Cape Town - Local Government MEC Anton Bredell is investigating claims of possible irregularities in appointments made in the Kannaland Municipality, after it emerged that an executive personal assistant to the municipal manager will earn R100 000 a month for the next three months.
George attorney Liesel Scholtz was appointed as a personal assistant in the office of the municipal manager.
The municipality is run by an unusual working partnership between the ANC, which holds the mayoral seat, and DA, which has the Speaker's post.
The ANC and DA at national level have opposed the locally brokered arrangement.
A delegation from the Kannaland Municipality met with Bredell in the city on Thursday, shortly after the rumours surfaced.
Municipal insiders confirmed mayor Magdalena Barry, council Speaker Aletta Theron and Scholtz were present in the meeting.
Bredell said his department had become aware of allegations concerning possible appointment irregularities and had been tasked to look into them.
“Allegations like these are always concerning and as such we take them very seriously. When we have determined all the facts, there will be further comment on the matter.”
Barry confirmed the meeting with Bredell, saying it focused on her 100-day plan for the municipality.
Barry said Scholtz, who is actually named Liesel Muller, was employed at the municipality by Nigel Delo.
Delo was appointed acting municipal manager after Morné Hoogbaard resigned last week. Delo handed in his resignation as acting municipal manager on Wednesday prior to the council meeting, where the town council agreed to the three-month remuneration package for the municipal manager’s personal assistant.
The same council meeting also suspended the municipality’s corporate affairs manager, Hendrik Barnard, for allegedly renewing and backdating contracts.
Prior to his resignation, Delo said he was not concerned about appointments made during his brief term as acting municipal manager, adding he identified an urgent need for internal legal advice and guidance during the bridging phase from the old to the new council.
Delo said receiving legal advice on a consultative basis would have cost considerably more than appointing someone.
“Having an internal legal adviser means you have a legal mind available to the municipality five days a week.
“That person will not be charging daily or hourly tariffs,” Delo said.
Delo is back in his post as chief financial officer.
Meanwhile, DA MP and constituency head for Kannaland, Zelda Jongbloed, rubbished claims appointments were made at an exuberant cost to the municipality.
“It is nonsense that staff are being appointed at huge cost,” she said. “There really is no cause for panic.”
Cape Argus