Rustenburg – Disciplinary proceedings will be instituted against suspended Rustenburg municipal manager Bheki Khenisa, Rustenburg mayor Mpho Khunou said on Tuesday.
Khenisa was suspended in December on charges relating to unspent conditional grants.
Khunou told the council meeting that charges against Khenisa should be viewed as serious.
However, in a council meeting on Tuesday, the Democratic Alliance reiterated that it was against Khenisa’s suspension and called for the chief financial officer of the muncipality, Sithembiso Gloria Molefe, to be suspended instead. The party blames her for the grants not being spent.
“We want to put on record as the DA that much as we want investigations against the municipal manager to be finalised, we do not support his suspension, we maintain our stance and move that the chief financial officer [CFO] must be suspended with immediate effect,” said DA councillor Leonette Ackerman.
Khunou said the DA was welcome to challenge Khenisa’s suspension in court but pointed out that he had tried to do so and failed.
“The DA is unhappy about the suspension of the municipal manager. The suspension is valid. He was suspended on December 21, he went to court and lost,” said Khunou.
“The DA wrote a letter on December 21, that it will go to court if the municipal manger is suspended. We are still waiting for your papers. If the DA is not happy, they can bring other motion or go to court to challenge the suspension.”
Tension flared in the meeting after Khunou’s comment with the DA’s Olga Chauka saying this had nothing to do with him.
“The papers are coming… as to when it is a DA matter that has nothing to do with you. You are not going to intimidate the DA and interfere on our issues,” she said.
Khonou retorted: “The only thing that does not concern me is councillor Chauke’s personal life…”
After a few more heated exchanges, Chauke withdrew her statement that Khunou was interfering and intimidating the DA.
A strong contingent of public order police were deployed at the Rustenburg Civic Centre, although the public gallery was empty. ANC supporters gathered under trees outside.
African News Agency
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