LIMPOPO – The Thohoyandou High Court sitting in Waterval on September 23, granted an interdict halting the recruitment process for 28 general worker positions at the Musina Municipality.
This ruling came after two applicants, Rabelani Peter Gadabeni and Peter Musapa Chauke, filed a court case challenging the re-advertisement of the posts, which had already been interviewed for last year without any appointments made.
Gadabeni and Chauke argued in their court papers that the re-advertisement was influenced by political favouritism, alleging it was part of a cadre-deployment strategy led by politicians with ulterior motives.
The applicants claimed that the decision to re-advertise the positions was taken without informing the previous candidates or the Musina Municipal Council.
They also accused a senior manager in the municipality of using his position to bypass due process and re-advertise the posts without council approval.
Judge Thongomelani Tshidada ordered the municipality to halt the recruitment process until the candidates from last year’s interviews were informed of developments.
He questioned the actions of the senior manager, stating that the re-advertisement should not have occurred without council consent or transparency with the initial candidates.
The local chapter of Samwu, represented by Khodani Magwira, expressed support for the court’s ruling. He criticised the ongoing political infighting within the ruling ANC, saying it was delaying service delivery and the filling of vacant positions.
She also alleged that factionalism within the ANC was influencing the hiring process, with each group seeking to place their allies in key roles.
Magwira added that out of more than 50 people interviewed for the general worker positions, the municipal manager claimed no one was successful, which she and the union found deeply disappointing.
Samwu is pushing for immediate action to fill the vacant posts, warning that continued delays could lead to further corruption and hinder service delivery.
