Makana municipality administrator Pam Yako yesterday admitted she was unsure of her future after a recent National Council of Provinces (NCOP) decision to declare her appointment last year null and void.
Due back at the municipality next week, Yako told the Daily Dispatch she intended writing to co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) MEC Fikile Xasa asking for clarity on her position.
“I am still waiting for word from the MEC. They hired me,” she said.
Yako, who was employed in September on a “part-time” basis to turn around the dysfunctional local authority, said although she was working elsewhere at the moment she was not sure what would happen next week.
The five-month provincial intervention was declared invalid by the NCOP select committee on cooperative governance on Thursday after a visit the day before to Grahamstown to check on progress made in turning around the troubled municipality.
Xasa’s spokesman, Mamnkeli Ngam, yesterday downplayed doubts over the validity of Yako’s appointment and whether she would see out her six-month contract.
“Cogta Eastern Cape continues to work with its national department, the NCOP and other key stakeholders to attend to issues affecting the Makana municipality including the intervention. In this regard the status quo remains firmly in place.”
He reiterated a statement made last week to the Dispatch after the NCOP select committee declared the appointment null and void, saying a report would have to be made by select committee members who visited Makana to the full house of the NCOP about their findings.
This would then be communicated “formally and officially” by the NCOP to Cogta EC.
Local MP Andrew Whitfield yesterday questioned the wisdom of appointing a part-time administrator to sort out the municipality, saying it should be a full-time position, and that DA warnings to MEC Xasa and Cogta Minister Pravin Gordhan soon after the appointment about the consequences of procedural flaws in the plan had fallen on deaf ears.
“The MEC must be held accountable for this mess and be held personally liable for any fruitless and wasteful expenditure, such as the more than R1.8-million contract awarded to Ms Pam Yako’s consultancy.”
Makana Civil Society Coalition (MCSC) member Philip Machanick yesterday said despite some progress the problems kept piling up.
“The municipal dump is virtually unmanaged, RDP house allocation is extremely suspect and for everything we see improve other things go backwards.
“What we are not seeing is a clear will to turn things around.” — davidm@dispatch.co.za
Administrator role uncertain
Due back at the municipality next week, Yako told the Daily Dispatch she intended writing to co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) MEC Fikile Xasa asking for clarity on her position.
“I am still waiting for word from the MEC. They hired me,” she said.
Yako, who was employed in September on a “part-time” basis to turn around the dysfunctional local authority, said although she was working elsewhere at the moment she was not sure what would happen next week.
The five-month provincial intervention was declared invalid by the NCOP select committee on cooperative governance on Thursday after a visit the day before to Grahamstown to check on progress made in turning around the troubled municipality.
Xasa’s spokesman, Mamnkeli Ngam, yesterday downplayed doubts over the validity of Yako’s appointment and whether she would see out her six-month contract.
“Cogta Eastern Cape continues to work with its national department, the NCOP and other key stakeholders to attend to issues affecting the Makana municipality including the intervention. In this regard the status quo remains firmly in place.”
He reiterated a statement made last week to the Dispatch after the NCOP select committee declared the appointment null and void, saying a report would have to be made by select committee members who visited Makana to the full house of the NCOP about their findings.
This would then be communicated “formally and officially” by the NCOP to Cogta EC.
Local MP Andrew Whitfield yesterday questioned the wisdom of appointing a part-time administrator to sort out the municipality, saying it should be a full-time position, and that DA warnings to MEC Xasa and Cogta Minister Pravin Gordhan soon after the appointment about the consequences of procedural flaws in the plan had fallen on deaf ears.
“The MEC must be held accountable for this mess and be held personally liable for any fruitless and wasteful expenditure, such as the more than R1.8-million contract awarded to Ms Pam Yako’s consultancy.”
Makana Civil Society Coalition (MCSC) member Philip Machanick yesterday said despite some progress the problems kept piling up.
“The municipal dump is virtually unmanaged, RDP house allocation is extremely suspect and for everything we see improve other things go backwards.
“What we are not seeing is a clear will to turn things around.” — davidm@dispatch.co.za
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