The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Johannesburg uncovered maladministration within the City of Johannesburg’s Disaster Management Department.
Through our ongoing oversight, the DA submitted council questions to the MMC for Group Corporate and Shared Services (GCSS), Cllr Sithembiso Zungu, regarding the irregular appointment of the Executive Head of Disaster Management.
In response, MMC Zungu attempted to downplay the seriousness of the appointment, claiming that the individual in question was merely “coordinating the activities” of the department.
However, follow-up questions revealed that the individual had, in fact, been appointed to act in the Executive Head position, confirming that the MMC intentionally misled council on the matter.
• The position was never advertised,
• And the appointment was not served to nor approved by council, in direct violation of municipal policy.
Disaster Management legally falls under the Department of Public Safety, yet the individual was irregularly appointed in the Office of the City Manager, reporting to the Chief Operations Officer
When questioned, the MMC dismissed the legislated requirement for council to approve the organisational structure, claiming the department was “still finalizing” a new structure.
It has also come to light that the appointed individual previously worked with former Acting City Manager Tshepo Makola within the Emergency Management Services (EMS) Department. This raises serious concerns of cronyism, as the appointment appears to have been orchestrated to keep political allies in key positions of power.
The DA will be challenging this unlawful appointment through the Section 79 Committee.
The DA stands for equal opportunity for all not jobs for pals.