Council dismisses manager for ‘gross misconduct’

JOBURG – The manager was removed by council in June.

Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba says he expects opposition to label this move as 'purging'.

The City of Johannesburg’s head of group strategy policy coordination and relations, a council-appointed manager, has been dismissed by council on 22 June after a disciplinary process found him guilty on 12 charges.

Among these, according to Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba, he was found guilty of intentionally failing to execute the lawful policies of the council, gross insubordination towards council, the City manager and him (the mayor).
“[He refused] to perform his functions in good faith and contravened the Code of Conduct for municipal staff contained in Schedule 2 of the Systems Act,” the mayor said.

The role of this position is a crucial function that helps the City in setting high-level strategic plans.

Mashaba said that in his ruling, the disciplinary hearing’s presiding officer found that ‘the employer has discharged its onus to prove that the employee is guilty of the charges. The evidence is uncontested’.

Mashaba said he expects opposition to label this move as ‘purging’.

“We remain clear that those who are found guilty of improper conduct have no place in this government.”