DA fumes over clerk getting corporate services acting director job

The appointment of a revenue clerk as acting corporate services director for the Fetakgomo/ Tubatse municipality in Sekhukhune in Limpopo has raised eyebrows, after allegations emerged that the candidate does not have the relevant qualifications, required skills or experience for the plum job.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the municipality challenged the appointment and wrote to the acting municipal manager David Mashoeu to reverse the appointment.

The party claimed yesterday that not only did the new director, Virginia Maphutha, have no relevant qualifications, but the appointment also didn’t have the blessing of the council.

The party said the appointment of the former clerk came into effect on 1 January this year and she is expected to act until 31 March.

The position for the acting corporate service boss became vacant after the appointment of then corporate services manager Isaac Phasha, whose appointment was also declared irregular in September 2019. It has also been established that at that time, another official was then appointed to act in this position between September and December 2019 but the contract lapsed.

“Now it is clear that Maphutha’s appointment was made without following due process and that there was no transparency because it was even not approved by council,” said DA councillor in the Fetakgomo/Tubatse municipality, Lethabile Kgwedi.

Kgwedi said Maphutha will collect approximately R78,000 per month, without qualifications.

“The advertisement stated that the requirements to occupy this position are that the candidate must have a bachelor’s degree in public administration/ management sciences/law or an equivalent and at least five years’ relevant experience at a middle management level.

“The ad also indicated that the applicant must have a proven, successful institutional transformation record within public or private sector. But Maphutha has none of these.”

According to Maphutha’s curriculum vitae, she holds a national diploma in human resource management from the North Gauteng Technikon, as well as having completed a number of short courses in office administration, Batho Pele principles and internal control and risk management, among others.

She is also currently studying toward a diploma in local government finance management.

Her only listed job experience is as a revenue clerk at the municipality, from 2004.

“Our residents hoped that the municipality would appoint relevant personnel, with proper qualifications and skills, that would help to fast-track the rate of services in their communities.

“They have dreamed of a municipality that would avoid the so-called cadre deployment that keeps ravaging our society by appointing people that are capable of improving municipal audits at the end of the financial year,” added Kgwedi.

Municipal spokesperson Kubane Tolo poured cold water on the allegations, saying the DA’s claims were devoid of truth.

Tolo denied allegations that the Maphutha was not qualified for the position, saying she had met all the requirements.

“It is also verbal diarrhea that the appointment was not blessed by the council. There is a council resolution in place that agreed on Maphutha’s appointment. The DA’s claims could be viewed as a desperate campaign for votes ahead of the upcoming municipal elections next year,” said Tolo.

Maphutha could not be reached for comment.

– news@citizen.co.za

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