BCM mayor tight-lipped on shake-up

Councillors demand answers

BUFFALO City Metro (BCM) executive mayor Zukiswa Ncitha yesterday failed to explain to council how a decision to reshuffle her mayoral committee was reached.

Ncitha also failed to provide an explanation on delays in appointment of administration’s executive directors. These critical posts have been vacant since BCM assumed its metropolitan status after local government elections in 2011.

The Daily Dispatch last week reported that mayoral committee members Nomiki Mgezi, who was head of housing portfolio, and Rufus Rwexu, head of health and public safety portfolio, had been booted out.

The two were allegedly removed on instruction of the ANC after they failed to endorse certain individuals for executive director positions in the municipality.

Ncitha yesterday officially informed council that veteran councillor Sindiswa Gomba was to take over from Mgezi while deputy mayor and ANC regional treasurer Temba Tinta will double as a “caretaker” in Rwexu’s post until a suitable deployee is found.

The Dispatch understands that the pending appointment of executive directors, which has placed the ANC at odds with its alliance partner the SACP, is said to be the reason for the reshuffle.

Council is solely responsible for the appointment of these senior administrators. However, the Pumlani Mkolo-led ANC regional executive intervened and made recommendations to mayoral committee heads, including Rwexu and Mgezi, who are both active SACP members.

The ANC accused Rwexu and Mgezi of defying party orders to appoint ANC deployees into vacant director positions.

In Mgezi’s ex-directorate, the Dispatch understands the ANC wants Dr Sijaku Mbanga, provincial human settlement department’s chief operations officer, to take over as directorate head.

Mgezi and his selection panel are said to have preferred former COPE leader and acting directorate head Thabo Matiwane.

Yesterday’s attempts by councillors to get clarity from Ncitha on when these critical posts will be filled drew a blank, with the mayor promising an update by mid-December.

PAC councillor Jerome Mdyolo yesterday tabled a motion demanding Ncitha update council on progress in the appointments.

ANC councillor Sakhumzi Caga joined in and said, “the issue of these appointments has been dragging for ages and we cannot allow it to drag towards 2016, it must be finalised this year”.

“The report on these appointments is long overdue and that is unaccepted,” Caga said.

DA’s Johannes Green said councillors needed to find out if delays were politically or administration delays.

African Christians Democratic Party’s Monwabisi Quse demanded that Ncitha explain her logic in reshuffling her mayoral committee. —