Calls for investigation into KZN ANC councillor’s alleged misconduct

uMshwathi Municipality wants an independent investigation to look into a voice recording said to implicate a senior manager and ANC councillor in financial misconduct.

This came after the DA and IFP filed a motion to the speaker of council, Sibongile Mbatha-Ntuli.

The motion was proposed by IFP councillor, Mzwandile Majozi, and was support by the DA councillor, Vincent Mncwabe.

The motion asked for council to note the voicenote with it indications of serious allegations of municipal budget sabotage, defamation of character of municipal members and leadership as well as unlawful segregations of power.

It further recommended for council to resolve on an investigation process as soon as possible and for people implicated to be suspended with immediate effect.

Mncwabe said the recording, which The Witness has heard, also defamed other officials and councillors.

The motion was sent weeks before the full council meeting but the speaker wanted to remove the motion saying it included a voice recording that was not attached. She then ruled for it not to be part of the agenda. There’s no way she doesn’t know this voice recording because it was trending on social media with these two talking ill about other people.

He added they wanted both the senior manager and the councillor to be suspended so they do not interfere with the investigation.

IFP caucus leader, Majozi, said they were disappointed at how the matter was handled at full council.

We left that meeting with the ruling made by the speaker without us discussing the motion. The ruling was that there will be an urgent independent investigation. What concerned us was that our recommendation for the senior manager and councillor to be suspended was disregarded.

He said they feared the two would interfere with evidence if not suspended.

uMshwathi mayor, Mandla Zondi, however, said the speaker did table the motion at council and councillors deliberated on it before taking a resolution.

Council resolved to get an independent investigator who will investigate the authenticity of the voice note and further steps that can be taken once the investigation has been finalised.
No one has been suspended and I think a suspension can only be done when an individual could be a stumbling block to the investigation and that will come from an independent investigator.

DA uMshwathi caucus whip, councillor Raganie Govender, said they will closely monitor these proceedings and will be writing to the MEC for the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs to intervene in the matter.