MIDDELBURG – The woes confronting the hung Steve Tshwete Municipality are far from over.
The embattled municipality continues to dominate headlines for all the wrong reasons, as it leaps from one alleged wrongdoing to another, scenes as jaw-dropping as those in a Hollywood movie.
This publication recently obtained a letter of intention to place the Acting Executive Director Corporate Services on precautionary suspension on allegations of gross misconduct and contravention of the Disciplinary Procedure Act Collective Agreement (DPCA).
“You are therefore instructed to leave the premises of the municipality upon receipt of this notice and refrain from any activity whatsoever that allows you access into the Municipal System and/or building except for acquiring Municipal Services,” the letter states.
“Furthermore, you are required to return any property of the municipality that is in your possession with immediate effect.”
This follows allegations of gross misconduct against the Municipal Manager (MM) Mandla Mnguni, who is accused of interfering with employment processes during interviews for the position of Director for Governance and Council Support.
A grievance letter from the Acting Executive Director for Community Services alleges that the MM’s actions violated the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA) as well as the Municipal Systems Act (MSA).
“He has abused his authority and power as the Accounting Officer; acted with dishonesty, meddled with the recruitment process and failed to act with integrity,” the letter states, among many other alleged malpractices.
The letter also recommends that an investigation be conducted through Council to provide reasons why the MM should not be suspended. It further recommends that he “temporarily vacate office and refrain from carrying on with the appointment process herein, until Council has determined whether or not he should be placed on final suspension pending investigations.”
Responding to the allegations, the MM declared that he acted properly. “I want to state categorically clear that the process was fairly conducted as is normally done within the municipality,” he said in the letter.
“I have at all times acted in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 32 of 2000, and the applicable regulations. The accusations that I have not done so are frivolous and vexatious.”
Councillors were summoned to a special sitting on Friday, May 23, to consider the report; however, the meeting was postponed due to “administrative” oversight.
The municipality may also be facing litigation from a family in Rockdale, whose three-year-old grandchild tragically died after allegedly being run over by a waste compactor truck in October last year.
Two weeks ago, tensions flared between the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Council Speaker Thato Mathunyane over a forensic report which, according to DA’s Palesa Mobango, contains damning findings of corruption during the construction of a 132-kilovolt intake substation in Mhluzi, Chromeville.
The DA, which filed a motion of no confidence against Mathunyane, is blaming him for not facilitating the tabling of the report in council. Mathunyane, meanwhile, says he is awaiting instructions from municipal boss Mandla Mnguni.
On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, the DA released a statement to the media confirming that the municipality has adopted its motion to conduct lifestyle audits on Executive Directors, Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors, Councillors and the Municipal Manager.
“During a council meeting, it was agreed that municipality personnel in these respective positions will be subjected to scrutiny,” said Morgan Bruiners, DA councillor.
“Noting the municipality’s financial crisis and poor contract management, this is essential for upholding the principles of transparency, accountability and good governance.”
