Chaos erupted at the Madibeng local municipality, in North West, when the suspended municipal manager returned to work only to be forcefully removed from office by security guards on Thursday.
The same day, council collapsed for the second time because of a quorum on the disciplinary board report into municipal manager Quiet Kgatla.
Kgatla, who was suspended on March 27, just three months after his appointment, said he returned to work because his 30-day suspension period had expired and the council had not acted on the disciplinary board’s report.
His arrival at work resulted in some questioning whether the municipality had two municipal managers – Kgatla and acting municipal manager Daniel Masemola.
However, municipality spokesperson Tumelo Tshabalala said Kgatla was still on suspension, adding they were reporting to Masemola and that service delivery had not been affected.
“The substantive municipal manager is still on suspension until after the investigation on the allegations has been finalised or the suspension lifted by the council,” Tshabalala said.
Speaking to Sowetan, Kgatla said: “The reason I went to work is that the investigation was unlawful from the beginning. They did not allow me to make representations as to why I believe I should not be suspended. As far as I’m concerned, the report does not exist because no decision has been made on it.”
The reason I went to work is that the investigation was unlawful from the beginning. They did not allow me to make representations as to why I believe I should not be suspended. As far as I’m concerned, the report does not exist because no decision has been made on it
— Quiet Kgatla
Kgatla faces several allegations of misconduct, irregular procurement processes, and the withdrawal of R15m from the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) in December to pay for security services.
However, the money was put back into the MIG account in January.
He is also accused of irregularly appointing a contractor for the electrification of Damonsville in Brits.
A disciplinary board report dated May 9, which Sowetan has seen, recommends that the council appoint an independent investigator to conduct a full investigation.
The preliminary findings point to elements of financial misconduct, it said, adding that council should institute disciplinary proceedings.
The council has not yet adopted the report.
Council meetings had on three occasions collapsed with some councillors electing not to attend the meetings, while others walked out before deciding on the matter.
Madibeng DA councillor Erna Rossouw said during a council meeting on Thursday, she was totally shocked by [some in council] who were dressed in black because they want to suspend the municipal manager for another 30 days.
“We are in real chaos, we cannot function properly and the speaker keeps calling a special council meeting just because [some] want to suspend him for another 30 days.
"[Kgatla] should be back at work and we are not going to allow for him to be suspended for another 30 days because for the last six years, Madibeng has had acting municipal managers and it feels like we are in a circus.”
Save SA's Sydney Monnakgotla said they would not be supporting the report in council.
“It was such a mess in council, but we believe that the disciplinary board report has no substance, and we view this as a witch-hunt. We are not in support of the report at all.”
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