NOELENE BARBEAU
An hour before a scheduled media briefing, the Hibiscus Coast Municipality decided to fire convicted drug dealer Sheryl Cwele who was the director of health services until she was suspended.
The council’s executive committee unanimously agreed to accept the independent disciplinary committee’s recommendation to dismiss the wife of State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele’s wife.
Solomzi Mdledle, chairman of the disciplinary committee, said Cwele’s lawyer had been informed on August 5 of the recommendation and he had informally indicated that Cwele would appeal.
Earlier this year, Cwele was convicted and sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment with co-accused Frank Nabolisa for recruiting South Coast women to smuggle drugs from South American countries.
Cwele and Nabolisa have been granted leave to appeal.
The municipality then suspended Cwele in May and started disciplinary proceedings in June. They also decided to suspend her salary.
Cwele had filed papers with the Durban Labour Court where she challenged the suspension of her salary. Municipal manager S’bu Mkhize had told newspapers the municipality had resolved to settle out of court and agreed to pay her salary pending the outcome of the disciplinary proceedings.
Yesterday the council said Cwele would continue to receive her salary until the appeal was finalised.