DA and ANC in Knysna clash over appointeeâs suitability
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Cape Town - The DA in Knysna has rejected the appointment of a new director of Community Services for the municipality, claiming the new appointee, Sandile Ngqele, lacks senior managerial experience.
However, the ANC has disputed the claims and said the DA needed to go back to the drawing board and check their facts.
Knysna DA Constituency Head Dion George said Ngqeleâs appointment could result in a costly dispute for the municipality.
George said: âAt a Knysna Council meeting on April 29, the ANC and the KUC (Knysna Unity Congress) voted to appoint a director of Community Services despite councillors being presented with a report which found that the appointed candidate has three judgments and two defaults in a financial history screening report.
Keith Jordaan Photo: Michelle Pienaar
GEORGE NEWS - George Councillor Stag Cronjé and former chief financial officer Keith Jordaan will not be prosecuted for fraud. In a letter by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) it is stated that there is no evidence of any criminal offence having been committed and that the NPA therefore declines to prosecute.
This was confirmed by NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila, who said none of the allegations in the docket could be substantiated against either Jordaan or Cronjé.
Former municipal manager Trevor Botha opened a case against Cronjé and Jordaan, regarding an investment of municipal funds at Old Mutual Wealth from which Cronjé s son allegedly benefited. Jordaan was the CFO at the time. Jordaan was found guilty on three of four charges at a municipal disciplinary hearing and left his office in July 2019.
Stag s sanction: One paycheck ANC Chief Whip Nomawethu Jantjies-Gushman said they are most unhappy with the mere slap on the wrist Cronjé received at the council meeting the previous day when he was charged with 1 month s salary for breaching the code of conduct for councillors Journalist Thursday, 01 April 2021, 12:01 ANC line-up: from left are Langa Langa, Nomawethu Jantjies-Gushman, Thobeka Teyisi and Piet van der Hoven.
GEORGE NEWS - ANC members of George Council paid a visit to the George Police Station last Friday morning, 26 March, to lay a criminal charge against the former portfolio councillor for finance, Stag Cronjé, and the current speaker, Gerrit Pretorius.
Thursday, 17 December 2020, 14:30 Many moons ago: former George traffic chief Donovan Saptoe (left) and provincial traffic head Kenny Africa. Photo: Michelle Pienaar
GEORGE NEWS - George no longer has a traffic chief.
Donovan Saptoe, who was suspended nearly 14 months ago, has finally been dismissed following the outcome of a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday 1 December.
Saptoe was not present at the hearing. I was unwell and presented a doctor s letter, said Saptoe. I can only confirm that I was tried in my absence and convicted. The case will have to be continued on arbitration so that we can test the validity of this decision.
Richard Hector
GEORGE NEWS - The Good party has lodged a complaint against George Mayor Leon Van Wyk following a municipal statement last week which made public a council resolution on a confidential item.
The statement was released on Wednesday afternoon, 2 December, shortly after Council deliberated requests from Municipal Manager Trevor Botha and Director of Community Services Walter Hendricks, that their contracts with George Municipality be terminated.
In addition, Good s representative in Council, Richard Hector, is disgruntled with Speaker Gerrit Pretorius, whom he says has refused Good s request to make the matter publicly available in the first place.
Hector says the party once again calls upon Pretorius to move the confidential decision to the open agenda so that the people of George can scrutinise the full story .