ETHEKWINI city manager, Sipho Nzuza, has reportedly been placed on special leave, following a decision taken at a special executive council meeting at the City Hall on Friday, 13 March.
This comes after Nzuza appeared in the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court last week after being arrested by the Hawks, in connection with a Durban Solid Waste tender fraud.
According to the state, Nzuza allegedly colluded with service providers to irregularly procure contracts related to deal that cost the City more than R400 million.
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In the interim, the deputy city manager for governance and international relations, Sipho Cele, will be acting city manager for the next fortnight.
At the executive council meeting on Friday, opposition parties moved to have Nzuza suspended while court proceedings continued. While the motion was put forward, Nzuza has been given 7 days to respond and another council meeting will be called to decide further on the matter.
eThekwini DA caucus leader Nicole Graham, said the DA broadly supported the suspension of the city manager and also raised the question of who would be covering Nzuza’s legal costs.
She said Nzuza was facing very serious allegations and his position in the municipality until these were resolved was untenable.
Graham said the party was also calling for the same action to be taken against the other councilllors implicated in the investigation, as six were out on bail but still held their councillor positions.
The IFP’s Velenkosini Hlabisa, also called for the suspension of Nzuza pending the investigation, following his arrest and called for inefficient officials to be “weeded out to keep South Africa’s anti-corruption campaign on track.”
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“At the same time, steps must be taken to overhaul the assessment and appointment system for officials. There are several kinds of unproductive officials. Corrupt ones are in the minority, there are also many ambitious and capable officials eager to serve the public who have been hobbled by fear of criticism,” he said.
During his appearance in court on Tuesday, the State alleged that Nzuza’s actions and those of his 16 co-accused were deliberate and that they had acted on a premeditated agenda to loot the state and benefit directly or indirectly.
Nzuza is facing charges including fraud, corruption, conspiracy to commit fraud and corruption, and contravening the Municipal Financial Management Act. He is the 17th accused in the criminal case involving former eThekwini mayor, Zandile Gumede, and 15 others.
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