MEC Maile needs to provide clarity on the status of the suspension of the Emfuleni Municipal Manager

6 October 2020

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is calling on the Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements, Lebogang Maile to provide clarity with regards to the suspension and the lifting of the suspension of Emfuleni Municipal Manager, Lucky Leseane.

Leseane was suspended following the Emfuleni Council’s resolution to suspend him because he implemented salary increases for Emfuleni employees before the Council had taken a resolution on the matter.

The DA has been reliably informed that the Emfuleni Council had two options with regards to the employees’ salary increases due to the fact that the municipality is facing a serious cash flow problem.

The first option was to apply for exemption which means that the salary increases would be deferred to the next financial year with the hope that the municipality’s finances would have improved.

The second option was to give employees half of the 6,25 percent increase from July to December 2020 and the other half from January to June 2021.

It is alleged that MEC Maile advised the Emfuleni Mayor to lift the suspension of the Municipal Manager because the Council did not follow proper procedures in suspending him and that the process was unlawful.

Furthermore, the DA is in possession of a letter from the office of the Acting Emfuleni Mayor, Cllr Khethiwe Ntombela addressed to the Speaker , Whip of Council , Members of the Mayoral Committee and Executive Members informing them that the Executive Director, Vincent Campbell will be the Acting Municipal Manager from 2 to 14 October 2020.

The letter does not explain whether the Municipal Manager is currently on suspension or whether he is on leave.

The DA believes that Leseane should face the consequences of his actions.

We call on MEC Maile to urgently provide clarity on the matter and to ensure that Leseane is held accountable for implementing salary increases of employees before any Council resolution was taken.

The DA will be tabling questions in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) to ascertain why Leseane’s suspension was lifted, which procedures were not followed in suspending Leseane, what actions will be taken against Leseane and who will be responsible for these actions.

Issued by Kingsol Chabalala, DA Emfuleni North Constituency Head, 6 October 2020