Durban – Former eThekwini municipal manager S’bu Sithole may go to court to get clarity on how he was scored the lowest during the interview process.
The municipality has confirmed that Transnet’s Sipho Nzuza has been appointed the new city manager.
However, Sithole said on Monday that he had written to the municipality requesting an explanation as to how he was scored the fourth lowest among the interviewed candidates, despite being the only candidate with extensive experience in local government.
He said the municipality had not responded.
Sithole said he believed the process was set against him from the beginning.
“This process was not fair to me. It is not even about me becoming a municipal manager any more, this is about principles,” he said.
“In any job there are requirements and if you are the incumbent you already meet those requirements."
“Even in terms of qualifications, I have two master’s degrees and I am studying towards a PHD in major developments."
“The interview process is not just about the interview, it is also about practical experience on the job, and among those interviewed no one comes close to me,” he said.
Nzuza, the port manager in Cape Town, confirmed during an interview with The Mercury on Sunday that he had been appointed.
He starts working next month. Sithole was unceremoniously removed from his job in December last year, two weeks before his five-year contract was to expire, amid rumours he had fallen out with Mayor Zandile Gumede.
He said the court would determine whether his battles with Gumede played a role in him not being retained.
“I have been in local government since 1997. It is important to know how someone with my record, an unblemished record for that matter, could be scored fourth."
“I want to know from the exco that conducted the interview what they took into account. It’s known that I had battles and I want to know whether that was a consideration.”
Sithole said the composition of the panel was not fair.
“I was fighting with the mayor, who was part of the panel. There was already animosity even before the process started."
“The question is, was there anyone independent on that panel who is an expert in local government, making sure the process was fair as required by law? There was no one independent.”
Responding to a request for comment, municipal spokesperson Tozi Mthethwa said the municipality did not speak to third parties about internal employer-employee issues.
Mayoral spokesperson Mthunzi Gumede declined to speak to The Mercury on Monday night, saying they would not be engaging on the matter with the media.