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Tensions are rising between the Newcastle Municipality’s newly elected leadership and the Acting Municipal Manager.
According to Newcastle’s Deputy Mayor, Cllr Musa Thwala, on Wednesday, 26 January 2022, a special council meeting will be held to remove Newcastle Municipality’s Acting Municipal Manager, Vish Govender.
Accusations are flying, with the leadership accusing Govender of unethical behaviour. Yet, Govender insists that he has only been doing his job.
Newcastle’s Deputy Mayor, Musa Thwala, explains that Govender holds no respect for the municipality’s leadership and continues to push his own political agenda.
“There have also been new developments regarding the issues pertaining to Eskom and the payments owing to the power utility. On top of that, we have found that National Treasury has sent him a document, notifying him that he had to follow a series of tasks, which he failed to do,” confirms Thwala.
According to the notice from Treasury, the failure of the Newcastle Municipality to adopt a 2021/2022 funded main adjustment budget will constitute a material breach of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA).
As a result, the National Treasury will have no choice but to invoke Section 216(2) of the Constitution.
Cllr Thwala adds that this means that the municipality will be denied the equitable share allocations scheduled to be released in March 2022.
“From my side, he has to go. Unfortunately, Mr Govender does us no justice. There is no doubt that this acting MM is using his position to push his own political agendas,” Thwala emphasised.
In addition, Thwala stated that Govender had been the Acting Municipal for over a year, despite the fact that the municipality already employs a Municipal Manager. A fair point from the Deputy Mayor, considering both Municipal Managers are paid salaries.
Speaking to Govender, he explained that he only learned of the special council calling for his removal on Tuesday, 25 January 2022.
“If the decision is made, I will comply with it. But, as for the allegations, my track record speaks for itself. If I was ever disrespectful to the leadership, the Deputy Mayor is fully aware of the Code of Conduct and should have called me in for misconduct.”
Regarding the allegations that he was pushing his own political agenda, Govender stated that he could not have any political agenda as an administration official.
“I can only work within the bounds of the law. I am not a politician, so what political agenda can I promote? In fact, I resigned as Acting Municipal Manager and was asked to come back.”
Moreover, Govender points out that the Deputy Mayor is misguided and the meeting on Wednesday is not a special council meeting, but rather an ordinary Council Meeting. The Acting Municipal Manager further pointed out that the issue around the letter from the Treasury cannot be blamed on him.
As he explains, the 2021/2022 funded main adjustment budget is council’s responsibility and not his, as Cllr Thwala might believe.
But with the new leadership on a cleanup and questions around why the Newcastle Municipality employs two Municipal Managers, it looks like Govender’s time with the government entity is drawing to a close.
What are your thoughts on the decision? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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3 Responses
It is time that this municipality sorts things out
Just fix the roads, Clean up the town and create jobs and security with visible police.
I do not care for your internal power struggles.
Bottom line get the job done
Council had the responsibility of removing an MM that never came back to work. The town was lead to believe Vish stood in for the MM that was paid but never came to work. Sorry, but the labour law is very clear on an issue of staff not registering for work and if not present after a precise number of weeks it is referred to as absconder and should be treated as such. For this municipal council to have allowed the ratepayers to foot the bill for a delinquent employee is unacceptable. To blame Vish is nonsense.