DURBAN - A LETTER of dismissal alleging that a worker in the Zululand District Municipality had been fired for posting negatively about a “prominent political party” drew a storm of criticism and calls for the mayor, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, to be toppled.
The EFF, ANC and NFP said the dismissal amounted to an abuse of power. Buthelezi leads the municipality on behalf of the IFP, with the support of the EFF.
Buthelezi distanced himself from the criticism yesterday, saying he was a political office-bearer and had nothing to do with municipal staff matters.
The furore has led the EFF to threaten to withhold its single vote which gave the IFP the mayoral chain, while the ANC has called on unions to intervene.
According to EFF leader Vusi Khoza, the IFP has 18 votes while the ANC and NFP also have 18 votes. The EFF has a single vote, which is a swing vote that handed the municipality to the IFP.
Khoza said the employee had been fired for posting negatively about the IFP.
The letter purportedly from the municipal manager said: “This letter serves to inform you of your summary dismissal following serious allegations levelled against you. It has been brought to my attention that you wrongfully incited comments on social media with your post. Such a post is said to have sparked comments which negatively impacted on the name and image of a prominent political party and a highly respected community leader.
“You are therefore informed of the summary termination of your service pending the finalisation of the allegation against you.”
The letter, said opposition parties, lends credence to the claims that Buthelezi intended to sack workers who did not support the IFP.
It was reported recently that the municipal leadership had demanded that staffers produce qualifications to prove their suitability for their jobs. An update posted on the municipality’s Facebook page yesterday said the municipality had completed the verification process of the qualifications and found some managers did not possess the appropriate qualifications.
Parties said workers who did not support the IFP were being targeted with hearings, dismissals and unreasonable work transfers.
“We see this as a purge of workers who did not support the IFP,” said Khoza.
ANC spokesperson in KwaZulu-Natal, Nhlakanipho Ntombela, said Buthelezi could not do as he wished.
“No mayor ... can decide such wanton acts and dismiss people without a hearing,” he said.
NFP leader Canaan Mdletshe said they would lobby other parties, including the EFF, to pass a vote of no confidence in the mayor.
Buthelezi said there had been no engagements with the EFF on these allegations.
“The IFP runs Zululand Municipality and will not be intimidated by the ANC. We will run it according to the principles of good governance and we will deal with anyone implicated in any allegations of corruption,” he said.
Approached for comment on the dismissal letter, Zululand municipality spokesperson Zanele Mthethwa said the municipality could not discuss the matter with the media as it was between the municipality and the employee.
THE MERCURY