Eastern Cape ANC councillor lays complaints against ex-acting city manager

ANC councillor Gamelihleli Maqula laid fraud and corruption complaints against ousted acting city manager Noxolo Nqwazi on Thursday.

The complaints were laid at the Humewood police station after accusations that Nqwazi had increased her salary and those of several other senior managers.

In a letter addressed to Nqwazi, dated July 7, new acting city manager Mvuleni Mapu claims she increased her salary and those of CFO Selwyn Thys, executive director of economic development, tourism and agriculture Anele Qaba and infrastructure and engineering head Walter Shaidi.

Maqula also serves on the council’s standing committee of public health.

Nqwazi has denied any wrongdoing, saying the council had previously resolved that once an appointment was made by the council for Section 56/57 managers, the issue of salary negotiations would be attended to and resolved by the mayor.

It is alleged the salaries of the four were hiked from R1.8m a year to R2.2m (an increase of 22.2%).

Maqula said the ANC was vocal about issues of corruption, especially when the issues affected the municipality’s purse.

“The process and the act about this issue are clear, it has to be approved by council, and as an accounting officer she should have known better.

“It cannot just go straight to the mayor and bypass all other processes, so we are here to see to it that the law takes its course,” Maqula said.