Now Andile Dyakala faces a swathe of criminal and misconduct complaints against him, with the Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC) saying it wants social media smear campaigns launched against the business organisation and others on ELM issues since mid 2019 investigated. GTCoC CEO Klippies Kritzinger confirmed a written complaint in connection with Dyakala would be compiled and lodged with ELM Municipal Manager Lucky Leseane.
Dyakala has also been accused of meddling in politics and is seen within the ANC as being responsible for its defeat in Tshwane, where Dyakala played a divisive role, according to informed sources. “The pattern of abuse in all these issues is clear. Anonymous and blatant distortion of facts on social media accompanied by wild and unsubstantiated allegations against media, business and ELM figures – and then there is the personal abuse contact on social media as well,” said Kritzinger.
Leseane on Monday confirmed that any such complaint by the GTCoC would be investigated within the ambit of the ELM Code of Conduct. Leseane confirmed but declined to comment on the already-completed report into complaints against Dyakala – sources said this was with ELM Executive Mayor Gift Moerane already and would be submitted to council. The GTCoC has been vocal in its criticism of Dyakala and his role in ending the smart meter programme – costing ELM an estimated R300 million so far – and incompetent handling of the Eskom debt crisis, and now also the latest Rand Water debt debacle. Police also recently completed an investigation against CFO Andile Dyakala on alleged extreme abuse and threats of violence on social media against a former acting Executive Mayor and a decision to prosecute criminal charges is still awaited.
The internal ELM investigation also includes the events relating to the criminal charges as well as other allegations of misconduct relating to further abuse of Ntombela and other high-ranking Gauteng Province officials in an on-line meeting. Dyakala also has a court protection order against him in force after former acting Executive Mayor Khetiwe Ntombela obtained the order following the laying of criminal charges against him by her on October 18.
Additionally, Dyakala also faces complaints by his direct superior, Municipal Manager Leseane, relating to alleged smear campaigns waged by Dyakala against Leseane’s administration. Complaints of a sustained abuse and dirty tricks campaign allegedly involving Dyakala have been made by the GTCoC since 2019. The latest smear campaign relates to a series of anonymous WhatsApp posts on the R492 million default judgment in favour of smart meter service provider BXCSA, referring to the judgment as the “Great Chinese Heist” and accusing the business-coalition Emfuleni For Change (EFC) of being racist.
The EFC is currently setting up a Business Forum with ELM to address infrastructure and service delivery issues and Dyakala is known to vehemently oppose the joint structure. Dyakala remains unsuspended by ELM despite the gravity of the public gender-based abuse and intimidation against Ntombela as well as other related complaints.
