Ekurhuleni’s bad planning leads to delays in appointing city manager
This is in contravention of the separation of power model that the council adopted.
The ANC-led coalition government in Ekurhuleni continues to disregard the separation of powers model, which allows oversight committees to discuss issues before they are sent to council for more deliberations and to be passed.
As a result, the Democratic Alliance (DA) feels this is delaying the appointment of the new city manager.
The DA’s representatives on the Corporate and Shared Services oversight committee are unhappy that, at the council meeting on October 26, 2016, the ANC and its coalition partners tried to force through two items without following proper procedures.
These items were brought to council without appearing before the committee. This is in contravention of the separation of power model that the council adopted. It is denying the opposition parties the opportunity to properly interrogate items and submit dissenting views where consensus cannot be reached.
During the September council meeting, councillors discussed an item requesting permission to establish a committee that would appoint a new city manager. The item was forced through council by the ANC-led coalition.
The item spoke to a list of names of the people to sit on the committee, responsible for appointing the new city manager. This included one non-public representative or EMM employee as an additional member, as well as the time frame within which the recruitment and selection process was to happen.
The DA was not afforded the opportunity to nominate its preferred candidate, or interrogate how the additional member was appointed, and what advertising, if any, for this paid position was done, nor could it scrutinise the time frames in the item.
As a result of this failure to follow procedure, in the October council meeting this item was brought back to council. This time calling for the changing of the time frames, as the committee was unable to meet its planned targets.
The DA wants answers to what matrix was applied when short-listing candidates. The party will scrutinise these appointments.
We will investigate all candidates who are put through, so that we know what qualifications they have for the job. The DA believes that the best person for the job should be appointed, it is important that any person fit for purpose is appointed.
Brian Mchunu, DA Media Officer.
THE RECORD asked the City of Ekurhuleni to comment, but they have failed to do so.
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