Suspended eThekwini Deputy City Manager Sibusiso Makhanya has resigned. Picture: Supplied
The suspended eThekwini Deputy City Manager Sibusiso Makhanya has resigned from his position.
This was confirmed by eThekwini City Manager Musa Mbhele on Monday, who said Makhanya tendered his resignation last month.
“Yes it’s true, DCM Makhanya resigned last month and left the City,” said Mbhele.
Makhanya quietly left his job after putting up a fight in accusing the City of suspending him for political reasons.
He was suspended in September and charged for misconduct by the City for allegedly costing it R6 million, which was interest that accumulated as a result of a civil case that the City lost against a service provider. The service provider, Africa Utility Solutions had supplied the City with smart electricity meter boxes but the municipality did not pay, which prompted a court battle that the company eventually won.
However, in his representation to the independent investigator appointed by the City to investigate misconduct allegations against him, Makhanya said the real reason for his suspension was to pave the way for the appointment of a certain official of the City who has long been earmarked for the position of Cleansing Solid Waste (CSW) head.
He said that as a deputy city manager responsible for Trading Services, which the CSW unit fell under, he would be responsible for the appointment of that person. He said it was well known within the City that he was questioning the qualifications of this official, making it clear that he would not allow her to be appointed.
Makhanya said he was aware an agreement had been made with the individual by a senior manager of the City. He said once the official was appointed, she would outsource the services of cleaning the City’s central business district areas to a private company owned by a well-known ANC funder.
He said this would enable the “ANC funder” to fund the top exco member’s political ambitions to be elected as the party’s powerful eThekwini regional chairperson in the party’s elective conference this year.
He had vowed to take the City management to task should it find him guilty and fire him.
Makhanya had not responded to questions sent to him.
Willem.phungula@inl.co.za