Mayor in hot water over CM appointment
The DA has demanded the appointment of the acting deputy City Manager responsible for Economic Development and Tourism Departments be set aside.
ETHEKWINI Mayor Zandile Gumede has been accused of breaking the law once again with her recent appointment of Phillip Sithole as the acting deputy City Manager responsible for Economic Development and Tourism Departments.
In a media release on Tuesday, DA leader in KZN Zwakele Mncwango said Gumede had unlawfully appointed Sithole without the support of the Council, as is required by law.
Quoting the local government acts, Mncwango said in terms of Section 56A (ii)of the Local Government Systems Act (2000), “ A Municipal Council, after consultation with the municipal manager must appoint an acting manager directly accountable to the municipal manager under circumstances and for a period as prescribed.”
He said the DA had demanded that the appointment of Sithole be set aside as unlawful, and that the matter be brought again before council.
“I will also request that the Council sanction Mayor Gumede, and request that an explanation for this misconduct be tabled before the assembly as soon as possible,” he said.
Last year, Gumede was also accused of breaking the law after her unlawful suspension of the former Municipal Manager, Sbu Sithole, which had to be reversed following the DA’s intervention.
“It is becoming increasingly clear that the Mayor is simply not up to the job of governing eThekwini. If she is incapable of abiding by the laws of South Africa, then she should step aside,” he said.
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