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The Democratic Alliance in Nelson Mandela Bay has laid formal charges against executive mayor Benson Fihla and his deputy, Chippa Ngcolomba.
That's for their political interference in the work of former municipal manager, Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela, who recently resigned citing this as the main reason.
DA caucus leader in the Nelson Mandela Bay Council, Leon de Villiers, says he laid the charges in accordance with Section 173 of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
He says the Section clearly states that a councillor is guilty of an offence if they "deliberately influence or attempt to influence the accounting officer, the chief financial officer, a senior manager or any other municipal official to contravene the Act.
"we need to make a very clear statement there is a difference between political leadership and governance or administration and never can the two be mixed together, so politicians must understand that they can lead politically, they cannot lead administratively and for us long as we have administrative interference we stand the risk of loosing financial and human resources like we have juts lost at this Metro, which could lead to millions of Rand" he said.
Meanwhile the mayors office at Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has described the charges laid against executive mayor Benson Fihla by the DA on Thursday, as strange.
DA caucus leader, Leon de Villier, laid the charge today in terms of the Municipal Finance Management Act for the mayor's alleged interference in the work of former municipal manager, Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela.
She recently resigned, citing political interference in her work by the mayor and his deputy, Chippa Ngcolomba.
However, municipality spokesperson, Roland Williams, rejected the allegation.
"We have to say categorically that neither the executive mayor and deputy executive mayor have, in any way, shape or form, transgressed or disrespected any law, any statute, any policy, any process," he said.
Williams said "anyone who sincerely wants to make a positive contribution to the development and growth of this city is more than welcome to constructively engage with the executive mayor, or deputy executive mayor or city administration instead of resorting to what is nothing more than grand-standing."
