THE Democratic Alliance in eThekwini has welcomed the outcome of a disciplinary hearing which ruled that eThekwini Legal Head Gideon Phungula was guilty of racism, gross dishonesty and hate speech.
After receiving a transcript and recordings of Phungula calling Krish Kumar a “c**lie” repeatedly, DA eThekwini leader Nicole Graham demanded that City Manager Sipho Nzuza suspend Phungula.
The matter was also reported to the Human Rights Commission as a violation of the rights of Kumar and other Indian city officials.
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“The recording also revealed Phungula admitting to being a political appointee and that he was trying to appoint a ‘compliant’ lawyer to preside over the disciplinary of a Supply Chain Management official. The aforementioned official was implicated in the DSW orange bag scandal, but Phungula felt she needed to be protected,” said Graham.
She described the manner in which the orange bag matter had been handled as ‘completely disgraceful’.
“Tender processes were clearly being subverted to enrich friends and those amenable to ANC donations. It is unfathomable that the Head of Legal and Compliance could be so deeply compromised. This is the unfortunate reality of the state of the eThekwini Municipality, where competence is sacrificed for political ends,” she said.
Graham said now that Phungula had been found guilty, the DA was demanding he be fired from his position. The DA also wants an investigation into who exactly appointed Phungula and how the process was handled.
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