Joburg ActionSA believes proper procedures not followed prior to acting city manager appointment
On Friday, the municipal council convened to ratify and approve Tshepo Makola’s appointment to serve as acting city manager for three months.
A City of Joburg council meeting. Picture: @JoburgSpeaker/X
JOHANNESBURG - ActionSA in Johannesburg has clarified that it is not opposed to Tshepo Makola’s appointment as acting city manager but believes the proper procedures were not followed prior to his appointment.
On Friday, the municipal council convened to ratify and approve Makola’s appointment to serve as acting city manager for three months.
Makola was appointed to the role on 8 January - two weeks prior to the council’s official approval.
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ActionSA asserted that the mayoral committee, in its ratification report for Makola’s appointment, neglected to include several key recommendations.
The party’s caucus leader, Zark Lebatlang, said the recommendations were overlooked, making Makola’s appointment irregular.
“ActionSA believes that it is paramount that any process that seeks to validate the appointment of the city’s accounting officer is immune from legal loopholes or public scrutiny. ActionSA wanted the following to be included in the report: the commencement of the recruitment process for a city manager, the inclusion of all relevant stakeholders in the recruitment panel in the interview process to ensure transparency and alignment with the diverse stakeholders of the city.”
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Johannesburg has expressed disappointment that the City of Johannesburg failed to follow proper procedure when appointing the acting city manager.
The DA argued that Makola's early appointment on 8 January without the council’s consent indicated a failure to follow proper procedures.
DA caucus leader Belinder Kasier-Echeozonjoku said her party will not sit and allow lawlessness to prevail.
“The coalition attempted to justify this appointment by citing historical delegations granted to the executive to appoint an acting city manager during recess periods. However, the DA firmly asserts that no council delegation can supersede the provisions of national legislation, including the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act.”