DA, eThekwini Mayor at loggerheads over 'unlawful' appointment
The DA in eThekwini is accusing Mayor Zandile Gumede of unlawfully appointing Phillip Sithole as acting municipal manager.
The opposition party claims Sithole's appointment was without the support of Council.
DA provincial leader, Zwakele Mncwango, feels Gumede should step aside if she cannot abide by the country's laws.
"By law, the Council must appoint the acting deputy manager. The power can't be vested only to one individual. The mayor herself admitted there was no name given to Council - so that they can delegate powers for the acting MM to facilitate the appointment of Phillip Sithole," he said.
Mncwango says the DA believes that the appointment was unlawful, as the entire process was flawed.
But mayoral spokesperson, Mthunzi Gumede, has rubbished the claims - saying the DA must get all their facts correct - before making accusations.
"We note the accusations made by the DA leader out of desperation. We want to put on record that the acting city manager of eThekwini is Dumisile Nene - not Phillip Sithole. In the meeting that appointed Mr Nene and also filled the vacancy of the acting DCM [Deputy City Manager]. The decision was a council decision, it was not an individual decision - according to the law," he said.
Nene was appointed to the position after former City Manager, Sbu Sithole, was asked to vacate his position in December 2016. At the time, Mayor Gumede claimed he had been placed on "compulsory leave" - as his five-year contract was drawing to an end.