/ 5 January 2019

Msimanga distances himself from appointment of ‘unqualified’ acting city manager

Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga
City of Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga has distanced himself from the appointment of Previn Govender as acting city manager.

Msimanga said that it was the prerogative of city manager Moeketsi Mosola to name someone to act in his place while he was away.

Msimanga said on Friday he would have queried the appointment with the city’s council, but it was already in recess when the decision was made.

“There is a report which will be tabled to council soon, and some of those queries will be engraved in it for its consideration,” Msimanga said.

Earlier this week, the ANC in Tshwane accused the Democratic Alliance-led city of not taking the provision of services seriously when appointing the acting city manager.

The ANC caucus said it was “dismayed, disappointed and horrified that the corrupt DA-led administration has released a memorandum to staff and appointed a fake, unqualified and incompetent chief of emergency Previn Govender to be the acting city manager while the embattled Dr Moeketsi Mosola is on leave”.

The party accused Govender of faking his qualifications.

“Govender has misrepresented his emergency and fire qualifications and the institution in the United Kingdom has indicated to the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) that Govender’s qualifications as outlined in his CV are fake,” the ANC’s Lesego Makhubela stated.

The party claimed Govender was hired as part of the multi-party arrangement of the DA and the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP).

Msimanga responded by saying that he had previously raised issues surrounding Govender’s qualifications and accused the ANC of politicking.

“This is not a new issue, and the ANC knows it.”

In May 2018, former councillor Marietha Aucamp was forced to resign from her position as chief of staff at the City after it was found she had lied about her qualifications.

READ MORE: Aucamp resigns after qualifications scandal

The ANC caucus called on Msimanga to remove Govender as acting city manager, as well as other irregularly appointed officials, asking that they be suspended with immediate effect pending disciplinary hearings.

“We again called on government to place the City under administration,” Makhubele added. — News24