File
Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Gary van Niekerk on Friday pointed the finger at his predecessor for the role that he played in National Treasury withholding more than R591 million in grant funding from the metro.
National Treasury has withheld the Equitable Share Grant from the metro over the appointment of Anele Qaba as the new CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA).
Qaba is the metro's former Executive Director for Economic Development, Tourism, and Agriculture.
The municipality ended his employment after a lengthy suspension before his appointment at the MBDA.
The withholding of funds has already proven to hinder service delivery in the metro as projects funded by the Equitable Share Grant could not commence.
Van Niekerk said Odendaal played a key role in facilitating the 'golden handshake' with Qaba, yet he described the handshake as 'fruitless and wasteful expenditure which must be recovered, in a letter written to the Minister of Finance, Honourable Enoch Godongwana.
He further said Odendaal was still Mayor when the shortlisting for the position of CEO of the MBDA was concluded at the end of April.
Despite this, Odendaal complained to National Treasury about Qaba's appointment, according to Van Niekerk.
"An urgent meeting of the Government of Local Unity took place on Thursday to discuss a way forward.
"I have now responded to the Minister and hope to meet with him and his team as soon as possible.
"The actions or inaction of Councillor Retief Odendaal, while leading the municipality, and his subsequent ill-conceived political campaign placed the availability of much-needed funds in danger," said Van Niekerk.
