Staff reporter
Bloemfontein — A bargaining council ruling on the reinstatement of dismissed General Manager: Human Resources Tshediso Ramoshebi, coupled with a costly series of appeals, has raised serious questions about accountability at the municipality.
Commissioner PJ Greyling’s ruling follows an earlier dispute dating back to 2024, with the matter eventually reaching the Labour Court in a judgment handed down in January 2026.
And that is where the meat of the matter lies.
In the earlier proceedings, the municipality was ordered to pay approximately R750,000, while an appeal was dismissed with costs. The latest bargaining council ruling, however, has reportedly increased the municipality’s potential liability substantially, ordering it to pay Ramoshebi around R2 million.
If the latest ruling is not successfully challenged, Ramoshebi is expected to return to work.
That could have further consequences for the municipality, including the position currently occupied by Pule Molaleyane, who may be required to vacate the office if Ramoshebi’s reinstatement takes effect.
The bigger question, however, is how a dispute that initially carried a liability of about R750,000 has escalated into a potential R2 million burden for a municipality already facing significant financial and service-delivery challenges.
It also raises questions about the municipality’s approach to litigation, settlements and appeals. If settlements are reached but subsequently not adhered to, and repeated appeals ultimately fail, who bears responsibility for the additional costs incurred by the municipality, and ultimately by taxpayers?
The latest ruling could therefore have implications far beyond the employment dispute itself.
The amount of money the municipality spent of legal costs in the past 24 months will shock residents and the Head of Department for Corporate Service is Mokete Duma, for Head of Department at COGTA. He should be excelling in this.
Meanwhile, a convicted racist Bongi Tsoleli has taken court defeat to SCA after Free State High Court dismissed her appeal.
The funny part is ANCWL has never, not even in their dreams said anything. Same with Joyce Mathae and Tau Pele corruption claims but they are quick on others.
This is a developing story.
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