Niki Moore
The paper war continues between political parties in Mandeni on the Zululand south coast, piling another controversy on to the collapsing Inkatha Freedom Party-led local government.
The latest crisis has been sparked by the council’s apparent determination to ram through the appointment of disgraced academic Musa Xulu as the town’s new municipal manager.
Xulu a former music professor at the University of Zululand was fired from his last job as deputy director general of the national Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology for misconduct. Despite this, he was appointed municipal manager of the troubled town at a higher-than-usual R400000 annual salary and perks that have got the opposition parties foaming at the mouth.
On Thursday a council meeting ended in chaos when African National Congress and Democratic Alliance councillors walked out with one IFP member in protest against the IFP’s attempt to adopt “doctored” minutes from a previous council meeting. It is alleged that the minutes had been changed to record that the council approved Xulu’s appointment.
“The DA and a member of the IFP were adamant that the matter had not even been discussed,” said ANC executive committee member Sam Zwane. Despite the walk-out, the IFP continued with the meeting and allegedly voted to expel Zwane from the council and DA councillor Flo Lezar from the executive committee.
“I don’t know how they can do this,” said Lezar, “because we all made it quite clear that we were opposed to the appointment on the grounds of the many irregularities. The IFP completely hijacked the meeting and so we walked out.”
Said Zwane: “This IFP-led municipality is totally out of control, with IFP councillors simply doing whatever they like with total disregard to the rule of law Their primary objective appears to be to use the council and its administration as a means of inflicting revenge on the ANC at the expense of development for the community.”
It is unclear why the IFP in Mandeni is risking its credibility to protect Xulu’s current job while he might still be employed in his previous one.
An official with the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology confirmed that Xulu had taken his dismissal from the post of deputy director general to arbitration. “Therefore it is surprising that Xulu was offered another permanent position. In terms of the rules of arbitration, if Xulu challenges his dismissal it means that he is still technically employed by the department He cannot apply for, or be offered, another permanent post until the arbitration has been completed.”
Xulu’s appointment is the latest in a string of emergencies in Mandeni. Earlier this year a power struggle over the post of mayor held up governance for six months. Then Eskom threatened to switch off the town’s power because of an unpaid bill. A few months later the town was threatened with a suspension of its water supply. Non-payment for rates and services has left Mandeni teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.