Court stresses need for integrity in public service

WHEN public servants who are guilty of malfeasance are led to feel safe in the knowledge that their misconduct will have no consequences, service delivery is compromised and those who suffer are the vulnerable and the powerless.

- ZELDA VENTER

These were the words of an acting judge after the now former municipal manager of the Inxuba Yethemba Municipality in the Eastern Cape was fired for misconduct. The South African Local Bargaining Council, however, ruled that his dismissal was a too harsh sanction. While the commissioner acknowledged the misconduct of the municipal manager, Xolola Msweli, was “rather serious,” it was ruled that his dismissal was unfair. Aggrieved with this finding, the municipality asked the Ggeberha Labour Court to overturn the commissioner's findings.