DA queries Ekurhuleni’s funded vacancies
According to Hart, the department has over 60 funded vacancies, which is putting undue pressure on existing staff.
DA has made allegations against the EMM.
Ongoing vacant funded posts in the Ekurhuleni metro’s Planning and Building Inspectorate is raising concerns for the Democratic Alliance (DA), reports Benoni City Times.
“The DA is concerned that the metro is losing the battle against illegal land and building use,” said Heather Hart, DA spokesperson for city planning in Ekurhuleni.
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“The department of city planning is the custodian of the built environment, and the City Planning and Building Inspectorate personnel are critical to ensuring compliance with City Planning bylaws and building regulations.”
“While the MMC of city planning, Cllr Masele Madihlaba, is fully aware of the impact of illegal land use, illegal buildings and illegal outdoor advertising, it is dependent upon the metro’s human resource department,” Hart said.
“To not only speed up its current audit on metro staff to eradicate ghost posts but also for the city manager, Imogen Mashazi to unfreeze recruitment of funded vacant positions.”
Hart said efforts by the DA city planning oversight committee to get these posts unfrozen has been met with ongoing resistance, while positions have been filled within the mayor’s office, the mayoral committee members offices and city manager.
“The DA will continue to raise this issue as part of its oversight role to ensure that the metro empowers its departments to better serve its law-abiding rate paying residents, business owners and industrialists,” Hart concluded.
The metro has been contacted for comment, but none was received at the time of publishing.
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