Staff reporter
Parys – The dissolved and troubled Ngwathe Local Municipality continues to hog headlines, albeit for the wrong reasons.
Faced with load and water shedding due to payment disputes, the Parys-based municipality has offered staff in the Speaker’s and Executive Mayor’s offices five-month contracts following the dissolution of the council.
According to insiders, their contracts lapsed when the council was dissolved and the administrator was appointed.
At least 37 councillors were shown the door following AfriForum’s court victory, which ended in the Constitutional Court.
STEPUPSA NEWS can confirm that the staff were appointed on short-term contracts with different responsibilities.
Among those contracted are the driver and bodyguard of Victoria De Beer, the former Executive Mayor.
A local government expert who spoke on condition of anonymity said the appointments were irregular.
“This is completely irregular. The administrator is supported by the municipality and the administration, not the political staff.”
According to quick search on Google, “the employment contracts of political staff-such as advisors, chiefs of staff, and administrative assistants attached to the offices of Executive Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Speaker, or Chief Whip – are legally structured as fixed-term contracts tied directly to the political term of that office bearer.”
Dr Patrick Mothamaha, Municipal Manager at Ngwathe Local Municipality, did not, for the first time, respond to our questions, including those about the regularity or irregularity of the appointments.
Below are the questions we sent.
- Can you confirm if their contracts (linked to political office) ended?
- Where they offered new contracts?
- What recruitment process did the municipality follow?
- Why are new contracts for different responsibilities?
- What skills set and expertise were required for each position?
- Is this lawful?
- Should it be established that these were unlawful, would you be personally liable?
- Has any dissolved municipality ever did this?
- What law or policy guided the municipality?
- Lasrly, is re municipality paying accommodation for former Executive Mayor?
Last month, the Free State High Court declared his appointment at Ngwathe Local Municipality irregular and set it aside. He has since appealed the judgment.
In 2022, the Free State High Court declared his appointment at Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality irregular, and he is yet to settle the excess amount paid to him.
This is a developing story.
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