Claims that the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality’s chief operating officer (COO), Sidima Dyani, lied about being in the employ of a Johannesburg entity, and about the salary he was receiving at the time, to negotiate for a higher salary with the metro, have been handed over to the Hawks.
Fighting to have her precautionary suspension lifted, city manager Noxolo Nqwazi has asked the courts to allow her to return to work, describing the council’s decision as having ulterior political motives and deliberately disregarding regulations.
Suspended city boss Noxolo Nqwazi and her co-accused facing fraud charges amounting to more than R24m have still not had sight of the full police docket, the Gqeberha commercial crime court heard on Tuesday.
Under pressure from Bhisho to act, Nelson Mandela Bay council speaker Eugene Johnson has launched a probe into whether mayor Gary van Niekerk breached the code of conduct for councillors when he hired a law firm on behalf of the municipality, racking up a bill of half-a-million rand.
Nelson Mandela Bay city manager Noxolo Nqwazi was placed on precautionary suspension during an emergency council meeting on Friday, while the disciplinary process against her unfolds.