Probe shows managers not qualified

The council is referring the matter to court but the removal of the two 'could be detrimental'

- Aarti Bhana

Two senior managers in the Siyathemba local municipality in Prieska in Northern Cape have been implicated in an investigation, which found that their appointments were irregular as they did not have the relevant qualifications.

The investigation into their appointments was initiated last year by the council, which comprises five ANC members, two from the Democratic Alliance and four members from the Siyathemba Community Movement.

The main findings of the inquiry were that chief financial officer Howard Meiring was appointed to the position in 2015 without the relevant qualifications, while Jakob Basson was given the post of director of technical services in the same year in what was described as an “invalid, unlawful and unconstitutional” appointment.

Senior managers have to be appointed by the council, and not municipal managers, a member of the current council told the Mail & Guardian, on condition of anonymity.

"With the post of the technical manager — the post was not advertised. There was no interview. There was nothing.

“The municipal manager just decided to appoint him permanently in the municipality without any process ... and he did not even have the qualification for the post,” the member said.