Under-fire Buffalo City Metro city manager Andile Sihlahla was likely be suspended on Wednesday while in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19 this week.
Those leading the charge for his suspension on Tuesday said the scheduled special council meeting to deal with his mooted suspension should not be shelved as he'd had enough time to motivate why the axe should not fall on him.
Sihlahla and metro corporate service head Bob Naidoo have tested positive, mayor Xola Pakati announced on Monday night.
Councillors pushing for Sihalhla's suspension say between June 29, when Pakati was instructed by council to ask Sihlahla why he should not be suspended, and Monday, the day his diagnosis was received, he had ample time to say why he should remain in office despite the city's continued poor audit outcomes and a damning Mpac report against his administration.
Attempts to elicit comment from council speaker Alfred Mtsi about whether the council would sit in the absence of Sihlahla drew a blank as his phone went to voicemail.
Pakati said on Tuesday he was unaware if the meeting would sit or not saying convening meetings was Mtsi's task.
Asked if he had written to Sihlahla and if he had received any response, Pakati said: “I am only accountable to council, not the newspapers. It would be irregular of me to comment on matters before they even reach council.”
Chief whip Mawethu Marata said: “Notices of the meeting have been given out, so yes it will sit.”
On Monday night, Pakati announced that human settlements head of department Luyanda Mbula had been appointed to act in Sihlahla's position after he and Naidoo, who has acted as the accounting officer before, tested positive.
An ANC councillor implied Sihlahla might be using Covid-19 as “an excuse to delay the inevitable”.
Councillors want BCM city manager suspended while in isolation
Image: SINO MAJANGAZA
Under-fire Buffalo City Metro city manager Andile Sihlahla was likely be suspended on Wednesday while in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19 this week.
Those leading the charge for his suspension on Tuesday said the scheduled special council meeting to deal with his mooted suspension should not be shelved as he'd had enough time to motivate why the axe should not fall on him.
Sihlahla and metro corporate service head Bob Naidoo have tested positive, mayor Xola Pakati announced on Monday night.
Councillors pushing for Sihalhla's suspension say between June 29, when Pakati was instructed by council to ask Sihlahla why he should not be suspended, and Monday, the day his diagnosis was received, he had ample time to say why he should remain in office despite the city's continued poor audit outcomes and a damning Mpac report against his administration.
Attempts to elicit comment from council speaker Alfred Mtsi about whether the council would sit in the absence of Sihlahla drew a blank as his phone went to voicemail.
Pakati said on Tuesday he was unaware if the meeting would sit or not saying convening meetings was Mtsi's task.
Asked if he had written to Sihlahla and if he had received any response, Pakati said: “I am only accountable to council, not the newspapers. It would be irregular of me to comment on matters before they even reach council.”
Chief whip Mawethu Marata said: “Notices of the meeting have been given out, so yes it will sit.”
On Monday night, Pakati announced that human settlements head of department Luyanda Mbula had been appointed to act in Sihlahla's position after he and Naidoo, who has acted as the accounting officer before, tested positive.
An ANC councillor implied Sihlahla might be using Covid-19 as “an excuse to delay the inevitable”.
“If I were in his position I would also try everything to avoid the axe falling on me. But he had enough time to motivate why he should not be suspended because he was asked to do so on June 29,” the councillor said.
Another councillor said they were also expecting a comprehensive report from Naidoo which would detail why the Civic Centre in King William's Town was not closed for decontamination after workers from the finance section tested positive for the coronavirus in May.
Instead, only the finance section was deep cleaned despite everyone using the same entrance.
“We have lost two comrades who were there. Councillor [Zukiswa] Mankayi and [Gideon] Norexe died two days apart [from suspected Covid-19 complications]. Ironically, the two people [Sihlahla and Naidoo] who are supposed to submit reports on these matters are now testing positive.
“This issue will also result in them being hauled into disciplinary hearings because they gambled with people's lives and now two of our comrades have died and others have tested positive as well.”
Sihlahla and Naidoo could not be reached on Tuesday.
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