Cape Town - Hardly a fortnight after the Tshwane ANC elected its leaders, the daggers are out again in yet another comrade versus comrade intrigue.
The foes of Tshwane deputy ANC chairman Mapiti Matsena have called for his resignation from his job as the municipality’s strategic executive head in the office of the Speaker of council.
They have cited a clause in the Municipal Systems Amendment Act which prohibits managers directly accountable to the municipal manager to hold office in political parties.
An unfazed Matsena said he was aware of the calls. He was, however, confident that nothing would come from it, which he said emanated from his “political principals in the municipality”.
“But it is fine, their day will come,” he said.
Matsena, however, pointed out he had a get-out-of-jail-free card as the legislation did not apply to managers appointed, or deployed, before it was promulgated.
The act was amended and promulgated in July 2011, specifically to insert the clause prohibiting a municipal manager or manager directly accountable to the municipal manager to hold office in a political party.
In terms of the Municipal Systems Amendment Act, where the employment contract was entered into before the legislation took effect, such contract should continue until it lapses or is terminated.
It is this condition that will keep Matsena in the position he has occupied since August 2011, just weeks after the act came into force. He was elected into the Tshwane ANC’s top five in October of the same year.
Matsena said he was appointed before the act came into being and was therefore not prohibited from working for the city.
He added there was no need for him to be dismissed or resign or be redeployed to another division within the city where he would not be accountable to the municipal manager for that matter.
Matsena was re-elected, alongside chairman and mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa, secretary Paul Mojapelo, deputy secretary George Matjila and treasurer Dolly Ledwaba.
In the City of Tshwane, Matsena is responsible for the administrative wing, supported by a team of executive heads.
He reports directly to city manager Jason Ngobeni, which would have automatically put him on collision course with the act had he been appointed after promulgation of the act. Together with the Speaker of council, Morakane Mosupyoe-Letsholo, Matsena’s position makes him one of the most high-profile and influential officials in the City of Tshwane.
He is tasked with ensuring that the new governance model is implemented by establishing oversight committees and ensuring that they are fully functional.
Matsena said he was first elected as the deputy regional chairman n October 2011.
The applicability of the act was clarified and a legal opinion in this regard was obtained at the time.
He was thus appointed prior to the effectiveness of the act, effective from August 1 of the same year for a five-year term which ends on August 31 next year.
City of Tshwane spokesman Selby Bokaba said the municipality would take Municipal Systems Amendment Act into consideration when appointing Matsena’s successor after the expiry of the contract of his employment next year.
Pretoria News