Msimanga defends paying diary-coordinating bodybuilder a million rand

Tshwane’s DA Mayor Solly Msimanga admitted on Power FM that a man who, by his own admission, does nothing other than coordinating his diary, earns R1 million per annum.

The Citizen reported that the man is Stefan de Villiers, a 34-year-old bodybuilder.

The mayor was grilled on the station by both the presenter and listeners, who said that this revelation is inconsistent with Msimanga’s reputation for cutting costs and attempts to address corruption in the running of the city.

Msimanga defended his office’s financial management, saying that when he started as mayor “there were more than 900 people being paid and we didn’t know what they were doing. We have already cut those jobs.”

The interview also saw Msimanga confronted over the situation in Hammanskraal, where the inability of the city to provide clean water has led to a shutdown of the township. Residents claim the water there has been making them sick for nearly a decade.

“It’s unfortunate that the issue in Hammanskraal has been brought into this”, said Msimanga, who added that he has been transparent about his office’s attempts to find a solution to problems that he has blamed on the ANC government.

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“We have been stopped at every corner by government in trying to find a solution to the problems at Hammanskraal,” he said.

On Monday, The Citizen reported the City of Tshwane is about to dredge the Rooiwal Waste Water Treatment Plant, which has been the alleged cause of pollution and contaminated drinking water in the township.

Msimanga called in to the station, rather than being approached for comment, eager to clear his name. “I want you to hold me to account. There’s nothing I am running from”, he said.

By way of a solution he said, “I need to go back to HR and ask them how can they correct this.

“I’m still commited to running a very capable, clean city,” he added.

Despite his attempts to avoid a knock to his reputation, Msimanga was accused of hiding behind the “ministerial handbook” by presenter Thabo Mdluli. A co-host added, “The fact that it is legal doesn’t make it moral.”

Msimanga was at the centre of another jobs-for-pals controversy when an investigation into the controversial appointment of his former chief of staff, Marietha Aucamp, found that her appointment was irregular.

However, the investigation cleared Msimanga himself of any wrongdoing.

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