Durban - City manager S’bu Sithole is compiling a report on his financial affairs for the city’s executive committee following weekend reports that he racked up almost R2 million in bad debts before his appointment to the city’s top job.
Sithole, speaking after an executive committee meeting yesterday, said he had engaged the services of a lawyer to help formulate the report – at the request of mayor James Nxumalo. It might be discussed at an exco meeting, he said.
Sister title The Sunday Tribune reported that Sithole had totted up almost R2m in bad debt, defaulting on his income tax and forcing his creditors to go to court. The report said his creditors had secured five default judgments against him between 2010 and 2012.
He also faces dismissal for failing to declare his bad debts before his appointment.
Sithole didn’t want to go into detail about the article or challenge the claims, saying everything would be revealed in his own report.
Lennox Mabaso, spokesman for Co-operative Governance MEC Nomusa Dube, whose department monitors the performance of municipalities, said the eThekwini municipality was dealing with the matter. The MEC expected the city’s leadership to “take her into their confidence” on the claims. “The allegations have nothing to do with his performance as city manager and don’t affect his day-to-day duties. But the MEC is concerned that it casts aspersions on the city manager’s integrity.”
Daily News