Municipal Manager pulls the wool over councillors eyes

SAMWU in the Northern Cape was made aware of the intention of the Sol - Plaatje Municipality to increase the salary of the Municipal Manager from R 1.4 million to R1.9 million! Without following proper political and administrative procedures.

According to the current Municipal Management System Act any change of condition of section 57 employees in Local Government, must be done through a Council meeting. With regards to the exorbitant increase of the Municipal Manager in Sol - Plaatje, the following had occurred;

1. This matter was never tabled at the ANC caucus when the Budget book for the new financial year was discussed by ANC councillors.

2. This matter was then tabled at the official Council meeting and the Acting Chief Financial Officer and the Municipal Manager having Fiduciary powers and responsibilities to advise Council on any financial matters, misled the Council by not informing Councillors of this intended salary increases.

3. Having being misled by these Officials, the Council approved the Budget book with the salary increase of the Municipal Manager and all Directors.

4. These exorbitant increases are meant to be implemented on the 01 July 201.1

The Union strongly believes that this is blatant corruption and these increases are wasteful and illegal, to say the least. We are demanding that Municipal Officials who are involved be investigated immediately and if found to be part of this corruption, they must immediately be dismissed and prosecuted.

Statement issued by Duma Lebakeng, SAMWU Northern Cape Provincial Secretary, May 13 2011

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