The African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal has expressed shock at an Inkatha Freedom Party ultimatum to its councillors in the Umuziwabantu municipality on the South Coast to reinstate a suspended manager, or face dismissal.
”[Municipal manager Zenzele] Phakathi is currently on suspension pending allegations of corruption, mismanagement of funds and nepotism, among others,” the ANC said on Monday.
Despite this, the IFP’s provincial oversight committee has written a letter to all its councillors in the municipality to ”restore” Phakathi — or be fired or be removed from the list of candidates for local government elections, the ANC said.
The IFP, however, claims the ultimatum to its councillors was intended as a ”trigger process” to ensure they follow procedure.
”The municipality had, thus far, failed to follow the correct procedures in suspending the municipal manager, and had not catalogued alleged acts of mismanagement,” the party responded to the ANC criticism.
It said the rule of law has to be followed in resolving cases of maladministration.
”The IFP does not condone mismanagement in any form, and … Mr Phakathi will not enjoy the support of the IFP if it is found that he is culpable of mismanagement,” the party said. — Sapa