MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS SUSPENDED AT IKWEZI MUNICIPALITY Issued by: Cllr Johnny Lewis and Cllr Bradley Seekoei Problems in the Ikwezi Municipality administration continued today with two more officials being suspended, bringing the total up to 12 suspensions since March 2013. Amongst the officials suspended so far this year are 2 directors and 2 senior officials. Seven other officials have resigned since September 2012 and 3 employee contracts were terminated. The DA believes that the continuous charging and suspension of officials reflects badly on the image of our institution and is a disgrace. This sends a very negative message that something is seriously wrong within the Ikwezi municipality and with the manner in which the institution is being managed. Employees are being paid salaries whilst they are sitting at home doing nothing for the institution and the community of Ikwezi. The Ikwezi Municipality is currently in a financial crisis and can’t afford this wasteful expenditure. Employee salaries could not be paid on time on 25 June 2013. There are also legal costs involved and council pays huge amounts of monies to the attorneys in these often drawn out cases. The DA can also report that the municipality has been losing most of these cases. According to MFMA Section 32, this is classified as an unauthorized, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure. Ikwezi did not budget for this expenditure and the DA has reason to believe that over R100 000 was spent on the suspension case of Councillor Johnny Lewis alone. We have advised all the affected officials to report the matter to their unions and to seek legal advice. We will be engaging with our colleague in Bhisho, Dacre Haddon (MPL), to raise the matter with Mlibo Qoboshiyane, MEC for Local Government & Traditional Affairs. He will be asking questions for oral reply in the Provincial Legislature on this serious matter. The DA demands that this irresponsible behaviour from the municipal management must come to an end and the focus should rather be on service delivery. The DA will continue to demand better access to opportunities for all residents and better service delivery in Ikwezi.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 13:12:31 +0000
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