The appointment of an acting city manager for Nelson Mandela Bay has exposed a leadership vacuum, with only two Section 56 managers remaining after April.
When human settlements executive director Tabiso Mfeya’s contract ends at the close of the month, the only other Section 56 managers will be chief operating officer Lonwabo Ngoqo and chief financial officer Jackson Ngcelwane.
Officials are acting in the other seven executive director roles.
Section 56 managers are senior managers directly accountable to the municipal manager.
The latest to leave is corporate services acting executive director Nosipho Xhego, whose five-year contract ended on Tuesday.
There is no-one overseeing her department.
On Wednesday, the council could not agree on one of five names to act in Xhego’s place.
This includes the corporate human resources director, Yolanda Dakuse, human resources management director Chris Jamda, strategic co-ordination director Virna Zeelie, management information systems (MIS) director Pumeza Sume and constituency services director Dumisani Mbebe.
Mbebe was previously shortlisted alongside Xhego and also acted as COO under former mayor Mongameli Bobani.
The item was deferred during the meeting.
During a virtual council meeting, the leadership vacuum came to the fore.
According to leaked documents seen by The Herald, the virtual council sitting cost the municipality R20,000.
Last week, a delegation led by mayor Babalwa Lobishe told parliament’s co-operative governance and traditional affairs portfolio committee that Ngoqo’s tenure as acting city manager would end at the end of March, which prompted an item to be brought before council for discussion on Wednesday.
However, during a debate on the item, it emerged that Ngoqo’s three-month acting tenure only ends at the end of April.
Tabling a new report, Lobishe said it contained the names of two officials, Ngoqo and Mfeya, because no other person could act in that position.
“We’ve attached the concurrence letter by the MEC on the previous request for Ngoqo to act in the position,” Lobishe said.
Speaker Eugene Johnson asked Lobishe why the agenda item listed only one name, even though the mayor had submitted a new report with two names.
“Can you explain why?” Johnson said.
Lobishe said: “It is only the city manager who’s permanently employed. Mfeya’s contract ends at the end of the month.
“With the concurrence letter, it will be fitting and for the means of stability to propose the same name.”
A concurrence letter is an official document that expresses approval or agreement for a proposed action.
Johnson countered and said concurrence from co-operative governance MEC Zolile Williams was only given after the council has made a decision
“We won’t go back, walking the same road. I must caution the council on asking for concurrence even before the council has taken a decision.”
GOOD councillor Lawrence Troon agreed with Johnson and suggested the city approach Cogta for a way forward.
“It’s clear the relationship with Cogta and this municipality is strained.
“To bring unity, I don’t think it’ll cause any harm for this city to ask [Cogta portfolio committee chair Dr] Zweli [Mkhize] for this.
“We can’t go into another phase of trial and error.
“We are all still suffering the harm of [former acting city manager] Ted Pillay.
“Whoever will be sent must be someone knowledgeable of this municipality.
“If that proposal is accepted, let’s appoint someone for a week or two pending a response from the chair of the portfolio committee.
“We’re now going into a very, very serious time in this municipality where you have to deal with IDP and budget.
“We don’t want a municipal manager from these small municipalities where they deal with R3m and then have to deal with budgets of R21bn.
“This is not our corner shop, we’re dealing with a municipality with a budget of R21bn.”
Council chief whip Wandisile Jikeka requested an adjournment to allow the item to be amended.
“The item before us does not talk to what the mayor was talking about. The item only has one CV.
“The item has the concurrence of the MEC for the one that lapsed for the three months that ended on Tuesday.
“The COO’s concurrence lapsed yesterday.
“When I read the item, there are discrepancies that I picked up that should not have been included.
“When someone is on leave and then returns to work, it doesn’t mean the six months are interrupted.
“Taking leave does not reduce the length of your contract.”
The confusion stems from the council assuming Ngoqo’s acting tenure ended on March 31, when in fact, it only ends at the end of April.
DA councillor Gustav Rautenbach expressed his concern with the item.
“You’ll recall when it came to the appointment of acting EDs, there was no attachment of qualifications.
“I don’t see the qualifications of the person recommended to serve as acting city manager. We must be fair.”
Council adjourned for a few minutes to consider the remarks made by councillors.
Another item presented to councillors included Mfeya’s CV, and it was during this time that councillors discovered Ngoqo’s acting tenure had been extended by another three months during a January 29 meeting.
Concurrence for this was granted by Williams in a letter to the city dated March 11.
ANC councillor Bongani Mani accused the speaker’s office for the confusion.
“I can tell you now, the issue will not go unnoticed because there would have been expenditure in relation to the convening of this particular special council meeting.
“So I don’t want you to think that this can be the end of it all.”
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