Local Government, Environ-mental Affairs and Development Planning
According to media reports dated 3 December 2020, the Stellenbosch Municipality was ordered to pay a settlement of R750 000 to an employment applicant who was replaced by a candidate who did not meet the job criteria.
- Whether the Director of Planning and Development, whose name has been furnished to his Department for the purpose of his reply, has been charged for the fruitless and wasteful expenditure that this amount of R750 000 now represents; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
- whether the unqualified candidate, whose name has been furnished to his Depart-ment for the purpose of his reply, has been replaced at the Municipality; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
- whether he will institute his own investigation into this matter; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
3(1) According to the Municipality, an investigation conducted by an independent investigator in terms of the Disciplinary Regulations for Senior Managers found no evidence of misconduct on the part of the former Director. In addition, according to the Municipality the matter was also audited by the Auditor-General and did not find it as part of section 32 of the Municipal Finance Management Act, 56 of 2003.
3(2) The said candidate is still in the employ of the Municipality, however was in accordance with the Labour Relations Act transferred from the post to another Directorate in a post for which she did qualify, with a decrease in her salary aligned to the alternate post’s grading.
3(3) An investigation will not be conducted, as based on information provided by the Municipality it had conducted its own investigation by an independent investigator.
