Ngobeni booted for failure to act against unruly ANC councillors

Tshwane chief of police Steven Ngobeni will part ways with the city on April 30. File picture: Sizwe Ndingane/Independent Media

Tshwane chief of police Steven Ngobeni will part ways with the city on April 30. File picture: Sizwe Ndingane/Independent Media

Published Apr 26, 2017

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Pretoria – The legal team of the city’s outgoing chief of police Steven Ngobeni reached an agreement with the metro on Tuesday hours before the special council sitting that confirmed his exit.

Subsequently, the burning issues between Ngobeni and executive mayor Solly Msimanga were discussed behind closed doors in the Sammy Marks council chambers.

Announcing Ngobeni’s departure afterwards, the city cited an “irretrievable breakdown” in relations, but the exit of the city’s top cop had been in the making for several weeks.

“It is common cause that when there is a change in leadership there will be changes in the city to stabilise the administration,” Mimanga said.

“As such we would like to assure our residents that keeping them and their property safe is still at the apex of our agenda. The departure of the police chief is in the best interests of stabilising the capital so we may provide better services to all our people,” he added.

However, the Pretoria News can confirm that Ngobeni was booted out for failing to act against unruly ANC councillors at the State of the Capital Address (Soca) earlier this month. This propelled his departure, according to a report penned by city manager Moeketsi Mosola – seen by the Pretoria News – asking the council to approve Ngobeni’s exit from the municipality.

Part of the report read: “Council is requested to approve that the City of Tshwane concludes an agreement of separation between the city and Ngobeni, and the city manager be authorised to sign the separation agreement effective on April 30, 2017.”

To avoid a vacuum that may occur in the Tshwane Metro Police Department, Ngobeni’s deputy Jenny Malan was appointed acting chief of police with effect May 1. Her contract will be renewed on a month-to-month basis.

Jenny Malan has been appointed the city’s acting police boss. File picture: Kendridge Mathabathe/Independent Media

Ngobeni reached “a mutual settlement with the city” and will receive a substantial golden handshake.

The city was tight-lipped about the amount of the payout, saying the terms of contracts between two parties were confidential.

The report indicated the termination would have financial implication for the city. “The separation agreement is confidential, the contents thereof shall be treated as such by the parties,” the report read.

Pressure had been mounting on Ngobeni to step down since Msimanga assumed office last year.

He had pronounced, during his election campaign, that he would replace Ngobeni with a career policeman once he assumed office.

Their relationship further soured during the Soca on April 6 after Ngobeni allegedly refused to execute Msimanga’s orders to remove rowdy ANC councillors from the chamber at the Tshwane Events Centre.

It landed Ngobeni in hot water and he was suspended for a day by Mosola.

He left the Soca immediately after news of his suspension and Malan took over the metro police operations.

Two weeks ago, Msimanga publicly declared that his relationship with Ngobeni had “hit rock bottom”.

At the hastily convened special council sitting last week, Msimanga withdrew a report on contentious issues between him and Ngobeni after he had received legal counsel that he risked breaking the law by tabling it in the council in its form.

His spokesperson Samkelo Mgobozi said at the time: “My official comment is that the report was withdrawn for further considerations including but not limited to legal considerations.”

Msimanga said Ngobeni’s exit followed comprehensive discussions between the two parties. “This agreement was reached by the city manager, in consultation with the mayor, following the irretrievable breakdown in the relationship between Ngobeni and the city.”

Ngobeni’s exit was in the best interests of stabilising the city to provide better services, the mayor said. “The mayor, city manager and police chief agreed it was in the best interests of the city that he depart now to prevent any further damage to our law enforcement agency.”

Pretoria News

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