Supplied- Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
Western Cape Local Government Minister Anton Bredell has written scathing letters to the Knysna leadership on what he says are unlawful appointments of the Acting Chief Financial Officer and Acting Director of Corporate Services.
He alleges that both candidates, acting corporate services boss Luvuyo Loliwe and acting CFO Londiwe Sotshede, do not meet the minimum prescribed requirements to be Senior Managers.
As a result, he is also preparing papers for a review application to set aside the appointments this week.
However, Knysna Mayor Aubrey Tshengwa says Bredell is selective when dealing with certain matters, especially in councils led by opposition parties.
“Bredell is not consistent - when the DA was in power they appointed someone who did not meet the requirements to be a CFO and he said nothing and the person acted in the post - he plays politics,” said Tshengwa (pictured below).
Sotshede was appointed on the 12th of August and Loliwe on the 16th of September 2022 for a period of three months or until the positions are filled, whichever comes first.
In his three letters to Council Bredell argues that Loliwe does not possess the required senior management level experience as prescribed in municipal regulations, and that Sotshede’s Curriculum Vitae does not satisfactorily verify that she has a post-graduate qualification which equates to an NQF level 8, as prescribed in the Municipal Regulations on Minimum Competency levels.
He also says the municipality extended the contracts of the pair without authorisation from his office as required in section 56(1) of the local government Municipal Systems act.
He says he will seek an order that will hold Tshengwa personally liable for irregular expenditure.
Bredell further gave Tshengwa, council speaker Mncedisi Skhosana, and municipal manager Ombali Sebola instructions to undertake that pending the review application, they would not make resolutions to extend or appoint Sotshede and Loliwe to the positions.
“If the required undertakings are not provided [this week] I shall have no alternative but to institute an urgent application for an order interdicting the council and the municipality from taking any steps to extend the unlawful appointments,” Bredell said in the letters.
Tshengwa says the matter would be dealt with in the next council meeting.
“We have requested a legal opinion on the matter, which will be dealt with in the next council meeting in March.
“From there we will take a decision regarding the matter,” he added.
Loliwe (above left) told AlgoaFM News that he was not privy to the letters by Bredell.
He said: “There is protocol with local government and I am not in a position to comment on the letters.
“When Bredell addresses me directly, I will respond,” he added.
Sotshede (above right) could not be reached for comment.
