The City of Tshwane's failure to apply for a waiver for Aucamp
Marietha Aucamp has resigned as Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga’s chief of staff on Thursday night after it was revealed that she did not have the proper qualifications for the position.
READ MORE: Tshwane mayor’s chief of staff on special leave over qualification claims
Aucamp resigned when it emerged that she holds a matric certificate. According to the job description, candidates needed a bachelor’s degree; however, Aucamp claimed that there was a “waiver provision”. The mayoral interview committee contradicted her however, saying there was no waiver when she was selected for office.
Although Aucamp claims that she did not have proper qualifications, on a hiring document that made its way to social media, it stated that she had a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech). On Radio 702’s Eusebius McKaiser show, Aucamp denied that she wrote that she had a B.Tech. “I had indicated when I applied to be Chief of Staff in my written application that I only have a matric qualification,” she said.
“I’m very sad for how it played out,” Aucamp said.
There is also dispute over whether Aucamp was asked to leave by the mayor or if she resigned of her own volition.
During her radio interview, Aucamp claimed she had had a conversation with Msimanga where she indicated her desire to resign. She asserted that she decided to resign since it was the end of the fiscal year and she didn’t want to “take focus away from the good work the government is doing.”
Msimanga’s spokesperson Sam Mgobozi, however rebuked Aucamp’s claim. Mgobozi stated that the mayor had asked Aucamp to step down and that he even signed a letter that respectfully asked Aucamp to step down.
“The statement was drafted in consultation of the executive mayor. I’ve done what the mayor had asked me to do.”
Aucamp believes that the letter was forged by someone else. She does not believe that the mayor would sign off on the letter considering they never had a conversation where he asked her to step down.
“I know that the mayor did not write that statement so I don’t feel betrayed by the mayor. I know the mayor has been open and transparent about everything he has been doing. I don’t believe that’s the mayor’s statement,” she said.