MPUMALANGA fired controversial local government director James Nkambule for the fourth time on Monday, without waiting for the outcome of disciplinary action against him. All three earlier attempts to axe Nkambule had to be withdrawn after the government admitted that it failed to follow established labour procedures. The latest dismissal was announced in a terse one paragraph letter, which noted that Nkambule had failed to give the department of local government and traffic a clearly motivated reason for retaining his services beyond his six month probationary contract. Provincial spokesperson Joy Letlonkane confirmed Nkambule had been dismissed regardless of the outcome of a disciplinary hearing against him and three other senior departmental officials on Wednesday. New local government MEC Tsietsi Tolo is expected to testify at the hearing, in which Nkambule is defending himself against misconduct charges for allegedly threatening to physically harm department head Bruno Vilane.