso said she could not comment, and referred queries to Mfecane.

Mfecane said she did not know what would be discussed.

Ntuthu did not respond to a request for comment.

In a letter to Ngcukayitobi dated May 12, he said the regional deployment committee would not take part in the recruitment process, citing interference fears.

“The committee reflected on the criticism by the public and the commission on state capture on what is termed interference through cadre deployment in the appointment of ... accounting officers, CEOs, CFOs and boards of government institutions or entities,” Ntuthu wrote.

“Therefore, in anticipation of the state capture report and the outcomes of the court process initiated by the DA against cadre deployment to government institutions or entities, the regional deployment committee resolved not to participate in the ADM process through recommendations of who should be employed.”

Mnyimba has been at the helm of the ADM administration since June 2017.

His appointment lapses at the end of this month but he is expected to return for a new term in June if recommendations of the selection panel, headed by the mayor, are anything to go by.