City manager position: Mavundla won’t be deterred

ETHEKWINI deputy mayor Philani Mavundla has rubbished allegations that he and the selection panel that held interviews last week to appoint a city manager had received bribes from the acting municipal manager, in the hope of being selected for the position.

This followed an anonymous “dodgy” email from an unknown individual, who in it alleged that the selection panel had been bribed to ensure that the current acting city manager received a higher score from the panel.

In the email, the individual further alleged that the acting city manager had recently “showered Mavundla’s wife with a car” – as a gift to prove that he could “deliver”.

Speaking yesterday during a media briefing held at the Durban International Convention Centre, Mavundla said that it was clear that there were people hell-bent on destabilising the process in an effort to render it corrupt so that those who did not meet the requirements would be appointed to the position.

“It is now public information that the way in which the issue of the appointment of city manager was handled initially, had many fouls including allegations of ‘cadre deployment’ that emanated from a series of events that messed this process from the initial one that was chaired by the mayor.

“This resulted in many frictions and forced the decision to uphold their view of what was a recommendation from that process.

“The victory scored by the minority parties showed that the ANC was defeated in a motion and (a) council resolution was to restart the process.”

Mavundla stated that he would not divulge information about the process that had unfolded including the decision by the council to appoint him as chair of the multi-party team together with members of the panel responsible for interviewing city manager candidates.

“This is rather unfortunate that when the process has been above-board, (and) included not just Mavundla, but a balanced panel including an independent expert, that I frankly have no relationship with; then such faceless and frivolous allegations come to my doorstep.

Those who are against progress for a city to run in an ethical, effective, and just manner are playing their dirty tactics to ensure that days of corruption and maladministration continue in this city,” he stated.

The leader of the Abantu Batho Congress said the allegations would not deter him from doing his work ethically and in an “above-board manner”.

“I do not want to even give priority to allegations of gifts bought for my wife in terms of a so-called ‘brand new car’ – this is news to me and the family. This is nonsensical and playing hard to the gallery of the media to peddle lies in my family and my name.”

On the process to be taken in appointing a city manager, the deputy mayor said that the committee would report to the council at month end.

The acting city manager Musa Mbhele had not replied to questions by the time of publication.

Meanwhile, the mayor of ethekwini, Mxolisi Kaunda said during a separate media briefing held at the city hall yesterday that the processes to appoint a city manager were almost complete as interviews have been completed and candidates were scheduled to undergo competency tests this week.

Kaunda commended the panel that was approved by council for moving with speed to finalise the process.

“This panel, which is tasked with the selection process, comprises of the Deputy Mayor, three Executive Committee (Exco) Members, and an external expert. Once the panel has concluded all the steps in the process, a report will be presented to Exco and Council next week,” he said.