Alfred Nzo Municipality has suspended its municipal manager for allegedly failing to implement council resolutions.
Banzi Silinga will be out of a job for three months while the municipality investigates the allegations.
In a press statement, Alfred Nzo spokesman Ndabuko Masumpa said the municipality would probe “non-implementation of council resolutions, poor performance of the municipality and failure to make representation on why he should not be suspended”.
Another manager, Mthetheleli Kraai, has been appointed to act in the position while the investigation is being conducted.
Silinga could not be reached for comment yesterday. Sources close to the matter believe he is being targeted for blocking certain ANC leaders from irregularly accessing multi-million rand tenders.
Earlier this year, Silinga changed the bid committees and appointed new members. The move is said to have infuriated some leaders in the region, who reportedly vowed to have him removed to protect their financial interests. It is alleged they are eyeing municipal water infrastructural grant (MWIG) projects provided by national government over three years.
MWIG is a grant that assists municipalities with water provision. It is used where residents do not have access to water and government needs to do a quick intervention.
This financial year the Alfred Nzo Municipality will receive R54-million, in the 2015-16 financial year a sum of R91-million will be provided, and in 2016-17 more than R120-million. Contractors who will be awarded the MWIG contracts this year will sign three-year contracts, meaning they get to share more than R200-million.
A top municipal source said: “They are targeting these contracts, possibly to campaign for their regional conference and the local government elections.
“Whoever is influencing the move will pocket huge sums of money because they will make sure that their own people get the contracts.”
ANC regional secretary Sixolile Mehlomakhulu could not be reached at the time of writing yesterday.
Provincial co-operative governance and traditional affairs superintendent-general Stanley Khanyile said: “We will interact with the municipality about the matter.
“There are certain procedures that ought to be followed. We will find out the reasons for the suspension. They are supposed to have informed us, as the department.
“We hope that they will comply with the regulations because in such cases there must be fairness.” — abongilem@dispatch.co.za
Alfred Nzo boss suspended
Banzi Silinga will be out of a job for three months while the municipality investigates the allegations.
In a press statement, Alfred Nzo spokesman Ndabuko Masumpa said the municipality would probe “non-implementation of council resolutions, poor performance of the municipality and failure to make representation on why he should not be suspended”.
Another manager, Mthetheleli Kraai, has been appointed to act in the position while the investigation is being conducted.
Silinga could not be reached for comment yesterday. Sources close to the matter believe he is being targeted for blocking certain ANC leaders from irregularly accessing multi-million rand tenders.
Earlier this year, Silinga changed the bid committees and appointed new members. The move is said to have infuriated some leaders in the region, who reportedly vowed to have him removed to protect their financial interests. It is alleged they are eyeing municipal water infrastructural grant (MWIG) projects provided by national government over three years.
MWIG is a grant that assists municipalities with water provision. It is used where residents do not have access to water and government needs to do a quick intervention.
This financial year the Alfred Nzo Municipality will receive R54-million, in the 2015-16 financial year a sum of R91-million will be provided, and in 2016-17 more than R120-million. Contractors who will be awarded the MWIG contracts this year will sign three-year contracts, meaning they get to share more than R200-million.
A top municipal source said: “They are targeting these contracts, possibly to campaign for their regional conference and the local government elections.
“Whoever is influencing the move will pocket huge sums of money because they will make sure that their own people get the contracts.”
ANC regional secretary Sixolile Mehlomakhulu could not be reached at the time of writing yesterday.
Provincial co-operative governance and traditional affairs superintendent-general Stanley Khanyile said: “We will interact with the municipality about the matter.
“There are certain procedures that ought to be followed. We will find out the reasons for the suspension. They are supposed to have informed us, as the department.
“We hope that they will comply with the regulations because in such cases there must be fairness.” — abongilem@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos