Why you should care about the ombudsman’s suspension
JOBURG – The disappearance of important documents and failing to disclose his interests in a company that provided services to his office are some of the allegations levelled against Gumede.
Advocate S’du Gumede was suspended early in May as the City of Johannesburg’s ombudsman, and sociologist Dr Liela Groenewald said the case should be watched carefully.
“If an official is suspended before any wrongdoing has been proven, they continue to receive their salary. At the very least, City is paying for someone who is not being allowed to work.”
Gumede confirmed that he was, indeed, still being paid.
After approaching the labour court to set aside his suspension, the matter was postponed to 13 June, according to Gumede’s legal counsel, Jason Kent, in order to allow Council time to make a decision on his suspension.
Mayor Herman Mashaba recently commented on the court case and said he would keep a close eye on it and allow the law to continue to take its course.
The disappearance of important documents and failing to disclose his interests in a company that provided services to his office to the City are some of the allegations levelled against Gumede. He, however, maintains that he does not have and never had a conflict of interest.
Groenewald believes that in a case where suspension leads to exposing and plugging corruption, one can celebrate good work. “On the other hand, the work environment and professional life of an employee who has not engaged in any wrongdoing can be made hostile or untenable by raising spurious allegations in public.
“This can serve as a way of pushing out people perceived to be unsympathetic to one’s goals or way of working. In the case of a local authority, if the mayor is making changes to senior management because of his own preferences or whims, City residents are bearing the cost of the double work that happens when someone is suspended.
“This is why residents should want the City to be quite clear and meticulous about labour law and workplace procedures in every single case. Residents should take it quite seriously both that this office should be independent of Council, and that it should set an example with regard to clean governance.”
Related articles:
EXCLUSIVE: City of Joburg ombudsman suspended
Suspended Gumede goes to court
EXCLUSIVE: Showdown between City and suspended ombudsman postponed
What we know about Ombudsman’s suspension
