(John McCann/M&G)
A whistleblower has exposed how an official was allegedly transferred from the uMzumbe local municipality in KwaZulu-Natal and parachuted to a senior post in eThekwini, the province’s only metro, without following proper recruitment procedures.
The source, who spoke to the Mail & Guardian on condition of anonymity, said the position had been advertised and internal candidates shortlisted. But they were overlooked, allowing one Thabile Mbili to bypass the system.
Mbili was subsequently appointed as an administration officer under the metro’s supply chain unit, earning a salary of R30 000 a month. The appointment was made without any interview being conducted.
“Those who had applied were shocked to be informed after the shortlisting process that the position had been withdrawn. To add salt to injury, it later emerged in the municipal corridors that in fact a candidate from another municipality had been considered,” the whistleblower said.
“Many of the applicants were internal candidates in the same unit having worked for years in one grade. They were looking forward to climbing the ladder, which would have come with more opportunities for career growth.”
The source said Thabile Mbili is related to Sihle Maxwell Mbili, a former municipal manager of the Ray Nkonyeni municipality on KwaZulu-Natal’s South coast and current head of the provincial department of human settlements. He was once tipped for the eThekwini city manager job, but this never materialised following political backlash.
“We believe the reason why she jumped the queue and was given the job on a silver platter was because of her family political ties with the ANC,” they said.
In a letter, a copy of which was seen by the M&G, Mbili applied for a transfer from uMzumbe municipality in September 2022. Barely a month later her application was approved by eThekwini. In her application, Mbili did not mention her previous position or functions that made her suitable for the intended job transfer.
Instead her letter reads in part: “I have been with uMzumbe municipality for more than seven years and I have had an amazing work experience. Now I would like to work for a metro to understand my job on a bigger scale.”
Mbili further stated that she intended enrolling for a master’s degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and it would be difficult for her to travel between uMzumbe and Durban for this.
Inaccuracies emerged in the documents she purportedly submitted for the job. In her CV, Mbili claimed she was assigned as a project financial controller in uMzumbe. In another document attached in her application, she said she had been working as a principal clerk.
Mbili’s transfer approval was given the green light by eThekwini city manager Musa Mbhele, head of human capital Sihle Mkhize and head of legal services Malusi Mhlongo.
“I have pleasure in informing you that your request to transfer to eThekwini municipality was approved by your city manager, as provided for in regulation 25 of the Local Government Municipal Regulations 45181 dated September 2021,” the approval letter reads.
The South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) also sounded the alarm bell, saying Mbili’s appointment did not follow municipal placement policy.
“Besides the questionable nature of her appointment, she was elevated from salary grade 7 to grade 11 earning a huge salary. The transfer itself is dubious because it should have been authorised by the head of supply chain management, head of human resources and the chief financial officer,” Samwu eThekwini chairperson Dumisani Luthuli said.
“But this was never done. We believe that this was nothing, but a politically influenced appointment.”
Luthuli said the matter was also referred to the local labour forum for intervention.
eThekwini metro did not directly answer questions from the M&G relating to the hiring of Mbili, saying only: “The municipality follows a fair and transparent recruitment process. In accordance with our employment policy, we ensure that eThekwini’s workforce is employed based on merit in order to provide the public with the best service possible. Importantly, the city does not discuss recruitment and selection processes with the media.”
Mbili also declined to comment, saying: “The municipality deals with the media through its communications unit. Please direct your questions through the correct channels.”