More than 100 ANC cadres have been appointed to the political office of the Mangaung Metro Municipality in contravention of the Municipal Systems Act.
Many of these new staff members have not clocked in for a day of work, but they’ve received a total of R2.5 million in salaries in January, according to The Citizen.
According to the Municipal Systems Act, political office bearers such as mayors, deputy mayors, chief whips, and the speakers of council are entitled to make a certain number of political appointments in their offices. While this number stands at 50 for Mangaung, documents seen by The Citizen suggest that 105 people have been employed.
Chief of Staff, Sibongile Tsoleli, wrote to the acting city manager saying these appointments were necessary for ‘administrative and functional support of political office bearers.’
This means that a large number of ANC affiliates and members were appointed as heads of department, managers, researchers, cleaners and administration officers. The ANC’s interim regional committee coordinator, Sabelo Pitso, is listed as a customer relations manager in the same office.
Speaker Stefani Lockman-Naidoo said she had not seen any of the people recently appointed to her office. ‘There have been no human resources processors. Apparently, I have a head of department who runs around in a suit and represents me in meetings. I am wondering who gives him the mandate as I am the principal.’
Lockman-Naidoo wrote to query the payment of the staff in her office which she had not authorised. The spokesperson, Qondile Khedama, did not respond to her texts or calls.