Don't fire MM, it's a waste of tax money, reckons DA

The embattled municipal manager (MM) of the Thulamela Municipality, Mr Hlengani Maluleke, received support from an unexpected corner the past week. The Democratic Alliance’s councillor reckoned that fighting for the MM’s suspension was not worth the effort as his contract is about to expire and taxpayers’ money would be wasted if the matter ends up in court.

The Thulamela Municipality is under a lot of pressure to act against Maluleke for his involvement in the VBS scandal. Under Maluleke’s leadership, the municipality invested R30 million in the now-liquidated bank. Thulamela did not lose money in the process, as it called in the investment and received interest of R682 000.

In July this year, Thulamela Mayor Mushoni Tshifhango was axed, following an instruction by the provincial executive committee (PEC) of the ANC in Limpopo. This was in line with a forensic report on the VBS matter that recommended action against all politicians and officials involved in the scandal. The report also fingered Maluleke. The report did indicate that political pressure had been exerted on officials to invest with VBS bank.

On 26 July, Maluleke had to appear before a disciplinary committee, and he was charged with gross dishonesty, gross misconduct, or alternatively gross negligence. Prior to the hearing’s taking place, a plea agreement was concluded between the municipality and the municipal manager. In spite of the plea agreement, in which Maluleke pleaded guilty to all seven charges, the hearing continued, with Maluleke opting to represent himself. As a mitigating factor, Maluleke was portrayed as having a clean record at the municipality and, under his leadership, Thulamela had received unqualified audit reports. He also indicated that he had approved the investment at VBS after political pressure had been exerted.

According to the plea agreement, Maluleke would have received a written warning as punishment for his transgressions. The disciplinary committee, however, recommended that Maluleke be suspended. This caused an impasse, as the council seemingly did not know how to deal with this situation.

The DA councillor in the Thulamela Municipality, Thelma Marole, said this week that her party was not in favour of suspending the MM, albeit more of a pragmatic approach. She said that Maluleke was on record as saying that he had been pressurised by politicians of the ruling party to deposit money into VBS Bank. Maluleke also has a fairly good track record as MM. Marole said that Maluleke was left with two months of his contract and to suspend him now would simply be a waste of taxpayers’ money.

The secretary of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Vhembe, Cllr Dunani Baloyi, said that his party had fought for the removal of both the mayor and the MM, because of their involvement in the VBS saga. The mayor had been removed, but much to the surprise of the EFF, the MM was still at the helm of the municipality. Baloyi said that the EFF had heard that the ANC caucus within the municipality was completely divided on the issue.

The convenor of the ANC Youth League’s Thulamela Sub-region, Mukhethwa Mulovhedzi, said that the youth league was not happy at all and “we are more than ready to go to court to challenge this report”. “We are not going to rest as the young people. If the ANC doesn't want to listen to our pleas, we are going to disturb the local government elections until they remove the MM from the Thulamela Municipality,” he threatened.

Date:16 September 2021

By: Kaizer Nengovhela

Kaizer Nengovhela started writing stories for Limpopo Mirror in 2000. Prior to that he had a five year stint at Phala-Phala FM as sports presenter. In 2005 Kaizer received an award from the province's premier as Best Sports Presenter. The same year he was also nominated as Best Sports Reporter by the Makhado Municipality. Kaizer was awarded the Mathatha Tsedu award in 2014.

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