Senior Ngwathe official still denied access after assault

“Ek is gatvol. Gatvol for unions that want to run the municipality as they wish, and nothing gets done,” says Mr Themba Mpindo, Ngwathe’s manager of budget and expenditure. Mpindo was repeatedly denied entrance to the municipal building for the past week. A municipal employee also assaulted him for trying to enter the building last week.

At printing time, Mpindo was still waiting for the acting municipal manager (MM), Mr Teboho Manele, and the acting director of corporate services for a directive on the way forward.

In an interview with the Gazette, Mpindo said he did not know why he was denied access.

He had been in office until 22 December and said he never received any notice explaining the current situation.

Nor could he get answers from the acting MM or the chief financial officer to whom he reports.

He spoke about the incident of Wednesday, 3 January, when a member of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) assaulted him while trying to enter the municipal building.

Mpindo said although he officially only had to start working after the festive season on 8 January, he wanted to go to the office earlier to prepare for the mid-term, quarterly and monthly financial reports due soon.

As he tried to enter the municipal offices, a gentleman known to him approached him and said he was not supposed to enter.

The man assaulted him in the presence of a security official on duty at the municipal offices, Mpindo said.

He then called Manele, who was surprised to hear of the incident and assault.
The acting MM instructed him to leave the premises for his safety and report the incident. He then laid a criminal charge at the Parys SAPS.

In the interview, Mpindo confirmed that the suspect the police had arrested, claimed to have acted on the instruction of the Ngwathe executive mayor.
Upon enquiry, police spokesperson Sgt Josephine Rani confirmed the assault, saying the case was registered at the Parys SAPS.

She said the suspect received a R500 fine. Should he fail to pay the fine, he will have to appear before the Parys Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 5 February.
Rani added that the contents of the docket cannot be disclosed until the matter is heard in a court of law.

When Mpindo tried to enter the municipal building again last Thursday,  he was stopped again by what is said to be  Samwu (SA Municipal Workers Union) members and EPWP members. He called Manele again, who advised him to return on Monday. However, he has since not been allowed to enter the municipal building.

Mpindo says he saw a notice shared on social media where Samwu allegedly asked the acting MM to speedily implement the so-called Council resolution in December to place him on special leave for alleged irregularities. However, none of the councillors to whom the Gazette spoke were aware of any such resolution.

Mpindo accepted a finance intern position at Ngwathe in 2008 and was then appointed as a budget official in 2009.

In 2010, he became assistant budget manager. In 2011, he was appointed as budget and expenditure manager. He also previously acted as CFO.
The Gazette asked Ngwathe’s executive mayor for a statement on the incident and allegations but had not received one in time for print.

The EFF has now called for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC, Ketso Makume, to investigate the incident as the ‘Free State should inculcate a culture of protecting those protecting the public purse,’ the party said, adding that they condemn the victimisation of officials.

• Sunday World today (Thursday 11 January) reported that Samwu provincial secretary Tiisetso Mahlatsi distanced the union from the allegations that its members were involved in blocking Mpindo from reporting to work. In the report  it was said that the statement circulated on social media was not issued by Samwu or it’s regional or local leaders in Ngwathe.